Chapter 187: Chapter 187: His Love Is This Accommodating?

Hugo Sterling had recommended that Noelle Sutton give a paper-cutting as a gift because he wanted the Hughes elders to see her in a new light.

She was mute, and from Tessa Lawson’s attitude, it was clear she was despised for it.

But she had her own talents. She knew the long-lost art of embossed paper-cutting, and her creations were so three-dimensional and lifelike they could stun any audience.

He wanted her strengths to shine.

He wanted more people to know that her being mute didn’t detract from how exceptional she was.

Meanwhile, Noelle Sutton had already started sketching the design.

Hugo Sterling went out to the balcony and called a framing shop to schedule an appointment.

Then, he started asking around his social circle, trying to find a specialist who could treat aphonia.

If Noelle Sutton could speak, that would be the best thing that could happen.

At that moment, Old Mrs. Hughes was bustling about.

Tristan said Noelle had agreed to come over that evening, so Old Mrs. Hughes had the staff cleaning the house and preparing dinner, grinning from ear to ear.

She even took out a piece of her own dowry. "My dear, would it be all right if I gave this to our grandson’s wife?"

Sophie saw what it was. It was a pair of pearl bracelets, part of the same set as the pearl necklace that had been broken.

Old Mrs. Hughes had originally given the necklace to Hannah Hughes, intending to give her the matching bracelets when she was on her deathbed. She just never imagined Hannah would pass away so soon.

And so, the pair of bracelets had never been given away.

Later, after Old Mrs. Hughes adopted Sophie, Sophie once overheard her discussing with Old Mr. Hughes their intention to give her the pair of bracelets as a wedding dowry.

Sophie had thought at the time that, given her relationship with Tristan, he would eventually give her Hannah’s belongings.

’The entire set of jewelry would have been mine.’

Old Mrs. Hughes’s family had been officials in a previous dynasty and had even produced a favored imperial consort. The pearl necklace and bracelets were a gift from that very consort to Old Mrs. Hughes’s family—a registered antique of royal craftsmanship.

’Tristan gave the necklace to Noelle, and now my adoptive mother is going to give the bracelets to Noelle, too.’

’All of those things were supposed to be mine, and Noelle is snatching them away.’

’And my Tristan...’

Sophie’s heart filled with bitterness.

"Of course you can," Old Mr. Hughes said. "It’s our first time meeting our grandson’s wife. A small gift wouldn’t be right. This pair of bracelets is perfect."

With that, Old Mr. Hughes looked at Tristan. "By the way, the necklace your mother left is part of the same set as these bracelets. You should give the necklace to Noelle, too. It’s best not to separate the set."

Sophie’s gaze immediately snapped to Tristan.

’Tristan was so upset when the necklace was damaged.’

’Will he really be willing to give it to Noelle?’

"Got it."

’He actually agreed.’

Sophie bit down hard on her lower lip.

She felt like she was losing Tristan’s heart, little by little.

About three hours later, Noelle Sutton had finished a piece.

She had used fabric for the paper-cutting, as it was better for preservation.

A vertical line of characters in Small Seal script.

"A house of accumulated goodness shall have blessings in abundance."

It was surrounded by plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums.

They were breathtakingly lifelike.

Hugo was astonished.

’She knows calligraphy!’

You had to trace the outlines before cutting, and it would be impossible to draw such beautiful script without a solid foundation in calligraphy.

"You know calligraphy?"

Noelle typed a line on her phone. "I like the lines of Seal script. They’re stately and elegant. I’ve studied it, but I don’t know any other styles."

"To have mastered Small Seal script to this level, you’re truly incredible."

Hugo’s eyes shone.

He was even more pleased on Noelle’s behalf.

’Perhaps Tristan has never known this side of her.’

Hugo wasn’t some pretentious art lover; he didn’t know much about the various styles of calligraphy.

The only reason he recognized Small Seal script was that Tristan’s maternal grandfather, Old Mr. Hughes, was a master calligrapher whose favorite style was Small Seal.

Tristan had lived at the Hughes Villa for a long time as a child and had also practiced Seal script with Old Mr. Hughes.

Tristan had even won first prize in a youth calligraphy competition once.

’Maybe some things are just meant to be.’

Hugo took Noelle to the framing shop.

On the way, he kept wondering about his feelings for Noelle. ’Is this really love?’

’If this is love, why don’t I feel jealous that Wyatt Yates is pursuing her? Why am I not upset that Tristan is her husband?’

’But my feelings for her are definitely unusual.’

’Could my love really be that magnanimous?’

’Or maybe it isn’t love at all.’

Once at the framing shop, they selected the materials and the mounting process began shortly after.

The doorbell rang at the Hughes Villa.

Old Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were instantly overcome with excitement.

Tristan’s heart also began to pound violently.

He remembered the last time his heart had pounded like this was when Noelle had agreed to marry him.

Old Mrs. Hughes shot up excitedly. "They’re here! My dear, quickly, come out and greet them with me."

A member of the staff had already gone to open the door.

The Hughes elders placed great importance on this first meeting with Noelle.

The two of them walked outside together, only to find that the person walking into the villa’s courtyard was Tessa Lawson. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Tessa, what are you doing here?"

Tessa rushed toward Old Mrs. Hughes, hugging her and saying pitifully, "Grandma, it’s been awful! Tristan ran off abroad while he was still injured, and I came looking for him. But my flight ran into bad weather halfway here. We had to land at the nearest transfer airport, and after waiting for two days, I was finally able to get on another flight."

Old Mrs. Hughes patted Tessa’s back. "As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. As long as you’re safe."

"It scared me to death. I honestly thought I wasn’t going to make it back. Where’s Tristan? Is he here?"

"I’m here."

Hearing Tristan’s voice, Tessa immediately pulled away from Old Mrs. Hughes’s embrace. When she saw him in the wheelchair, she ran over and hugged him.

"How could you just run off everywhere? Do you have any idea how worried I was? When I was in danger on that flight, I was afraid I would never see you again."

They were twins, a brother and sister who shared the closest of blood ties.

They bickered and argued often, and while they were born at the same time, Tessa had come out first. As the older sister, she had always cared deeply for Tristan.

"I’m sorry for making you worry."

Tessa hugged Tristan for a long moment before finally letting him go. She then noticed Sophie nearby, and her expression instantly soured. However, to spare her grandparents’ feelings, she didn’t rush to say anything and simply followed them into the house.

Tessa sat down next to Old Mrs. Hughes, hugging her arm and acting coquettishly. "Grandma, how did you know I had arrived? You even came outside to greet me personally."

Old Mrs. Hughes stroked her head and said, "I didn’t know it was you who had arrived. Tristan’s wife is also in Aridia, and he invited her to have dinner at our house tonight. I thought she was the one who had arrived. It’s my first time meeting my grandson’s wife; I definitely had to greet her personally."

Tessa’s eyes widened slightly. She looked at Old Mrs. Hughes in confusion. "You’re saying Noelle came to Aridia, too?"

"That’s right. Tristan said they had a little tiff, and he came all this way while injured just to find his wife."

Tessa was stunned for a moment, but she quickly came to her senses. ’Well, looking for Noelle is fine,’ she thought. ’At least it’s better than looking for Sophie Hughes.’

’I actually thought he had come looking for Sophie Hughes.’

Outside, the doorbell rang again.