But Holly Sinclair didn’t even spare him a glance, her attention completely focused on Brandon Sterling.

"Brandon, are you okay? Does it hurt?"

She rushed to Brandon’s side, asking anxiously, her eyes red with worry.

"I’m... I’m fine..."

Brandon Sterling shook his head and forced a smile. With her help, he struggled to his feet.

Tristan Sterling stared daggers at Holly Sinclair.

After she had smashed his head open and left him bleeding, she was now fawning over another man.

Rage burned in his eyes.

Blood trickled down his cheek. He didn’t wipe it away, simply letting the drops slide past his jaw and drip onto the floor, one by one.

’He refused to believe she couldn’t see it!’

’She was deeply in love with him. It was impossible for her to see this and remain indifferent.’

He clearly remembered a time, right after they got married, when he’d accidentally scraped the back of his hand. The moment she saw it, her eyes had filled with tears of distress.

She had rushed to apply medicine, gently blowing on his hand as she did.

But back then, he hadn’t appreciated it.

He had even found her concern annoying.

Tristan Sterling waited for Holly to regret attacking him, but she never once looked his way.

"Brandon, I’ll take you back to your room."

Holly said softly, supporting Brandon, her eyes filled with guilt.

She knew she was the main reason Tristan had gone berserk.

’She wouldn’t flatter herself by thinking he was jealous.’

’She knew his almost psychopathic possessiveness all too well.’

’He didn’t love her, but he considered her his property and would never allow her to get close to another man.’

"Okay," Brandon Sterling nodded.

The two of them turned to leave.

His face dark, Tristan Sterling stepped forward to grab Holly.

"Holly—"

SLAP!

Before he could finish, she smacked him hard across the face.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the air, and the atmosphere instantly froze.

She had used all her strength, and her own palm was numb from the impact.

Holly didn’t scream or curse hysterically. She simply stared at him with a gaze colder than he had ever seen before.

Tristan Sterling pushed his tongue against the inside of his stinging cheek, his expression as dark as it could possibly get.

Brandon Sterling, meanwhile, stared at Holly in astonishment.

He probably hadn’t expected her to strike Tristan in public.

What shocked him even more, however, was that after hitting Tristan, Holly immediately pulled out her phone and decisively dialed three numbers.

"Hello, police? I’d like to report a crime. This is XX General Hospital. Someone is intentionally assaulting people!"

She finished speaking calmly, her decisive tone unwavering.

Tristan Sterling gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw twitching. A storm was brewing in his eyes.

"Holly! Don’t do this. I’m sure Tristan didn’t mean it," Brandon Sterling pleaded.

"Brandon, you’re considering your family ties, but did he?" Holly said coolly.

"Holly, it’s not like that..."

"He’s not worth it!" Holly cut in.

Tristan Sterling’s face turned to stone.

’She said he wasn’t worth it...’

’Not worth what?’

’Not worth her love anymore?’

’Is that why she turned around and transferred her love for him to Brandon Sterling?’

The police station was just a street away. The officers arrived within minutes.

Tristan Sterling was arrested for injuring Brandon Sterling.

Holly Sinclair was arrested along with him for injuring Tristan Sterling.

Both were taken to the police station.

...

「An hour later.」

Holly Sinclair walked out of the police station after giving her statement.

She had wanted to press charges against Tristan Sterling for intentional assault.

But Brandon had told the police he didn’t want to pursue the matter, so both she and Tristan were allowed to go home after giving their statements.

Holly understood Brandon’s decision.

Brandon was already walking on thin ice in the Sterling family. If he had pressed charges against Tristan today, he would have undoubtedly angered their grandfather and Stella Grayson.

His situation would become even more difficult then.

The matter could only end here.

Fortunately, since she had cracked Tristan Sterling’s head open, he hadn’t gotten off lightly either.

Just as Holly walked out of the police station, she saw a familiar, slender figure hurrying toward the entrance.

It was Vivian Linton.

An hour ago, she had intentionally fallen out of bed to stop Tristan from chasing after Holly.

She had been so pleased with herself at the time, thinking she had successfully kept him by her side.

She never imagined that after calling for a doctor, he would leave in a hurry without a second glance back.

She was furious.

After waiting a long time for Tristan to return, she decided to go look for him. When she reached the nurses’ station, she overheard a few young nurses gossiping.

Only then did she learn that that bitch Holly had actually injured Tristan!

So she had rushed to the police station.

Seeing Holly walk out completely unscathed, Vivian Linton’s anger flared. She rushed forward, screaming a curse as she raised her hand—

"Holly, you bitch! How dare you hurt Tristan—"

SLAP!

Holly had anticipated her move. Giving her no room to act, she deflected Vivian’s raised arm and slapped her across the face in one smooth motion.

Vivian Linton hadn’t expected Holly to react so quickly and was stunned by the blow.

Her cheek stinging, she glared with pure fury, ready to lunge at Holly. "Holly, you—"

"Vivian!"

A deep, cold voice cut through the air.

It was Tristan Sterling, just walking out of the station.

"Tristan!"

Vivian Linton’s eyes immediately filled with tears as she hurried toward him. Seeing the dried bloodstains on his collar, she cried out, "Tristan, are you all right? Oh my god, you lost so much blood!"

"I’m fine."

Tristan Sterling’s words were curt, but his gaze was fixed on Holly’s face.

Holly ignored him and made to leave.

But an indignant Vivian Linton blocked her path.

"Holly, how can you be so cruel? You and Tristan were married, after all. How could you strike him so violently?!" Vivian Linton glared at Holly, her voice full of resentful condemnation.

’She was putting on a show.’

’She had to make Tristan understand just how much she loved him.’

’Holly hurt him, but she ached for him.’

’With that contrast, Tristan would see who in this world was truly the best for him.’

Holly said nothing, just stared coldly at Vivian Linton.

Vivian Linton’s breath caught in her throat, intimidated by Holly’s powerful presence.

For some reason, she didn’t dare to continue her provocation.

But she couldn’t let it go.

Turning, she clung to Tristan Sterling’s arm, looking utterly heartbroken. Her eyes red, she choked out, "Tristan, look! Holly has no remorse at all! We can’t just let this go. Let’s go get your injuries documented right now—"

"You go back first."

But before she could finish, Tristan Sterling cut her off coolly.

Vivian Linton’s face stiffened.

It took her a long moment to realize she hadn’t misheard. "Tristan?" she asked in disbelief.

’Holly injured him this badly, and he was still going to let her off?’

Tristan Sterling glanced at Connor Grant, who was standing nearby.

"Miss Linton."

Connor Grant immediately stepped forward and made a "this way, please" gesture to Vivian Linton.

Vivian Linton nearly ground her teeth to dust.

But Tristan’s expression was grim, and she didn’t dare say anything more.

She could only leave, filled with resentment and jealousy.

...

Holly walked toward the curb.

The hand she raised to hail a taxi was seized by a large one—

"I need to talk to you!"

Tristan Sterling’s face was serious. Giving her no chance to refuse, he pulled her along.

Being in the early stages of pregnancy, Holly was afraid of risking the baby, so she didn’t dare struggle.

A few minutes later, Holly was in Tristan Sterling’s car.

"The car accident I was in five years ago... do you know who was behind it?"