Tristan Sterling glanced at Holly Sinclair, whose face was expressionless.

When he saw that she wasn’t asking for his help, a flicker of displeasure crossed his eyes.

’What a stubborn little thing.’

"Vivian, did Holly really frame you?" Tristan Sterling asked. His jet-black eyes were like pools of ink, their depths unreadable.

His gaze was overwhelming.

"I..." Vivian Linton was at a loss, her eyes welling up with tears.

She was truly panicking.

In the past, he had always protected her, giving her the confidence to lie with a straight face.

But today, he was actually questioning her himself...

’What should I do?’

"You know my principles." Tristan Sterling’s eyes were cold and dark, and an icy aura emanated from him.

He couldn’t stand it when people played dirty tricks right under his nose.

"Tristan, I... I didn’t..." Vivian Linton burst into tears, which streamed down her face.

She was trying to get away with it by playing the victim.

But the man’s face only grew darker.

"Connor Grant."

Tristan Sterling said coldly.

Immediately, Connor Grant pushed a male waiter into the room.

When Vivian Linton saw the waiter, her face turned ashen.

"Speak! Who did you give the flower to?"

Connor Grant barked at the male waiter.

The male waiter was frightened by the scene before him and timidly looked around.

His gaze finally landed on Vivian Linton.

Frightened, Vivian Linton instinctively hid behind Tristan Sterling.

First, she was hoping he would protect her.

Second, it was a subtle warning to the waiter, an insinuation that she was Tristan’s woman and he’d better not say the wrong thing.

"It was this young lady."

But to her horror, the waiter still pointed his finger at her.

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

Vivian Linton shouted, hastily looking at Tristan Sterling. "Tristan, he’s making baseless accusations! It wasn’t me!"

"I’m not talking nonsense! It was you! You gave me two hundred bucks to bring you a lily. If it’s such a big deal, I don’t want the money, you can have it back—"

The waiter said as he pulled the money from his pocket.

"Shut up!"

Vivian Linton broke down and rushed forward to hit the waiter.

She was stopped halfway by Evelyn Morgan’s assistant.

SLAP! SLAP!

Evelyn Morgan raised her hand and landed two vicious slaps across Vivian Linton’s face.

"Ah!"

Vivian Linton screamed, stumbling back two steps from the force of the blows.

Tristan Sterling’s eyes darkened slightly.

But he didn’t say a word to defend her.

’This time, Vivian was truly in the wrong.’

’When you do something wrong, you deserve to be punished.’

"Who gave you the gall to scheme against me!"

A murderous glint appeared in Evelyn Morgan’s eyes, and her voice was as cold as if it had come from Hell.

Meeting Evelyn Morgan’s vicious gaze, Vivian Linton felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing her throat, and for a moment, she didn’t even dare to argue.

The next second, Evelyn Morgan turned and swung her hand at Holly Sinclair.

Holly Sinclair was caught off guard, not expecting Evelyn Morgan to strike her.

She had no time to dodge.

She could only watch helplessly as Evelyn Morgan’s perfectly manicured hand flew toward her face.

She was so startled she instinctively shut her eyes.

However, the expected pain never came.

"Evelyn!"

Along with Tristan Sterling’s low, cold cry, Evelyn’s hand was caught in midair by him.

Evelyn Morgan’s face instantly darkened. "You’re protecting her?"

’Are the people around him so... tainted?’

She had been quite pleased moments ago when he hadn’t protected Vivian Linton from her slap.

’I can’t believe he’s protecting this Sinclair woman!’

’What’s their relationship?’

’Does he like Holly Sinclair?’

’But isn’t Vivian Linton his woman?’

Evelyn Morgan had been classmates with Tristan Sterling and had always had a secret crush on him.

Her trip to Mistcroft this time was ostensibly for a blind date, but in reality, she had come for him.

"This isn’t Oakhaven," Tristan Sterling said lightly.

