Chapter 62
While Johnathan yelled and screamed, Catherine remained unfazed, as if he didn’t even exist. Seeing that he failed to provoke a reaction from her, Johnathan grew even more upset.
“Catherine, you think you are the boss here, huh? Why aren’t you saying anything?
“Are you guilty? Scared?”
Catherine took the office nameplate and showed it to Johnathan. Johnathan was about to continue yelling, but her action puzzled him. “What do you mean by this?” he asked with a confused look on him.
“Ha!” Catherine sneered, her beautiful eyes filled with disdain and mockery. “I may not be highly educated, but does Mr. Johnathan not know how to read either?”
As Johnathan continued to struggle with understanding, Leonel, who stood behind Catherine, stepped in to clarify.
“Mr. Johnathan, the nameplate says ‘chairperson.’ Each nameplate represents the responsibility and identity of an individual. Miss Swann’s nameplate says ‘chairperson,’ signifying that she is the highest decision-maker of the Swann Corporation. She has the authority to dismiss anyone she chooses. Surely you understand this,” he explained.
In other words, he was subtly ridiculing Johnathan for lacking intelligence.
Johnathan might have caused a scene at home if he was unhappy with Catherine’s actions. But how dare he come to the office and create a disturbance? Was he seeking trouble?
Leonel had assisted Catherine on numerous occasions, which had led to Johnathan harboring dislike towards him. “Excuse me? You better shut the hell up. I am Johnathan Swann, the young master of the Swanns. In the future, the entire family will be mine. Believe it or not, the first person I’ll fire will be you!”
Unperturbed, Leonel smiled at Johnathan’s warnings and threats.
“Alright, I’ll be waiting for you to fire me, Mr. Johnathan.”
After saying that, he paused and spoke slowly. “But I must remind Mr. Johnathan of something. Miss Swann will be the one to inherit everything from the Swanns, not you. You have nothing but a title, so would you like to explain how you will fire me then?”
Leonel’s words struck Johnathan like a harsh slap in the face. Leonel had served the Swann Corporation for many years, and even Korbin Swann had treated him with respect.
Johnathan, on the other hand, dared to shout and yell at Leonel as he pleased. Was he not digging his own grave by doing so?
Unable to act against Leonel, Johnathan redirected his attention back to Catherine.
“Catherine, listen to me. You’re nothing but a jinx. Ever since you came back, everything has been in chaos. Know your place, get out of here, and let my uncle return to the company. Otherwise, I will make sure you regret it,” he threatened.
In the next moment, Catherine suddenly stood up
Everyone could feel the tension rise in the office. No one knew what Catherine had in mind, and even Johnathan began to feel a hint of nervousness. Deep down, he was confident that Catherine wouldn’t dare lay a hand on him.
After all, he was the only male heir of the Swanns, and people had to call him Mr. Johnathan. If Catherine were to harm him in any way, his mother wouldn’t let her get away with it.
Catherine rose to her feet, her captivating eyes sweeping across the office until they fixed upon her grandfather’s display cabinet.NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.
On top of the exquisite wooden display cabinet were various collections, including a leather horse whip that was a beloved possession of Vicente.
A faint smirk of disdain crossed Catherine’s cold and impassive face as her gaze fell upon the whip. She approached the cabinet slowly, taking the whip into her hands.
Suddenly, Catherine turned around.
With a forceful crack, the whip struck next to Johnathan’s feet, making him instantly step back in fear.
Once he regained his balance, he looked at Catherine with contempt and defiance. He thought she was frightening him but would not dare lay a finger on him. “If you have the guts, do it!” he shouted angrily.
Leonel, unable to bear witness to what might unfold, covered his eyes, fearing the consequences. He certainly hadn’t anticipated that Mr. Johnathan had a fondness for being whipped!
Disregarding Johnathan’s provocation, Catherine sneered with disdain, a smirk playing on her cold face.
Once again, she swung the whip with force, causing it to whizz through the air, producing a loud crack as it struck Johnathan’s shoulder.
The next second, a shocking scream reverberated through the entire office.
“Ah_”
Everyone present was dumbfounded. No one had expected Catherine to whip Johnathan, the spoiled boy of the Swanns, so publicly.
Even Linda, and the others, were somewhat amazed by Catherine’s audacity.
“This is just the first lash, and it is for disrespecting Linda and Leonel. You are a descendant of the Swanns, and they contributed greatly to the Swanns. It’s not your place to lecture them.” After saying that, Catherine swung her whip again.
The whip hit Johnathan’s back as if it knew where to hit.
The whip struck Johnathan’s back, finding its mark amid the bones, inflicting excruciating pain. Gasping for breath, he collapsed onto the floor, pathetically rubbing his back.
Johnathan writhed in agony, his screams and moans filling the air. The once arrogant demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by a pitiful figure desperately attempting to alleviate the pain.
“Catherine, have you gone mad? How dare you hit me? You are such a…”
Before he could finish speaking, Catherine coldly interrupted. “I do have the guts. The third lash is for your lack of respect towards the Swanns family and for misappropriating company funds through family connections,” Catherine coldly declared.”
With those words, the whip cut through the air and swiftly lashed out for the third time.
The whip landed directly on Johnathan’s buttocks.
At this point, Johnathan was defeated, reduced to agonized howls on the floor. He was too weak to continue shouting at Catherine.
Johnathan bore the brunt of the three lashes, sustaining severe injuries that would leave him unable to stand straight for the next two weeks.
The first two lashes brought a sense of catharsis to Leonel and the others. They were content with what they had witnessed.
This brat deserved a lesson and someone to put him in his place.
As the office inhabitants waited for Catherine to explain her reason for the third lash, she remained silent.
Everyone was itching to know the reason for her third lash.
Under Linda’s subtle suggestion, Leonel cautiously opened his mouth to ask. He was afraid that Catherine might give him a lash if he upset her. His body would not be able to withstand a single lash.
“Miss Swann, what is the reason for the third lash?”
Without hesitation, Catherine responded straightforwardly, “There is no reason. I did it because I wanted to.”
Her explanation perfectly aligned with Catherine’s nature.
She never felt the need to justify her actions. She did as she pleased, seeking her own. satisfaction.
Now that Johnathan had been whipped, he no longer dared to argue with Catherine. Those three lashes had nearly crushed his spirit.
Everyone watched with anticipation, curious about how Catherine would handle the situation involving Johnathan To their surprise, Korbin, Catherine’s father, arrived unexpectedly after being informed about the incident.
The expressions on Leonel and Linda’s faces instantly changed. They weren’t afraid of Johnathan, considering him to be a spoiled and privileged individual.
However, Korbin was a different story altogether. Not only was he Catherine’s father, but he also had a reputation for being ruthless in the business world.
Things were going to be complicated!