Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Bring Her Back the Way You Sent Her Away, Or Else...

Hugo Sterling’s pupils constricted. "What do you mean by that?"

Years ago, when Tristan Lawson was preparing to marry Sophie Hughes, the Lawson and Hughes families had been vehemently opposed, nearly causing a complete falling out.

Everyone knew Tristan’s sudden marriage was to protect Sophie’s reputation, and even more so, to appease the Lawson and Hughes families.

But what did that have to do with Noelle Sutton being unable to speak?

Tessa Lawson suddenly realized she had let something slip. "It’s nothing," she said. "I’m just venting."

She despised Noelle for being a mute, thinking she wasn’t good enough for Tristan, so she often nitpicked at her.

However, she was even more against Sophie Hughes getting together with Tristan. For the time being, she needed Noelle to remain as Mrs. Lawson. Otherwise, who knew if Tristan would lose his mind and try to get back together with Sophie?

If she hadn’t happened to rush over that night, things would have gotten really messy.

"Venting? Are you trying to fool me? What you just said clearly implied that if she weren’t mute, Tristan wouldn’t have married her. What’s the real reason?"

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Why should I tell you?"

With that, Tessa turned and walked away. Hugo Sterling strode forward and grabbed her by the wrist. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

"You’re hurting me!" Tessa shook off his hand and rubbed her wrist, her tone turning cold. "Why are you so concerned about her? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her?"

Hugo Sterling was instantly at a loss for words.

Tessa’s gaze darkened as she stared at him. "You must be out of your mind! She’s Tristan’s wife! If you dare... I... I’ll definitely go and tell Grandpa Sterling!"

This wasn’t something to take lightly, and Hugo didn’t want to blow the situation out of proportion.

Tessa pointed at him, repeating her warning. "Hands off a friend’s wife! Tristan has been more than good to you. Don’t you dare do anything stupid!"

Hugo Sterling did have feelings for Noelle Sutton. In the end, he was the one in the wrong.

Even if Noelle and Tristan divorced in the future, this very connection could hinder any attempt he might make to start a relationship with her.

He remained silent, unable to press Tessa any further. He had angered her, and she turned and stormed off.

Tristan Lawson still had to get through a 48-hour critical period. But since he was in the intensive care unit, Hugo couldn’t see him even if he wanted to, so he had no choice but to leave for the time being.

On the way, Hugo Sterling kept thinking. If Tristan truly had no feelings for Noelle, and she wanted a divorce, he should have been eager to sign the papers immediately.

But from start to finish, it seemed Tristan had never intended to get a divorce.

Tristan rarely showed his emotions, but from the very beginning, Hugo could tell that he had feelings for Noelle.

That’s why he couldn’t make sense of what Tessa had said, nor could he understand why Tristan would subject Noelle to such violence.

Judging by Noelle’s attitude, her past seven years must have been incredibly unhappy.

Whenever he thought of Noelle, Hugo couldn’t help but feel his heart ache for her.

No other woman had ever made him feel this way, which was another thing that deeply troubled him.

He dialed Adrian Grant’s number.

"Want to grab a drink tonight?"

Adrian Grant frowned. "You don’t sound right. What happened?"

"I’ll tell you when I see you."

「Nightfall.」

「The Carmine Club.」

Adrian Grant’s face was a mask of astonishment. "You’re telling me you sent Tristan’s wife out of the country, and then Tristan got into a car crash while he was on the phone with you? Shit! You’ve really outdone yourself! I think you must be insane. Tristan hasn’t called you Brother Hugo in years. When he called you that right as the crash happened, didn’t you feel ashamed?"

Adrian relentlessly berated Hugo, little knowing that years later, the tables would turn.

Hugo Sterling raised his glass and downed the drink in one gulp.

’That "Brother Hugo"... how could he not have felt anything?’

When he heard the sound of the impact, his own heart had seized with panic.

Two years ago, he had deliberately pulled a stunt. Tristan hadn’t gotten truly angry with him, even shelving the project. Hugo knew full well that if he hadn’t interfered, the project, in Tristan’s hands, would have quickly disrupted the entire landscape of future new energy development.

With his own power—no, it was with the strength of their friendship—he had turned the tide, buying the entire industry two years of breathing room.

Of course, the most fundamental reason was that Tristan hadn’t gone for the kill.

How could Hugo Sterling not be aware of all this?

"Feeling guilty? Regretful? What’s the use? Can you really take back a heart that’s already been given away?"

Adrian Grant wasn’t too worried about Tristan. Hearing Hugo’s description of the situation, he felt it was highly likely Tristan would wake up within forty-eight hours. After all, Tristan was in excellent physical condition, his driving skills weren’t bad, and his ability to react to emergencies was second to none.

In such a dangerous situation, he would have definitely protected himself from a fatal blow.

Hugo didn’t mention that he had also stabbed Tristan. A wound that Tristan hadn’t held against him.

Of course, he didn’t regret that either.

The situation at the time had been truly outrageous.

"Say something! Why have you gone quiet?"

Adrian was getting a little angry.

"Adrian, some things aren’t so easy to explain."

"What’s not easy to explain? This only happened because you’re coveting your brother’s wife! Get a grip and stay out of it from now on. I’m telling you, when Tristan wakes up this time, there’s no guarantee he’ll forgive you. You really love to stir up trouble, don’t you? I give up. You’re not clueless—you know that night Kyle Sawyer called his wife a mute, Tristan smashed his glass."

"But I don’t regret sending her abroad."

Whenever Hugo thought of Noelle’s eyes, which looked like those of a broken doll, he just wanted to help her. Even if it meant becoming enemies with Tristan, even if his heart ached for Tristan’s current condition, he was dead set on helping her, on sending her to the place she wanted to go.

"You’re being completely unreasonable. Tell me, where did you send her? I’ll go and help bring her back."

Adrian felt that this was the only way to ease the tension between Hugo and Tristan.

"I won’t tell you. It was hard enough for her to leave."

Adrian Grant drank with Hugo Sterling all night, but he couldn’t get a single straight answer out of him.

Around 11 PM, Hugo Sterling received a call from Tessa Lawson, telling him that Tristan had woken up.

The two of them immediately drove to the hospital.

The main reason was that the first thing the injury-covered Tristan did upon waking was to ask for Hugo Sterling.

Hugo Sterling and Adrian Grant arrived at Tristan’s hospital room.

Adrian saw that Tristan’s forehead was wrapped in gauze and his right leg was in a cast. His handsome face was covered in various scrapes and bruises. Adrian frowned; the injuries looked quite severe.

Tristan Lawson narrowed his long, deep-set eyes, his gaze dark to the extreme. A knife-like chill seeped from his cool, oppressive voice. "However you sent her away, you will bring her back. Or else..."