Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Tristan Sterling Says to Pull the Surveillance Footage Immediately
He stared at Vivian Linton in disbelief.
His piercing gaze made Vivian Linton’s heart pound in her chest.
’He was actually doubting me!!’
’He used to trust me completely!’
’But today, just because of one thing Holly Sinclair said, he suspected me. He actually thought I did it.’
Although, she had indeed done it.
’But he wasn’t supposed to think that!!’
’He loves me, so how could he side with that bitch Holly Sinclair?!’
’No!’
’I won’t allow it!’
"Tristan, I didn’t... Holly, what drug? I don’t even know what you’re talking about..."
Tears streamed down Vivian Linton’s face as she cried out her innocence.
Holly Sinclair collapsed onto the edge of the bed, clenching her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms. She used the sharp pain to momentarily clear her mind.
"Vivian Linton, at the restaurant, you were the only one who came near me!" she spat out through clenched teeth.
"Holly, if you’re going to frame me, at least come up with a better lie, okay? It was a huge restaurant. How could I possibly be the only one who got close to you? That man you were on a blind date with was sitting right across from you. By your logic, wouldn’t he be more suspicious?"
Vivian Linton’s face was streaked with tears, making her look as if she had been grievously wronged.
"Vivian Linton, just because you’re brainless, do you think everyone else is as stupid as you are?" Holly Sinclair glared fiercely at Vivian, her breathing ragged.
’Mr. Aldrin was handpicked by Grandpa. There’s no way he would do something so despicable.’
’It’s not like he has a terminal illness and a death wish, openly offending the Sterling Family like this.’
Vivian Linton’s face turned pale at the retort.
She was so angry she could barely keep up her act. She snapped indignantly, "I’ll say it again, I didn’t do it! Holly Sinclair, don’t go too far! What right do you have to insist it was me? Are you targeting me because you think I’m a pushover?"
Turning to Tristan Sterling, she instantly switched back to a wronged expression, crying out, "Tristan, I didn’t do it! Holly is framing me..."
"Connor Grant!"
Tristan Sterling didn’t comfort her. Instead, he called out toward the door.
"Sir." Connor Grant, who had been waiting outside, immediately entered the room.
"Get the surveillance footage!"
Tristan Sterling’s expression was icy as he gave the stern order.
"Right away." Connor Grant turned to leave.
"Wait!"
Vivian Linton cried out.
Ignoring the injuries on her forehead and leg, she staggered toward Tristan Sterling, tears gushing. "Tristan, what do you mean by this? You believe Holly over me?"
Seeing her swaying unsteadily, Tristan Sterling couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. He reached out to steady her, stating flatly, "I only believe in evidence and facts."
"But I really didn’t do it! Tristan, because we’re in love, Holly makes things difficult for me at every turn. In private, she either insults me or gets physical. Now she’s trying to pin such a serious crime on me. If even you don’t believe me, then... then what am I supposed to do? Do I have to die to prove my innocence?"
Vivian Linton spoke in a tearful, choked voice, her crying a truly pitiful sight.
She even resorted to threatening him with her own death.
’I can’t let Tristan check the surveillance footage.’
’Even though I was very careful and probably didn’t leave any traces...’
’What if I did?’
’Most importantly, if he checks the footage, it means Tristan no longer blindly trusts me.’
’I can’t accept this change in him!’
"Vivian!"
Tristan Sterling snapped, clearly displeased. "We’ll know what really happened once we check the footage."
He hated being threatened.
Especially with death.
Vivian Linton suddenly realized she had used the wrong approach.
But it was too late for regrets.
Her mind raced. She knew she needed to find a scapegoat...
She glanced at Philip Payne.
Philip Payne had been beaten half to death by Tristan Sterling and was now lying on the floor, barely breathing.
Their eyes met.
He immediately understood what she meant.
She wanted him to step up and admit that he was the one who had drugged Holly Sinclair.
