Perhaps because of his anger, his kiss was anything but gentle.

He crushed her lips painfully, forcing her eyes to grow even redder.

"Mmph... Tristan Sterling, you..."

Furious and aggrieved, she opened her mouth to protest, but the cunning man took advantage of the opening.

In a fit of rage, Tristan Sterling gripped the back of Holly Sinclair’s head, pressing her tightly against him and kissing her until she could barely breathe.

From the shadows, a pair of eyes filled with venomous hatred stared viciously at the scene.

Vivian Linton clenched her fists, unable to believe her eyes.

’That bitch, Holly Sinclair!’

’It wasn’t enough that she stole my spotlight. Now she thinks she can steal my Tristan, too?’

’In her dreams!’

’I won’t just sit back and take this!’

’I won’t just stand by and watch Tristan be snatched away!’

’Never!’

Vivian Linton’s face twisted with hatred. With trembling hands, she took out her phone and dialed Tristan Sterling’s number.

’I have to get Tristan back!’

’To Tristan, Holly Sinclair is just a tool to satisfy his physical needs. She’s no threat!’

’Tristan loves me!’

’All I have to do is call him, and he’ll come right back to my side.’

This trick had never failed her.

Full of confidence, Vivian Linton pressed the call button.

She began to count silently in her head.

One, two, three...

Tristan had a special ringtone for her. He never took more than ten seconds to answer her calls.

’So, Tristan is about to abandon Holly Sinclair.’

’Just like every other time!’

Eight, nine, ten...

Eleven, twelve...

Once her silent count passed ten, the confident smile on Vivian Linton’s face faltered.

She stared in astonishment at the couple, who were still locked in a passionate kiss. Her nails dug deep into her palms.

She didn’t even realize she had drawn blood.

’No!’

’I can’t admit defeat.’

’Tristan must not have heard it.’

Vivian Linton thought, deluding herself, as her trembling hand dialed the number again.

The pleasant ringtone echoed through the quiet garage once more.

Even from this distance, she could hear it clearly.

Still, no one answered.

Just as the call was about to automatically disconnect, Tristan Sterling finally answered.

"Tristan, I don’t feel well. Can you come..."

Vivian Linton’s heart leaped with joy, and she immediately pleaded in a tearful voice.

"I’ll have Connor Grant come pick you up and take you to the hospital right away."

Tristan Sterling’s deep, husky voice was thick with obvious desire, rooting Vivian Linton to the spot.

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

’He’s sending Connor Grant to get me?’

’Then what about him?!’

After a second of shock, she quickly recovered and whined pitifully, "Tristan, I want you..."

"Be good. I’m busy."

But the man gave her no more chances to speak, hanging up immediately after he finished.

Vivian Linton was stunned.

Her heart was in turmoil.

’How is this possible?!’

’How could my foolproof trick suddenly fail today?’

’And this "busy" he mentioned... does it mean he can’t wait to screw that bitch Holly Sinclair in the garage?’

Vivian Linton was going insane with rage.

Seeing that Holly Sinclair had already been carried into the car by Tristan Sterling, she quickly dialed another number.

"Get that bitch Holly Sinclair away from there! Immediately! Right now!!"

...

Holly Sinclair was resisting fiercely.

She intermittently cursed him, "Bastard," "Animal," "Son of a bitch..."

He grew tired of listening and simply sealed her lips with his own.

Her curses immediately turned into broken whimpers, mingling with their heavy breaths.

The small space filled with an amorous atmosphere.

Holly Sinclair didn’t give in, but she couldn’t resist the man’s forceful demands.

Her lips were already swollen and stinging from his kisses.

Today’s Tristan Sterling showed her the true meaning of "an animal that thinks with its lower body."

A minute ago, Vivian Linton had called him.

She had breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he would immediately let her go and run to Vivian Linton.

But he...

He didn’t!

He even hung up on Vivian Linton and turned his phone off.

Then he continued to kiss her.

’So, a man’s "sincere heart" is the most laughable thing in the world.’

’He clearly loves Vivian Linton so much.’

’Yet it doesn’t stop him from being interested in my body.’

’They say a man can separate love from sex, and it’s really true!’

Suddenly, a phone rang again.

But this time, it was Holly Sinclair’s.

Holly Sinclair reached for her phone.

Just as she touched it, the man grabbed her small hand.

"Be good. Don’t answer it."

The man’s husky, sexy voice whispered by her ear, coaxing her.

"Mmph..." She refused, struggling with all her might.

Somehow, she broke free.

Tristan Sterling’s handsome face darkened slightly.

Holly Sinclair quickly answered the phone. "Hello..."

"Miss Sinclair, there’s been a change with your brother! Please come to the hospital immediately!"

An anxious voice, the doctor’s, came from the other end of the line.

Holly Sinclair shot upright.

THUD!

She sat up so abruptly that Tristan Sterling was caught off guard, watching helplessly as her forehead slammed hard into the bridge of his nose.

A warm liquid trickled from the man’s nose.

Tristan Sterling’s face was as black as charcoal.

Holly Sinclair couldn’t be bothered with that. Her mind was completely consumed with her brother’s safety.

She didn’t know what "a change" meant.

’Is it good?’

’Or bad?’

She didn’t dare to guess.

"I’ll be right there!!"

She yelled, scrambling out of the car.

In a panic, she ran to the other side and forcefully dragged the fuming man out of the car.

Then she jumped into the driver’s seat, slammed on the gas, and sped off.

Leaving Tristan Sterling standing there, clutching his nose.

Seething with rage, one hand covered in blood.

...

「Hospital」

"Dr. Quincy, how’s my brother?"

When Holly Sinclair rushed to the hospital, Ian Quincy had just finished examining Noah Sinclair.

"Your brother’s heart rate was very abnormal just now. Fortunately, we intervened in time, and he’s out of danger now."

Ian Quincy removed his mask and said calmly.

"Thank you, Dr. Quincy." Hearing this, the great weight on Holly Sinclair’s heart was finally lifted.

After Ian Quincy left, Holly Sinclair walked to the bedside.

Looking at her brother’s deathly pale face, her heart felt like it was being pricked by needles.

"Brother, you scared me to death."

She sat by the bed, held her brother’s hand tightly, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

But her brother on the bed remained unresponsive.

This only made Holly Sinclair more overcome with sorrow.

Her brother had always doted on her and spoiled her, never wanting to see her shed a single tear...

"When are you going to wake up? Brother, you’ve been asleep for so long. Please wake up soon, okay?"

Pressing her cheek against her brother’s palm, she murmured through her sobs.

The sadness and helplessness she had suppressed in her heart were magnified countless times in this moment.

Every time she came to see her brother, she felt especially helpless and fragile.

She wished she could go back to how things were, when she could hide behind her brother for anything, free to be carefree and happy.

’I’m so, so tired.’

After staying with her brother for a while, Holly Sinclair composed herself and prepared to leave.

As she walked out of the room, she nearly collided with a young male doctor.

"I’m sorry..."

She quickly took a step back and apologized instinctively.

When she looked up, however, she saw a familiar face.