Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Stop Fussing, Be Good

Hugo Sterling replied to Attorney Miller.

[I’m out at dinner. Let’s talk after I’m done.]

They had a few drinks during dinner.

Adrian Grant, feeling the night was still young, looked at Tristan Lawson and said, "Last time we finally managed to get together, you smashed your glass and didn’t even drink. As punishment, you’re treating us to a round at The Carmine Club tonight."

Tristan Lawson stood up, took his suit jacket from the back of the chair, and draped it over his arm. His voice was mild. "I’m not free tonight, I have something to do. I’ll treat you guys another time. I’m leaving."

"Tristan," Hugo Sterling called out to him. "Are you going to see Noelle?"

Tristan Lawson’s tone turned serious. "Since when do you call her Noelle?"

"Er... fine. Are you going to see Noelle Sutton?"

"Yes."

Tristan finally answered.

"You don’t want to get a divorce, do you?"

"I never said I wanted a divorce."

Tossing out that line, Tristan Lawson turned and left.

With only Hugo Sterling and Adrian Grant left in the private room, Hugo slung an arm over Adrian’s shoulder, leaned in close, and said, "I get the feeling Tristan is really into Noelle Sutton, isn’t he?"

Adrian Grant was a bit bewildered by him. "Why are you so worked up about their marriage?"

"Because..." Hugo Sterling paused. "I can’t really explain it. I just can’t stand to see her being wronged."

"Oh, come on. Stop making excuses. Your intentions are so obvious even I can see them, and you think Tristan can’t? I’m telling you, you’d better bury those feelings of yours. Otherwise, you won’t even be friends with Tristan anymore. You haven’t had a woman by your side in years. Why, of all people, did you have to fall for Tristan’s wife?"

Hugo Sterling frowned. "Do I? Don’t be ridiculous."

"If the shoe fits, wear it; if not, just be careful. It’s best if there’s nothing going on. We’ve known each other for so many years, we see each other all the time. Wouldn’t it be ugly if this blows up? Think about it. Even Kyle Sawyer is feeling sorry for Sophie Hughes, which means he must have sensed that Tristan is different with Noelle Sutton now. Kyle never worried for the past seven years."

Hugo Sterling’s head started to ache.

He let go of Adrian Grant and rubbed his temples. "But Noelle Sutton wants a divorce, and she’s very determined."

"If you stay out of it, who would dare to take her divorce case? Just wanting a divorce is useless. If Tristan won’t let her go, how could she possibly leave him?"

"Are you saying Tristan is done with Sophie Hughes?"

Adrian Grant’s lips curved into a smile. "Your brain is full of mush lately. Come on, let’s go get a drink to clear your head."

Tristan Lawson stood at the door of Noelle Sutton’s apartment and rang the bell.

As for Noelle Sutton, she was now completely on guard against Tristan Lawson.

Not many people knew about this place.

Hugo Sterling and Attorney Miller had just left.

’If it were Wyatt Yates, he would definitely call me if I didn’t open the door.’

Noelle Sutton waited.

Tristan Lawson rang the doorbell for a while. When there was no response, he called Noelle Sutton’s phone and then sent her a two-word text.

[Open up.]

’Just as I thought! It’s him!’

’There’s no way I’m opening the door.’

’If he keeps ringing the bell, I’ll call the police.’

Noelle Sutton set her phone to silent and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

When Tristan Lawson had come up, he’d specifically looked up and seen that the lights in her apartment were on.

’Not answering my texts, not opening the door?’

’Fine.’

’I refuse to believe she can hide in there forever.’

「The next day.」

Dawn was breaking.

Noelle Sutton, for her part, had slept well through the night.

For once, Tristan Lawson hadn’t disturbed her.

After her shower, she poured a glass of warm water and tried to make a sound.

"Ah..."

It was still a strain, and she couldn’t produce the sound smoothly.

She had taken the medicine Wyatt Yates prescribed, and her throat wasn’t as sore anymore.

She would practice for a while, take a few sips of water, and then practice again, repeating this for over half an hour.

Seeing that it was about time, she got ready to go to the hospital to meet with Wyatt Yates and ask about the minimally invasive surgery.

’Then, I can have the surgery done abroad directly.’

’I can sense that my condition is related to my nervous system. If the nerve damage can’t fully heal, I’m afraid it will take a very long time for me to be able to speak again.’

When Noelle Sutton was ready and opened her door, a figure suddenly appeared before her.

Her pupils instantly constricted.

Tristan Lawson was leaning against the wall. In the ashtray of the public trash can by the elevators, numerous cigarette butts were scattered haphazardly.

The air was even tinged with the faint scent of agarwood smoke.

The usually neat and tidy Tristan Lawson now had bluish stubble on his chin.

He slowly strode toward Noelle with his long, straight legs. His dark gaze was gentle and deep, and his voice was even softer. "Come home with me. I promise what happened yesterday will never happen again."

Noelle Sutton turned her head away, not wanting to look at him.

She didn’t want to hear him speak, either.

’Does he think I’ll soften and take him back just because he stood outside my door all night?’

’In the past, I definitely would have.’

’But now, there’s no point.’

The man coaxed her patiently. "I’ve already planned it. Next month, on Joshua’s sixth birthday, we’ll have our wedding ceremony."

If Noelle Sutton wasn’t determined to hide the fact that she was showing signs of regaining her voice, she might have let out a cold laugh.

’He wants a secret marriage, so we have a secret marriage. He wants a wedding ceremony, so we have a wedding ceremony?’

’When has he ever asked for my opinion?’

’He just wants to control my life.’

’I want to work in animation, I want a divorce... He knows what I want, but he won’t agree to a single thing.’

Noelle Sutton turned around and looked at Tristan Lawson with indifference, a contemptuous arc on her lips. "We’re about to get a divorce, and you want to hold a wedding ceremony? Don’t you think that’s a bit redundant?"

He knew full well that Noelle Sutton needed to vent her frustrations, so he didn’t get angry with her.

Instead, he took the voice-producing diamond ring out of his suit pocket—he had brought it with him specifically when he left the house.

He took Noelle Sutton’s hand.

Noelle Sutton tried to pull back, but he tightened his grip slightly, just as he noticed several bluish-purple bruises on her wrist.

His gaze darkened, but he first focused on sliding the ring onto Noelle Sutton’s finger.

A moment later, he looked up.

"Your inability to speak isn’t congenital, so why didn’t you tell me all these years? If you had told me, I would have gotten you treatment. Since Smith said there’s a doctor abroad who can treat your aphonia, I’ll go with you tomorrow. Until you’re cured, you can use this ring."

Noelle Sutton struggled to pull her hand back, but Tristan Lawson threaded his fingers through hers, intertwining them with no intention of letting go.

He held one of her hands, knowing she couldn’t answer him in sign language like this.

’She didn’t really need to speak. He would do the talking, and she would just have to listen.’

"That role Smith mentioned—if you want to do it, then do it. As for the animation production, you don’t necessarily have to go abroad. I’ll talk to Smith and arrange for you to work from home. I’ve made so many concessions, so stop causing trouble. Be a good girl, hm?"

This recent, almost out-of-control married life was not what he wanted.

He wanted to return to the tranquility of the past.

Although he was often away on business trips, coming home only felt like returning to a safe harbor when she was there.

He couldn’t get used to this new, icy feeling.

However, before Noelle Sutton could express anything, a call came in.