The man’s voice was grim, yet thick with implication.

Holly Sinclair got the message.

She backed down.

She quickly turned and buried her face back in the pillow.

She gritted her teeth, cursing silently.

’Tristan Sterling, you bastard!’

’You’re a complete and utter scumbag!!’

Right in the middle of her silent tirade, Tristan Sterling’s phone suddenly rang.

Holly froze.

She jerked her foot back.

Ha.

’It must be his one true love again, acting like she’s dying just to see him.’

She sat up, her eyes filled with scorn as she looked at him.

Tristan Sterling glanced at his phone, and as if he knew what she was thinking, put the call on speaker.

"Tristan."

"Mom."

"Come home for dinner tomorrow night. Bring Holly Sinclair."

"Okay."

It was actually a call from Stella Grayson.

The mother and son were brief and to the point; the call was over in two sentences.

"You heard her." Tristan Sterling slipped the phone back into his pocket and looked at Holly Sinclair.

"I’m busy," she refused outright.

’I don’t want to go back there just to be miserable.’

Releasing her foot, he stood up. "You can work if you want, but only on the condition that you play your part as Mrs. Sterling. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

"What do you think?"

His eyes were cold as he answered her question with one of his own.

A chill ran through Holly Sinclair’s heart.

’He means that if I don’t go to the family estate for dinner, he’ll suppress my studio...’

’Or worse, he’ll make it impossible for me to survive in the cheongsam world.’

’He’s ruthless!’

’He always knows exactly how to squeeze me where it hurts.’

’Leaving me unable to resist.’

...

I have to say, Tristan Sterling’s medicine was truly amazing.

In just two or three short hours, Holly Sinclair’s foot could already move freely.

As night fell, Holly Sinclair received a call from Sonia Sutton.

She wanted to invite her to dinner.

Holly Sinclair arrived on time.

As she walked out of the hotel’s main entrance, she saw a young girl being held by the hair, cursed at, and scratched by a middle-aged woman.

Her clothes were nearly torn completely off.

Taking a closer look, she saw that the girl being beaten was the same waitress who had framed her that afternoon.

"You slut! How dare you seduce my husband! Watch me strip you naked and parade you through the streets today!!"

"Ah... help me! I won’t do it again, I’ll never do it again..."

Hearing this, Holly Sinclair roughly understood what was happening.

’This girl has no morals. Not only does she frame innocent people, but her private life is a mess, too.’

Just then, two waiters nearby were whispering to each other—

"She must have been set up, right? She just got fired, and now she’s getting beaten up. Did she offend someone important recently?"

"Who knows? Anyway, after something like this, she can forget about making a living around here anymore."

Holly Sinclair didn’t listen any further and walked away.

She reached the restaurant and was led by a waiter to the private room Sonia Sutton had booked.

When she went inside, Holly Sinclair’s expression changed slightly.

Tristan Sterling, Vivian Linton, and Megan Grayson were also there.

Seeing Holly Sinclair arrive, Sonia Sutton immediately stood up. "Miss Sinclair, I hope you don’t mind?"

Sonia Sutton had witnessed the conflict between Holly Sinclair and Vivian Linton that afternoon.

So she had called her younger brother, Caleb Sutton, and learned about the love triangle between Holly Sinclair, Tristan Sterling, and Vivian Linton.

"I don’t mind." Holly Sinclair smiled and shook her head.

’I’m just a guest. What right do I have to mind?’

"Miss Sinclair, thank you for saving me today, and for helping me expose Kiera Jacobs’s true colors."

Sonia Sutton pulled Holly Sinclair to sit beside her, thanking her sincerely.

"You’re too kind, Miss Sutton. I just happened to see it, that’s all," Holly Sinclair said.

Seeing how polite Sonia Sutton was to Holly Sinclair, neither Vivian Linton nor Megan Grayson looked pleased.

"We were best friends for over a decade. I treated her with all my heart, but I never thought she’d not only sleep with my man but also try to kill me!"

Thinking of everything she had uncovered, Sonia Sutton was filled with anger and regret, speaking through gritted teeth.