They were in the same boat now. It was better for one person to take the fall than for both of them to go down.
’As long as Tristan Sterling still loves Vivian, Vivian and I still have a happy future ahead of us.’
’If I take the blame now, Vivian will remain the apple of Tristan’s eye. Once she marries into the Sterling family, we can find a chance to get rid of Tristan Sterling.’
’By then, the entire Sterling family fortune will belong to me and Vivian.’
Philip Payne was already plotting to his own advantage.
In a flash, Vivian Linton and Philip Payne reached an understanding with just a single glance.
"It was me!"
Philip Payne struggled to sit up, wiped the blood from his face, and shouted, "I’m the one who drugged her!"
Tristan Sterling’s sinister gaze shot toward Philip Payne.
Philip was terrified, but the thought of future wealth and glory made him steel himself and refuse to back down.
Vivian Linton immediately began her act.
She yelled at Philip Payne with a shocked expression, "Philip, are you crazy? Holly is our classmate! Why would you do this to her?"
She put on a show of defending Holly.
"Because she’s the reason my family went bankrupt!"
Philip Payne’s eyes were filled with hatred as he gritted his teeth. "If it weren’t for her, my family’s company wouldn’t have collapsed, and I wouldn’t have ended up in this miserable state!"
That part, at least, was true.
At that class reunion, he had only taunted Holly Sinclair a few times, and Tristan Sterling had maliciously targeted his family’s company in retaliation.
He had been on the verge of becoming the vice president of the hospital, but then someone suddenly reported him for sexually assaulting female patients while on duty...
As a result, he was now stuck doing menial work in the emergency room, getting bossed around and worked to the bone every day.
He couldn’t afford to provoke Tristan Sterling, so naturally, he had to settle the score with Holly Sinclair.
"You’re asking to die!"
Even Connor Grant couldn’t stand to listen anymore. He strode forward and kicked Philip Payne hard.
"AGH!" Philip screamed, his face contorting in pain.
Holly Sinclair trembled, glaring at Philip Payne with fury.
’There’s no way Philip did this alone.’
’He’s Vivian Linton’s sycophant, so she must have been involved too.’
But she couldn’t hold on any longer.
It felt like a fire was raging inside her, about to burn her to ashes...
She didn’t have the time to get to the bottom of it.
Leaning on the bed, she shakily got to her feet.
"Holly."
Tristan Sterling quickly reached out a hand to support her.
But she pushed his hand away, her eyes fixed on Philip Payne as she walked toward him, one step at a time.
Her stare made Philip’s hair stand on end, and a flicker of fear appeared in his eyes involuntarily.
Holly Sinclair stood before Philip Payne, looking down on him.
Then she lifted her foot and stomped down hard on his crotch.
"AAAAHH!!"
Philip Payne let out a bloodcurdling scream, clutching the source of his pain with both hands, his face deathly pale.
After delivering the blow, Holly Sinclair stumbled out the door.
She was about to collapse.
She had to get out of there as fast as possible.
"Holly!"
Tristan Sterling immediately ran after her.
"Tristan! Tristan, wait for me!" Seeing this, Vivian Linton scrambled to follow.
’Holly’s been drugged. I absolutely cannot let Tristan catch up to her.’
’If he does, with the way she is, sparks will fly...’
’Absolutely not!’
Vivian Linton followed close behind Tristan Sterling, suppressing her irritation and trying to comfort him in a gentle tone. "Tristan, don’t worry. Holly will be fine. Let’s take her to the hospital together... Ah!"
His strides were getting longer and longer, and she couldn’t keep up.
So she threw herself to the ground, trying to get his attention.
In the past, he would have been worried and anxious if she got even the slightest scratch.
However, Tristan Sterling paid her no mind, quickly disappearing from her sight.
"Tristan? Tristan!!"
Vivian Linton stared in disbelief, her face twisting into a hideous mask of hatred.
