Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Madam, Why Make Things Difficult?

Mrs. Miller said with a warm smile, "Ma’am, couples always kiss and make up. Take this chance to give your husband an out so you can live happily together from now on."

Tristan Lawson had left last night as soon as he got a call about Sophie Hughes.

He didn’t come back all night...

Ha.

’He’s quite the player.’

’He ran to the hotel to give me a ring.’

’Then turned right around and spent the night with Sophie Hughes.’

’Does he want a wife at home and a mistress on the side?’

Noelle Sutton pushed her thoughts aside, took the velvet ring box out of her bag, and then typed a message on her phone.

"Mrs. Miller, please give this to Tristan Lawson for me."

Mrs. Miller’s eyelids twitched. Noelle Sutton thrust the velvet box into Mrs. Miller’s hand, turned, and walked away.

"Ma’am, Ma’am..."

Mrs. Miller called out, but she couldn’t stop her.

Mrs. Miller muttered, "What’s going on? Did Sir not manage to make things right with Ma’am?"

Mrs. Miller looked at the velvet box in her hand and placed it on the TV stand in the living room.

She was a diligent and responsible maid here. She would never pry into her employers’ belongings.

Tristan Lawson was busy in the afternoon, so he arranged for his secretary to pick up Joshua Lawson. When Joshua got home from school, he opened the door and called out, "Mom!"

Mrs. Miller came to greet him. "Young Master, you’re back."

Joshua Lawson frowned. "Where’s my mom?"

"She had to go out for something." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Joshua Lawson felt a little irritated.

Every day when he came home from school, his mom would be waiting for him at the door. Worried he wasn’t eating well at school, she always had a delicious meal ready for him the moment he arrived.

’She’s really not doing her job as a mom anymore.’

Mrs. Miller took Joshua Lawson’s backpack. He stomped inside irritably, walked straight to the living room, and picked up the TV remote.

He saw a small velvet box next to the remote. It looked familiar.

He picked up the box.

Mrs. Miller came out after putting the backpack away. Seeing Joshua Lawson holding the box, she said, "Young Master, your mother asked me to give that to your father. Don’t you lose it."

"My mom wants me to give this to my dad?"

Mrs. Miller nodded.

Joshua Lawson opened the box right away.

Mrs. Miller saw a massive diamond ring inside, and her face fell.

’Why does Ma’am have to be like this? Sir already gave her the diamond ring, so why is she...’

Sigh...

Mrs. Miller sighed and went into the kitchen to make dinner.

Joshua Lawson recognized it at a glance. It was the one his father had bought at the auction and given to his mother.

’Mom actually sent it back? What’s she trying to do?’

Joshua Lawson sat on the sofa with the jewelry box and used his watch phone to call Sophie Hughes.

Sophie Hughes’s gentle voice drifted from the phone.

"Hello, Joshua? Are you home from school?"

"Yeah, I just got home. Sophie... sigh..."

Joshua Lawson sighed like a little adult.

Sophie Hughes immediately asked with concern, "Joshua, why are you sighing?"

Joshua Lawson fiddled with the diamond ring and said unhappily, "I don’t know what’s up with my mom. She’s not home again, and she’s not making me dinner on time anymore."

’He still really wanted to eat his mom’s cooking; her food was the best.’

’But he didn’t want to call and ask her to come home. He was afraid that if she was here, she wouldn’t let Sophie come and stay.’

Sophie Hughes said, her heart aching for him, "Don’t be sad, Joshua. Maybe your mom is just busy with something. When I get out of the hospital, I’ll take you out for some good food."

"Sophie, you’re so good to me. I hope you get out of the hospital soon. My mom has been so weird lately. Dad gave her that ring he bought at the auction—the one that can make sounds, it’s perfect for her—but she actually returned it. I don’t know what she’s thinking."

Sophie Hughes froze for a moment. ’Tristan really did give the ring to Noelle.’

’Does he... still value their marriage?’

"Sophie? Are you listening?"

Sophie Hughes quickly laughed and said, "I’m listening. Maybe your mom has her reasons. When your dad gets home tonight and finds out your mom returned the ring, he’ll definitely be upset. You’ll have to find a way to smooth things over, you know?"

"Sophie, you’re so understanding."

Suddenly, Joshua Lawson felt his mother had changed. She had become so unreasonable and dramatic.

Sophie Hughes chatted with Joshua Lawson for a little while longer.

Joshua Lawson only reluctantly hung up when Mrs. Miller called him for dinner.

Joshua Lawson looked at the ring in his hand and thought, ’Sophie’s right. Dad meant well, giving Mom a ring that can make sounds, but she refused it. Dad will be really angry when he finds out.’

So he put the ring away, not planning to let Tristan Lawson know.

During dinner, he also instructed Mrs. Miller not to say anything either.

’Mrs. Miller thought Joshua’s idea made a lot of sense. Sir went out of his way to give Ma’am the ring, likely as a peace offering. But she sent it back. If Sir found out, he’d just get angry again, and that wouldn’t help them reconcile at all.’

So, Mrs. Miller agreed.

Noelle Sutton didn’t leave the hotel all day, spending her time in the room doing paper-cutting.

’The Yates family villa is huge. A family like theirs is bound to host parties in the future. If more people could see her paper-cuttings, it would, in a way, help fulfill her grandmother’s dream.’

Therefore, Noelle Sutton cut with great concentration.

That evening, Tristan Lawson didn’t go straight home. After leaving the office, he ordered dinner and took it to the hospital.

He stayed with Sophie Hughes until after eleven o’clock before returning to the villa.

The villa was pitch-black.

The servants usually finished their cleaning after dinner and retired to their quarters in the backyard, leaving the masters to their privacy.

If the masters needed anything, they could call for them.

Ever since Noelle Sutton had married him, no matter how late he came home, there was always a light on for him.

Sometimes Noelle Sutton would fall asleep waiting, but she would immediately come out to greet him at the slightest sound.

Tristan Lawson pushed open the door to find complete darkness. It didn’t feel like a warm home at all.

He fumbled for the switch and turned on the entryway light.

He bent over to get his slippers from the shoe cabinet. As he stood up straight, he hit his forehead on the wall-mounted cabinet.

Tristan Lawson’s expression was utterly foul as he shouted, "Noelle Sutton?"

There was no response.

The villa felt cold and empty.

Tristan Lawson irritably changed into his slippers and pushed open the bedroom door.

The quilt was neatly folded. The room was empty.

Tristan Lawson tightened his grip on the doorknob, the veins on the back of his hand popping out slightly and his knuckles turning white.

He closed the door, changed back into his shoes, and left the villa.

Noelle Sutton finished cutting all the designs a little after eight in the evening. Some were for sticking on windows, others on cabinets.

She delivered them to Joy Rhodes personally.

Joy Rhodes was very pleased when she saw them, praising Noelle Sutton’s finished pieces for being so full of life.

Joy Rhodes felt it was almost a waste to stick them on windows; they should be framed and hung on the wall.

Noelle Sutton indicated with a smile that for pieces to be framed and hung, she could create them in a bas-relief style.

Joy Rhodes’s interest was instantly piqued. She pulled Noelle Sutton into a long chat, asking if Noelle could make some more wall-hangings for her.

Noelle Sutton was naturally happy that someone still appreciated this old craft.

It was very late when she left, so Joy Rhodes had Wyatt Yates drive her.

Tristan Lawson arrived at Noelle Sutton’s room. Her luggage was still there, but she was nowhere to be seen. He lit a cigarette and leaned against the balcony, his indifferent gaze falling on the hotel entrance.

Then, his gaze locked in place...