Chapter 174 Johnathan’s Plan
Korbin squinted his eyes upon hearing this. He looked at Rachael angrily with his dark eyes. He was a man and the head of the Swanns. His authority was not something that should be challenged.
Under normal circumstances, Rachael might have felt fear and apprehension under Korbin’s intimidating gaze. After all, the most impressive quality among women in the upper echelons of high society wasn’t intelligence or their lineage, it was endurance.
To become a successful lady of a prestigious family, one had to learn how to endure. However, Rachael could no longer hold back today. Johnathan was her bottom line and Rachael wouldn’t allow anyone to harm Johnathan.
“What? Did I say something wrong? That jinx has come back to bring disaster upon us. She wants to drag all of us down with her,” Rachael retorted without flinching even when faced with Korbin’s threat.
Korbin’s face darkened, not only because of Rachael’s unprecedented refusal to yield but also because he was dissatisfied with Catherine. Just like Rachael, Korbin also valued Johnathan the most.
After all, Johnathan was the Swanns’ only son. Although Korbin had four children, the Swanns’ fortune would ultimately be given to Johnathan.
Johnathan felt emboldened upon seeing his father’s anger and added, ” Dad, let me tell you. The reason why that jinx, Catherine, dares to be this arrogant is because Branden from the Duncans has her back. She thinks Branden is something special. But in your eyes, he’s just a junior. Am I right?
Hearing Johnathan’s words, Korbin sensed that something was amiss. He asked, “What’s the full story?”
Johnathan recounted everything he had witnessed at the restaurant to Korbin. He said, “Dad, what’s so good about that jinx? Apart from her looks, she’s got a temper as tough as nails. Why would Branden, a big shot from the Duncans, be interested in her?”
Korbin smirked. His eyes carried a mocking tone mixed with a hint of affection. “You’re still young and don’t understand these things. Do you think Branden’s reputation in the business world is for nothing? I suspect his intentions aren’t that simple.”
Being a child of a prestigious family, Johnathan quickly caught on. He asked, “Dad, do you think Branden is thinking of using Catherine, that jinx, to gain control of the Swanns’ wealth?”
Korbin looked at Johnathan with curiosity. Then he calmly asked, Think about it. Whose name is the Swanns’ wealth under now?”
Johnathan slapped his thigh and replied, “That bastard from the Duncans! I knew he couldn’t possibly be interested in that jinx. He’s got other plans!”
Rachael also picked up on the signs. Dealing with Catherine alone wouldn’t be too daunting. But the Duncans were a family they couldn’t afford to offend. If the Duncans were truly intent on taking over their assets, the Swanns would be in real trouble.
“Korbin, if the Duncans truly come after us, what should we do?” Rachael asked. Korbin’s eyes were cold, and his smile gradually faded. “Branden is a promising young man, but I, Korbin, am no pushover. It won’t be easy for him to bring down the Swanns. Right now, the most crucial thing is to deal with Catherine. We need to keep her in check and make sure she doesn’t make trouble. That’s the top priority.”
Speaking of which, Johnathan had already thought of a plan on his way home. He was simply bidding his time, waiting for the right moment to bring it up.
“Dad, I have an idea. Next week, it’s my grandmother’s seventieth birthday. We can take Catherine along and let my uncle deal with Catherine. That jinx is used to rural life and may have some martial arts skills. But my uncle is a military man. Even if a few strong guys come at him, they won’t be his match.
If we let my uncle handle Catherine, I guarantee she’ll be obedient afterward. Rachael had an elder brother with a peculiar personality. He had never gotten along well with others since they were kids.
He especially disliked Rachael, who married into a prestigious family. It was fortunate that Rachael had married early. If she had been a homewrecker, her upright brother might have killed her.
Rachael thought it was a feasible plan. Her brother was a straightforward man. He would certainly take action if he knew about Catherine’s ungrateful behavior.
“Korbin, I think our son is right. My brother doesn’t listen to me, but he respects our mother. I’ll talk to her about it during her seventieth birthday celebration.”
After the two persuaded him in turns, Korbin nodded in agreement. Although he was reluctant to air their dirty laundry to outsiders, the fact that it was Rachael’s brother made it more acceptable.
“Okay. Let’s go with that plan.”
After Korbin agreed, Johnathan smiled brightly. He guarantees that once Catherine lands in the hands of her uncle, she will be in big trouble.
Johnathan planned to speak ill of Catherine in front of his doting grandmother as well. He was certain Catherine’s future would be very eventful.
When Catherine returned to Audrey’s home, she noticed Audrey sitting there absentmindedly. Audrey even didn’t tidy up her things. This was strange. Hearing the door open, Audrey slowly turned and looked at Catherine with weary eyes.
“Kathy, you’re back.”
Catherine frowned at Audrey and asked softly, “What’s wrong with you? You seem so listless. Are you feeling unwell?
Audrey shook her head. “I’m not sick. I just have a bit of a headache.”
“What’s giving you a headache?” Facing Catherine’s inquiry, Audrey leaned against the wall and mumbled weakly, “I have a headache about what to give as a gift.”
After saying this, Audrey suddenly remembered something and shot up from her seat. Then she looked at Catherine.
“Kathy, you don’t know yet, do you?” Catherine looked at her in confusion. Before Catherine said a word, Audrey could tell she genuinely didn’t know. It was understandable since Catherine had grown up in the countryside and had little contact with the Langs.
“Kathy, Grandma’s birthday is next week, and she’s turning 70. Now that you’re back, you have to go. Do you know?”
If it had been an ordinary birthday, Catherine had all intentions not to turn up. She never liked such crowded occasions and considered them a waste of time. However, a seventieth birthday was a special occasion. Catherine felt obligated to attend.
Seeing Catherine’s furrowed brow and silence, Audrey assumed that Catherine was worrying about what gift to bring, just like herself. As the older sister, Audrey decided to take on this task herself.
“Don’t worry about the gift, Kathy. I’ll take care of it. What you need to do is to set time aside and come with me then.”
With Audrey’s assurance, Catherine stopped hesitating and nodded. Catherine dropped her backpack and headed to the bathroom to wash her hands.
As she was about to throw the used tissue into the trash can, she noticed an aluminum pillbox with used tablets inside the bin.
The box had the words “contraceptive pill” written on it. Catherine frowned and glanced at Audrey, who was still sitting outside.
Catherine contemplated asking her about it. However, she figured Audrey was an adult and was capable of taking responsibility for her own choices. Catherine then turned away, walked into her room, and didn’t dwell on the matter any further.
