Chapter 221 You Light up the Rest of My Life
His handsome face still showed traces of anger, with lines around his eyes and a tight jaw.
The decor in the room was all in bright red, except for the walls, which were white but covered with stickers about children. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a red reflection on Katniss even before she entered.
Bathed in this red light, her rosy lips appeared as if they could drip blood, and her fair cheeks and floral dress looked entirely flushed.
"Where did Mrs. Forbes get so many stickers?" Katniss wondered aloud.
In her memory, there were only two stickers at home when she was a kid, and she hadn't seen any since she grew up.
After Tristan came in, he opened the window, and the wind caught the colorful streamers tied to the ceiling, sending them fluttering down. One streamer ended up adorning Tristan's shoulder, while the other landed comically on Katniss's head.
Eventually, Tristan couldn't help himself and started to put away all the over-the-top decorations in the room. The bedspread, still an eyesore despite his efforts, presented a more significant challenge, so Tristan just gave up.
Katniss followed behind him, tidying up, occasionally glancing at his chiseled profile. Several times, she wanted to speak but didn't know what to say. It was his sad story, and she didn't want to bring it up. No matter how curious she was, she held it in.
After a while, he lifted the thin blanket and lay down on the bed with her for a nap, with her lying in the crook of his arm. She inhaled his clean, pleasant scent, a mix of pine and a faint hint of tobacco.
Suddenly, as if he remembered something, he moved her to the edge of the bed and pointed to the bedside table. "Grandma said there's a surprise here. It should be for you."
Katniss reached for the tightly closed drawer and hooked the pull ring, gently pulling it open, only to be met with a drawer full of condoms.
She quickly closed the drawer as if her hand had been burned and turned to lie flat.
Tristan chuckled lowly, pressed on top of her, and opened the drawer again, pulling out a small box from among the condoms. "Here it is."
He placed it on Katniss's chest. It was a jewelry box from a very expensive brand.
"This is too valuable." As far as she knew, even the cheapest one cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Tristan's grin turned mischievous as he held a condom between his fingers. He looked at her seriously, though amusement gleamed in his eyes, "It's not too valuable because you'll be using these with me in the future."
Katniss took the item from his hand and threw it back into the drawer. "Stop it."
He lowered his head, his nose touching hers, his gaze gradually softening, the deep look from the dinner table gone.
"Tristan, let me tell you about my childhood." She pulled him to sit up. They sat cross-legged, facing each other on the bed.
Her golden hair was a mess, and she looked at him seriously. "My mom divorced my dad because she thought he was poor, and she was already cheating with someone else."
Actually, Katniss's mom had remarried far away, and given her age at the time, she shouldn't have known these things. But her dad had told her everything.
Her mother's new husband, unable to have children of his own, had insisted she bring her son to live with them. Unfortunately, the man later died of a terminal illness, draining his savings on medical treatments before he passed.
Finally, Katniss's mom's life still wasn't easy, and Rupert, Katniss's brother, didn't fare well either, not even going to a proper college. Of course, she didn't have a great life either.
"Sophia and Matilda are the only bright spots in my life." When she finished speaking, she leaned into Tristan's arms, with him leaning against the headboard and her lying in his embrace.
His hand was around her waist, his fingertips gently rubbing a small patch of exposed skin.
The room fell silent. Her purpose in bringing up her past was clear. She wanted to know about his past, too. But for a long time, Tristan had no intention of speaking.
"They lit up the first half of my life, but you light up the second half." She added, thinking about how Sophia had sent her to college, helping her achieve success.
But Sophia's illness had plunged her into a crisis, and she couldn't imagine what would have happened if Adelaide hadn't appeared at that time.
If she hadn't gotten the money to save Sophia, the regret would have tormented her for a lifetime.
That sentence made Tristan's body stiffen, and a glimmer of light appeared in his usually calm eyes. He tightened his grip around her waist. She was a woman who made him want to cherish her.
Her biological parents hadn't given her the love and affection she craved.
"My experience has its fortunate aspects compared to yours, but also more regrettable ones. Your parents were cruel in their lack of love. My mother loved me very much, but Travis killed her." The last sentence seemed to take all his strength, and his body trembled slightly.
Katniss was startled and turned to hug him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder, unable to find words of comfort.
The sudden ringing of a phone interrupted them.
He let go of her, turned around, and picked up the phone. The voice came from the other side, "Mr. Tristan Forbes, please check the news. Mr. Travis Forbes is holding a press conference."
They were so close that Ryan didn't finish his sentence before Katniss opened her phone.
