Chapter 98: Chapter 98: You Need to Promise Me One Condition

Tristan Lawson’s eyes darkened when he saw Hugo Sterling calling again. He tossed his phone aside.

After a moment, he reached out, picked up the phone, and answered.

"Tristan, I contacted Noelle."

Tristan Lawson’s voice was cold and heavy. "Is she going?"

"She refused."

"So, you want me to help you convince her?"

"No, no," Hugo Sterling explained hurriedly. "She sent me a message saying you two are getting a divorce."

Tristan Lawson’s knuckles whitened as his grip tightened.

"Are you two close?"

"Not at all. We’ve only met once."

Hugo Sterling’s voice was serious.

’Telling a practical stranger about the divorce... She must be doing this just to embarrass me.’ Tristan Lawson’s voice grew grim. "What exactly did you call me for?"

"Well, it’s like this." Hugo Sterling took a moment to gather his thoughts. "My grandfather really wants to meet her, but she said that since she’s divorcing you, she doesn’t want to attend the banquet with you. So, how about you just... don’t come the day after tomorrow? Pretend I never invited you, that you have no idea it’s Old Master Sterling’s birthday. That way, I can try talking to her again."

Hugo Sterling tried his utmost to be agreeable, his tone a pleading, negotiating whisper. After all, it was a pretty shameless thing to ask.

Tristan Lawson’s cold gaze was practically dripping ink. "Hugo Sterling, you’ve got some nerve."

"Tristan, please, just be understanding. You know how my grandfather is with his hobbies. It’s not easy to find a paper-cutting artist whose work he likes so much. It’s a small sacrifice for you to make, right?"

"You treat me as someone to be summoned and dismissed at will, and you still ask me if it’s ’right’?"

’Only Hugo Sterling would dare to treat me this way.’

’He’d been far too lenient with Hugo Sterling, letting him get away with murder. In that respect, Hugo was just like Noelle Sutton—especially lately.’

Lately, Noelle had been the same.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures! She’s your wife, not someone else’s. A real man knows how to be considerate and understanding. That’s how you keep a wife happy. Otherwise, you’re just asking to get dumped."

Tristan Lawson felt like he was suffocating.

"I’m starting to suspect you’re doing this just to piss me off. Is it because I didn’t lose my temper with you two years ago? Did you start thinking I’m a pushover, someone you can just walk all over?"

"Tristan, don’t say that. We’re friends. I’m just looking out for you! What’s the alternative? You two meet at the party and just glare at each other? After the banquet is over, I’ll tell her what a huge concession you made for her. She might be so touched that she’ll call off the divorce."

Tristan Lawson let out a cold laugh. "Hugo Sterling, you’re supposed to be a somebody. Don’t you think you sound incredibly childish?"

"That’s just because we’ve known each other since we were kids! I don’t have to hide anything around you. This is my true nature showing. Aren’t you moved by my complete honesty? After all, everyone you meet in the business world wears a mask. Who knows if the hearts beating in their chests are black or red?"

Hugo Sterling made it all sound perfectly reasonable.

The words were so infuriating they nearly made Tristan’s chest seize up.

"So this is your ’true nature showing,’ is it? Well..." Tristan Lawson paused. "I’m angry."

"Huh? You’re angry? I couldn’t tell. How about this, I’ll apologize. I’m sorry, I was being careless. I should have just invited your wife first. So, give me a straight answer. You’re not coming the day after tomorrow, right?"

BEEP... BEEP... BEEP...

The other line went dead.

Hugo Sterling, holding his phone, raised an eyebrow and smiled.

’That brat Tristan Lawson, always saying the opposite of what he means. As if I wouldn’t know him inside and out.’

Then, Hugo Sterling twisted the knife.

He typed out a message and sent it to Tristan Lawson.

"Since you hung up, I’ll just assume you’re angry and not coming."

Tristan Lawson nearly crushed his phone in his hand.

’Hugo Sterling had been abroad with his mother for nearly half a year. Did he come back asking for help finding someone, or did he come back just to annoy me?’

’I never should have been foolish enough to take on his project.’

’His schemes run so deep.’

Tristan Lawson was even starting to suspect that Hugo Sterling knew Noelle Sutton was his wife!

’First, the thirty million.’

’Then at The Carmine Club, deliberately speaking up for Noelle Sutton.’

’And now, all this talk about finding the youngest Miss Sterling.’

’Heh.’

’The Sterling Family had searched for a full fifteen years before. Then, all talk of finding the youngest Miss Sterling died down. From what Adrian Grant said, they had all but given up.’

’And now, all of a sudden, they’re searching again.’

’His schemes really run deep.’

’Come to think of it, Hugo Sterling was far more cunning and calculating than Kyle Sawyer or Adrian Grant.’

’A total wolf in sheep’s clothing.’

’So hypocritical!’

Hugo Sterling had someone do some digging and discovered that Noelle Sutton had bought a small apartment that very day.

So, he personally went to the real estate agency and had all records of Noelle Sutton’s purchase destroyed.

As for registering the deed, Noelle Sutton had surprisingly asked the agent to delay filing the paperwork herself.

A slight curve formed on Hugo Sterling’s lips.

Afterwards, he went to Noelle Sutton’s small apartment.

Noelle Sutton was busy at her computer when a sudden knock came from the door. Her brow furrowed, but she got up to answer it.

’Hugo Sterling?’

"Noelle."

Hugo Sterling’s face was all smiles.

Noelle Sutton clenched her fists. ’He found my apartment this quickly.’

’Does that mean Tristan Lawson... can he find this place too?’

’She didn’t want to see Tristan Lawson right now.’

After a moment’s thought, Noelle Sutton invited Hugo Sterling inside.

She went and poured Hugo Sterling a glass of water.

"Thank you."

Hugo Sterling took the glass, his demeanor exceptionally gentle. "Sorry to drop in on you like this. My grandfather truly does want to meet you. I already spoke with Tristan, and he won’t be attending the day after tomorrow. So, could I trouble you to accept my invitation?"

Noelle Sutton typed a message on her phone, "I can meet your grandfather, but can’t it be rescheduled for an earlier or later date?"

"My grandfather, he..." Hugo Sterling looked troubled. "He invited you on his birthday specifically because he figured that if you came, you’d surely prepare a gift for him. He loves your paper-cuttings so much, so he assumes if you attend, you’ll bring him one of your works. He’s collected paper-cuttings for years and knows many other enthusiasts, whom he’s also invited to the party. He’s a bit vain, you see, but too embarrassed to admit it. As his grandson, it’s my job to make things happen for him. You’re a smart woman. You understand what I’m getting at, right?"

Noelle Sutton couldn’t help but smile. ’So there are adorable old men like that.’

’She thought all the patriarchs of wealthy families were like Tristan Lawson’s grandfather.’

Old Master Sterling appreciated her work so much, and Hugo Sterling had spent a fortune on her paper-cuttings out of filial piety for his grandfather. If she didn’t grant him this small favor, it would feel unreasonable.

So, she typed another message for Hugo Sterling to read.

"Are you sure Tristan Lawson isn’t going?"

"Positive!"

’Even if Tristan Lawson did show up, Hugo Sterling already had a counter-plan.’

That’s why he answered Noelle Sutton with such conviction.

Noelle Sutton’s fingertips quickly tapped out another line on her phone’s screen.

"I can agree to attend your grandfather’s birthday banquet, and I’ll prepare a gift he’ll like. But you need to agree to one condition."