Chapter 362 Audrey’s Anger
Catherine stepped out of the neighborhood and spotted a black car waiting at the side. Branden was not sitting in the car. He leaned against it and waited for her.
As she appeared, Branden took the initiative to approach. They were just a step apart when Branden reached out and naturally took Catherine’s hand.
As their hands intertwined, Branden frowned. He asked in a hoarse voice, ” What’s wrong? Your hand is so cold.”
Before Catherine could respond, Branden gently pulled her hand into his embrace and warmed it with his own body heat.
“Come. Let’s get in the car and warm up a bit.”
In reality, Catherine wasn’t actually cold. Her hand was icy from the two hours she had spent in the lab operating machinery without a break.
Once inside the car, Branden instructed Paxton, who was seated in the front. He said, “Increase the car’s temperature.”
Thanks to the car’s excellent performance, the interior temperature rose within seconds. Catherine had just endured two hours of high-intensity work, and now she was feeling a bit tired. As the temperature inside the car increased, she couldn’t help but yawn.
Seeing her feeling exhausted, a rare expression of concern appeared on Branden’s face. After he reached out, he gently caressed her cheek and turned her toward him.
“Rest for a bit. We still have quite a distance to your hotel.”
“Alright,” Catherine replied. She complied and leaned against Branden quietly. There was a faint, pleasant scent about him, which was conducive to sleep.
It was something she hadn’t noticed the first time they met, but she had come to appreciate it in subsequent encounters. It was an inviting fragrance that brought a sense of comfort.
Every time, Catherine could peacefully rest her head on his shoulder and doze off for a while. Online discussions about Catherine had escalated, and internet users had started to mockingly refer to her as royalty.
They claimed that she didn’t rely on her talent to compete but instead had strong backing.
Especially after two influential figures in the industry spoke out, it almost seemed like they had solid evidence of Catherine’s cheating. Netizens swarmed Catherine’s Twitter and launched an attack.
This situation had a ripple effect on Audrey as well. The moment she stepped out of the filming location, journalists surrounded her.
Kim had anticipated this and had already advised Audrey not to respond publicly. However, they didn’t expect the onslaught of reporters to be so intense. Kim did his best to lead Audrey through the crowd.
“Audrey, is it true that you’ve been using your fans’ love for you to support your sister?”
“Audrey, what is your take on your sister getting cozy with the mentors and joining the royalty during the competition?”
As Audrey heard the word “cozy”, she frowned instantly. She was about to respond when Kim firmly held her back. Remembering Kim’s instructions, Audrey reluctantly stayed silent.
The gossipy journalists were all sharp observers. Audrey’s irritation only spurred them on. They wanted to provoke her to create a sensational headline.
For them, it would be perfect for a headline like “Audrey Swann Furious and Lashes Out at Reporters in Anger.”
They continued to press Audrey with tricky questions.
“Audrey, won’t you answer?”
“Is she such a big star? What level of celebrity is she, anyway?”
“She only became famous recently and already has such an attitude!”
Audrey wasn’t bothered by the insults and criticism directed at her. What she couldn’t tolerate was when someone used Catherine as a target.
When she heard a reporter accuse Catherine of shamelessly flirting with everyone, Audrey couldn’t hold back any longer.
She forcefully pushed Kim’s hand away and grabbed the reporter’s collar. The surrounding journalists immediately became excited. Camera flashes went off like crazy. No one wanted to miss this potential headline.
Kim stood to the side and felt a headache coming on. Trouble was brewing. The reporter being held by Audrey showed no fear and even stared at Audrey with a smug expression. ” What’s the matter, big celebrity? Do you want to assault a reporter in public?
Audrey’s expression turned serious. She put aside her usual lighthearted demeanor and coldly stared at the reporter with her sharp eyes.
She replied, “Assault you? Do you take me for a fool? I won’t make such a mistake in public, and I won’t give you the chance to spin it into self- promotion or put a false label on me.
“I’m here to warn you. There are plenty of eyes and cameras here, and there’s bound to be footage of your words and actions.”
Despite Audrey’s serious demeanor, the reporter still displayed an arrogant attitude.
“I’m a journalist, and you’re a celebrity. Can’t I ask you some questions?”
“You can ask me questions, but you can’t slander my sister!” Audrey’s voice was stern and cold, and her gaze was sharp. “Today, you must publicly apologize to my sister for this matter, or else…”
The reporter remained arrogant and didn’t take Audrey’s words seriously. Audrey was a public figure, and escalating the situation would not be in her best interest. She couldn’t afford to make a scene.
However, no one expected Audrey to be so resolute this time. She directly told the reporter, “If you don’t apologize, I will take you to court. I will go to any lengths to seek justice, even if it means sacrificing my entire acting career.
“You heard me right. I’m warning you. You can report however you like when you go back, but if you don’t apologize today, you won’t leave here!
“I’ll use my future prospects to confront you. Don’t believe me? You can try!”
The journalists witnessing the commotion were shocked by Audrey’s tough stance. The previously bustling crowd suddenly fell silent. All the cameras were focused on the reporter and Audrey.
The reporter being held by Audrey didn’t expect her to be willing to sacrifice so much to confront him. He was an entertainment journalist who was skilled in creating controversies to attract attention.
In the past, he always operated like this. Even if he occasionally faced criticism from fans, it didn’t bother him.
Just like making a celebrity rise through scandals, they needed to create buzz. If they didn’t have the ability to ignite a hot topic, who would read their news?
His intention in making those provocative comments earlier was to provoke Audrey. Audrey was completely provoked by him, and she also began to take things very seriously.
As Audrey had said, there were cameras all around, and his every word and action had been recorded. If it turned into a legal battle, he would undoubtedly lose. Seeing that Audrey had no intention of backing down, the reporter had to yield.
“I’m sorry, then.”
However, a simple apology didn’t quell Audrey’s anger. She brushed off Kim’s discreet gestures and demanded a sincere apology.
“Please, in front of the camera, apologize to my sister Catherine for your words and actions.”
The reporter didn’t want to end up in a legal battle. He reluctantly followed Audrey’s instructions.