The news of Travis holding a press conference had already made the headlines, and she quickly found a live stream. In front of the camera, Travis sat upright with a serious expression. Even though he was the one holding the press conference, Ivy did all the talking. "Travis is soft-hearted. He could never really sever ties with Tristan. Blood is thicker than water between them."
The media's top priority was the Forbes family's movements, but they never dared report anything unless the Forbes family made a statement.
For example, everyone knew about the estrangement between Travis and Tristan, but the media didn't dare report it. The press conference drew a massive crowd of journalists, eager to witness Travis's next move. They pretended to have just learned about the severed relationship, asking some simple questions.
Realizing Ivy was easy to talk to, the journalists seized the opportunity, peppering her with one sharp question after another.
A female reporter raised her arm high to ask, "Sorry, Mrs. Forbes, may I ask a bold question? Is Miss Eudora beside you the wife you have groomed for Tristan? When will they get married?"
Once someone started, others quickly stood up to throw out more questions. "It's said that Mr. Forbes severed ties with Mr. Forbes because he was seeing someone. Are they reconciling because Mr. Forbes broke up with her, or is he going to marry Miss Eudora?"
This was essentially asking, in this confrontation, who between Tristan and Travis had taken a step back?
Ivy glanced at Eudora and replied softly, "My husband loves his daughter. He raised Eudora and can't bear to see her get married. Since she and Tristan are not meant to be, we won't force it. Many excellent girls like Tristan, and we are confident he'll find someone who's a great fit for him."
After all, Eudora was just someone raised in the Forbes family. And there were countless heiresses in high society.
This answer was clever, indicating that they wouldn't force Tristan to marry Eudora.
But she didn't mention Katniss at all.
Those high-society families that used to avoid the Forbes family immediately had ideas. This was essentially announcing to everyone: Travis no longer controlled Tristan's marriage, the father-son conflict was over, and those women who liked Tristan could go for it!
Tristan took the phone from her hand and turned it off, a storm brewing in his usually calm eyes.
"I knew he had no good intentions," he said softly, getting out of bed and straightening his disheveled clothes.
Katniss slid off the opposite side, smoothing the thin blanket into place, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on her. Travis's motives were clear—he was hoping to use others to extricate her from Tristan's life.
Countless women liked Tristan. Previously, Eudora was their obstacle. With Travis's support, no one dared to make a move. Now, Katniss had taken Eudora's place, and everyone would come after her.
The heiresses of high society quickly learned of this news, and those who had long set their sights on Tristan were ecstatic. Some families started planning to marry their daughters to him.
As September approached, the night wind was very cool, lowering the indoor temperature.
Eudora stood in front of the desk, holding a pen and pondering for a long time before gradually writing a sentence on the paper. [To instigate from behind the scenes].
"Katniss, you've made me put in so much effort, but in the end, you probably can't escape this move, the most effective one," Eudora said.
She let the ink dry, then tied the paper with a red string and placed it in the safe, just like last time.
In her idle moments, she would wonder what Adelaide and Katniss were hiding from Tristan. But before she could figure it out, she received a call from Michael.
It was already one o'clock in the morning, and the phone kept ringing persistently, indicating something urgent.
She swiped the screen to answer, and it was noisy on the other end. It wasn't Michael speaking, but a waiter. "Hello, Miss Savoy. Mr. Astor has had too much to drink and is causing a scene, insisting on seeing you. Could you please come over?"
It sounded like a bar or a club. Eudora pondered for a moment, thinking Michael was still useful, "Take good care of him, I'll be right there."
The waiter gave the location, a club they often frequented.
Half an hour later, Eudora arrived at the third-floor private room of the club.
The room was dimly lit, and Michael was sitting on the floor, holding an almost empty bottle of liquor. This was the first time Eudora had seen Michael since returning from Nightfall City.
Bella had been locked up, and even though Michael had quickly mobilized his people, he was still a step behind Tristan. No visits were allowed, and she was sentenced to life imprisonment in a mental hospital.
At that moment, Michael was in despair.
He had encouraged Tristan and Bella to be together largely because he didn't want Tristan to marry Eudora. The remaining reason was his love for Bella, knowing she liked Tristan. So he tried his best to match them, but in the end, he harmed Bella.
He had doted on Bella since she was a child, indulging her for over twenty years!
Eleanor cried every day at home, and Michael had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
This afternoon, after watching Travis's press conference, he felt a bit of comfort. At least Eudora wouldn't have to marry Tristan.
He threw away the bottle and raised his hand towards Eudora, "Eudora, come here and let me hold you, okay?"
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