Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Isn’t It Hard to Get a Divorce Without These Conditions?

"Don’t blame Noelle. If I hadn’t brought the necklace out, it wouldn’t have broken..."

Seeing Sophie Hughes so wracked with guilt, Tristan Lawson was in no mood to comfort her.

His mother had traded her life for his and his sister’s. Even though he had never met her, he knew she was a magnificent woman.

As she awaited death, she had recorded all her love for him and his sister, which had accompanied him into adulthood.

"I’m going to get the necklace repaired."

Tristan Lawson left with those words.

Sophie Hughes couldn’t tell if he was angry with her or not.

If he was angry, he had still protected her when Noelle Sutton was there.

But if he wasn’t angry, why was he being so cold to her now, unwilling to say a single word more than necessary?

Fortunately, he had seen with his own eyes that Noelle Sutton was the one who pushed her, causing the necklace to break. She had just seen it—Tristan Lawson’s suppressed rage.

Perhaps it was because of his gentlemanly upbringing that he hadn’t actually slapped Noelle Sutton.

She understood his character; he would never strike a woman.

When Noelle Sutton returned to her small apartment and pushed open the door, Hugo Sterling was inside.

When he turned and saw Noelle Sutton, he rushed to her, gripped her shoulders, and asked with a worried expression, "Noelle, what happened? Why is there blood on the floor?"

Hugo Sterling had come to Noelle Sutton’s place in the morning. Her phone was off when he called, and no one answered when he knocked. He tried the doorknob and found it was unlocked.

He came in and saw the blackened bloodstains on the floor.

He had searched the entire apartment without finding Noelle Sutton. He had just stepped out of the bedroom when she returned.

Noelle Sutton took out her phone and saw the battery was dead. She pulled a notepad from her bag, thought for a moment, and wrote a line: "I’m fine, don’t worry about me. The blood on the floor is from a stray dog I rescued yesterday."

’She had no intention of telling anyone about the cancer.’

’She didn’t want anyone’s pity, nor did she want anyone to worry about her.’

’Most of all, she didn’t want Tristan Lawson or Joshua Lawson to know.’

’If she couldn’t get a divorce, this was her last resort for leaving the father and son.’

Hugo Sterling breathed a sigh of relief.

"That’s good. You scared me to death." Hugo Sterling suddenly added, "Why is your face so pale?"

"I didn’t sleep well last night."

She continued writing on the notepad.

It was actually very inconvenient for Noelle Sutton to communicate with people who didn’t understand sign language; it wasted so much time.

The sound-emitting necklace Wyatt Yates had given her was an excellent tool for someone like her who still couldn’t speak.

"If you didn’t rest well, you should take the morning off. I’ll call the lawyer and tell him to go back for now and come this afternoon instead."

Noelle Sutton quickly wrote, "No need. Have him come this morning. I can take a nap at noon, and I have other things to do this afternoon."

It seemed Noelle Sutton was truly determined to get a divorce.

Noelle Sutton invited Hugo Sterling to sit down and went to pour him a glass of water.

She found her charger and plugged in her phone.

Just as she sat down, a knock came from the door.

"That must be the lawyer. I’ll get the door."

Hugo Sterling volunteered to open the door.

However, the person standing at the door was Wyatt Yates. When Wyatt saw a strange man in Noelle Sutton’s apartment, his expression immediately turned cold and grim. Not even his refined, gold-rimmed glasses could hide the menacing aura around him.

"Who are you? Why are you in The Little Mute’s home?"

Hearing Wyatt Yates’s voice, Noelle Sutton quickly came out.

Hugo Sterling looked at the tense man before him and raised an eyebrow. Before he could speak, Noelle Sutton came over and signed to Wyatt Yates, "He’s my friend."

"You scared me. I thought your apartment had been broken into."

Hugo Sterling was surprised that the man in front of him could understand sign language.

Just then, Attorney Miller, the legal director of the Sterling Group, also arrived.

"CEO Sterling, hello."

"Attorney Miller, please come in."

Hugo Sterling invited Attorney Miller inside.

When Wyatt Yates heard Hugo Sterling address the newcomer as "attorney," he couldn’t help but look at Noelle Sutton.

Noelle Sutton pressed her lips together, feeling a little awkward. ’She hadn’t asked Wyatt Yates for help, but had Hugo Sterling find a lawyer for her instead. Who knew he would show up at this exact moment?’

’Wyatt Yates had already told her he wasn’t afraid of Tristan Lawson, but she had chosen someone else anyway. He would surely misunderstand, thinking she didn’t trust his abilities, which was a huge blow to a man’s pride.’

’The main reason was that Aunt Rhodes had personally come to see her that day and explained the situation. She couldn’t let Wyatt Yates have a falling out with his family over her affairs, and there was even less reason to drag the uninvolved Yates Group into this because of her.’

When Noelle Sutton looked at Wyatt Yates, his displeasure was obvious.

Fortunately, Attorney Miller and Hugo Sterling couldn’t understand sign language. She gestured to Wyatt Yates, "After I’m done with the lawyer, I’ll explain everything. Okay?"

Wyatt Yates pursed his lips and nodded.

Hugo Sterling didn’t know Wyatt Yates, but as another man, he could tell that Wyatt’s attitude toward Noelle Sutton was anything but ordinary.

Hugo Sterling politely asked Noelle Sutton, "And he is?"

Seeing the pen and paper in front of Noelle Sutton, Wyatt Yates knew she had to rely on writing to communicate with them. Unwilling to see her go through the trouble, he spoke up, "I’m her neighbor from her hometown."

’Ah, the boy next door. That’s certainly a special relationship.’

"My surname is Yates," Wyatt Yates added, continuing, "Since I’m here, there’s no need to trouble Noelle with writing. I can interpret for her. You can begin."

Hugo Sterling had already briefed Attorney Miller on Noelle Sutton’s situation, but there were still some details that needed to be discussed with her directly.

"Miss Sutton, it’s like this. If one party files for divorce and the other doesn’t consent, the court generally won’t grant it in the first lawsuit. The exceptions are if you can provide evidence that the other party has committed bigamy, is cohabiting with another person, has engaged in domestic violence or abuse, has abandoned a family member, has incorrigible bad habits such as gambling or drug abuse, if you have been separated for two full years, if they have gone missing, or if there is other evidence proving an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Miss Sutton, has your husband engaged in any of these behaviors?"

Hugo Sterling had told Attorney Miller that it was best not to mention Tristan Lawson’s name in front of Noelle Sutton, lest it upset her.

"Does an emotional affair count?"

Noelle Sutton signed, and Wyatt Yates relayed her question.

Attorney Miller replied, "Generally speaking, no. But if it has severely impacted the marital relationship, it can be used as evidence of an affair."

’Noelle Sutton hadn’t originally wanted to bring up Tristan Lawson and Sophie Hughes in the divorce proceedings. It would make it seem like she was just jealous of Sophie.’

Hugo Sterling knew the situation. For Noelle Sutton to ask this, she must suspect the relationship between Tristan and Sophie Hughes. He leaned close to Noelle’s ear and whispered, "Noelle, Sophie has a familial relationship with Tristan. Even if you can provide evidence of gifts he gave her or other intimate behavior, it could all be dismissed due to their family connection."

When Wyatt Yates saw Hugo Sterling shamelessly whispering in The Little Mute’s ear, he was furious!

Noelle Sutton grew worried that the divorce would be difficult. Her signs became urgent, "He hasn’t done any of the things Attorney Miller mentioned. Does that mean I can’t win the case?"