Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Strangle Vivian Linton
A suffocating feeling washed over her.
Vivian Linton couldn’t breathe.
"You... help... me... Tris- Tristan..."
Vivian’s face rapidly flushed red as she clawed at Holly Sinclair’s wrists, desperately trying to pry her hands away.
But Holly, consumed by an ultimate hatred, found a surge of unnatural strength. The more Vivian struggled, the tighter she squeezed.
For the first time, Vivian felt death so close.
It wasn’t until Vivian’s eyes rolled back in her head that a shocked Tristan Sterling finally snapped out of his stupor.
He rushed forward, shouting, "Holly!"
Holly paid him no mind. Straddling Vivian, her eyes swam with boundless hatred, all her strength focused in her hands.
Vivian’s face turned purple, her struggles growing weaker and weaker.
"Let go!"
Seeing no reaction from Holly, Tristan’s sharp brows knitted together as he roared, "Holly, I told you to let go! Are you trying to kill her?"
At the same time, he bent down, grabbed her hands, and forcefully pulled them apart.
He yanked her to her feet.
"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."
Finally able to breathe, Vivian immediately burst into a fit of violent coughing.
She coughed until tears streamed down her face, a mess of bruises already forming on her pale neck.
"Yes! I was trying to kill her!"
Holly shook off Tristan’s hand and roared hysterically, her teeth clenched and murderous intent blazing in her eyes.
’Vivian deliberately dragged me into the water with her, almost drowning me.’
’This blind, heartless bastard Tristan would never believe me, and I have no proof that this was all Vivian’s scheme.’
’So all I could do was teach her a harsh lesson my own way.’
"Are you insane?!"
Tristan helped Vivian up, staring at Holly in disbelief.
’Was there anything that couldn’t be resolved?’
’Did she have to break the law?’
’Doesn’t she know murder is illegal?’
"Tristan, Tristan... Save me, Tristan..."
Vivian clutched her neck, crying pitifully and helplessly. She shrank into Tristan’s arms, her hands gripping his clothes tightly.
She was trembling uncontrollably.
"It’s okay now. Don’t be afraid."
Tristan patted her back comfortingly, his voice several degrees softer.
Holly watched with cold eyes, her pale face etched with scorn.
The man, usually so proud and conceited, found himself unsettled by her piercing gaze.
Tristan frowned, saying with a hint of helplessness, "Holly, I just saved—"
"Tristan Sterling!"
Holly cut him off sharply, her every word chilling to the bone. "Save whoever you want to save. I don’t care. It won’t matter soon, because I’ll have nothing to do with you anymore."
’Nothing to do with him anymore...’
Tristan’s expression darkened.
’What does she mean by saying that in front of Brandon?’
’Is she making some kind of veiled promise to him?’
After speaking, Holly turned to leave.
"Holly!"
Tristan grew furious. He let go of Vivian and was about to grab her.
Holly dodged him.
But then, her ankle twisted beneath her.
Seeing her about to fall, Tristan instinctively reached out to steady her.
But at that exact moment—
"Ah..."
A cry of pain suddenly came from Vivian behind him.
"Vivian!"
Tristan immediately spun around, rushing back to Vivian’s side to catch her as she swayed unsteadily.
Holly let out a cold laugh.
She could only watch as she fell toward the ground.
Fortunately, at the last second, Brandon Sterling caught her.
"Thank you, Brandon."
Holly’s eyes were red-rimmed as she thanked him from the bottom of her heart.
"Are you okay?"
Brandon’s words were a double entendre, his gentle tone laced with heartache.
He was asking about her emotional state as well as her physical condition.
Holly gave a bitter smile.
’What could possibly be wrong with me?’
’I’m not dead, after all.’
"Brandon, let’s go," Holly said hoarsely.
"Okay." Brandon nodded gently and helped her away.
Watching Holly leave with Brandon, Tristan’s expression turned impossibly grim.
He wanted to rush forward and drag Holly back, but Vivian was clinging to his waist, refusing to let go.
She trembled in his arms, murmuring over and over how cold she was...
...
「Hospital」
The river water had been freezing. Holly soon started sneezing nonstop, her forehead burning hot.
She had a fever.
Brandon had brought her directly to the hospital.
After a series of examinations, the doctor recommended she be admitted for two days.
「In the hospital room.」
"Thank you, Brandon. You’ve saved me again."
Holly said gratefully, half-reclining on the hospital bed, to Brandon, who was peeling an apple.
"Holly, you need to be more careful. It was sheer luck that I had just gotten back from a business trip. A friend asked me to meet up by the river, so I happened to see you were in danger. Otherwise..."
Brandon frowned, a hint of lingering fear in his voice.
"Okay, I’ll be more careful from now on." Holly nodded emphatically.
Handing her the peeled apple, Brandon advised her earnestly, "Tristan really was out of line this time, but I’m sure he didn’t mean it. Don’t be angry with him. Holly, couples need to communicate properly. Don’t let someone with ulterior motives take advantage of the situation."
This "someone with ulterior motives" was, of course, referring to Vivian Linton.
Holly lowered her gaze and smiled bitterly.
’Didn’t mean it?’
’Ha~’
’As far as I’m concerned, his indifference was the same as doing it on purpose.’
’When danger struck, he only had eyes for Vivian. It was so obvious. What was there to communicate?’
Holly looked at Brandon and sighed softly. "Brandon, Tristan is always targeting you, yet you still speak up for him?"
’He just got back from a business trip to Uldana. Has he already forgotten how Tristan targets him?’
But Brandon just smiled gently, a warm and pleasant expression that felt like a spring breeze.
"He’s not targeting me; he just has some misunderstandings about me. It’s okay. Time reveals a person’s heart. I’ll show him through my actions that we are family," he said with sincere emotion.
"Hah~"
The moment Brandon’s voice fell, a scornful laugh came from the doorway.
It was filled with thick sarcasm.
Holly and Brandon both turned their heads.
Tristan was leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, exuding a frosty air. There was no telling how long he had been watching them.
Brandon immediately stood up and walked toward Tristan. "Tristan, you’re just in time. I was just talking to Holly. You two should commu-"
But Tristan walked right past the approaching Brandon and went to the bedside, looking down at Holly.
"Tell him to get out."
His tone sounded calm, but it was filled with threat and warning.
"Tristan..." Brandon’s brow furrowed slightly.
But Tristan didn’t even spare him a glance.
Holly met Tristan’s gaze coldly, saying nothing.
The temperature in the room plummeted.
The atmosphere was oppressive, tense to the breaking point.
"Don’t make me say it a second time!"
Tristan’s expression was grim, the cold light in his eyes intensifying.
Holly finally parted her lips—
"Go!"
A single, sharp word, utterly devoid of warmth.
Brandon’s face stiffened, a flicker of hurt crossing his eyes.
Tristan was satisfied.
Turning his gaze, he shot Brandon a cold glance, his eyes filled with mockery.
Brandon suppressed the bitterness in his heart and forced a smile, saying to Holly, "Well, Holly, you get some rest—"
"You, get out!"
