Free Web NovelChapter 108: Chapter 108: Tristan Sterling: Holly, I Wronged You
Holly Sinclair gritted her teeth.
She was consumed by hatred.
She hated herself for her stupidity.
Hated herself for being a love-struck, irrational fool.
On that night two years ago, shortly after she’d toasted him, she saw him stumble out of the banquet hall.
Because she was secretly in love with him, she worried he was drunk. Fearing something might happen, she followed him out.
Seeing him swaying unsteadily, she hurried forward to help, but he took the opportunity to drag her into the elevator.
Before she could react, his scorching kiss landed on her lips.
It was her first kiss.
In that instant, her mind went blank. All she could do was stare at him with wide, dumbfounded eyes, unable to process anything else.
She didn’t know how he got her to the hotel room.
She only knew that she, as pure and innocent as a blank slate, quickly fell to his fierce advances.
Because she loved him, she became his antidote without hesitation.
Because she loved him, she was hurt by his misunderstandings and humiliation but chose to endure it silently.
Because she loved him, she cast aside her dignity and pride, asking only to stay by his side.
But in the end, all her heartfelt devotion had been thrown to the dogs!
This bitter heartache was of her own making.
She accepted her defeat.
But she could never forgive herself for her brother getting hurt because of it.
And she could never, ever forgive *him*!
"I was wrong about you. I’ll make it up to you."
Tristan Sterling said softly, his attitude sincere.
He had been shocked when Yvonne Thorne told him the truth.
’So it turned out she really wasn’t the one who drugged me!’
She had told him many times it wasn’t her, but he’d always thought she was just making excuses.
He had stubbornly believed that since she was the one who gave him the drink and slept with him, only a fool would believe her denials and explanations.
The things he hated most in life were manipulation and deceit.
That was why, in their two years of marriage, he had never once smiled at her. Even when he saw his family giving her a hard time, he just stood by and watched coldly.
He still remembered how, when they first married, she was like an indomitable little fool. No matter how coldly he treated her, she would always trail after him enthusiastically, showering him with care and concern.
Back then, whenever she saw him, her eyes would sparkle.
And in their light, he was all she saw.
He knew she only had eyes for him, yet he still ignored her love and devotion.
He felt no guilt, because he believed she had brought all of this upon herself.
That it was she who had ruined his life.
She who had made him let Vivian down.
She who was the reason Vivian had been forced to go abroad and suffer countless hardships.
So he had always felt justified in loathing, ignoring, and mistreating her.
But now!
’She wasn’t the one who drugged me!’
’I wronged her for two years!!’
"Holly, how do you want me to make it up to you? Just tell me, and I’ll do my best to grant it."
Tristan Sterling added, his gaze deep and fixed on Holly Sinclair.
Now that her name was finally cleared, he thought she would feel wronged, that her eyes would redden, that she would accuse him with a mournful gaze for mistreating her.
Instead, he was met with a pair of cold, calm eyes.
"Tristan Sterling, I don’t give a damn about your compensation! I deserved to be humiliated by you for the past two years! It was my fault for being blind and mistaking a scumbag for a decent man!"
Holly Sinclair shoved him away, her expression blank, her entire being radiating an icy chill.
With that, she turned to leave.
Tristan Sterling yanked her back into his arms, pinning her against the wall again.
"Are you done cursing me out? If you are, we’ll go and withdraw the divorce application tomorrow. If not, keep going. I’m listening," he said.
He’d let her curse him.
Curse until her anger subsided. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
He was certain this show of sincerity would satisfy her.
"What did you say?"
Holly Sinclair’s voice rose, as if she couldn’t believe her ears.
Her expressionless face finally showed an emotion: pure derision.
’Withdraw the divorce application? Where does he get the nerve to say that? Does he think his apology and compensation are some precious gift? Can his flippant "I was wrong about you" erase two years of torment?’
"Grandfather doesn’t want us to divorce. Let’s go withdraw the application so he won’t worry. Besides, I know you still have feelings for me," Tristan Sterling said with conviction.
"What gives you that confidence?"
Hearing that last sentence, Holly Sinclair couldn’t help but scoff.
"Weren’t you so desperate to get to the bottom of what happened that night two years ago just to change my opinion of you?" freёweɓnovel.com
The moment Yvonne Thorne fell, he had seen Holly run over, trying to grab her—all because she wanted to find out who the male waiter was.
"Heh..." Holly Sinclair couldn’t help but laugh.
"What’s so funny?" he frowned.
"Tristan Sterling, you’re reading too much into it!"
She tilted her head up and looked at him coldly. "You think that after all this time, I still care what you think? I just don’t want to carry the blame for something I didn’t do anymore!"
’Why should I be despised by everyone for something I never did?’
After speaking, Holly Sinclair turned and walked away.
Watching her proud, departing figure, the man’s brow furrowed.
...
「A week later.」
Holly Sinclair went to the hospital to visit her brother.
But when she reached his room, she was told that he had been moved to a VIP suite upstairs.
She headed up, suspicious.
Just as she arrived at the door of the VIP suite, she heard a familiar voice from inside.
"I’ve already arranged all the follow-up treatments."
It was Tristan Sterling.
"Thank you, Tristan. It’s a good thing you’re here." Isabella Sinclair’s eyes were red, and she sounded very relieved.
"It’s what I should do," Tristan Sterling said.
His tone wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t as cold and distant as it used to be.
BANG!
Holly Sinclair threw the door open.
"Tristan Sterling, you can stop shedding crocodile tears! We don’t need it!"
She strode in, her face an icy mask. After shooting a cold glare at Tristan Sterling, she walked straight to Noah Sinclair, who was sitting on the bed engrossed in the TV, and coaxed gently, "Brother, let’s go."
"Holly, what do you think you’re doing? Tristan upgraded your brother’s room and arranged for his follow-up treatments. What are you so unhappy about? Stop throwing a tantrum," Isabella Sinclair said, rushing forward to stop her with a chiding frown.
Holly Sinclair didn’t explain herself to her aunt.
She just insisted on helping her brother out of bed.
A large hand gently grasped her wrist.
The grip wasn’t heavy, but it forced her to let go of her brother.
"I need to talk to Holly alone," Tristan Sterling said to Isabella Sinclair.
Isabella Sinclair took the hint and nodded. "Then I’ll head back for now."
"You weren’t like this before."
Tristan Sterling looked at Holly Sinclair’s cold face, a trace of nostalgia welling up inside him.
She used to be gentle and sweet, but now she was like a little hedgehog with all its spines raised, ready to prick anyone who dared get close.
"My brother wasn’t like this before, either."
Holly Sinclair shook his hand off and sneered, "Tristan Sterling, I’ll say it again, we don’t need—"
"*You* might not need it, but what about your brother?" Tristan Sterling cut in, his words hitting their mark.
Holly Sinclair’s face was like ice.
She had to admit, Tristan Sterling was a master at manipulating people.
Seeing that her attitude hadn’t softened, he added, "Ian said your brother can recover."
"What did you say?!"
