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Novel Catalog
Chapter Title: Words as Weapons
Catherine’s room, located in the basement of the Swann estate, was nothing short of an afterthought. The large mansion, with its many luxurious rooms, had relegated her to the dark, musty corners of the house—a place so isolated that even the maids refused to stay in it. The irony was not lost on Catherine. She knew exactly why they treated her this way.
But Catherine didn’t care. If anything, she preferred the solitude of the basement. It was quiet, and more importantly, it kept her away from the Swann family’s incessant scrutiny and venomous comments. A quieter place, where she could focus and think without constant interference, was exactly what she needed.
Looking around the small, bare room, she felt no anger, no resentment. Her face, as always, remained impassive, her doll-like features betraying nothing. She had grown used to the Swanns’ disdain over the years. If it weren’t for her striking resemblance to Rachael, they would have never even considered acknowledging her as part of the family.
Rachael, once the beauty of Casier, was now a shadow of her former self, and everyone had always believed that Liana, the youngest daughter, had inherited her mother’s beauty. They were wrong. It wasn’t Liana who looked most like Rachael—it was Catherine. In fact, Catherine was even more beautiful than her mother had been in her youth. A fact that made the Swanns uneasy, for the girl they had always looked down upon now had the one thing they coveted most—power, and the legacy of their name.
Suddenly, the silence in her room was broken by the sharp ring of her old-fashioned phone, sitting on the desk. Liana had mocked her for using such an outdated model earlier, calling her a bumpkin for not keeping up with modern technology. Catherine had barely noticed, unfazed by the comment. What Liana didn’t know, however, was that the phone wasn’t just any regular phone—it was one of the few satellite phones in the world, something so rare that Liana wouldn’t even recognize it if she had tried.
Catherine glanced at the screen, where a new text message had appeared.
From: Ronin O’Connor
Ronin: Boss, someone is investigating you. Should I do something about it?
Catherine’s expression didn’t shift as she typed a quick reply.
Catherine: No, let him investigate.
Ronin: Okay, boss. Have fun!
After reading the message, Catherine deleted the chat history with a practiced hand. She liked to keep her affairs clean, leaving no trace for anyone to follow. Ronin was an adopted boy, three years younger than her, and an exceptional hacker. Despite his youth, he had already earned a spot among the top ten hackers in the world. He was brilliant with computers, and his skills would only improve as he got older.
For now, though, Catherine had other things to think about. The funeral of her grandfather, Vicente Swann, had brought her back to the Swann estate, but the painful reality of his death was still fresh in her mind. He had been cruel, using her to fulfill his will and force her to inherit the family fortune. It was a final wish that Catherine would not have defied, but she resented him for it. He had denied her the opportunity to say goodbye, to have one last moment with him. It was a decision made out of pure calculation, and it had left Catherine with a bitter taste in her mouth.
As she stared at Vicente’s photo in her hands, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching her door. She quickly wiped away the single tear that had formed at the corner of her eye, wiping it from her face before anyone could notice. When she looked back up, her expression was once again cold and unreadable.
The door burst open with a loud bang, and in walked Liana, her face twisted in a scowl. Behind her were several maids, following her lead. If it weren’t for Korbin’s repeated requests that Liana tolerate Catherine for the time being, she would have long since had her thrown out of the house.
Liana’s eyes scanned the room with disgust as she strode in, her voice deliberately loud and mocking. “Is this a dog house? Why does it smell so bad in here? It’s disgusting.”
Catherine, without flinching, sat up slightly, crossed her arms, and looked at Liana with a cold, unamused gaze. Her voice, calm and measured, cut through the tension. “Are you calling me a dog?”
Liana’s eyes sparkled with triumph at the opportunity to insult her. She laughed derisively, her words dripping with venom. “I can’t do anything about it if you admit you’re a dog. Why don’t you try barking? Let’s see if you sound like one.”
Catherine didn’t react with anger, though the corners of her lips curled slightly upward in a barely perceptible smile. Her response was smooth and calculated, the words rolling off her tongue with icy precision.
“Liana,” she said, her voice still calm, “even if you won’t admit it, I’m still your older sister by birth. If I’m a dog, what does that make you?”
Liana’s eyes widened for a moment, caught off guard by Catherine’s sharp retort. She opened her mouth to respond but was silenced by Catherine’s next words, which hit her like a slap across the face.
“Are you a dog’s younger sister?” Catherine’s voice was soft but full of poison. “Or maybe you’re its feces?”
Liana’s face contorted with rage, her hands balling into fists as her breath quickened. “You—” she started, but the words got stuck in her throat, as Catherine’s cold smile only deepened.
The power dynamics were shifting, and Liana could feel it. Catherine, the so-called ‘country bumpkin,’ was no longer the naive girl she had once been. She had found her voice, and she wasn’t afraid to use it.
With a final, frustrated glare, Liana turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, the maids following behind her, their heads down in silence.
As the door slammed shut behind them, Catherine allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction. She had won this round—but she knew it wouldn’t be the last battle. The war for control of the Swanns’ fortune had only just begun. And Catherine was determined to play her part to the fullest.