Chapter 11: She Wants a Divorce Editor: Henyee Translations

After a moment, he said, "Alright."

A faint smile graced Sophie Hughes’s face.

Tristan Lawson’s expression was complicated.

When others bid on an item like this, it was usually for the diamond on it. Its large size was certainly tempting, but it didn’t quite match Tristan Lawson’s aesthetic.

Tristan Lawson kept raising his paddle, and eventually, no one else competed with him. He successfully won the pigeon’s egg diamond.

Soon, it was time for the final auction item.

Tristan Lawson’s gaze never left the auction stage.

When the item was revealed, a collective gasp rippled through the audience.

A medieval-style crown of platinum and diamonds glittered brilliantly under the spotlights on the auction platform.

The main diadem was inlaid with seven peerless, pigeon-blood rubies. Each ruby was surrounded by more diamonds, and the rubies themselves were arranged in the shape of a heart.

In total, the crown was adorned with 999 top-tier diamonds.

Its name was ’Love of Crimson Flame.’

There wasn’t a single woman in the room who didn’t want to own it.

With each bid, Tristan Lawson more than doubled his competitors’ offers. In the end, he claimed the crown for his own.

Joshua Lawson looked up and said with a wide smile, "Dad, did you buy this crown for Sophie?"

Before Tristan Lawson could answer, Sophie Hughes said to Joshua Lawson, "Joshua, you mustn’t say such things. Your father bought something so valuable for your mother."

Joshua Lawson frowned slightly. "My mom is at home all day and doesn’t attend any banquets. What would she do with this crown? I think it’s best to give it to Sophie." With that, Joshua turned to Tristan Lawson. "Dad, what do you think?"

"Mm, your mother wouldn’t have any use for it."

The smile on Sophie Hughes’s lips deepened. However, since Tristan Lawson hadn’t explicitly said he was giving it to her, she didn’t say anything more.

After the auction, the organizers held a banquet.

Knowing Tristan Lawson wasn’t fond of such lively events, Sophie Hughes said, "Tristan, I’m a little tired. I’d like to head back to the hotel early."

"Alright."

The auction staff delivered the purchased items.

Tristan Lawson settled the bill, then left with Sophie Hughes and Joshua Lawson.

As soon as they were in the car, Joshua Lawson took out the crown. "Sophie, let me put it on for you."

"Joshua, don’t be silly. This isn’t some trinket you can just give me."

Tristan Lawson, sitting on Joshua’s other side, spoke in a warm, deep voice, "I bought it for you."

Sophie Hughes lowered her gaze. She knew it was for her. She had been waiting for those exact words.

"Tristan, I know you’re doing this to fulfill an old promise, but we..." Sophie Hughes paused, leaving the rest unsaid before changing the subject. "You should give the crown to Noelle. My allergies act up in hotels, and you already let me stay at your house. She’s already upset about that. If I accept the crown, I’m afraid it will only make her more unhappy."

But Joshua Lawson interjected, "Sophie, you’re Dad’s aunt, Grandma’s only sister. Isn’t it only right for Dad to give you a gift? If Mom has a problem with it, that just means she doesn’t know right from wrong."

"Joshua, you’re just a child. There are some things you don’t understand."

Tristan Lawson said unhurriedly, "Just take it. It’s my property, so the decision is mine to make."

"But..."

"No buts." Tristan Lawson cut Sophie Hughes off. "I’ve wanted to buy this for you for a long time. I waited seven years for this crown to appear. It was always meant to be yours."

A flower blossomed in Sophie Hughes’s heart. He must still be in love with her. "Alright, then... thank you."

Half an hour later, news broke that Tristan Lawson, heir to the Lawson Group, had spent a staggering 990 million to purchase the Love of Crimson Flame for the mysterious Mrs. Lawson.

The story was everywhere.

Tristan Lawson and Joshua Lawson had been photographed out together before, so the public knew Tristan was married, but the identity of Mrs. Lawson remained a mystery.

Having finally captured such a huge scoop, the paparazzi were spreading it like wildfire to attract traffic.

Tristan Lawson was a titan of the business world, and his name always generated a lot of buzz. His private life was immaculate, with no scandalous rumors to his name.

Therefore, many people had always been curious about the kind of woman he had married.

Unfortunately, the woman in the photo was mostly obscured by Tristan Lawson, and only her side profile was captured, revealing nothing more than a head of straight, black hair.

Judging by the pristine condition of her hair alone, many speculated she must be the daughter of some wealthy, prominent family.

Noelle Sutton hadn’t wanted to see anything related to Tristan Lawson ever again, but the moment she unlocked her phone, news about him was everywhere.

Others might not have recognized the person beside Tristan Lawson, but Noelle Sutton knew at a single glance that it was Sophie Hughes.

Nine hundred ninety million.

Love of Crimson Flame...

And Joshua personally placed the crown on Sophie Hughes’s head.

All of it felt like thorns lodged in Noelle Sutton’s throat.

The Love of Crimson Flame was rumored to have been personally crafted by a prince of a fallen dynasty during the Renaissance for the aunt he had fallen in love with.

The Love of Crimson Flame also represented a forbidden love.

Tristan Lawson had bought the Love of Crimson Flame for Sophie Hughes...

Is Sophie Hughes really his aunt?

Old Master Lawson had been extremely serious on two separate occasions, telling her to find a way to secure Tristan Lawson’s heart.

So, Old Master Lawson knows about them and doesn’t want them to be together.

It was only after marrying into the Lawson Family that Noelle Sutton learned Tristan Lawson’s mother had been diagnosed with uterine cancer while pregnant with him.

In order to give birth to Tristan, she had refused treatment. As a result, on the day Tristan Lawson was born, his mother bled to death.

Because of this, his mother became a taboo subject for him.

The Lawson family rarely mentioned Tristan Lawson’s birth mother.

Noelle Sutton didn’t even know what Tristan Lawson’s mother’s name was. As for his mother’s side of the family, she had never met any of them.

She couldn’t be certain if Sophie Hughes was truly Tristan Lawson’s aunt. But she could be certain that Tristan Lawson truly loved Sophie Hughes.

A love as scorching as a crimson flame.

Noelle Sutton pressed her lips together. She had originally wanted a divorce, but no lawyer was willing to take a case against Tristan Lawson.

Then came the sudden cancer diagnosis. With only six months left to live, it didn’t matter whether she got a divorce or not.

Once she died, Tristan Lawson would be single again. But now, she decided she had to get a divorce after all. She didn’t want to be Mrs. Lawson for her last six months.

When the father and son returned from Crestfall, she would return to Glenwater and negotiate the divorce with Tristan Lawson.

Coincidentally, the second stop of Director Ford’s comic convention was in Glenwater.

The moment Sophie Hughes saw the trending topic online, she immediately went to knock on Tristan Lawson’s hotel room door.

Tristan Lawson and Joshua Lawson had arrived later and booked a presidential suite. After Sophie learned they were there, Joshua had insisted she move into their suite.

"Tristan, are you asleep?"

"No."

Sophie Hughes pushed the door open and walked right in.

Tristan Lawson had just stepped out of the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around his waist. His muscles were solid and well-defined, his V-taper physique clearly visible.

Sophie Hughes blushed and quickly turned away. "Sorry, I didn’t know you were showering."

Tristan Lawson reached for his bathrobe, slipped it on, and tied the belt with practiced elegance. "What is it?"

"Are you dressed?"

"Yes."

Only then did Sophie Hughes turn back around.

"We were photographed. Don’t you think you should contact Noelle and explain?"

Tristan Lawson raised an eyebrow. "Explain what?"