Chapter 305 Lesser of Two Evils
Korbin Swann looked up, his gaze fixed on Catherine Swann, wondering what kind of trick this girl was planning to play.
“What do you mean?” he asked. Catherine stared coldly at her father and did not bother to hide her arrogance.
“I promised you that I won’t let him go to jail. What about your end of the deal? ” said Catherine. Korbin had initially thought this was a mere formality, but Catherine was taking it seriously.
“Don’t worry, your brother made a mistake, and I will make sure he pays for it. I’ll cut off his pocket money for a whole year and have him reflect in front of your grandfather’s memorial tablet,” replied Korbin.
As Korbin revealed the punishment, all of them who were present had various reactions. Johnathan Swann was about to explode upon hearing that his pocket money would be cut off.
Rachael secretly sighed in relief. After all, her husband did care for their son. When it came to matters that could be solved with money, it wasn’t a big deal.
Upon hearing Korbin’s punishment, Catherine burst into laughter. Her laughter was clear and pleasant, with a touch of mockery and a hint of coldness, thus making it difficult for anyone to read her intentions.
“Dad, were you playing house when you came up with this?” said Catherine.
Some people didn’t need to resort to shouting or violence. She could make their opponent feel embarrassed with just a simple sentence.
Catherine was such a person. When she spoke, Korbin felt as if he had been stabbed in the spine. He narrowed his eyes and cast a dangerous glance at Catherine.
Just as his gaze landed on her, he felt an overwhelming pressure coming from her side. Korbin immediately turned his head and met Branden’s deep and gloomy eyes.
The powerful aura emanating from Branden made Korbin feel uneasy. The words he had prepared to say suddenly stuck in his throat, and he swallowed them back.
Catherine adjusted her sitting posture, put down her phone, crossed her arms, and looked at Korbin with a mocking smile.
“Dad, if Johnathan can hire someone to murder at such a young age, and if we let him go unchecked, he might become the next crime lord of the Swanns. What do you think?” said Catherine.
Korbin had initially wanted to downplay the situation, but from Catherine’s tone, he realized that things were not as simple as he had imagined.
Upon hearing Catherine’s definition of the incident as “hiring someone to commit murder”, Rachael began to tremble.
Despite Korbin’s warning, she couldn’t help but lash out at Catherine. With wide-open eyes and a furious expression, she looked like she wanted to devour Catherine.
“What nonsense are you talking about? It was just a minor fight between siblings. There’s no need to make up such ridiculous stories!” said Rachael.
Catherine’s attitude remained cold even when she was faced with Rachael’s anger. Her beautiful face was now devoid of any warmth, and her eyes revealed a chilling indifference.
“If Mon has any objections to my statement, why not verify it with the police? I believe they will give you a satisfactory answer,” spoke Catherine coldly.
Catherine left Rachael speechless with just a single sentence. Rachael knew she would be making a fool of herself if she went to confront the police with such an absurd story.
“Now that the evidence is clear, and everyone knows the situation, how could she possibly do something so foolish?” thought Rachael. Thus, she could only resort to breaking the jar to figure out Catherine’s true intentions.
“So, what’s your plan then? Since your father says you don’t agree, it means you already have an idea in mind. Why don’t you tell us?” said Rachael.
Catherine indeed had a plan in mind. When Branden asked her to handle this matter on her own, she had already thought of a solution.
Johnathan had indeed made a mistake, but she had promised Vicente Swann that she wouldn’t let Johnathan face a dire fate. Considering that Johnathan was the only grandson, Catherine wouldn’t send him to prison.
While capital punishment might be avoided, escaping the consequences of his actions in life would be difficult.
“Dentler Academy has some special methods for educating troublesome students. Let’s send Johnathan to study there!” said Catherine.
Johnathan hadn’t heard of this school, so he didn’t see any immediate issues, but the mention of changing schools made him feel uneasy. However, just because he wasn’t familiar with it didn’t mean Rachael and Korbin weren’t.
Dentler Academy was well-known among the elite circles, specializing in admitting problematic students, typically from affluent families.
The tuition fees were exorbitant, thus making it inaccessible for ordinary families. The school was renowned for its strict management style, and before enrolling, parents had to sign an agreement.
During their time at the academy, students were allowed to meet their families only once a year, and they were not permitted to leave the school grounds at any other time.
If students wanted to leave the school before graduation, they had to pay a hefty breach of contract fee.
However, if they graduate successfully, one-third of the tuition fee will be refunded. The school was located in a remote and isolated area on a small island.
Students were transported to the island by helicopter, and leaving the school was as difficult as escaping from the strictest prison in the world. Rachael strongly opposed the idea after hearing that.
She said, “No, we can’t send Johnathan to a place like that. Going there is equivalent to a death sentence. How can you be so heartless?”
Rachael knew her son best as he had been pampered since childhood. How could he survive in such a place?
Going there would be a one-way ticket to disaster. In response to Rachael’s objections, Catherine remained remarkably composed. She then replied, “Then you can just let him die.”
“You…” Rachael was exasperated and struggling for breath. “You’re a disaster. How can you be so malicious? He’s your brother, and you’re willing to let him die.”
Catherine’s gaze grew cold, and her eyes radiated an unsettling chill.
“A disaster has no brother nor any family,” replied Catherine upon hearing Rachael’s words. Rachael was at her wit’s end. There was nothing she could do to sway Catherine.
Although Rachael had lived for many years, she had never encountered such a tenacious individual as Catherine. In this matter, Rachael had no say.
Moreover, for the sake of her beloved son, she would be willing to sacrifice everything. After all, as long as Johnathan was around, her position as Mrs. Swann” in the Swanns would remain secure.
Catherine redirected her cold gaze to Korbin and said, “Dad, should we hand this to the authorities or send him to Dentler Academy? It’s up to you.”
Korbin didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Branden. He noticed that Branden had stopped intervening in the matter after Catherine began handling it, allowing her to take charge.
Despite how hard Catherine challenged them, Branden maintained a calm expression and sat by Catherine’s side as her support.
“Could it be that Branden had taken an interest in Catherine? Were they in a serious relationship?” thought Korbin. If that were the case, it would complicate matters.
Korbin wanted to make the final attempt and tried to negotiate with Catherine. He said, “Catherine, I agree with your approach. But Dentler Academy is too far away. Can we find a stricter school in Casier instead?”