The subtext was: this was not a place where she could do as she pleased.

"She’s the reason I have nothing to wear tonight. Doesn’t she deserve a slap?"

Evelyn Morgan’s tone softened. Though still displeased, it now held a hint of a playful pout.

Even though she was the great Miss Morgan of Oakhaven, she had no choice but to rein in her arrogant and willful nature in front of Tristan Sterling.

In Oakhaven, the Morgan Family’s power was absolute.

But in Mistcroft, it was the Sterling Family that called the shots.

Holly Sinclair was a little surprised to see Tristan Sterling actually defend her.

But she didn’t want his help!

"Miss Morgan, it was just an accident," Holly Sinclair said, looking at Evelyn Morgan.

"I don’t care!"

Evelyn Morgan shot her a fierce glare. "Even if it was an accident, it was due to your negligence! You can’t escape the blame!"

"..." Holly Sinclair was speechless.

’This Miss Morgan is just as arrogant, domineering, and unreasonable as the rumors say.’

But in the current situation, it wasn’t wise for her to argue.

"I’m deeply sorry for the unpleasantness I’ve caused you, Miss Morgan." Holly Sinclair lowered her eyes and offered a half-hearted apology.

Evelyn Morgan looked at Holly Sinclair coldly.

’A huge part of her didn’t want to let her off the hook.’

’But she had already apologized. If I insist on making things difficult, my image in Tristan’s eyes will probably take a major hit.’

’The loss would outweigh the gain.’

’Forget it. An insignificant wretch isn’t worth the trouble of stooping to her level.’

...

Holly Sinclair came out of the dressing room.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

’Sonia Sutton was right. This Miss Morgan is impossible to work for.’

’This aggravation wasn’t worth the paycheck.’

’I’ll talk to Sonia Sutton in a bit and ask her to smooth things over. I’m quitting this job with Evelyn Morgan.’

’No matter how arrogant Evelyn Morgan is, surely she wouldn’t disrespect Sonia.’

’At the end of the day, I’m the biggest victim in this whole affair.’

’All that work for nothing.’

’What bad luck!’

’So infuriating!’

Holly Sinclair cursed viciously in her mind.

The thought had barely faded when someone grabbed her wrist.

"Holly."

"Let go!"

Holly Sinclair reflexively swung her arm.

Tristan Sterling reacted quickly, leaning his head back slightly.

He almost got slapped.

"What kind of attitude is that?" Tristan’s brow furrowed, his relatively mild expression instantly turning ice-cold.

"What kind of attitude do you want?" she retorted, her face blank.

"Have you already forgotten that I just helped you out of a jam?"

Tristan Sterling felt that the woman before him was truly ungrateful. It was one thing not to get a word of thanks for helping her, but for her to give him such an attitude was another.

Holly Sinclair let out a bitter laugh. "Helped me out? If it weren’t for Vivian Linton, would Miss Morgan be giving me a hard time?"

"Don’t confuse the two!" Tristan Sterling said, displeased.

"Tristan Sterling, were you really helping me? You were just sticking to your own principles. And for that, you expect me to be eternally grateful?" Holly Sinclair retorted, every word dripping with sarcasm.

"Is that really what you think?" The anger in his eyes intensified.

’Before, she used to think the world of me, and now I’m nothing?’

’No matter what I do, she’s going to twist it with malicious intent?’

"Yes!"

Holly Sinclair nodded firmly without the slightest hesitation.

After speaking, she turned and walked away.

Tristan Sterling’s face was thunderous.

...

「Inside the car.」

The air was thick with tension.

Vivian Linton was weeping, her face streaked with tears.

Her exquisite makeup was a mess, ruined by the tears. Her eyes were red and swollen—a truly pitiable sight.

They were almost at her place, but the man beside her remained silent, his face grim. Vivian Linton felt a profound sense of unease.

She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

"Tristan..."

"Why did you do it?"