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Catherine’s eyes fluttered open, and she immediately felt the pangs of hunger. The quiet room told her it was nightfall, and as her senses sharpened, she could feel someone else in the room with her. Her instincts had never been wrong, and before she could fully process, a familiar, magnetic voice broke the silence.
“You’re awake?”
Catherine barely hesitated, her tone unusually soft. “Mmhm.”
With a simple flick, the lights dimmed slightly, providing a comfortable ambiance. Catherine, still waking up, found the dim lighting oddly soothing—just the right balance to ease the harshness of the real world. The man’s calm, unwavering voice followed soon after.
“Do you want to eat first or talk?”
Catherine didn’t want to waste time guessing what he might want to discuss. She wasn’t in the mood for long-winded conversations. Her focus was elsewhere.
“Say your piece,” she replied, her tone cool yet nonchalant.
Branden regarded her with an amused glint in his eyes. “Let’s talk about the Swann Corporation. It’s been almost two weeks, and apart from firing a financial manager, you haven’t made any significant moves. With only two and a half months left, do you think that’s enough time?”
Catherine slowly rose from the bed, her long limbs stretching gracefully as she stood up. A mischievous smile played on her lips as she turned toward him.
“You investigated me?”
Branden’s faint smile remained. “The person I choose never loses.”
The words echoed in Catherine’s mind. “The person he chooses?” She raised an eyebrow in mild amusement. He seemed confident, but then again, he always was.
Catherine’s grin widened. “Relax. I never lose.”
Before Branden could respond, Catherine’s stomach growled loudly, and she cut him off with a simple declaration. “I’m hungry.”
There was an odd warmth in Branden’s gaze as he responded, “Your body is still growing. Of course, you’ll feel hungry easily. I’ve already told the kitchen to prepare dinner. Let’s go eat.”
Before Catherine could protest, Branden took her hand and led her toward the kitchen. She furrowed her brow, her calm expression giving way to mild annoyance.
“What is he doing?” she wondered. “Is he getting into the habit of holding my hand?”
She didn’t appreciate being dragged around like that, but something about it felt oddly comforting. Perhaps it was the carelessness, the sense of not having to worry about anything for a change. As someone who always tried to take the least amount of effort in her life, being led around like this wasn’t half bad. Catherine relaxed, letting him pull her along.
When they reached the living room, Catherine noticed Bryan sitting there, looking a bit disgruntled. The birthday party was long over, but Bryan had evidently been waiting for Branden to bring Catherine downstairs.
Bryan’s eyes widened with surprise when he saw Catherine. “Boss…” His voice was filled with so much emotion that even Paxton, watching from a distance, couldn’t help but be stunned by the change in Bryan’s demeanor.
“What’s happening to all of them?” Paxton wondered. “Why is Bryan acting so differently? He’s so spoiled by Vicente that he wouldn’t take orders from anyone else. But now, he’s following Catherine without question. What is it about her?”
Catherine heard Bryan and turned, slightly raising an eyebrow. “What’s the matter?”
Bryan hesitated, glancing briefly at Branden before swallowing his grievance. “Nothing, just wanted to know if you slept well.”
Catherine gave a dismissive reply. “It’s alright,” she said, sensing his underlying discomfort. But she didn’t linger on the matter, deciding it was better to change the subject. “Let’s go eat.”
Her simple invitation made Bryan’s mood lift immediately. She was treating him well—buying him dinner and actually talking to him. He forgot, momentarily, that he was a member of the Duncan family and the host of the party. To him, she was the boss now, and he’d gladly follow her lead.
They arrived at the restaurant, and Bryan noticed that only spicy dishes were on the menu. He could handle it, but Catherine adored spicy food, so he knew this dinner would be to her liking. But as Branden ordered all spicy dishes for Catherine, Bryan couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration for him. He knew Branden couldn’t handle spicy food at all—it was a long-known fact. But he ordered everything spicy for Catherine without a second thought.
Bryan thought to himself, Now that’s dedication. He’s going all out to impress her—even at the cost of his own discomfort.
After dinner, Catherine seemed satisfied and rested for a moment. Then, standing up, she made it clear she was ready to leave.
Bryan stood as well, his tone filled with reluctance. “Boss, are you leaving now?”
Catherine turned around, nodding. Her gaze lingered on Branden for a brief moment, and then she casually remarked, “I rode my bike here.” The meaning was clear: she wasn’t accepting any ride offers from Branden.
Branden simply nodded, his expression calm but laced with subtle concern. “Be careful then.”
With that, Catherine left, her presence lingering in the air even after she was gone. Bryan stood there, feeling the absence of her energy like a void in the room.
“I wish she could stay forever,” Bryan muttered under his breath, his heart still light from the attention Catherine had given him.
Branden, having overheard, patted Bryan on the shoulder as he passed by. “That day will come.”
Bryan froze, momentarily unsure of what Branden meant. But then, the realization hit him, and a rush of excitement filled his chest. Before he could respond, Branden had already walked away, leaving Bryan to contemplate the future.
Despite Branden being his uncle, Bryan knew one thing for certain: Catherine was the boss. No matter what happened, he would always support her.
And with that thought, Bryan made a silent vow to always stand by Catherine, no matter the circumstances.