Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Seizing the Opportunity to Be Alone with Him

Joshua Lawson was crying his heart out, and Tessa Lawson’s heart ached for him. "Joshua, my sweet boy, don’t cry. Auntie is on her way to back you up!"

Joshua told Tessa what had happened that day. After a great deal of coaxing from Tessa, Joshua finally stopped crying and went back into the villa.

The smartwatch was on speaker, so Mrs. Miller heard everything Tessa said. She went and knocked on the master bedroom door.

"Ma’am, it’s me."

Noelle Sutton came and opened the door.

Mrs. Miller came in and whispered, "The young master just called Miss Lawson. She said she’s coming over to back him up. Ma’am, Miss Lawson has a bad temper. Should you maybe avoid her for a bit?"

Noelle waved her hand, indicating there was no need.

’It would be even better if Tessa came and kicked me out.’ 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Noelle picked up her phone and typed out a message: "Mrs. Miller, thank you for telling me this. And thank you for helping me last time."

"Ma’am, you’re always so good to us. This is nothing, don’t mention it. It’s just..." Mrs. Miller paused to think. "The master doesn’t seem to be without feelings for you. It’s that Sophie Hughes—she’s just so shameless, always clinging to him. Ma’am, now she’s even taught the young master to be disobedient. Do you really want your once-happy family to fall apart like this?"

This was not what Mrs. Miller wanted to see.

Before, even though the master was a bit cold, the family was at least harmonious.

Noelle gave a helpless smile. ’It takes two to tango. If Sophie Hughes was able to latch onto Tristan, it’s only because he gave her the opportunity. If he hadn’t, she wouldn’t have been able to cling to him no matter how much she tried.’

’Besides, for the past seven years, things might have seemed harmonious to outsiders, but only she knew the true bitterness.’

Seeing no point in saying more, Mrs. Miller left to attend to her duties.

Less than half an hour later, Tessa Lawson stormed into Westhill Villa, full of righteous anger.

"Noelle Sutton, get out here!"

Tessa’s voice was booming. Hearing her, Joshua ran out of his room and threw himself into her arms.

"Auntie, look at my face."

"It’s all red! How hard did she hit you!"

Tessa was seething with rage.

’Noelle is an absolute idiot! That Sophie Hughes is already turning her son against her, yet instead of trying to improve their relationship, she actually hits the boy. Joshua is the little prince of the Lawson family; none of us would dare to touch a single hair on his head. Noelle has some serious nerve.’

Joshua started whimpering and crying again. Tessa cooed, "Joshua, go watch cartoons in your room. I’ll go settle the score with her for you!"

Tessa called for Mrs. Miller and had her take Joshua back to his room.

Without even knocking, she shoved the master bedroom door open and stormed in.

Noelle, acting as if nothing was amiss, remained seated at her computer, busy with her work.

Tessa marched over to the desk, slammed Noelle’s laptop shut, and glared at her furiously.

"Oh, so you get invited to be a judge for some children’s paper-cutting contest and suddenly you’re too important to leave the house? Working from home now, are we?"

Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

Ever since Noelle had decided to divorce Tristan, she had been indifferent toward Tessa.

Today, however, she reacted. She took out her phone and typed a simple question: "Can’t I?"

Tessa sneered. "Did you really think Old Master Shaw would have recommended you as a judge for that competition if Tristan hadn’t announced you were his wife at the Sterling family’s banquet? Use your head. The only reason you’re a judge is because of the Lawsons’ influence. How dare you put on airs? How dare you hit Joshua? Have you completely forgotten your place?"

Noelle fired back, typing: "He’s my son. I’ll discipline him as I see fit. What right do you, his aunt, have to interfere in how I raise him?"

Tessa was so furious she could have spit blood.

"Noelle Sutton, do you have a death wish? How dare you talk to me like that? Joshua is my nephew! You hit him, of course I’m going to interfere! Now get the hell out!"

Tessa jabbed a finger toward the door.

Noelle typed, "You’re the one telling me to leave."

"That’s right, I’m telling you to get out! Grandfather gave you a chance, but you threw it away. You don’t treat Joshua right, you can’t hold on to Tristan, and you won’t stop nagging about a divorce! Grandfather said if you want to leave, then leave! It’ll save Joshua the embarrassment of having a mute mother when he’s older. If you could actually speak, why would he be so attached to Sophie Hughes!"

If that was the case, Noelle had nothing to worry about.

Since the Lawson family had finally decided to grant her a divorce, she couldn’t have been more eager.

Without even packing a bag, she walked right out of Westhill Villa.

Having driven Noelle out, Tessa went gleefully to give Joshua the good news.

"Joshua, Auntie took care of that for you. My sweet nephew, let’s not be angry anymore, okay?"

Joshua asked casually, "Auntie, how did you take care of it?"

"I kicked her out!"

Joshua’s eyelids twitched. "Dad was the one who brought her back," he said. "If you kick her out, Dad will just bring her back again. Besides, he’s planning a wedding for her."

Joshua pulled Tessa into the living room to show her the wedding plans that Secretary Shaw had sent over.

Tessa frowned. ’What’s gotten into Tristan? Is he really planning to go public with Noelle? If he comes back and doesn’t see Noelle, isn’t he going to come after me? No way! I don’t want to fight with my own brother.’

Tessa called Old Master Lawson and told him that Tristan wanted to hold a belated wedding ceremony for Noelle.

When Tristan had first wanted to marry Noelle, the entire family had been against it. Old Master Lawson was the one who ultimately gave his approval, but on one condition: the marriage had to be kept secret. This was to prevent the Lawson family from losing face over Tristan marrying a mute woman.

Tristan agreed, and only then were he and Noelle able to get their marriage license.

Tristan had already broken that promise once by publicly revealing Noelle. Fortunately, the only people who found out were close acquaintances of the Sterling and Lawson families, so it wasn’t a major scandal. But this time, he was planning a full, public reveal, and the Lawson family would never agree to that.

Tristan made a trip to the cemetery. Fresh flowers and offerings were already laid at the grave; it seemed Tessa had already visited.

After visiting the cemetery, Tristan went to The Orchidelle.

His mother’s room was filled with her belongings.

When Tristan entered, he saw that fresh chrysanthemums and his mother’s favorite orchids had been placed inside.

Tessa was usually the one who took care of these things.

Tristan didn’t let Sophie come in, saying he wanted to be with his mother alone for a while.

Sophie Hughes hadn’t planned on going in anyway.

’She’d finally gotten a chance to be alone with Tristan, and she wanted to make the most of it.’

Tristan had been so focused on putting food on Noelle’s plate during dinner that he barely seemed to eat anything himself.

She ordered some takeout and went to open a bottle of red wine to let it breathe.