At these words, Vivian Linton’s expression changed abruptly. "Miss Sutton, then your wedding gown..."

If Kiera Jacobs had gotten together with Sonia Sutton’s fiancé, did that mean the wedding was off?

Vivian Linton was worried the deal would fall through.

"As planned."

Seeing through her thoughts, a silent, cold smile touched Sonia Sutton’s lips as she coolly uttered those two words.

Vivian Linton’s heart settled upon hearing that.

’That makes sense.’

’A business alliance marriage concerns the interests of two families. How could it be canceled over something as trivial as a man who can’t control his third leg?’

"Understood."

Vivian Linton’s face bloomed into a smile as she confidently promised, "Miss Sutton, rest assured, I will definitely design a main wedding gown that will satisfy you."

"Mm."

Sonia Sutton gave a noncommittal response.

Vivian Linton couldn’t contain her delight, shooting Holly Sinclair a victorious smile.

Her gaze seemed to say—

’Holly Sinclair, did you think you could snatch this deal from me just by risking your life to save Sonia Sutton?’

’Dream on!’

’I have Tristan behind me. Even if you throw away your worthless life, you can’t ever hope to beat me!’

Holly Sinclair ignored Vivian Linton’s provocation.

However, Vivian Linton’s happiness lasted less than ten seconds before she heard Sonia Sutton say enthusiastically to Holly Sinclair—

"Miss Sinclair, in two months, the Sutton Group will be hosting an international cheongsam exhibition. Would your company, SH, be interested?"

"Yes!"

Holly Sinclair’s eyes lit up, and she nodded without hesitation.

Her joy was written all over her face.

This international cheongsam exhibition was incredibly prestigious.

Every cheongsam designer longed for their work to be featured at this exhibition.

If a piece could stand out at the exhibition, the designer’s future would be boundless.

"Good—"

"Miss Sutton!"

Before Sonia Sutton could finish, she was anxiously interrupted by Vivian Linton.

"Hm?" Sonia Sutton raised an eyebrow, looking at Vivian Linton in confusion.

"This... Holly’s studio... it’s probably not qualified, is it..." Vivian Linton sneered.

’She was going mad with jealousy.’

’Why should she!’

’Why should that bitch Holly Sinclair get to one-up me again?’

’I’m just designing one main wedding gown, but Holly gets to be in an international cheongsam exhibition.’

Vivian Linton suddenly felt that her own deal wasn’t so great anymore.

A single wedding gown was nothing compared to an international cheongsam exhibition.

"That’s right, Sonia. Holly Sinclair’s studio is old and dilapidated. How could it possibly be part of your cheongsam exhibition? Besides, Holly can’t even design. Don’t let her fool you."

Megan Grayson chimed in, doing her best to belittle Holly Sinclair, unable to stand seeing her succeed.

"The cheongsam exhibition is hosted by my Sutton Group. I say who’s qualified, and that’s who’s qualified!"

But to their surprise, Sonia Sutton showed Vivian Linton and Megan Grayson no courtesy at all, speaking coldly.

Then she shot a glance at Megan Grayson. "And Miss Grayson, I’m not that familiar with you."

"Sonia..." Megan Grayson’s mouth twitched, her face a mask of embarrassment.

Sonia Sutton ignored her and turned to Holly Sinclair. "As for the specifics, let’s schedule a time to talk properly another day."

"Okay!" Holly Sinclair nodded vigorously.

Seeing Sonia Sutton and Holly Sinclair chatting so happily, Vivian Linton and Megan Grayson simultaneously glanced at Tristan Sterling.

They were hoping he would say something.

But he acted as if he were deaf and mute, neither asking nor commenting, showing no stance.

Vivian Linton clenched her fists so tightly her nails nearly broke the skin of her palms.

Looking at Holly Sinclair’s happy expression, her hatred reached its peak.

’You want to be in the cheongsam exhibition?’

’In your dreams, Holly Sinclair!’

’Just you wait!’

’I will never let you appear at that cheongsam exhibition!’