Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Tristan Sterling Can’t Take His Eyes Off the Beautiful Holly Sinclair
It was Philip Payne.
When Vivian Linton had just returned from abroad, she had organized a class reunion.
That day, Philip Payne and Yvonne Thorne had ganged up to humiliate her.
"It’s all right." Philip smiled at her. "Long time no see."
Even though Philip’s smile was polite and gentle, Holly still felt a flicker of instinctive wariness.
"Right."
She gave a cool acknowledgment and started walking toward the elevator.
There was no need to waste words on someone insignificant, let alone someone who had been an adversary.
In response to her coldness, Philip tucked his hands into the pockets of his white coat and simply smiled without saying a word.
Holly entered the elevator.
The moment the elevator doors slid shut, the smile on Philip’s lips slowly faded.
In its place was a sinister, cruel curve.
A towering hatred filled his eyes.
At that class reunion a few months ago, he had merely led the charge in mocking Holly for a bit, and Tristan Sterling had retaliated viciously.
He had been a department head at this hospital, on the verge of being promoted to vice president. But with a single word from Tristan Sterling, he was stripped of his position and demoted to a regular doctor.
His salary and benefits plummeted.
His future was bleak.
...
「A few days later.」
Holly Sinclair drove toward Mariner’s Pier.
She was going to attend a business cocktail party.
Yesterday, Sonia Sutton had called to tell her that several major figures from the qipao industry would be attending this event.
It was a good opportunity to expand her network.
She thought about it carefully and finally decided...
To go!
Even though the silent partner of her studio was Tristan Sterling, she couldn’t quit because of the contract she’d signed. She still had to work hard to get the studio up and running.
Since she couldn’t just let it all go to waste, her only option was to forge ahead.
’Even if Tristan Sterling is the partner,’ she thought, ’as long as the studio turns a profit, my share of the dividends will still be mine.’
’Once I’ve earned enough for my brother’s medical bills, I’ll divorce him, terminate the contract, and we’ll go our separate ways!’
The traffic was terrible the whole way.
By the time Holly arrived at the pier, the cruise ship hosting the business event had already sailed to the middle of the river.
Holly was annoyed, regretting not leaving earlier.
Suddenly, she heard a car pull up behind her.
She glanced back casually, only to see two faces she despised.
Tristan Sterling and Vivian Linton.
When Vivian Linton saw Holly, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes.
Then, understanding dawned on her.
’It seems Holly is also going to the business party on the cruise ship, just like us.’
The moment Tristan Sterling saw Holly, his nose began to ache faintly.
’Sooner or later, she’s going to break my nose.’
Receiving the man’s icy gaze, Holly pretended not to notice. She turned to continue looking at the cruise ship in the middle of the river, her brow slightly furrowed.
’How am I supposed to get on board?’
There were two or three small yachts nearby, but they were all empty.
’How dare she ignore me!’
Tristan Sterling stared at Holly’s impeccably beautiful side profile, momentarily unable to look away.
He had always known she was beautiful.
But today...
She seemed especially dazzling.
She was wearing a long, light purple dress with an off-white trench coat, and her hair was tied up in a bun. The whole look was delicate and pure.
Seeing Tristan staring intently at Holly, Vivian Linton felt like she was about to explode with rage.
But she didn’t dare show it.
Her eyes darted, and a plan immediately formed in her mind.
"Holly, what a coincidence! Are you also going to the party on the cruise ship?" Vivian Linton approached Holly with a smile, feigning friendliness.
Holly paid her no mind.
She treated her like she was thin air.
"Tristan and I are going too. Let’s go together," Vivian said, seemingly oblivious to Holly’s standoffish expression.
Then she turned to Tristan and asked gently, "Is that okay, Tristan?"
Her tone made it sound as if Tristan was unwilling and she was pleading on Holly’s behalf.
"Mhm."
Tristan grunted in assent and was the first to jump onto a small yacht.
With Tristan’s help, Vivian Linton also boarded the yacht.
Holly was struggling internally.
’Get on?’
’Or not?’
"What are you standing around for? Get on."
The man’s cold voice suddenly rang out.
"Tristan, why are you being so harsh? You’re scaring Holly."
Vivian immediately chided Tristan in a reproving tone, then waved enthusiastically at Holly. "Holly, hurry up."
Holly didn’t want to go with them, but she couldn’t bear to give up such a great opportunity.
She hesitated for a few seconds...
In the end, she jumped onto the small yacht.
Tristan started the yacht and headed toward the cruise ship in the middle of the river.
Not wanting to be near the two of them, Holly went to the side deck to get some air.
When the yacht was about halfway there, Vivian Linton came up beside her.
"Holly, you know Tristan despises you, yet you keep throwing yourself at him. Don’t you think you’re disgusting?"
With no one else around, Vivian couldn’t be bothered to pretend anymore. Her eyes glinted with jealousy and hatred as she sneered through gritted teeth.
"Feeling superior even as a mistress? When it comes to being disgusting, who could possibly compare to you?" Holly shot back, calm and composed.
"Tristan loves me! The one who isn’t loved is the mistress!"
"Vivian Linton, you’re a perfect illustration of the phrase ’the shameless are invincible.’"
Holly finally turned to look at her, her every word dripping with sarcasm.
"Holly, give up. Tristan will never love you," Vivian said, a confident smile on her lips, looking as though she had already won.
"Hah," Holly scoffed.
’Is Tristan Sterling’s love supposed to be some priceless treasure?’
’I stopped caring about it a long time ago!’
"You don’t believe me? Then let’s put it to the test."
An evil glint flashed in Vivian’s eyes. "If we both fell into the water at the same time, who do you think he would save... you... or me?"
Before Holly could react, she suddenly pulled her, and they both toppled into the water.
"AHH!"
"AHH!"
They both screamed at the same time.
With two SPLASHES, they hit the water simultaneously.
Tristan, who was driving the yacht, heard the screams and looked back to see the deck was empty.
Realizing what had happened, he didn’t even have time to stop the yacht. He ran onto the deck, saw the two small figures in the water, and quickly grabbed a lifebuoy before leaping into the water with a SPLASH.
Holly and Vivian were both flailing desperately.
Tristan’s first instinct was to swim toward Holly.
But seeing him "go off course," Vivian immediately cried out in distress, "Tristan... GURGLE... Tristan, save me..."
Tristan immediately changed direction and swam toward Vivian Linton.
Before changing course, he threw the lifebuoy to Holly and yelled, "Hold on! I’ll be right back for you!"
With that, he swam away without a second glance.
If he had spared even a single glance back, he would have seen that Holly hadn’t caught the lifebuoy.
Tristan reached Vivian’s side and lifted her out of the water.
Vivian gasped for air, looking like she was in great pain.
The yacht had drifted a long way off due to its momentum. In comparison, the shore was closer.
Tristan made a split-second decision, holding onto Vivian as he swam toward the shore.
He swam quickly, anxious to get back and save Holly.
