Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Like My Younger Sister?

Tristan Lawson’s expression darkened slightly. He stared at Hugo Sterling for a moment, then spoke into the phone, "I understand. I’ll be right back."

’Hugo Sterling must have been the one who took Noelle Sutton to report this.’

A faint chill appeared on Tristan Lawson’s gentle, handsome features, but he still didn’t confront Hugo Sterling about it.

He stood up. "Something’s come up. I have to go."

Adrian Grant was bewildered. "We haven’t even eaten yet."

Tristan Lawson left without a backward glance.

The private room door closed. Adrian Grant looked at Hugo Sterling and gave him a thumbs-up. "You’ve got some nerve. I really don’t get how Tristan puts up with you."

Hugo Sterling raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking about today?"

"Not just today. In the past, too. The fact that he put up with it today is even stranger."

Hugo Sterling wasn’t surprised that Tristan had tolerated it today; he was more surprised about the past. Aside from the shared power station incident, he had provoked Tristan Lawson to varying degrees on other occasions.

Tristan Lawson had never really made an issue of it with him.

For the sake of Noelle Sutton’s dignity, Hugo Sterling never mentioned that Tristan Lawson had abused her the previous night.

Instead, he changed the subject. "So tell me, why do you think I’m trying to steal Tristan’s wife?"

"I can’t be bothered with you. Does it even need to be said? If you’re not trying to steal his wife, then what’s the deal with hiding her and meddling in his marriage?"

Hugo Sterling frowned. "Are you saying that I like Noelle?"

Adrian Grant nodded and answered in all seriousness, "Yeah. It’s so obvious you might as well have said it."

Adrian Grant hadn’t really interacted with Noelle Sutton, having only met her three times.

Once, in a private room at The Carmine Club.

Once, at the Sterling Family’s birthday banquet.

And once, at the entrance of Myre River Pavilion.

They hadn’t even exchanged more than a few words. His only impression of Noelle Sutton was that she was beautiful, gentle, and good-tempered—a bit like the youngest Miss Sterling, actually.

His eyes suddenly narrowed. "Brother Hugo, do you think maybe you like her because you feel she’s like your little sister?"

Genetic sexual attraction is a difficult thing to explain.

He had once overheard someone talking about long-lost relatives who, unaware of their kinship, end up falling in love.

"Like my little sister?" Hugo Sterling was taken aback for a second. "I’ve never noticed, nor have I ever thought about it that way. I don’t feel like she’s similar to my little sister at all."

Adrian Grant muttered, "Could it be that my eyes are playing tricks on me?"

"Tristan knows I’m looking for my little sister. Besides, he’s well aware of her situation. If it really were her, he wouldn’t keep silent."

Hugo Sterling knew Tristan Lawson wasn’t that despicable. It was precisely for this reason that when he saw Noelle Sutton’s state this morning, he couldn’t hold back and ended up hitting him.

Adrian Grant’s gaze darkened. "Maybe I’m overthinking it."

He didn’t know why he was the only one who thought so. Noelle Sutton had already appeared in their social circle on the day of the Sterling Family’s birthday banquet, yet it seemed no one else had ever brought up the issue.

Tristan Lawson returned to Westhill Villa.

The heads of the local Disability and Women’s Federations informed Tristan Lawson in no uncertain terms that he was suspected of marital rape. His wife, they said, out of consideration for their marriage, was only asking their departments for help mediating the divorce.

Especially since Noelle Sutton is disabled, they were taking the matter very seriously. They hoped to resolve it amicably, explaining that a police report would put them in a difficult position. They asked Tristan Lawson to cooperate with the victim’s request and proceed with a swift, amicable divorce.

"Please relay a message to her for me. I agree to the divorce. Just tell her to come back and discuss it with me."

Tristan Lawson didn’t resist or refuse at all; he agreed immediately.

This was the only way to appease the relevant departments and also see Noelle Sutton as soon as possible.

Otherwise, Hugo Sterling would insist on hiding her, and he would have to spend a great deal of time searching. The longer the wound was left, the harder it would be to heal.

The officials then left.

Afterward, they contacted Hugo Sterling by phone. Since Hugo was the one who had taken Noelle Sutton there today, and since Noelle was mute and couldn’t answer the phone, having him relay the message was the most appropriate course of action.

At that moment, Hugo Sterling had just parted ways with Adrian Grant. He told the official that he would take Noelle Sutton to negotiate with Tristan Lawson and would contact them again if any problems arose.

He returned to the hotel.

His female secretary was sitting in the living room. Seeing Hugo Sterling approach, she immediately stood up. "Hello, CEO Sterling."

Hugo Sterling raised a hand and shushed her. "Keep your voice down." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He lowered his own voice as well. "She’s not awake yet."

The secretary nodded.

"You can go home for now. I’ll take it from here."

After the secretary left, Hugo Sterling tiptoed into the bedroom. Noelle Sutton’s eyes were tightly shut, her long eyelashes resting like a butterfly’s wings.

But she wasn’t sleeping peacefully; her brow was furrowed.

The finger marks on her cheeks still showed no signs of fading.

’I can’t believe Tristan Lawson would actually do such a thing. Having known him for so many years, Tristan had always seemed like a man with powerful self-restraint and an ascetic air, his self-control far surpassing the average person’s.’

’How could he...’

Hugo Sterling’s brow furrowed tightly. He closed his eyes, deeply worried that Noelle Sutton would be left with psychological trauma.

He sat in the bedroom, quietly watching Noelle Sutton.

An unusual feeling welled up in his heart, wave after uncontrollable wave.

When Noelle Sutton opened her eyes again, the sky had already grown dark.

Tristan Lawson had waited at home all afternoon without going anywhere. Now that it was dark and Noelle Sutton still hadn’t returned, he was growing anxious and restless.

’He’d told the federations he was willing to negotiate the divorce. Since Noelle wanted a divorce so badly, she should have, by all rights, come back to see him right away.’

The doorbell rang.

Tristan Lawson stood up at once, just in time to see Mrs. Miller already hurrying to open the door.

Tristan Lawson was slightly nervous.

"Why is it you?"

Mrs. Miller’s expression was not pleasant.

"I’m here to see Tristan."

Sophie Hughes walked inside as soon as she finished speaking.

When Tristan Lawson realized it was Sophie Hughes, the faint light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

Sophie Hughes approached Tristan Lawson, a guilty look on her face. "Tristan, I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have invited you for a drink last night. I didn’t know that bottle would have such a kick. You got so drunk, and we..."

Sophie Hughes deliberately brought up the events of last night.

When Tristan Lawson saw that the finger marks on Sophie Hughes’s face from where he had slapped her were still visible, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

"I’m the one who should be apologizing. Have a seat."

Sophie Hughes seemed ill at ease. "I won’t sit. I just came to apologize and to tell you that I have to leave. Tessa came over today and threw out all my luggage. She also said she was going to tell our grandfather about last night. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble. I booked a flight for tonight."

Tristan Lawson’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself.

Sophie Hughes had made a special trip, hoping Tristan Lawson would ask her to stay.

But to her surprise, Tristan Lawson said, "I’ll have my driver take you to the airport."

Sophie Hughes’s eyes widened in a slight daze. ’He has absolutely no intention of asking me to stay...’

Since that was the case, she had no other choice.

Tristan Lawson personally walked Sophie Hughes out of the villa. Just then, two cars drove into the villa’s driveway.

One car was Hugo Sterling’s; the other, Tristan Lawson didn’t recognize.