Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Holly, Do You Like Me?
But when the woman spoke, Tristan Sterling’s heart sank.
It wasn’t Holly Sinclair.
It was Vivian Linton.
"What are you doing up here?" Tristan Sterling paused while drying his hair, his sharp brows furrowing slightly.
"Tristan..."
Vivian Linton’s face was flushed, her eyes smoldered, and her sweet, delicate voice sounded incredibly seductive.
She wore a tight red dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure, exuding an air of captivating, multifaceted charm.
This was her battle attire, something she had put on specially for him.
Twenty minutes ago, she had personally witnessed the scene of Tristan pinning Holly Sinclair against his desk.
He had been kissing Holly ferociously, as if he wanted to devour her whole.
The desire in his eyes had pierced her heart.
’Why?’
’Why could he feel such intense desire for that bitch, Holly, yet be so stingy as to not even grant her a kiss?’
’No!’
’She didn’t believe it!’
’She refused to believe that her beauty and figure could lose to Holly Sinclair.’
So, after seeing Holly leave, she had immediately changed into this battle attire.
’Tristan must be suffering right now.’
’She had seen it. His physical reaction had been strong.’
’For a man, being stopped at a critical moment was an especially torturous experience.’
’Therefore, as long as she appeared before him now, he would definitely take her without hesitation.’
’She was very confident!’
Vivian Linton gazed at the man before her, at his radiating raw sex appeal, and her heart pounded like a frightened deer.
THUMP-THUMP. It beat wildly, refusing to stop.
"Tristan," she called out coquettishly, her body going limp as if boneless as she leaned toward his chest.
"Vivian!"
Tristan Sterling’s brows knitted tightly. He reached out and held her by the shoulders, keeping her from getting any closer, maintaining a safe distance.
Seeing this, Vivian Linton’s eyes immediately reddened. She looked at him pitifully. "Tristan, I love you so much. Don’t reject me, okay...?"
Her declaration of love was so blatant.
And his rejection was just as blatant.
Vivian Linton felt as if her face was being ground into the floor.
"Have you been drinking?" Tristan Sterling’s sharp gaze landed on Vivian Linton’s unnaturally flushed face.
His expression was deep and inscrutable.
"Just a little..." Vivian Linton’s voice trembled with a sob.
She had done it on purpose.
She needed the alcohol for courage.
After all, she had to maintain her persona of being pure and innocent in front of him.
"I’ll take you home," Tristan Sterling said, his cool tone tinged with a hint of gentleness.
"No!"
Vivian Linton cried out, throwing herself into his arms. "I don’t want to go back! Tristan, I want to stay with you—"
"Vivian! Stop fooling around!"
The man’s voice was deep and stern as he pushed her an arm’s length away, his handsome face taking on a severe look.
Vivian Linton flinched in fear, her eyes instantly welling with tears.
"I’m not fooling around..." she said through her tears, her crying a mixture of grievance and restraint.
A wave of irritation washed over Tristan Sterling.
He pressed his lips together and said nothing.
"Why? Tristan, you know how much I love you... Why...?"
Vivian Linton broke down, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.
"Vivian, I’m a married man!"
Tristan Sterling’s expression was grave, his sharp gaze carrying a clear warning.
"I don’t mind—"
"I do!"
Vivian Linton froze on the spot.
She never imagined that even dressed like this, and being so forward, she still couldn’t win him over.
’Is it that he has such strong principles?’
’Or does he not have the slightest interest in me?’
’No!’
’He loves me!’
’How could he possibly not be interested in me?!’
’It’s because he’s not divorced yet. He doesn’t want to wrong me. He doesn’t want to become a man who betrays his marriage, like his father.’
Perhaps realizing his tone had been too harsh, Tristan Sterling’s expression softened. He gestured toward the nearby bed with his chin and said, "You’re drunk. Get some rest here. I have a meeting to attend."
After speaking, he put on his jacket and strode away.
Tristan Sterling left without a hint of reluctance, not even glancing back.
He was indeed in a state of discomfort.
If it had been Holly Sinclair standing in the lounge right now, he would have undoubtedly unleashed his inner beast.
But faced with Vivian’s blatant advances, he felt nothing.
’Just why is that?’
’Is it really just because of morals?’
He didn’t know either.
"Tristan, Tristan..."
Vivian Linton called out mournfully behind him, but she didn’t dare to go and stop him.
The moment the man’s figure disappeared from view, the vulnerability on Vivian Linton’s face vanished.
In its place was a terrifying, ferocious expression.
In her heart, her hatred for Holly Sinclair reached its peak.
’Bitch!!’
’She’s occupied the position of Mrs. Sterling for so many years and still refuses to let go!’
’On one hand, she keeps saying she wants a divorce from Tristan.’
’On the other, she keeps showing up in front of him, playing hard to get.’
’Such a hypocrite!’
’Absolutely disgusting!!’
...
Holly Sinclair was just getting out of her car with a bag of groceries when she received a photo from Vivian Linton.
She thought it was a work message and opened the image without looking closely.
It was a photograph.
The background was the lounge in Tristan Sterling’s office.
The picture showed Vivian Linton in a sexy red dress, striking a seductive pose on Tristan Sterling’s bed.
The covers were a mess.
Vivian Linton looked coy, the hair on her forehead was damp with sweat, and her neck and shoulders were covered in red marks...
It looked like she had just gone through a passionate, satisfying battle.
A sharp pain shot through Holly Sinclair’s heart.
It felt as if it had been shattered by a punch.
In her daze, the things in her hand fell to the ground.
CRASH.
The soy sauce bottle had shattered.
Suppressing the bitter sting in her eyes, she quickly crouched down to pick up the pieces.
"Be careful."
A large hand gently took hold of her wrist.
She looked up and met a pair of dark eyes, full of gentleness and a smiling warmth.
Holly Sinclair frowned. "Brandon, what are you...?"
’Doing downstairs from my apartment?’
Brandon Sterling picked up the broken soy sauce bottle, threw it into a nearby trash can, and then naturally took the other grocery bag from her hand.
"I heard you went to see Tristan."
He looked at her with gentle eyes, his words filled with obvious concern and worry.
The light in Holly Sinclair’s eyes dimmed.
With a bitter smile, she apologized, "I’m sorry, Brandon..."
’I’m so useless. I couldn’t help at all.’
"I told you it has nothing to do with you."
Brandon Sterling seemed to have expected this outcome, so he wasn’t surprised.
He even curled his lips into a smile, looking unconcerned as he affectionately ruffled her hair. "Come on, I’ll walk you home."
With that, he took the lead and started walking toward her apartment building.
"Brandon."
Holly Sinclair stood still and suddenly called out.
"Hm?" Brandon Sterling turned back and walked over to her. "What’s wrong?"
Holly Sinclair took the bag back from his hand and said, "I can do it myself."
Her tone was cool and held a double meaning.
The bag, she could carry it herself.
Her divorce from Tristan Sterling, she could also handle it herself.
’She had thought it over.’
’She didn’t want to drag him into it.’
’That psycho Tristan was the type who could do whatever he wanted while forbidding others from doing the same.’
’He had already used despicable means to steal Brandon’s project; who knew what other ruthless tricks he had in store for him.’
Brandon Sterling understood Holly Sinclair’s meaning and looked at her deeply.
Suddenly, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Brandon, what are you laughing at?" Holly Sinclair asked, confused.
Brandon Sterling pressed his lips together, suppressing his laughter. Then, he put on a serious face and asked, "Holly, do you like me? As in, romantically."
