Chapter 76: Chapter 76: She’s Faking It, Can’t You Tell?

Loser!

Sophie Hughes lowered her hand and turned away.

From behind, the three of them looked perfect together.

Noelle Sutton had thought she could truly remain unfazed.

But seeing it with her own eyes, her heart seized.

After all, Tristan Lawson and Joshua Lawson were the two people in this world she held most dear.

Sophie Hughes looked so gentle and poised, yet she dared to openly challenge her, the actual Mrs. Lawson.

She was banking on Tristan Lawson’s blatant favoritism.

And she didn’t even have the power to fight back.

’Unable to speak and with nothing to my name, how could I possibly fight back?’

Her only marketable skill was animation, but years as a housewife had left her rusty.

Any mentor who appreciated her would likely suffer the same fate as the Yates Family.

’Tristan Lawson was leaving her no room to maneuver!’

’Right. I angered him this morning.’

’Besides her terminal illness, there would probably be other things waiting for her.’

Marriage is a woman’s second life.

Many women transform their lives through marriage.

But hers was driving her to a dead end.

Noelle Sutton bent over and picked up the phone she had dropped on the ground.

A new message had arrived.

It was from her mentor.

"Noelle, your husband said you’ve thought it over and decided to prioritize your family instead of coming back to work. Is that true?"

Noelle Sutton gripped her phone, her knuckles turning red.

’So all of Tristan Lawson’s talk about supporting her was just a lie.’

’He’d already gone behind her back and contacted her mentor.’

What more could Noelle Sutton say?

’Fine.’

’She only had a little time left anyway; she would have had to turn down her mentor sooner or later.’

’Now that Tristan Lawson had answered for her, she could use his reasoning to explain it to her mentor. That would spare her from being asked why she herself would give up, especially when her husband was supposedly so supportive.’

’Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known how to hide her cancer.’

"Yes. He’s busy with work, and I’m not comfortable leaving our child with a nanny. I’m so sorry, Director, for letting you down."

Director Ford replied.

"Actually..."

But a moment after it was sent, the message was retracted.

The typing indicator appeared under Director Ford’s name.

Even through the screen, Noelle Sutton could sense her mentor’s hesitation.

A moment later, her mentor sent a new message.

"Noelle, something’s come up here. It’s a complicated situation, and I need your husband’s help. He says you’re unable to work and that since Sophie Hughes is basically family, he hoped I would mentor her instead. So I’ve given him a reply."

When Noelle Sutton saw this message, she almost laughed out of sheer anger.

Tristan Lawson had made the decision for her, unilaterally.

She was being forced to play the part of the obedient wife.

’As for Director Ford’s "complicated situation" that required Tristan Lawson’s help, it was all probably a sham Tristan orchestrated himself.’

’He really was pulling out all the stops for Sophie Hughes.’

’No wonder Sophie Hughes had gestured to her, calling her a loser.’

’Sophie Hughes must have known about this the whole time.’

’Tristan Lawson really did work fast.’

On the chat screen, another message from Director Ford appeared.

"However, I’m only giving Sophie Hughes a six-month trial period. See if you can’t sort out your family matters in that time. Noelle, I need you. I’ll be waiting for good news."

Noelle Sutton’s eyes welled up with tears.

’Director Ford must have fought hard to secure even that six-month window.’

’After all, when Tristan Lawson made a move, things were never simple.’

’Even the Yates Group didn’t dare to go head-to-head with Tristan Lawson, let alone her mentor.’

Aunt Rhodes had subtly made her position clear.

Yet her mentor still hadn’t given up on her.

’I’m so useless.’

’Twenty-seven years old, and I’m still making my mentor go out of his way for me.’

’Did she really have to just submit to Tristan Lawson, forced to accept every one of his unilateral decisions?’

’No, she couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.’

Noelle Sutton strode toward the pirate ship ride.

By now, the ride had come to a stop.

Sophie Hughes was clutching her chest, her face deathly pale.

Joshua Lawson, his handsome face nearly identical to Tristan Lawson’s, asked with anxious concern, "Sophie, are you okay? It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have asked you to ride the pirate ship with me. It was so high, even I was terrified."

Tristan Lawson unbuckled his safety harness, his eyes soft. "Is it serious?"

"Tristan, I... my legs are jelly. I don’t think... I can stand up..."

Just then, Sophie Hughes caught sight of Noelle Sutton. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she fainted.

"Sophie!"

"Sophie!"

The father and son cried out her name in unison.

Their concern was written all over their faces.

Tristan Lawson quickly unbuckled Sophie Hughes’s harness and swept her up into his arms.

A storybook princess carry.

The movement was smooth and practiced, as if he’d done it a thousand times before.

It was enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat.

Tristan Lawson got off the ride, his pace quickening.

Joshua Lawson trotted along in a panic, asking tearfully, "Dad, Sophie will be okay, won’t she?"

"She will."

Tristan Lawson’s eyes were tense, but his voice was unshakably firm.

The moment he looked up, he saw Noelle Sutton.

The arms holding Sophie Hughes tightened for a moment.

He continued striding forward.

Noelle Sutton blocked Tristan Lawson’s path, signing, "I need to talk to you."

’She didn’t want to drag Wyatt Yates into this. Divorce was between the two of them. As long as he promised not to take his anger out on Wyatt Yates, she would get out of his sight immediately and for good!’

Before Noelle Sutton could get an answer from Tristan Lawson, Joshua Lawson spoke up beside them, his voice cold and deeply displeased. "Mom, can’t you see Sophie fainted? Can’t whatever you have to say wait until we get home? What if you delay her treatment? Can you take responsibility for that?"

Tristan Lawson seized the opportunity, coldly reprimanding her, "Even a six-year-old understands. Why don’t you? Move!"

Tristan Lawson’s voice was sharp.

Noelle Sutton gritted her teeth.

’Sophie Hughes looked perfectly healthy. She was just a little pale from being scared on the ride.’

’Just now, she had seen it clearly. Sophie Hughes had spotted her, given her a slight smirk, and *then* rolled her eyes back and fainted.’

’Sophie Hughes was faking it.’

’And the shrewd, brilliant Tristan Lawson, and the smart, adorable Joshua Lawson, had both fallen for it.’

’Goes to show, men in love really are blind!’

Noelle Sutton signed impatiently, "Would I be here if you hadn’t gone after Wyatt Yates? You’re the great CEO of Lawson, using such despicable methods to handle your family problems. If word got out, wouldn’t you be afraid of becoming a laughingstock?"

"And another thing!" Noelle Sutton’s eyes flicked to the boneless-looking Sophie Hughes in Tristan Lawson’s arms, her gestures laced with scorn. "She’s faking it. Can’t you see?"

"Mom, what are you even saying!" Joshua Lawson’s little features twisted together. "When I was sick, you didn’t take care of me. It was Sophie who defended you, telling me not to be mad at you. She fainted, and you’re still falsely accusing her! I’m so disappointed in you."

Tristan Lawson stared at Noelle Sutton, his eyes cold and his voice laced with derision. "Weren’t you so proud this morning? Walked out just like that. Now you’re throwing that pride away for Wyatt Yates?"