Chapter 77: Chapter 77: You’re Not a Good Liar

Sharp retorts weren’t Noelle Sutton’s strong suit.

Sign language could only convey her meaning to those who understood it; it couldn’t fully express the depth of her emotions.

So, arguing was almost meaningless for her.

She couldn’t win an argument against anyone.

She insisted Sophie Hughes was faking it, but neither the father nor the son believed her. They even challenged her. She couldn’t speak. What good were her signs, no matter how elegant?

Finally, she stopped making any gestures.

Tristan Lawson’s face showed little emotion, save for a cold sneer. "Weren’t you waving your hands all over the place just now? Why’d you stop?"

A faint, mocking curve touched Noelle Sutton’s lips.

Tristan Lawson’s eyes darkened instantly. "If you have any pride, don’t come looking for me again. Since you have nothing more to say, get out of the way."

He was clearly targeting the Yates Group to force her to come to him, yet he said such things to provoke her.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Noelle Sutton’s abdomen.

She reflexively clutched her stomach, almost losing her balance.

In just a dozen seconds, large beads of sweat had formed on her forehead.

That was cancer for you. When the pain hit, it was excruciating.

"Mom, what’s wrong?"

Seeing Noelle Sutton in apparent pain, Joshua Lawson asked instinctively.

She was his biological mother, after all.

There was no real conflict between them.

He just needed someone to play the role of his mother in public so people wouldn’t find out his mom was a mute.

"What else could it be? She’s faking an illness to block our way."

Tristan Lawson’s captivating eyes were as cold as frost. He glared at Noelle Sutton. "You resort to such despicable tricks yourself, yet you claim Sophie is faking it. Noelle Sutton, when did you become so unreasonable?"

Joshua Lawson pouted and said unhappily, "Mom, how could you do this? Hurry up and move. Don’t keep Dad from taking Sophie to the hospital."

Noelle Sutton’s heart turned to ice.

These were the father and son she had poured her heart and soul into caring for over seven whole years.

’If they had paid even a little more attention to me, how could they not know I’m truly sick?’

’And not just sick, but seriously ill. It’s cancer.’

Tristan Lawson stared coldly at Noelle Sutton.

Joshua urged him, "Dad, let’s hurry to the hospital, or we’ll delay Sophie’s treatment."

Tristan Lawson looked at the still-unconscious woman in his arms and withdrew his callous gaze from Noelle Sutton.

He strode away.

As he passed Noelle Sutton, he deliberately bumped into her.

She was already unsteady from the pain.

That shove from Tristan Lawson sent her crashing to the ground.

Sophie Hughes was being carried in Tristan Lawson’s arms. By slightly turning her head, she could see Noelle Sutton.

She opened her eyes to look at Noelle Sutton.

Her face was filled with the triumphant smirk of a victor.

Noelle Sutton found the title of "aunt" more and more ridiculous.

With trembling hands, she struggled to take the medicine from her bag and swallowed it dry.

Only when the pain subsided did she slowly get to her feet, dust herself off, and walk out of the amusement park with heavy steps.

’I shouldn’t have come looking for Tristan Lawson.’

’My pride means nothing to him. He won’t back down for my sake.’

Noelle Sutton felt awful for getting Wyatt Yates involved.

She took out her phone and sent a message to Wyatt Yates.

[Where are you?]

She wanted to ask about the situation and how serious the crisis was for the Yates Group.

She also wanted to know if Wyatt Yates had a solution.

If he could resolve it, she would feel a little better.

If it was truly unsolvable, she would have to think of another way to negotiate with Tristan Lawson.

[At the hospital. What’s up?]

[Yes.]

[Send me the address. I’ll come to you.]

Noelle Sutton sent him the location of a nearby coffee shop.

After going inside, she first ordered a glass of warm water.

She took a few more pills to prevent the pain from flaring up again, lest Wyatt Yates, a doctor, notice something was wrong.

Half an hour later, Wyatt Yates arrived in a hurry, a bruise darkening the corner of his lip.

Noelle Sutton’s brow furrowed. ’Aunt Rhodes said his father hit him.’

Wyatt Yates sat down, adjusted his glasses, and said with a smile, "The Little Mute, what would you like to drink?"

Noelle Sutton’s heart felt heavy. Something so major had happened—enough to alarm Aunt Rhodes into contacting her—and he himself had been beaten, yet he could still manage a smile.

Noelle Sutton signed heavily, "Does it hurt?"

Wyatt Yates’s smile faltered for a second before he grinned again. "Are you talking about the cut on my lip? It’s just a small scratch. Doesn’t hurt at all."

’He still won’t talk about his family problems.’

She had no choice but to ask directly in sign language: "Did Tristan Lawson give you trouble?"

Wyatt Yates’s gaze froze.

He clenched his fists. "Did my mom come see you?"

"It doesn’t matter how I found out. I didn’t contact that lawyer, and I won’t ask you to introduce me to one anymore. Please explain this to your family and see if you can negotiate with him peacefully."

"If you don’t get a lawyer, how will you get a divorce?"

From the very first day he saw Noelle Sutton after returning to the country, he had seen the sadness in her eyes.

Knowing her personality, she would never ask for a divorce unless things had become absolutely unbearable.

"You haven’t even handled your own problems, and you’re still worried about mine."

Wyatt Yates comforted her, "It’s a small matter, nothing serious. The Yates Group can handle a minor squall. Don’t take it to heart."

Noelle Sutton grew anxious. ’If it were just a minor squall, why would Aunt Rhodes have come to me?’

"Don’t be so nonchalant. I know exactly what kind of person he is. Tell me, what’s really going on?"

Noelle Sutton’s signs were frantic. Wyatt Yates knew she was worried about him.

She had always been this kind, always terrified of troubling others.

’Right now, she must be blaming herself terribly.’

"Trust me, it’s really nothing. I’m not the same Wyatt Yates you used to know. If I were afraid of him, I wouldn’t have introduced you to a divorce lawyer. The Little Mute, if you’re dead set on divorcing him, I will help you, no matter the cost."

Wyatt Yates spoke with great sincerity, emphasizing the last four words to show his determination.

But Noelle Sutton didn’t want that.

Only now did she understand that if Tristan Lawson refused to grant a divorce, she would have to pay a very, very high price to get one.

And with only six months left to live, there was no need to make Wyatt Yates pay that price for her.

She didn’t want to drag anyone else down with her.

So, she had no choice but to sign something she didn’t mean.

"Actually, I’m not dead set on a divorce. That time in Cygnus, remember the thunderstorm that night? I was scared and called him, but he didn’t answer. I got angry and impulsively asked for a divorce. I only found out later that it wasn’t that he didn’t want to come see me, but that the traffic was impossible. It’s normal for couples to have disagreements and squabble sometimes."

Wyatt Yates’s smile vanished. He stared intently at Noelle Sutton. "The Little Mute, do you have any idea how bad you are at lying?"