Chapter 299: Chapter 299: I Don’t Want a Divorce
Chapter 299: I Don’t Want a Divorce
A handsome, wealthy man, humbling himself just for you—what woman could possibly resist such exclusive tenderness and not fall completely under his spell?
Tristan Sterling, Jason Sinclair, Adrian Preston, and Chalrton Lawrence got together for a game of mahjong.
Alexander Sullivan didn’t join them; he went to play golf with Franklin Fitzwilliam and Theodore Sterling.
The ladies had also arranged to play cards.
The weather was lovely today.
After resting for a bit, the children were eager to go back outside and play soccer.
Rachel Royce and Chloe Cheney followed them out to the lawn to watch.
Once they were tired from playing, they sat on a bench for a snack.
Just then, Rachel Royce got a call from Tristan Sterling. She answered it.
A man’s voice came through the phone. "Wife, come to the room on the second floor." Hearing him call her that, Rachel’s hand tightened around her phone. She frowned. "What did you just call me?" Tristan let out a soft laugh. "We’re husband and wife. How is that the wrong thing to call you?" Rachel asked impatiently, "What is it?" "Just come up. I’ll be waiting." Tristan didn’t explain further and hung up.
Rachel put down her phone.
Chloe Cheney, who’d overheard some of the call, said to Rachel, "If Tristan needs you, you should go. I’ll watch Melissa." It was clear to her now that, regardless of whether Tristan was sincere, his current actions were enough to show he was definitely serious about Rachel.
Rachel was silent for a moment before nodding. She said a quick word to Melissa, and when the little girl heard her mommy was going to see her daddy, she urged her to hurry.
Rachel turned and headed back into the villa.
She asked a housekeeper for directions and went up to the second floor.
Just then, she ran into Anna Lawrence, who was walking toward her. Anna’s expression was awful.
When Anna Lawrence saw Rachel, she let out a cold snort and walked right past her.
Rachel walked up to the door and knocked.
CLICK.
The door opened.
Before she could get a clear look at who it was, someone grabbed her wrist and yanked her inside. The door slammed shut behind them, and she was pinned against it.
"Tristan Ster—mmph!" A deep, overwhelming kiss descended upon her, carrying the man’s potent and domineering scent. The moment their tongues met, a jolt like an electric shock shot through her, making her entire body go rigid. Rachel felt as if she couldn’t breathe.
The man was shirtless, the powerful muscles of his back rippling with his movements, brimming with a wild, explosive energy that seemed ready to burst free at any moment.
Rachel was completely unable to break free from his hold, forced to endure his fierce, relentless kiss.
Not until she was on the verge of losing her breath did Tristan, who was cradling the back of her head, slowly release her.
Rachel went limp in his arms, gasping for breath. Her lips were a swollen, vibrant red, and her eyes shimmered. She looked at the man before her, her dark eyes narrowed into a hazy, languid gaze.
Her heart gave a sudden lurch as she clearly felt the unnatural heat radiating from his body.
Instantly, the realization jolted her, and she shoved him away.
"Tristan Sterling, let me go." Tristan was lucid enough, despite the uncomfortable heat coursing through him. He showed no signs of letting go. "If you don’t let me touch you, I won’t." Rachel tilted her head up, watching him warily. Her voice was taut. "Then let go of me." "I’m going to take a cold shower," Tristan said. "Stand guard for me." His voice was so calm that if she hadn’t seen the unnatural flush on his face, she would have thought nothing was wrong with him at all.
Suddenly, she couldn’t help but think of that incident five years ago.
’Was he really unable to control himself back then?’
After a brief silence, convinced he wasn’t going to force himself on her, Rachel gradually calmed down. "You’re really putting yourself through the wringer."
"Since you won’t let me touch you," Tristan said, "I have no choice but to make things hard on myself."
"I’m sure there are people willing to help you with your... problem," Rachel said.
Tristan replied, "I don’t want a divorce."
As he spoke, he reached out to cup her face, lowering his head to press a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. His scorching breath fanned across her neck, and his voice was a seductive, hazy whisper. "Keep a good watch on me."
Tristan released her. He glanced down at her tense expression, a faint smile playing on his lips, then turned and walked toward the bathroom.
Rachel remained rooted to the spot.
She didn’t know how much time had passed.
The sound of SPLASHING water came from the bathroom.
She let out a long breath.
Just then, a knock echoed from the door.
Caught off guard, Rachel jumped. She quickly composed herself before turning to open the door. A maid stood there respectfully, holding a fresh set of men’s clothes.
"These clothes are for Mr. Sterling."
Rachel glanced at the maid before taking the clothes from her.
"Does Mr. Sterling require anything else?" the maid asked.
"No, thank you," Rachel said.
The maid gave a respectful nod and took her leave.
Rachel closed the door and returned to the bedroom. She placed the clothes on the bed, her gaze drifting toward the bathroom as she thought of Anna Lawrence.
’Looks like another woman in love with Tristan, suffering from unrequited feelings.’
’So desperate that she’d resort to drugging him to make something happen.’
’Was she that desperate and irrational, or did she really think Tristan was an easy target?’
’Then again, thinking back...’
’...wasn’t that how they ended up together in the first place?’
「Half an hour later.」
Tristan emerged from the bathroom in a robe, a chill clinging to him from his shower. He looked at the woman sitting quietly at the foot of the bed, a smile touching his thin, cool lips.
Rachel lifted her gaze to him; the color had returned to his face.
Tristan walked barefoot over to Rachel and sat down beside her. He reached for her hand, but the instant his cold skin touched hers, an involuntary shiver ran through her. She snatched her hand back and shot to her feet. "Since you’re fine now, you should get dressed."
"I’m a bit tired. I’m going to rest for a bit."
Rachel glanced over at him. He was sitting up, propped on his hands, looking both uncomfortable and unsatisfied.
’The bathroom was well soundproofed, so she hadn’t heard anything strange, but it was obvious he had done *something* in there.’
"Then get some rest."
As Rachel turned to leave, he grabbed her wrist. His voice was hoarse, tinged with a weak plea. "Stay with me for a little while."
She turned back to meet his hazy, deep eyes. With his handsome features, the open collar of his robe offering a glimpse of his torso, he looked all the more wickedly charming.
Rachel’s eyes darkened.
"Tristan Sterling."
"Hmm?" The sound rumbled from his throat.
Rachel stared at him.
Tristan added, "Let’s wait a bit before we go out. I’d rather not have people thinking I can’t perform."
Hearing this, Rachel froze for a second, but it didn’t take her long to realize exactly what he meant.
’Men always seem so concerned about how they measure up in *that* department, especially in front of other men. Tristan was no exception.’
