Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Messing with Holly Sinclair Is a Slap in My Face
The force of the woman’s slap made Nicole Linton see stars.
She instantly lost it.
She stared at the woman, dumbfounded, her voice cracking with rage. "You fucking bitch, how dare you hit me?!"
"I hit you. So what? Did I need to make an appointment?" the woman sneered, jiggling her leg arrogantly as she sized Nicole up with utter contempt.
Nicole Linton had never been so humiliated in her life.
"You..." Her eyes went bloodshot as she lunged at the woman, roaring hysterically, "I’m going to tear you apart!"
But before she could even touch the leader, the other women shoved her hard to the ground.
"Ah!"
She fell flat on her face.
Before she could react, the women were on her, punching and kicking.
"Beat the shit out of her!"
The leader took a leisurely drag from her cigarette, savoring the sight of Nicole Linton’s miserable state. She huffed, her words heavy with insinuation. "Little bitch, here’s a word of advice. You can’t afford to provoke just anyone. Be careful not to cross the wrong people, or you’ll have to face the consequences."
"Ah... Ah..."
Nicole Linton was utterly defenseless, screaming in agony as she lay on the ground.
The stilettos of the women’s high heels dug into her like nails, threatening to pierce right through her body with every kick.
"What are you doing?"
A sharp cry cut through the air.
It was Vivian Linton.
"Stop it! Stop hitting her!"
Seeing her sister being ganged up on, she immediately began to scream for help. "Help! Somebody, help!"
Yet she didn’t dare get too close, terrified that if the women went berserk, they would attack her too.
The leader glanced at Vivian Linton but didn’t make a move on her.
Instead, she shot the other women a look.
One of the women crouched down and slapped Nicole Linton twice.
SLAP! SLAP!
One on each side.
On the backhand swing, the ring on the woman’s hand sliced across Nicole Linton’s cheek like a sharp blade.
Blood welled up.
Nicole Linton instinctively touched her face and her hand came away covered in blood.
Her eyes flew wide as saucers, and she let out a bloodcurdling shriek—
"Ah! My face! My face! Aaaah!!!"
Vivian Linton was horrified.
She instinctively took two steps back, now even more terrified to approach her sister.
Seeing her sister get hurt, she backed away instead of moving forward.
Her first reaction was a selfish one. ’What if those women ruin my face too...’
’Tristan wouldn’t want me anymore.’
’My dream of becoming Madam Sterling would be shattered.’
’I can’t let that happen!!’
Seeing that Nicole Linton’s face was cut, the women turned and ran.
They quickly vanished around the corner.
Only then did Vivian Linton run to her sister’s side.
"Sis! My face hurts so much! Is it ruined? Is it? Ah! My face!"
Nicole Linton shrieked herself hoarse, her cries a picture of utter misery.
"It’s okay, it’s okay, Nicole, don’t be scared, you’ll be okay..." Vivian Linton was trembling all over with fear, hugging her sister and comforting her nonstop.
"Waaaah... my face!!"
"It’s okay, Nicole. I’ll help you to the hospital right now..."
Vivian Linton helped her sister up, her own eyes red. When she looked up, she saw Holly Sinclair on the overpass.
Their eyes met.
Holly Sinclair’s gaze was ice-cold.
Nicole Linton had brought this on herself; Holly felt not an ounce of sympathy.
Shock filled Vivian Linton’s eyes first, followed quickly by venomous hatred.
Soon, paramedics rushed to the scene.
Still shrieking and wailing, Nicole Linton was carried to the hospital on a stretcher.
Vivian Linton followed close behind, tears streaming down her face.
With the show over, a deep sense of satisfaction washed over Holly Sinclair.
She remembered how Brandon Sterling had just said he was taking her to see something "fun"...
’So Brandon arranged for those women?’
A warmth spread through Holly Sinclair’s heart. She was deeply touched.
"Brandon, thank you," she said, her voice catching as the corners of her eyes reddened.
"Hm?" A flicker of confusion crossed Brandon Sterling’s eyes.
When he realized what she was talking about, he subconsciously glanced at a hot air balloon in the distant sky...
She had once told him they were her favorite.
But Brandon Sterling said nothing, simply ruffling Holly Sinclair’s hair affectionately.
...
「Outside the operating room.」
Mr. Linton’s expression was grim.
"*Sob*... Who could be so vicious? Who would hurt my Nicole like this...?"
Mrs. Linton’s face was streaked with tears. The thought that her youngest daughter might be disfigured was enough to break her heart.
Vivian Linton was a mess of tears.
Remembering the terrifying ordeal and Holly Sinclair’s ice-cold stare, she suddenly flung herself at the man sitting in a nearby chair.
"Tristan, Tristan, you have to get justice for Nicole! Those women were definitely acting on someone else’s orders. Someone is deliberately trying to harm her, just like what happened to my hand..."
Huge tears rolled down Vivian Linton’s cheeks as she sobbed out her tragic complaint.
She was doing her utmost to sling mud at Holly Sinclair.
’It has to be that bitch Holly Sinclair!’
’Nicole hasn’t pissed anyone off recently. It couldn’t be anyone else.’
’And besides, she was right there on the overpass, watching.’
’If this wasn’t her deliberate revenge, how could it be such a coincidence?!’
"Mm."
Tristan Sterling responded with a noncommittal hum.
Lost in her resentment for Holly Sinclair, Vivian Linton didn’t notice the man’s unusual coldness.
Still seething, she gripped the man’s arm tightly, her tear-streaked face a picture of pitiable grief. "Tristan, you have to help us catch those women! We have to make them confess who put them up to it. We absolutely cannot let the vicious mastermind behind this get away!"
She spoke through her sobs, putting on a convincing show of a deeply concerned older sister.
"And how do you propose we not let them get away?"
Tristan Sterling gave Vivian Linton a cool look, his thin lips parting as he asked lightly,
"She must pay for the pain Nicole suffered tenfold!"
Vivian Linton declared, her voice filled with indignant grief.
’If she didn’t have to maintain her kind, gentle persona in front of Tristan Sterling, she would have already jumped up and started cursing that bitch Holly Sinclair with a monstrous look on her face.’
"Oh? Is that so?"
Tristan Sterling scoffed. "The pain she’s in right now... didn’t she bring it on herself?"
His tone was glacial, as if born from an endless winter.
The Linton family finally began to realize that something was wrong.
"Tristan, what do you mean by that?"
Mr. Linton immediately stood up, his face darkening as he snapped unpleasantly.
"It means whatever you think it means, Mr. Linton," Tristan Sterling said coolly.
His tone was polite yet distant.
Mr. Linton had called him "Tristan" with familiar affection, but he had responded with a bland, formal "Mr. Linton."
It was an undeniable, resounding slap in the face to the entire Linton family.
After all, they had always considered themselves Tristan Sterling’s future in-laws.
To the public, they had always presented themselves as Mr. Sterling’s in-laws.
This status had earned them a great deal of respect and prestige.
But now, Tristan Sterling was treating them with such coldness.
If word of this got out, how could they possibly save face?
Most importantly, who would want to do business with the Linton family’s small company after this?
Mr. and Mrs. Linton exchanged a glance, their expressions turning incredibly sour.
They were furious but dared not show it.
All they could do was glare resentfully at their daughter.
Feeling her parents’ reproachful gazes, Vivian Linton’s eyes immediately reddened. She stared at the stone-faced man in disbelief. "Tr-Tristan?"
"Holly Sinclair is still Mrs. Sterling. Laying a hand on her is a slap in my face!"
