Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Tristan Lawson Stops Noelle Sutton

"You threatened to jump off the building just to get me to come back and watch cartoons with you?"

Joshua Lawson stared with his dark eyes. "Can’t I? Think about it. How long has it been since you watched cartoons with me?"

Noelle Sutton’s lips froze.

’Why haven’t I been watching cartoons with him? Doesn’t he know the reason himself?’

Joshua Lawson urged her, "Hurry up and come over. Sophie made the main character in this cartoon. She’s so amazing! Let’s watch it together. After that, you can help me cut out the characters. I want to make a paper-cut illustration book to give to Sophie."

Joshua Lawson thought Sophie Hughes was especially understanding, gentle, and considerate.

She had called specifically to have him bring his mom home for the sake of their family’s harmony.

He wanted to keep his mom at home so Sophie wouldn’t have to worry anymore. That way, Sophie would come stay at Westhill Villa again.

The date of his paper-cutting competition was getting closer and closer, and he really needed Sophie Hughes.

Noelle Sutton felt a painful lump in her throat, as if a thorn were stuck there.

She raised her wrist. "Joshua already knows how to make paper-cut illustrations?"

Joshua Lawson’s brow furrowed instantly.

Yes, he did.

He had given the first paper-cut illustration book he made to Sophie.

Joshua Lawson couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

He had promised his mom that when he could complete a paper-cut illustration book on his own, he would definitely give his first one to her.

"Ugh, why are you so annoying, always asking a million questions? Can’t you just watch the cartoon with me properly?"

Noelle Sutton ignored Joshua Lawson and walked over to Mrs. Miller, typing a line of text on her phone.

"Have a few more maids serve in the villa. Keep a close eye on the Young Master. He just called me and said he was going to jump off the building. If you can’t watch him, none of you will be able to escape the consequences."

Mrs. Miller was startled when she saw the message. The Young Master was the little emperor of the Lawson Family! If anything happened to him, the servants at Westhill Villa would be done for.

"Don’t worry, Madam. I’ll go get a few more people right away."

Mrs. Miller hurried to the backyard, found a few maids who used to work indoors, and warned them about the Young Master’s threat to jump, telling them they had to keep a very close eye on him.

Seeing that everyone was in place, Noelle Sutton turned to leave.

"Mom!"

Joshua Lawson called out to stop her. "Are you running away from home again? Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re causing for the family? What’s gotten into you lately? Why can’t you just stay at home quietly? Even Sophie is worried about you. She called just now and told me to do everything I could to get you to come back."

Noelle Sutton suddenly turned back, asking in sign language: "You’re saying Sophie Hughes told you to call me back?"

Lying on the sofa, Joshua Lawson raised an eyebrow. "You’re never home, so she doesn’t dare come over to stay. She’s worried you don’t like her. She also told me to convince you not to run around all over the place, because Dad will be worried too."

Noelle Sutton pressed her lips together, lost in thought.

’Just now, I was so close to meeting Smith.’

’Lately, I’ve been away from home often, but Sophie Hughes never had Joshua Lawson call me back.’

’Today...’

’It seems Sophie Hughes doesn’t want me to meet Smith.’

Noelle Sutton hadn’t worked in seven years, but that didn’t mean she was ignorant of competition in the professional world.

Ever since she learned that Sophie Hughes was the one Tristan Lawson couldn’t get off his mind, she had decided to step aside for Sophie and had never thought of competing with her for anything.

But it seemed Sophie Hughes had no intention of letting her off the hook.

Noelle Sutton gave Joshua Lawson an indifferent glance, then turned and left.

"Mom!"

But Joshua Lawson couldn’t stop her.

Now thoroughly enraged, Joshua Lawson grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and hurled it across the room.

Then, he sent a text to Sophie Hughes.

[Sophie, I’m sorry. I couldn’t get my mom to stay. She came back, but then she left again.]

By this point, their dinner was nearly over. Even if Noelle Sutton rushed over now, she would be too late.

[Joshua, sigh... Don’t blame yourself. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t stayed at your house for so long, your mom wouldn’t be away from home all the time.]

After seeing the message, Joshua Lawson grew worried and quickly texted back.

[Sophie, does this mean you won’t come to my house to see me anymore?]

[No, that’s not it. I just think it’s inconvenient for me to go to your house. If you miss me, I can pick you up from school tomorrow and bring you to my place, okay?]

Joshua Lawson was overjoyed.

[Of course you can! I’d love that.]

Everyone was considerate of Smith’s need to adjust to the time difference, so the dinner didn’t last long.

Afterward, Tristan Lawson was about to take Smith to his hotel when Hugo Sterling stood up first and said, "Tristan, you have a family and a son. You should go home early. I’ll take Smith."

He didn’t know if Noelle Sutton would be back tonight. If she wasn’t, Joshua would be home alone. Although there were maids, it wasn’t the same as having Noelle there to look after him, which would have put Tristan more at ease.

He didn’t argue with Hugo Sterling. After Hugo and Smith left, Director Ford departed as well.

Soon after, Adrian Grant and Kyle Sawyer were also about to leave.

Kyle Sawyer was going to give Sophie Hughes a ride.

During the dinner, Tristan Lawson probably figured it wasn’t appropriate to discuss work since Smith had just gotten off a plane, so he never brought up the matter of the role.

Smith needed to recover from his jet lag, so Tristan Lawson probably wouldn’t contact him again tonight. The matter would likely have to wait until tomorrow.

’But it doesn’t matter anymore.’

Noelle Sutton hadn’t shown up, and Smith was clearly a bit displeased.

’It wouldn’t be easy to arrange another meeting with Smith on short notice.’

Sophie Hughes didn’t plan to press Tristan Lawson any further, lest she annoy him, so she accepted Kyle Sawyer’s offer of a ride.

The four of them walked out of Myre River Pavilion together.

Just as they reached the entrance, they unexpectedly ran into Noelle Sutton, who had hurried over.

A faint, almost imperceptible curve touched Tristan Lawson’s thin lips.

Kyle Sawyer didn’t know Noelle Sutton well, and what’s more, she had stolen the man Sophie Hughes liked. Naturally, he had no particularly good impression of Noelle.

Adrian Grant, however, was taken aback for a moment.

"Noelle, what are you doing at Myre River Pavilion so late? You seem to be in a hurry. Are you looking for Tristan?"

Sophie Hughes took the initiative to speak to her, but Noelle Sutton paid her no mind.

Noelle Sutton glanced at Sophie Hughes, then at Tristan Lawson.

’They were both here at Myre River Pavilion at the same time.’

’Now I get it. I wasn’t wrong.’

’Tristan Lawson really did go to great lengths for Sophie Hughes’s career, even finding out that Smith was arriving in Glenwater today.’

Noelle Sutton indifferently withdrew her gaze.

"I’m going home."

Tristan Lawson reached out to grab her wrist.

But she quickened her pace and walked inside.

Tristan Lawson’s hand closed on empty air. It froze there, looking incredibly awkward.

His eyes darkened. He pulled his hand back, shoved it into his suit pocket, and turned to the others. "You guys go ahead."

With that said, he strode into Myre River Pavilion.

Not wanting Sophie Hughes to feel uncomfortable, Kyle Sawyer pulled her into his car and called out, "Adrian, let’s go."

"I’m going to have a smoke."

Adrian Grant wanted to wait for Tristan Lawson to come out.

Kyle Sawyer waved at him, then stepped on the gas, speeding off in his ridiculously flashy pink convertible.

Tristan Lawson caught up to Noelle Sutton at the elevators and blocked her way.