Chapter 490 Waiting for You
Catherine’s silence unsettled Harry. He quickly sensed something was amiss, and a perplexed expression crossed his face.
“Doctor, don’t you desire the Passam Stone?” he inquired. “Aren’t scientists like you the most eager to get hold of it? 11
Catherine examined him carefully, finding no traces of deceit on his face.
“Tell me,” she eventually replied. ”
What do you need my assistance with?”
Her response brought relief to Harry. He said, “Doctor, my request is modest. I simply hope that you can help me escape from the palace.”
He went on, “A strange illness is spreading within the palace, much like a plague, afflicting members of the royal family. The king has decreed that no one from the royal family can leave the palace. I only wish to stay alive. If you can aid me in escaping and safeguard my life, I’ll reward you with the Passam Stone.”
Catherine lowered her head, a frigid intensity in her eyes, and her icy gaze swept over Harry.
“Why do you believe I can get you out of the palace?” she inquired. Harry locked eyes with Catherine, unwavering in his resolve. “Because you are the sole person who has dared to offend Queen Lina and depart from the palace unharmed.”
The king’s deep affection for Queen Lina was evident in his determination to elevate her son to the throne despite opposition.
Within the palace, no one dared to cross Queen Lina.
As if concerned that Catherine might doubt his sincerity, Harry emphasized, “Doctor, all I desire is to survive. For me, staying alive is more crucial than anything else.”
A few seconds passed before Catherine responded to Harry. A few seconds later, Catherine turned to Withal, who was standing nearby, and ordered, “Take him away.”
“Understood,” Withal promptly acknowledged. Even before their arrival in Ravenloth, their headquarters had already established a network of informants and personnel within the palace.
Effecting the disappearance of a person from the palace without a trace wasn’t too challenging. After receiving Catherine’s directive, Withal nodded to Harry.
“Your Highness, this way, please.”
Harry looked at Catherine with gratitude and said, “Doctor, thank you. Once they departed, Paxton Duncan spoke softly, “Mr. Duncan, this is Prince Harry, the thirteenth son of the king.”
With that, he shifted his gaze to Catherine. Observing Catherine’s interaction with Harry, it was clear she wasn’t a complete stranger to him.
Paxton dared not press further, mindful of Mr. Duncan’s presence and the boundaries of his role. Unexpectedly, Branden reached for Catherine’s hand, and she turned her gaze toward him.
Are you interested in the Passam Stone? “he inquired.”
Catherine didn’t deny it, simply nodding casually. “I’ve heard it possesses some mystical properties and thought it might be fun to have.”
Branden paid little attention to Catherine’s motive behind wanting the Passam Stone. His focus was on her intentions. Since Catherine desired it, he was determined to acquire it for her.
“Very well, I’ll obtain it for you!”
His tone was gentle.
After all, it wasn’t the role of random men to fulfill Catherine’s desires. Catherine was unfazed, and she was more than willing to accept Branden’s assistance.
Prince Harry piqued her interest; she couldn’t help but feel that this matter was more complex than it appeared. She had only been to the palace twice, and both times, she had crossed paths with him.
There were no such coincidences in this world. Furthermore, Prince Harry didn’t seem as ineffectual as the rumors suggested.
How could he have learned so quickly about her interaction with Queen Lina, given that the information within the crown prince’s chamber was sealed?
The fact that informants were placed in the crown prince’s palace was evident. Could he be an ordinary person?
Reflecting on Catherine, who hadn’t even had dinner, Branden couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.
“Come, let’s return and have a meal,”
he suggested.
He was concerned solely with what mattered to him.
As for the royal family members, they were of no consequence to him. The following day, Catherine enjoyed a peaceful slumber, waking up well into the afternoon when the sun shone brightly. As she descended the stairs, the delightful scent of freshly prepared food greeted her.
Noticing her arrival, Withal, who had been seated on the sofa, immediately stood up and cast an urgent glance her way.
When he stood up, Branden’s gaze followed suit. At that moment, Withal felt an icy chill sweeping in, accompanied by a powerful tempest.
It sent shivers down his spine, and he promptly retreated, too scared to advance. Having overseen the Withalist Clan of the Hacker Alliance for quite some time, Withal had encountered all sorts of ruthless individuals.
However, apart from Catherine, Branden was the only one who could instill such an instinctive fear in him. After seeing to Withal, Branden made his way to the dining table and joined Catherine for the meal.
Catherine raised an eyebrow as she noticed him picking up a fork.
“Haven’t you eaten either?”
A faint smile danced on the man’s handsome face, and a subtle glint graced his deep, enigmatic eyes.
“I was waiting for you.”
“Haha,” Catherine chuckled softly.
After a restful sleep, her mood was quite good. Withal, who was sitting on the sofa, watched the scene from a distance, silently enduring this display of affection.
Even big shots enjoyed displaying affection, and there was no shortage of lovey-dovey moments between them.
After waiting for a considerable time for Catherine to finish her meal and settle on the living room sofa, Withal finally dared to approach.
As he got up, he intentionally glanced in Branden’s direction. Ensuring that the big shot had no objections, he then breathed a sigh of relief.
Times were getting tougher; he was, after all, the head of the Withalist Clan. He not only had to consider Catherine’s wishes but also factor in her man’s sentiments when conducting business.
How frustrating!
Catherine sensed that Withal’s demeanor indicated something to report. She reclined comfortably in her seat, lazily prompting, “Speak.”
Those two words felt like a pardon for Withal, who immediately proceeded to relay the matter he needed to discuss.
“Catherine, Prince Harry has been arranged. He’s in the small villa behind this estate.”
The reason Withal had hidden Harry on Branden’s estate was that he sensed that Catherine held a certain interest in him. To find out what Prince Harry’s true intentions were, he needed to keep him under close observation.
The closer the distance, the clearer the person’s true nature would become.
“Mm,” Catherine grunted in acknowledgment.
Withal felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest.
He’d guessed right!
After reporting on Harry’s situation, Withal went on to mention another matter.
“Catherine, the royal family contacted me today. Prince Levi is critically ill, and this strange ailment seems to be endangering his life. The king wants you to return and provide treatment.”
After Withal had finished speaking, he cautiously approached Catherine.
He was genuinely concerned Catherine might vent her anger at others if provoked, and he didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire.
Fortunately, Catherine, aside from her usual aloofness, displayed no other expression on her face. She casually replied, her voice sounding exceedingly lazy, “It’s not like I have nothing to do here.”
Withal clearly understood Catherine’s decision.
The King of Ravenloth hadn’t acted in good faith this time. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t have stepped in again.
Thinking that he wouldn’t bother treating the royal family’s ailment, Withal originally intended to inquire about Catherine’s departure date.
However, before he could utter a word, his mobile phone rang once more.
Seeing the incoming call, Withal looked at Catherine with an embarrassed expression.
“Catherine, it’s the royal family calling again!”
