Chapter 22: Chapter 22: A Fierce, Suffocating Kiss
"Okay."
Stella Grayson nodded, then grabbed her bag and left the house.
Once she was sure her aunt had left, Megan Grayson waved a hand, dismissing all the cleaning staff.
Soon, only Megan Grayson and Holly Sinclair were left in the living room.
"Holly Sinclair, what did you just say?"
Megan Grayson’s expression shifted instantly. She sat on the sofa like the lady of the house, her attitude arrogant and haughty.
"I need two months’ living expenses," Holly Sinclair said, calm and composed, neither servile nor overbearing.
Megan Grayson immediately let out a cold laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Holly Sinclair, the Sterling family’s money doesn’t grow on trees. And here you are, demanding two months’ worth at the drop of a hat—"
"Cut the crap! Are you giving it to me or not?"
Holly Sinclair cut her off coldly before Megan Grayson could finish her tirade.
"What kind of attitude is that—" Megan Grayson fumed.
Holly Sinclair turned and walked away.
"Stop!"
Megan Grayson shouted, her voice cracking, "Don’t you want the money anymore?"
’How is this bitch Holly not playing by the rules?’
’Isn’t she supposed to be on her knees, begging me?’
’How can she be so defiant?’
’How dare she!!’
"I’ll go find your aunt."
Holly Sinclair spoke the words lightly, in no rush at all.
She had noticed the fleeting panic on Megan Grayson’s face when she’d mentioned the living expenses.
Although she didn’t know what Megan was afraid of, her intuition told her this would definitely be a threat.
And sure enough—
"You wouldn’t dare!!"
Megan Grayson’s face twisted with uncontrollable rage.
"Just watch me," Holly Sinclair scoffed.
"You—" Megan Grayson was speechless with anger.
’No!’
’I can’t let Holly go to Aunt Stella.’
’Otherwise, the fact that I’ve been embezzling Holly’s living expenses will be exposed.’
’The truth was, Holly’s monthly allowance wasn’t one hundred thousand, but one million.’
’Aunt Stella doted on her and trusted her, so she’d put her in charge of distributing the living expenses and the staff’s salaries.’
’Seeing that Holly was out of favor, she had deliberately said a few things to make Holly mistakenly believe that her "second cousin" was only giving her 100,000 a month.’
’That idiot Holly had actually believed her and hadn’t suspected a thing for two years.’
Seeing that Holly wasn’t easy to manipulate, Megan Grayson had no choice but to give in.
She patted down her clothes, stood up, and snorted with contempt. "It’s just a hundred thousand. What’s the rush? I’ll give it to you."
"I want two months’ worth. Two hundred thousand," Holly Sinclair corrected her.
Megan Grayson was furious.
But there was nothing she could do.
Resentfully, she picked up her phone and reluctantly transferred the money.
The moment the money arrived in her account, Holly Sinclair didn’t want to stay a second longer.
She turned and left.
Watching Holly Sinclair walk out the main door, Megan Grayson was so angry she stomped her foot hard.
When she turned around, she met a pair of icy eyes.
"Tristan... what are you doing home?!"
Megan Grayson’s face went pale with shock.
’When did Tristan get back? How did I not know!’
’And... he couldn’t have...’
’...heard everything, could he?’
Tristan Sterling descended from the second floor, a document in his hand. His cold, sharp gaze seemed to pierce right through Megan Grayson’s face.
"How much is Holly Sinclair’s monthly allowance?" he asked.
His calm tone betrayed no emotion.
"Tr-Tristan..."
"Speak!!"
Tristan Sterling’s voice was a low command.
"A hun-hun... a hundred thousand," Megan Grayson stammered, terrified.
She stuttered, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
"How much?!"
Tristan Sterling’s sharp brows furrowed, the end of his word rising in pitch. He seriously suspected he had misheard.
Tears streamed down Megan Grayson’s face.
With a THUD, she fell to her knees.
...
The Sterling Manor covered over ten thousand square meters. Nestled halfway up a mountain, it was inaccessible to most vehicles.
So, Holly Sinclair had to walk down the mountain.
