Noelle Sutton had returned to the hotel early.

She had originally considered switching hotels, but if Tristan Lawson could find this one, he could find the next one too.

So, she decided not to go through the trouble.

Perhaps because she was feeling so down, her abdomen had been hurting ever since she got back to the hotel.

Even after taking some medicine, it didn’t help much.

Now, she was lying in bed, but the pain kept her from sleeping.

Tristan Lawson’s call was disconnected instantly.

He suddenly remembered—Noelle had blocked him.

A hollow, indescribable ache spread through his chest.

He went back into the hospital room and touched the towel on Joshua Lawson’s forehead. It was already warm.

He immediately wrung out another towel, folded it neatly, and placed it on Joshua’s forehead.

Then, he took the phone watch from Joshua’s wrist, stepped outside, and dialed Noelle’s number.

Noelle’s phone rang.

The caller ID showed it was Joshua.

Her hand froze as she held the phone.

She hesitated for a long moment but ultimately didn’t answer.

’My son is about to accept another woman as his mother. There’s not much point in me answering his call.’

’Besides, I’m going to die soon anyway.’

’It’s better to use this time to let him slowly get used to not having his real mother around.’

Tristan held the phone watch, listening to the dialing tone on speakerphone until it automatically disconnected.

’Noelle must be crazy!’

’She won’t even answer her own son’s call!’

Tristan’s narrow, dark eyes grew as deep as the night.

He had specifically bought her a sound-emitting ring and made a special trip to give it to her—a gesture of goodwill, an apology for his coldness.

But not only did she refuse to take the olive branch, she just had to push things further.

’Heh. How capable she’s become.’

Tristan didn’t try calling Noelle again. He returned to the hospital room and continued to care for Joshua.

The night was a restless ordeal.

By the time the sky began to lighten, Joshua’s fever had finally gone down significantly. Although he was still running a low-grade fever, his condition had stabilized.

Tristan gathered the basin and towels, put them in the bathroom, and came out to find Sophie Hughes had arrived.

Seeing the exhaustion on Tristan’s face, Sophie asked in a worried tone, "Tristan, you didn’t sleep at all?"

"Yeah."

Sophie quickly walked to his side and said with concern, "You should go home and get some sleep. I’ll take care of Joshua."

"I’ll have to trouble you, then."

"It’s no trouble. Joshua is so good to me, it’s only right that I take care of him. You should hurry home and rest. And if you see Noelle, try to coax her a bit. When Joshua is sick, having his own mother with him will help him get better faster."

At the thought of Noelle, Tristan’s thin lips tightened into a straight line.

’Coax her?’

’If I keep coaxing her, she’ll probably walk all over me.’

’Seven years of marriage, and I never knew she was capable of this.’

"Tristan, what are you standing there for? Go on, I’ve got this."

Sophie took Tristan’s arm and pushed him out of the room.

"I’ll leave Joshua to you then. I’ll send Mrs. Miller over in a bit to help."

"Don’t worry, I can take good care of him. Hurry back."

"Thanks."

Tristan walked out of the hospital.

Golden sunlight bathed the earth.

He’d actually stayed up all night.

Taking care of his son.

It wasn’t that he’d never pulled an all-nighter for the company.

But he had never felt this exhausted.

He pulled open the car door, sat in the driver’s seat, and couldn’t help but pinch the bridge of his nose.

’It’s all Noelle’s fault.’

’After he married her, he’d never let her work a single day.’

’Her only job was to take good care of their son and the home.’

’For seven whole years, life had been calm and peaceful.’

’But now she had suddenly become so derelict in her duties.’

With these thoughts, Tristan started the car and sped away.

Soon, he arrived at the hotel where Noelle was staying.

He had just pushed open the car door and stepped out when he saw Noelle emerging from the hotel.

The man who had given her the sound-emitting necklace was waving at her.

When she reached the car, the man gallantly opened the passenger door for her.

Noelle’s smile was radiant.

In an instant, Tristan’s eyes were flooded with rage.

He strode over, shoved Wyatt Yates aside, and with a sweep of his long arm, pulled Noelle into his embrace.

The two men’s gazes collided, sparks flying.

The faint scent of agarwood smoke wafted into Noelle’s nostrils, and she looked up.

Tristan was glaring at Wyatt with a chilling expression.

"Sir, are you not aware that she is a married woman?"

Tristan’s voice was cool and elegant, not loud, but filled with the dominance of a man staking his claim.

Wyatt adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and revealed a roguish smirk.

"The Little Mute and I are childhood friends. We’re just meeting up. What’s with the wild imagination?"

When Tristan was at the Lawson estate, he had felt extremely uncomfortable hearing the Lawsons call Noelle a mute one by one.

Hearing "The Little Mute" come from Wyatt’s mouth felt even worse.

Noelle struggled a few times in Tristan’s arms.

Tristan glanced down at her coldly, tightening his hold and pinning her completely.

He looked up at Wyatt again, his voice a sneer. "Childhood friends... what a convenient excuse. I don’t care who you are. She’s my wife. From now on, stay away from her!"

Tristan emphasized the last four words.

Then, he forcibly dragged Noelle toward his car.

Wyatt took a few steps after them, his brow furrowed deeply, but he stopped.

’Tristan is Noelle’s husband. What right do I have to chase after them?’

Noelle was shoved into the car by Tristan.

The next second, Tristan slammed on the accelerator and sped off, heading for home.

When Tristan parked the car, he stomped on the brake just as abruptly.

Noelle’s body lurched forward with the momentum, but thankfully the seatbelt pulled her back.

The atmosphere in the car was thick with the acrid smoke of anger.

With cold, dark eyes, Tristan shot her a detached glance before getting out of the car.

Noelle remained seated quietly in the car, not moving.

Tristan walked over and pulled open the passenger door.

"Get out."

Noelle ignored him.

Tristan pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, averted his gaze from her, and gritted his teeth. "You refuse to get out, is that it?"

BANG!

Tristan slammed the car door shut.

And stalked away.

When she looked up, Tristan was already walking into the villa.

Noelle sat frozen in the car.

Tristan walked into the villa and went straight to the bathroom.

After staying up all night looking after Joshua, he hadn’t showered and felt uncomfortably sticky.

After his shower, he stood before the floor-to-ceiling window and glanced outside.

Noelle was still sitting perfectly still in the car.

’He had no idea when she had become so stubborn.’

’Constantly defying him, and even blocking him?’

A fresh wave of anger inexplicably rose in Tristan, and he pressed the button for the motorized curtains.

Sitting in the car, Noelle watched as the curtains slowly closed.

Tristan, standing straight in his pajamas, disappeared from her sight like an actor taking a final bow.

Tristan smoked a cigarette, then lay down on the bed to rest.

「An hour later.」

Noelle was drenched in sweat.

The Mid-Autumn Festival hadn’t arrived yet, and the outdoor temperature was high.

The sun grew stronger, and the temperature inside the car steadily rose.

She finally realized how long she had been sitting there. She grabbed the door handle, ready to get out.

But she found that the car had been locked...

She took out her phone and unblocked Tristan’s number.