Chapter 242: The Perverted Leader of the Galactic Aurora Collective
Tiberius caught the wariness in Catherine's tone.
He adjusted the smile on his face and looked at Catherine apologetically.
"You've misunderstood. I didn't mean anything by it. You're Juniper's sister, right? I didn't get a chance to say hello at the hospital last time. I'm not a bad person."
"I may have startled you. Maybe coming up to say hello now wasn't the smartest move. Sorry."
Catherine glanced at him, her expression indifferent.
"Whether you're a bad person or not has nothing to do with me. You're blocking my way. Move."
Tiberius moved his wheelchair aside and watched Catherine disappear down the tree-lined path without looking back. The smile faded from his face.
He muttered to himself, "She really has a tough personality. But to be the leader of Faceless Ones, she's definitely not ordinary."
A tall, limping man appeared in the shadows of the path, standing behind Tiberius with a cold laugh and a shrug.
"You think Blackfire would give you the time of day just because you tried to chat her up? She's a demon. She's way more ruthless than you think!"
"The only reason she's with Alexander is because she's after the Howard family's status. The Harrison family isn't bad either."
Ethan was silent for a moment. The big man couldn't understand Tiberius's confidence right now.
"Should I remind you that neither the Windsor family nor Faceless Ones are short on money? Blackfire is loaded. Is it possible she's into Nightfall for his looks?"
"Looks? If she's that shallow, that would actually make things easier. My looks are no worse than Alexander's."
Ethan glanced at Tiberius, his mouth twitching with a complicated expression.
Are all people from Stellara this confident?
"I've already completed the paperwork. Catherine will eventually realize I'm better than her fiancé."
A marriage arrangement between wealthy families was nothing. As long as Catherine spent enough time with him, she would discover his good qualities too.
Ethan shrugged helplessly.
"Sure, that's your choice. Just don't interfere with my mission."
The moment Catherine walked into the auditorium, Alkaid jumped out from the side to greet her.
"Boss, you ran into Tiberius on the way here? What's he up to?"
When Catherine encountered Tiberius, the communicator in her ear was still on, and Alkaid had heard what happened.
"What he wants to do doesn't matter. Where's Vincent?"
Alkaid pointed toward the auditorium stage.
"He's been invited to perform at next week's opening ceremony. He asked us to help him out."
"Invited by whom?"
Vincent hadn't performed on stage in years. The last time he played in public was at a state banquet.
Anyone who could get Vincent to agree to perform must be someone special.
"Of course it's that legendary former leader of Galactic Aurora Collective, Franklin! But Vincent didn't let me watch when they met. Very secretive. When he came out, he said he'd perform to liven things up."
"For Vincent to agree to liven things up, this Franklin must really be something."
Alkaid sounded a bit regretful about this. None of the listening devices she'd prepared in advance got used, and she even got a warning!
Catherine nodded slightly.
The photo of Franklin and Elodie from last time was also left to her by Oscar, which showed that the older generation of Galactic Aurora Collective members did have connections with Franklin.
Vincent's return to the country this time was probably also related to Franklin.
Catherine's gaze fell on the man standing beside Vincent.
The long-haired man in a suit had white hair, his features showing both age and sharpness. Despite the passage of time, his appearance matched the man in the photo Oscar had given her.
Seeming to sense Catherine's gaze, Franklin looked up and met her eyes from where she stood not far below the stage.
As the music ended, Vincent said unhappily, "What are you looking at? It's not like you haven't seen her before!"
He didn't believe Franklin had known nothing about Elodie all these years.
When Catherine joined Galactic Aurora Collective back then, Franklin couldn't possibly have heard nothing about it.
Franklin wasn't angry.
The way he looked at Catherine was full of admiration, as if appreciating a rare work of art.
"Actually, I haven't seen her before. What a shame. If I'd known about her existence earlier, I would have taken her away. Galactic Aurora Collective didn't bring out her talents. If I had raised her, she would definitely be better than she is now."
"Nonsense! Those twisted experiments of yours don't work at all!"
"You have no right to criticize my experiments. Haven't all the members of Galactic Aurora Collective shined brightly? Your current achievements are all because of my experiments!"
The members of Galactic Aurora Collective shone in various fields, blazing new trails and becoming industry benchmarks that people looked up to.
But their hearts remained forever trapped in darkness!
Franklin created Galactic Aurora Collective with the original intention of gathering geniuses to push humanity's future to its limits!
And the facts proved he was very successful!
Vincent glared at Franklin.
"One day you'll realize all those experiments of yours are garbage! I can't be bothered arguing with you. Don't forget what you promised me."
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of Catherine. After all, she's Elodie's granddaughter. Looking at her reminds me of what Elodie was like before. Since she chose to come to this school, it's our fate."
Vincent put away his violin.
"What's destined by heaven is fate. What's arranged by people is scheming."
Franklin just smiled without saying anything.
After leaving the auditorium, Vincent remained silent for a long time.
After a moment, he frowned at Catherine, his words filled with worry.
"Catherine, why don't you switch schools? If that doesn't work, don't go to this university at all. Come back to the island with us? Have all the Galactic Aurora Collective people come back. At least that would keep you safe."
Everything on the island was under Galactic Aurora Collective's control.
Leaving Catherine in Imperia City, right under Franklin's nose, made Vincent uneasy no matter how he thought about it.
That lunatic—the way he'd just looked at Catherine had a certain intensity to it. Vincent knew that look all too well!
In his eyes, Catherine wasn't a person but a perfect test subject, a set of data without any bugs!
Catherine was somewhat surprised. Was Franklin really this terrifying to Vincent?
"My family is still in Imperia City. Besides, running away isn't my style."
"Can't the Windsor family people just come to the island too? If that doesn't work, we'll kidnap them all and throw them on the island together!"
Catherine rubbed her forehead helplessly. "Vincent, this is Imperia City, not the border."
Getting the Windsor family to follow her to the island was just too unrealistic.
Marcus and Juniper had special status and generally couldn't leave the country.
The Windsor family members all had their own work, with their roots in Imperia City. How could they all live an isolated life just because of her?
From Vincent and Franklin's conversation earlier, it wasn't hard to tell they'd reached some kind of deal.
Vincent sighed.
"Fine. As long as you know what you're doing. Anyway, Franklin is old now. He should understand that the current Galactic Aurora Collective isn't his to control anymore!"