Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Tristan Sterling, Let’s Part Amicably
Holly Sinclair was stunned for a moment.
The next second—
SLAP!
Without a second thought, she slapped him hard across the face.
The metallic taste of blood instantly filled his mouth, and Tristan Sterling narrowed his eyes slightly.
’She hit him again?’
’She was getting way too bold!’
Tristan Sterling pressed his tongue against the inside of his numb, stinging cheek, a hint of madness creeping into his eyes.
He was enraged.
He shot out a long arm, his large hand clamping onto the back of her head.
He yanked hard, and her face was pulled "willingly" toward his.
He kissed her again, holding nothing back.
Hard.
"Mmph..."
Holly Sinclair’s eyes were red with rage, her cheeks flushed.
She balled her fists and beat against his body.
But to him, her flailing felt like little more than a tickle.
"Go on, keep hitting me!"
He pressed his lips to her ear, breathing hotly against her skin. His threatening tone was laced with a suggestive desire. "The harder you hit me, the harder I’ll kiss you."
"Tristan Sterling, you’re sick!"
Holly Sinclair was filled with hatred. She hadn’t expected him to be so utterly shameless.
"That’s right, I’m sick. So you’d better not provoke me." His kisses traveled along her neck as he gave a domineering order, "You are not to go on that blind date!"
"It’s none of your business!" Holly Sinclair said, her expression blank.
She couldn’t move, couldn’t escape.
Holly Sinclair scoffed internally. ’He’s out being lovey-dovey with Vivian Linton every single day. How does he have the nerve to make this kind of demand of me?’
Tristan Sterling’s handsome face darkened. "Holly Sinclair, I can withdraw the divorce application anytime I want."
"Then I’ll just have to ask Grandpa for help," she retorted, unafraid.
"You’re using Grandpa against me?!" He seized her chin, his gaze as sharp and cold as ice.
"Tristan Sterling, I just want an amicable separation." Holly Sinclair’s brow furrowed. His grip on her jaw was painful.
Tristan Sterling replied, "I don’t think we’re at the ’separation’ stage."
She couldn’t hold back a laugh. "So? Mr. Sterling is dragging his feet on the divorce while getting cozy with his one true love. Are you trying to have your cake and eat it too?"
Holly Sinclair’s laugh was dripping with mockery.
He instinctively tried to explain. "It’s not what you think between me and Vivian—"
"I don’t care what’s going on with you two!"
She cut him off, her gaze turning impossibly cold. "Tristan Sterling, for the rest of my life, I want nothing to do with either of you!"
A frigid chill instantly filled the car.
"You just have to make me angry, don’t you?"
Tristan Sterling’s already thin patience finally snapped. He tightened his grip on her nape, pressing his forehead to hers. His cold breath ghosted over her lips. "Can’t you just behave?"
"Get lost!"
At her breaking point, Holly Sinclair tried to shove him away, but he only held her tighter. "Mmph..."
Their lips and breaths intertwined.
Suddenly, Tristan Sterling’s phone rang.
He took it out and glanced at the screen.
It was Vivian Linton.
Holly Sinclair saw the screen too.
’Great,’ she thought. ’He can finally let me go.’
’After all, he would normally answer immediately and then rush to Vivian Linton’s side.’
But to her surprise—
Tristan Sterling simply tossed the phone onto the center console and kept kissing her.
Holly Sinclair was dumbfounded.
’He’s not answering Vivian Linton’s call?’
And in that moment of distraction, he pinned her domineeringly against the seat and deepened the kiss.
The phone continued to ring, relentless.
Desperate to escape, Holly Sinclair fought against his assault while reaching for the center console.
She managed to grab the phone and answer the call.
’There’s no way he can continue once he hears the voice of his one true love.’
Holly Sinclair decisively hit the speakerphone button—
"Tristan, save me!"
Vivian Linton’s terrified scream instantly erupted from the other end of the line.
Faintly, the sound of three or four men’s vulgar, lecherous laughter could be heard in the background.
Vivian Linton was being harassed.
Tristan Sterling’s expression changed drastically.
He immediately released Holly Sinclair, started the engine, and the car shot forward like an arrow.
...
Holly Sinclair didn’t ask Tristan Sterling to drop her off first.
His beloved was in danger; there was no way he would waste a single second.
So, she didn’t bother wasting her breath.
Soon, they arrived at the scene.
Greg, who lived nearby, had already arrived.
Greg had already subdued the three men.
They were currently huddled in a corner, bruised and swollen, whimpering soft cries of "Ouch, ouch."
Vivian Linton’s hair was disheveled, her collar torn, her face streaked with tears.
"*Sob*... Tristan, Tristan, you’re finally here... *sob*..."
The moment Tristan Sterling’s car stopped, she ran over, crying.
The second he stepped out of the car, she threw herself into his arms, clinging tightly to his waist.
A pitiful picture of lingering terror, she looked so fragile it would stir pity in anyone’s heart.
Tristan Sterling patted her shoulder, comforting her softly. "Don’t be afraid. It’s alright now."
Holly Sinclair watched the two of them embrace, her face impassive, a cold sneer touching the corners of her lips.
"Mr. Sterling."
Greg hauled the three men before Tristan Sterling as if they were baby chicks.
The three men stumbled and collapsed to the ground. It was obvious they’d had a lot to drink.
Beaten black and blue, the men knew they’d run into the devil himself and felt a sense of dread creep over them.
Especially when they saw Tristan Sterling’s murderous expression, which scared them so badly the color drained from their faces.
"No... We didn’t... We didn’t know..."
One man tried to explain, but he was so incoherent he couldn’t form a complete sentence.
Another one with a buzz cut quickly jumped in, "She was smiling at us! She kept giving us looks, seducing us—"
"You’re lying!!"
Vivian Linton shrieked, crying out her grievance. "Don’t you own a mirror? Have you no idea what you look like? I’m Mr. Sterling’s woman! My heart belongs only to him! Why would I ever smile at you?!"
"We’re not lying! We thought she was a prostitute..."
The man with the buzz cut tried to explain further, but after meeting Tristan Sterling’s icy glare, he resigned himself to his fate and started kowtowing. "We’re sorry, we’re sorry! We were wrong! We were blind and didn’t recognize who we were dealing with..."
"We’re sorry, we were wrong! Please spare us this time!"
"We won’t do it again! We’ll never do it again!"
Seeing this, the other two men hastily dropped to their knees and began kowtowing to Tristan Sterling and Vivian Linton.
They’d really hit the jackpot of bad luck today!
The three of them had left a bar and were on their way to get some barbecue and keep drinking. Suddenly, this woman started walking in front of them, striking poses and repeatedly looking back to give them flirtatious glances.
Who could resist that?!
Thinking they’d gotten lucky, the three were ecstatic and went up to flirt with her.
She played hard to get, putting up a token resistance as she led them into this alley.
But before they could even make a move, she suddenly started screaming for help.
And then, before they knew what was happening, they were getting the crap beaten out of them.
Holly Sinclair got out of the car and watched the dramatic scene unfold with cold eyes.
Vivian Linton huddled in Tristan Sterling’s arms, sobbing pitifully. But from an angle no one else could see, she shot a triumphant glance at Holly Sinclair.
She wasn’t at all surprised to see Holly Sinclair in Tristan Sterling’s car.
