Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 136: May You and Vivian Linton Grow Old Together
The words struck Vivian Linton like a bolt of lightning.
"What did you say?"
Her face paled as she stared wide-eyed at Brandon Sterling in disbelief.
"Miss Linton, if you truly love Tristan, then give them your blessing," Brandon Sterling urged patiently, his demeanor as gentle as ever.
Intense hatred flared in Vivian Linton’s eyes.
’A blessing?’
’Impossible!’
’Tristan is mine!’
’He belongs to me, Vivian Linton!’
’No one is going to take him from me!!’
"And you’re happy with that?"
Vivian Linton sneered, her expression saying, ’You can’t fool me.’ "That little crush you have on Holly Sinclair... you think you’ve hidden it so well?"
Brandon Sterling remained perfectly composed, showing not the slightest hint of embarrassment or panic at being found out.
"I just want her to be happy."
He gave a faint smile, his gaze drifting toward Tristan Sterling and Holly Sinclair, who were already walking away. He added in a murmur, "Everything I do is for her own good."
Vivian Linton didn’t catch his last words, nor did she care to.
At that moment, her mind was filled with the image of that bitch Holly Sinclair trying to steal her lover and everything else.
’I can’t let her have her way.’
’Never!’
...
Tristan Sterling carried Holly Sinclair to the lounge area of the banquet hall.
A hotel staffer brought over a first-aid kit.
Tristan Sterling gently tended to the wound on Holly Sinclair’s arm.
The cut wasn’t very deep. It had bled some, but it wasn’t bad enough to need stitches.
As long as it was disinfected and bandaged to prevent infection, it would be fine.
Holly Sinclair was quiet.
She made no fuss, simply watching Tristan Sterling as he focused on dressing her wound, her eyes filled with an icy chill.
’The doctor said I shouldn’t experience major mood swings in the early stages of my pregnancy.’
’So, from now on, I won’t get angry anymore.’ freewēbnoveℓ.com
She had a sudden realization. When dealing with insignificant people, calm was the best weapon.
Soon, he finished tending to the wound.
"Does it hurt?"
Tristan Sterling asked softly, his usually stern face surprisingly gentle.
Holly Sinclair glanced at her bandaged arm, not bothering to respond.
"Don’t get it wet for the next couple of days. Wait for it to scab over."
He instructed her. Seeing her silence, he assumed she was worried and tried to reassure her, "Don’t worry. I’ll get some scar removal cream from Ian Quincy later. I promise it won’t leave a mark."
"Are you done?" Holly Sinclair finally spoke.
Her tone was flat, betraying no emotion.
Tristan Sterling froze for a second before realizing what she meant.
"Yes." His gaze darkened slightly as he nodded.
Holly Sinclair got up to leave.
He yanked her back.
"You want to get away from me that badly?" His expression changed in a flash, turning as dark and terrifying as a summer storm.
It was dark and terrifying.
"Yes," she said, her voice succinct and utterly calm.
The air seemed to freeze.
A muscle in Tristan Sterling’s jaw twitched. His dark eyes narrowed, anger churning within them.
He pressed his lips together, fighting for control.
’She was getting better and better at this.’
’Now, it only took a couple of words from her to set him off.’
’His famous self-control was becoming nothing but a useless decoration in her presence.’
Tristan Sterling squeezed Holly Sinclair’s hand, his grip punishingly tight.
It felt as if he wanted to crush the bones in her wrist.
It hurt.
But Holly Sinclair remained silent, not even struggling.
They remained locked in a stalemate.
A minute later—
"Mr. Sterling, can you let go now?"
A frosty look crept onto Holly Sinclair’s pretty face, but her tone remained calm and detached.
"No!" Tristan Sterling gritted out.
’He felt the frustration of punching a pillow.’
’He suddenly missed the way she used to yell and scream at him.’
’He would rather she throw a tantrum than look at him with that deadpan expression.’
He felt that this emotionless version of her was like sand in his palm, silently slipping out of his world...