As she was walking, a black Bentley appeared behind her and pulled up alongside.
"Get in the car."
The window rolled down, revealing an elegant and noble man. His handsome face held the cool indifference of someone in a position of power as he issued his command.
Holly Sinclair glanced at him.
She treated him like he was thin air and kept walking.
Tristan Sterling’s expression darkened a shade.
Holly thought, ’A proud man like Tristan Sterling would never tolerate being snubbed.’
’So, he definitely won’t bother with me again.’
’And that’s exactly what I want.’
Her arm was seized in a tight grip.
"Can’t you understand plain language?"
The icy voice, laced with impatience and displeasure, cut through the air.
"Were you speaking plain language?"
She looked up, her bright, lovely face also showing a flash of anger, and retorted without holding back.
Tristan Sterling’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
He bent down and slung the sharp-tongued little woman directly over his shoulder.
"Ah!"
Suddenly airborne, Holly Sinclair went pale with fright.
"Tristan Sterling, put me down!!" she roared, clenching her fists and pounding on his shoulder.
But to him, her meager strength felt like little more than a tickle.
Seeing that he was about to shove her into the car, Holly, in a fit of desperation, sank her teeth into his back.
"HISS—"
Tristan Sterling’s whole body tensed.
His brow furrowed, and he tossed her directly into the back seat.
Without a hint of tenderness.
"Ah!"
Holly Sinclair landed awkwardly on the seat, the impact making her see stars and leaving her dizzy.
Just as she started to scramble up, a familiar masculine scent closed in on her.
She reflexively swung her hand—
Her wrist was caught.
The next second, the man’s kiss descended upon her lips like a raging storm.
It was a kiss so fierce it was suffocating.
"Mmph..."
Holly Sinclair’s cries for help were all smothered in his mouth.
Her breath was stolen, her lips were bruised by the pressure. He gripped her jaw and kissed her fiercely.
So domineering that he left her no chance to resist.
Fortunately, he didn’t linger for too long.
After ravaging her mouth for a moment, he let her go.
"From now on, every time you raise a hand to me, I’ll kiss you."
After releasing her, he loosened his tie, his husky voice making the threat sound sexy and alluring.
"You... you’re sick!"
Holly Sinclair trembled with rage.
She scrambled up, furrowing her brow as she wiped her mouth fiercely.
The gesture was filled with as much disgust as she could muster.
Tristan Sterling’s slightly softened expression instantly turned cold again.
’She dares to be disgusted by me?’
His gaze was sharp and cold, but she paid it no mind.
Holly Sinclair was lost in her own uncontrollable emotions.
’What gives him the right to treat me like this?!’
’Just because I’m not loved, does that mean he can hurt me whenever he wants?’
The more she thought, the more wronged she felt.
She really didn’t want to cry.
But her tears were betraying her, falling one after another.
"What are you crying for?"
Tristan Sterling’s brows furrowed in displeasure.
’Is she really that disgusted by my touch now?’
’She’s crying just because I kissed her?’
"It’s none of your damn business!" Holly Sinclair blurted out.
"What did you say?"
"None of your—mmph..."
She was kissed again.
Holly Sinclair struggled with all her might, but to no avail.
When the kiss was over.
"From now on, I’ll also kiss you every time you curse."
He gently caressed her swollen lips with the pad of his thumb, his husky, sexy voice whispering by her ear.
It sounded like a lover’s murmur, but also like a predator’s threat and warning to its prey.
Holly Sinclair’s eyelashes trembled. Her large, wet eyes were filled with resentment as she glared, hurt and furious, at the domineering, tyrannical man.
This was the first time she had ever cursed.
The Sinclair family’s upbringing was very strict; she was a well-mannered child.
If she hadn’t been pushed to her absolute limit, she would never have spoken so recklessly.
"What’s with the tantrum? It’s just two million."
He glanced at her, scoffing dismissively.
A dense ache spread through Holly Sinclair’s heart. With red-rimmed eyes, she stared at him. "Tristan Sterling, do you really think this is about the money?"
"Isn’t it?" he snorted.
She laughed, her eyes overflowing with disappointment.
