Noelle Sutton’s beautiful eyes were filled with something close to despair.

She signed painfully, "I can do paper-cutting, and I can also..."

"Enough."

Tristan Lawson cut her off. "Those paper-cutting designs you taught Joshua, how much are they worth? Is it enough to buy you a bottle of water?"

Noelle Sutton’s lips curved into a bitter smile.

An ordinary person might only spend a dollar or two on a bottle of water.

But Tristan Lawson was different. The water they used at home was always Hawaii Water, a concentrate extracted from seawater a thousand meters deep in the Pacific Ocean. It was diluted a hundred times before drinking and contained dozens of trace elements, with a magnesium ion concentration tens of times higher than ordinary mineral water. A 500ml bottle cost as much as three to four thousand yuan.

One could only imagine their other expenses for food, clothing, and daily life.

Noelle Sutton continued signing, "You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, completely unaware of real-world struggles. Most people drink water that costs a dollar or two a bottle. Why shouldn’t I be able to?"

When Tristan Lawson heard her talk about drinking dollar-a-bottle water, his heart clenched.

’She’s my wife!’

’She didn’t need to live like an ordinary person.’

’Never mind water that cost three or four thousand a bottle—he could afford to buy her water that cost thirty or forty thousand.’

Tristan Lawson’s dark pupils dimmed. "Do you insist on making things hard for yourself?"

Noelle Sutton gave a faint smile, her fingertips flying. "I don’t find it to be a hardship. Everyone has a different standard for happiness and suffering. To me, not being able to get a divorce is the real hardship."

Tristan Lawson’s patience was worn to a thread.

He lunged toward her, kneeling on the sofa and pushing her body back against the cushions. His handsome face was so close it nearly touched hers.

His powerful, unique scent enveloped her, and a flame seemed to flicker in his dark eyes.

"In seven years of marriage, have I ever mistreated you? A hardship?"

Tristan Lawson sneered. "You have no idea what real hardship is out there, do you? You can’t speak. You won’t get a decent job. And even if you did find one, you’d face endless mockery and strange looks."

He was pressed too close, leaving her no room to sign.

’It was true that being unable to speak came with many disadvantages.’

’She couldn’t express her thoughts quickly.’

’So what if people mocked her or gave her strange looks out in the world?’

’As Mrs. Lawson, had she ever been spared that mockery and judgment?’

’If anything, it was worse.’

When she didn’t answer, Tristan Lawson moved to her side, sitting pressed right against her. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He rested his chin on her shoulder, his low, languid voice thick with exhaustion. "I’ve been so tired these past few days. Can you just stop making a fuss and let me rest for a bit? I’ll take you out to meet someone tonight."

Noelle Sutton raised her hands, preparing to sign. She glanced sideways at him and saw that his eyes were already closed.

She lowered her hands in resignation.

’This was the downside of being mute. If he wasn’t looking, it didn’t matter how clearly she signed; he would never know what she was trying to say.’

Noelle Sutton tried to pull away.

She shifted slightly, but Tristan Lawson’s arm snaked around the back of her neck, hugging her shoulder tightly and giving her no chance to move.

A moment later, the sound of Tristan Lawson’s steady breathing filled her ear.

He was asleep.

It had happened so fast.

’In the past, seeing him this exhausted would have made her heart ache, assuming he was just tired from work.’

’Lately, however, she had the feeling he wasn’t working at all, but was constantly running around for Sophie Hughes, trying to help her become some mentor’s student.’

’All this exhaustion was for Sophie Hughes.’

’By what right did she have to serve as his pillow?’

’She was leaving.’

As she tried to get up, Tristan Lawson murmured, "Don’t move."

She wasn’t going to listen to him anymore.

She insisted on getting up.

Tristan Lawson finally opened his eyes, his brow furrowed. "I told you not to move. Didn’t you hear me?"

Noelle Sutton signed in frustration, "If you want to sleep, go sleep in bed."

Tristan Lawson’s expression instantly grew inscrutable and deep. A faint, roguish smile played on his lips.

"You’re right," he said. "We should sleep in bed."

He got up, swept Noelle Sutton into his arms, and headed for the bedroom.

He ignored her struggles.

He tossed her onto the bed and immediately pinned her down.

Unable to sign, Noelle Sutton could only struggle, her beautiful eyes filled with resistance.

The man pinned her down completely. His fine, thin lips brushed against her ear as he said in a low, husky voice, "Don’t move again!"

He nipped her earlobe. "If you move again, I’ll make sure you can’t."

Of course she knew what he meant. She instantly froze.

He got off her and knelt by the bedside, gently and carefully removing her shoes.

Next, he moved to help her undress.

She quickly took off her own jacket, pulled up the covers, and settled down in bed.

She turned her body to face away from him, not daring to look at him again.

The soft rustle of clothing being removed reached her ears.

A moment later, the mattress dipped as he lifted the covers and slipped in behind her.

He scooped her into his embrace, letting her rest her head on his arm.

Her back was pressed firmly against his solid chest.

A man’s body is always warmer than a woman’s. A familiar heat radiated from him, spreading powerfully up her spine.

’It was a feeling she had once cherished, one she’d wanted to cling to for dear life.’

’Now, she wanted to break the addiction.’

’She was afraid that when the day came to leave, she wouldn’t be able to let go.’

He held her tightly. She wanted to struggle free, but he gave her no opportunity.

He kissed her, his breathing growing hot and ragged.

But his kiss was lingering and tender, as if trying to soothe her rigid body.

Unable to move, she passively accepted his kisses.

His actions grew bolder, his hands even moving to her clothes.

’She finally realized that telling him to go to bed was like leading a lamb to the slaughter.’

She twisted her body to create some distance between them and signed with trembling fingers.

"Don’t."

’She wanted to be firm, but her gestures were weak.’

The man kissed her and asked in a husky voice, "You’re my wife. Why not?"

As her body shivered, she continued to sign weakly.

"Because... I’m divorcing you."

Tristan Lawson didn’t take her talk of divorce seriously.

’How could she possibly divorce him for real?’

’He didn’t believe it for a second.’

’She was just throwing another tantrum.’

He grabbed her hands, giving her no chance to sign again.

’He had no desire to hear another word about divorce.’

’Wasn’t their life good as it was?’

’He was the provider; all she had to do was stay beautiful.’

’Even after seven years of marriage, she was still so pure and beautiful.’

’And what of her? The Little Mute who couldn’t speak—how could she survive without him?’

’Besides, he liked the quiet state of their marriage.’

’She was twenty-seven this year.’

’She looked pure and innocent, but her physical desires were likely reaching their peak.’

’She probably blamed him for not being home often enough.’

’No matter. He’d just have to make more time to satisfy her in the future.’

He pulled off his tie, wrapped it around her eyes like a blindfold, and tied it fast.

His voice was a low murmur as he called her name.

His kisses were careful, full of tender protectiveness.

’It was enough to make one’s heart flutter.’

’He was always like this. Cold to her in daily life, but in bed, his tenderness was enough to make a person drown.’

’It made her fall deeper for him, making her think that he actually cared.’

’But you could never take a man’s actions in bed seriously.’

Just as things were about to ignite, a familiar voice sounded from outside.