"Then is there anything else you require, Mr. Sterling?"
Holly Sinclair glanced at their entangled hands, her voice dripping with ice.
"Watch your tone!" Tristan Sterling warned through gritted teeth.
"Seven more days."
She looked up at him, the words coming out of nowhere.
But he understood instantly.
She was talking about the divorce cooling-off period.
In one more week, they would be going to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get their divorce certificate.
Once they had that certificate, there would be nothing connecting them anymore.
At the thought, Tristan Sterling’s expression darkened even further.
He said nothing, just stared at her coldly, his thin lips pressed into a grim line.
A ghost of a smile touched Holly Sinclair’s lips.
"Tristan Sterling, we were husband and wife. Even if there was no love between us, you’re a man who values his dignity. So let’s part amicably, can we?"
She spoke in a slow, deliberate voice as she pulled her hand from his grasp. "In seven days, the cooling-off period will be over. Please make sure to clear your schedule, so you and I can complete the final procedure together. All right?"
’Now, she wouldn’t even use the word "we" anymore,’ he thought.
"Is divorce the only thing you can talk about?!" Tristan Sterling’s face was like thunder as he snapped.
Holly Sinclair fell silent.
After a long moment, she spoke again, her voice faint and reluctant. "I wish you and Vivian Linton a lifetime of happiness together."
’She wasn’t a saint.’
’Deep down, she had no desire to bless that scumbag and his bitch.’
’After all, they had hurt her deeply.’
’She couldn’t just laugh it off.’
’But for the sake of a smooth divorce, telling a few lies against her conscience was a small price to pay.’
’She could always go back to silently cursing them after the divorce was finalized.’
"Holly Sinclair!!"
But her "blessing" only sent Tristan Sterling into a fit of uncontrollable rage.
’Has she really fallen for someone else? Is that why she’s so eager to push me onto another woman?’
’Her feelings for Brandon...’
’She’s developed feelings for him?!’
Tristan Sterling’s eyes were dark, promising a storm.
Just as he was about to question her further, a commotion suddenly erupted from the garden outside.
"Oh no, someone fell in the water!"
"Hurry, someone! Help!"
People were screaming in panic.
Then, a male server came rushing over—
"Mr. Sterling, Miss Linton fell into the pool!"
Tristan Sterling froze for a second, his eyes instinctively darting toward the garden pool.
Holly Sinclair turned and walked away.
’He would, without a doubt, rush to save Vivian Linton without a second thought.’
’So this time, she would be the one to leave first.’
’She would never again stand by and watch him run to Vivian Linton’s side.’
The moment Holly Sinclair turned, Tristan Sterling instinctively reached out to stop her.
"Mr. Sterling..."
But the server’s timid voice snapped him back to reality.
’A life is at stake. Nothing can happen to Vivian.’
His head cleared instantly, and he strode quickly toward the swimming pool.
They walked away in opposite directions.
...
「The Hospital」
After falling into the pool, Vivian Linton had already choked on water and lost consciousness by the time Tristan Sterling pulled her out.
She quickly developed a high fever.
"M-Mr. Sterling, this is... this is our hotel’s security footage. Miss Linton... she must have... seen you and Miss Sinclair in the lounge... s-so she accidentally lost her footing and fell into the pool..."
The hotel manager’s forehead was beaded with sweat as he handed over the tablet, his words coming out in a terrified stammer.
’Thank goodness Mr. Sterling’s "white moonlight" was all right.’
’If Miss Linton had drowned at their hotel, the entire establishment would have gone down with her.’
’What a relief!’
Tristan Sterling took the tablet.
On the security footage, Vivian Linton was standing by the pool, facing the lounge area where he and Holly Sinclair had been.
Her face was a mask of sorrow and despair.
Then, her body swayed, and she tumbled into the pool.
’It was clearly because she was overcome with grief.’
Just then, Vivian Linton began to murmur from the hospital bed—
"Tristan... Tristan, run... The car’s about to explode, run..."
