CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 60: A MONUMENTAL "MISUNDERSTANDING" (PART 1)

The car door was respectfully opened by the driver, revealing a pair of shiny Oxford leather shoes.

The next second, Blake Sinclair’s tall figure appeared in everyone’s view.

He wore a black tailored suit that exuded a heavy sense of oppression with every step he took.

"Blake, Blake Sinclair?"

Someone gasped, rubbing their eyes in disbelief.

This was a major figure in Beldon, someone who couldn’t be invited to ordinary banquets. How could he suddenly appear at their school celebration?

There was no mention of this in the program.

A few people looked at Blake Sinclair, who stood in the backlight at the bottom of the stairs, his expression indifferent, unlike the reputed courteous and polished gentleman of the Sinclair Family.

A few quickly reacted, trying to seize the opportunity to greet him and forge a connection.

But Blake Sinclair didn’t spare even a glance at them; he strode through the crowd directly towards Holly Crowe.

Reaching Holly’s side, he naturally tidied her wind-ruffled hair with an intimate gesture, "Didn’t I tell you to wait for me inside?"

Holly was stunned.

She hadn’t expected Blake Sinclair to appear here, let alone publicly disclose their relationship.

Blake Sinclair put an arm around her shoulder, his gaze cold as he swept the crowd, "Let me introduce myself, I am Blake Sinclair, also Holly Crowe’s... husband."

The last two words were especially emphasized.

Wherever his gaze landed, those who had been gossiping around Holly instantly turned pale! Especially those who had been the most vocal lowered their heads, wishing they could vanish on the spot.

Blake Sinclair’s gaze fixed on the man at the front, "I heard, I don’t deserve to be on the stage?"

The man, feeling his legs go weak under Blake’s stare, almost knelt down, "President Sinclair, it’s all a misunderstanding... we didn’t know Holly’s husband was you..."

"Misunderstanding?" Blake Sinclair sneered.

No one dared to respond.

Blake Sinclair extended his hand to naturally pull Holly closer, "Beldon’s social circle is small; if you don’t know the rules, then there’s no need to stay."

Holly was sheltered in his embrace, her nose surrounded by the crisp scent of cedar from him.

She slightly raised her head and met his downward gaze.

She saw the words "protective" in his eyes.

Blake Sinclair gave Holly a reassuring look, then turned to the group who had been boasting, "From today, all Sinclair Group affiliated industries in Beldon will never accommodate you again."

As soon as he finished speaking, the few individuals lost all color in their faces.

The bystanders who had been watching the spectacle quietly stepped aside, afraid of being involved.

It was over!

They had landed on the Sinclair Group’s blacklist?

Being blacklisted by the Sinclair Group equaled being ousted from Beldon’s high society.

This meant they no longer had any opportunity for success in Beldon, and no one would dare to collaborate with them again.

Their lives were over!

Having said this, Blake Sinclair took Holly’s hand, his tone softening slightly, "Let’s go home."

The few people realized belatedly and wanted to plead, but were stopped by the nearby bodyguards, watching helplessly as their last hope vanished.

...

In the back seat of the Maybach.

Holly sneaked a glance at the man beside her,

He leaned against the seat back, long legs crossed, holding a phone, looking at something unknown.

Since getting in the car, Holly had felt something was off with Blake Sinclair, the pressure around him seemed to have dropped several degrees.

Even the driver in the front seat sensed it, tactfully lowering the volume of the music and breathing several degrees lower.

Holly instinctively bit her lip; was it because he had to stand up for her publicly revealing their relationship?

Was he angry about that?

But Holly recalled the day they got their marriage certificate, Blake Sinclair’s social media post, as if he wasn’t bothered by the public disclosure.

Then what exactly was he angry about?

Holly wanted to ask why he was upset, wanted to ask how he managed to come back early, but the words got caught in her throat.

She looked at Blake Sinclair’s stern profile, sighed silently, and turned to look out the window.

The neon lights outside swiftly retreated past.

Suddenly Holly felt her eyes heat up, and the next second, uncontrollable tears welled up.

Oh no, she forgot to take the hangover medicine.

She had an embarrassing little quirk; others were allergic, vomit, or turn red after drinking, but she would uncontrollably cry.

In previous years, she would take hangover medicine to cope with social occasions, but this time she forgot.

Panic rose in Holly’s heart, and she quickly raised her hand to wipe it away.

She didn’t want Blake Sinclair to see her like this, so she quickly turned her head further, almost pressing against the car window, her shoulders trembling slightly as she tried to hold back her tears.

But the more she restrained herself, the more fiercely the tears flowed, sliding down her cheeks and spreading into a small dark patch on her dress.

And she didn’t notice that Blake Sinclair was watching her constantly out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing her wiping her tears, seeing her shoulders trembling slightly from holding back, his heart ached heavily.

She was crying.

Was it because he made their relationship public in front of everyone earlier, and she felt aggrieved?

Or... was it because of Zion Pence?

He remembered the photo on his phone just now.

Holly Crowe standing in a corner on the balcony, Zion Pence leaning in as if saying something, and her head down, making her expression unreadable.

Blake’s eyes fixed on Holly Crowe’s head, the knuckles of the hand clutching the phone gradually turning white.

He recalled Holly Crowe’s demeanor in the crowd earlier.

She’d rather endure the gossip and those cutting insults than reveal their relationship. What was she concerned about?

Was she considerate of Zion Pence?

Or... did she not care about him at all in her heart?

Various speculations sprawled like vines, entwining tighter in his heart, almost suffocating him.

He wanted to ask, but looking at her tearful back, it turned into a colder silence.

Inside the car, only the sound of the air conditioner remained, a silence so suffocating.

Returning to Glynmere.

As soon as the Maybach stopped, Holly dashed out of the car and rushed into the elevator.

She kept her head down, sobbing softly as the elevator ascended, and as soon as the doors opened, she hurried into the room, not even changing her shoes.

Blake Sinclair stood there, eyes heavy with emotion, watching her retreating back, his heart pricked over and over, sour and bitter.

...did she really not want to see him?

He smirked self-mockingly, trying hard to suppress the dark emotions welling up in his eyes.

After just one encounter with Zion Pence, she wanted to avoid him?

Clearly, he was her husband, yet why did it seem her tears only ever flowed for someone else?

Blake took a deep breath, loosened his tie to suppress the madness almost bursting through his reason.

He walked slowly to the bedroom door, listening to the sounds inside.

She seemed to be rummaging through things, or perhaps still crying...

Blake’s hand unconsciously clenched into a fist.

Holly...

Why?

I was the one who met you first...

Clearly, you’re so close, yet why... are you still so far from me?

Blake’s hand stopped mid-air, ultimately not pushing open the door.

He feared seeing her resistant gaze, feared hearing her say... to part...

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, there was only an unfathomable coldness left.

He turned and walked towards the study.

In the moonlight, only his lonely, cold, and hard back remained.

...

After taking a sobering pill, Holly finally felt a bit of her tears stop.

Luckily, she ran quickly, or Blake Sinclair would have almost seen her in such a disheveled state.

After her emotions calmed, she walked out of the bedroom and saw Blake Sinclair with a computer, casually saying, "I’m going to the study to handle some things," then turned and left.

Watching his back, Holly felt an inexplicable emptiness in her heart.

She washed up, lay on the bed, and looked at her phone, initially planning to ask Blake why he was upset earlier when he came to bed, but her eyes began closing, her head nodding in drowsiness, yet Blake still hadn’t returned.

She had no choice but to sleep first.

In the middle of the night, while Holly was drowsy, she felt the mattress sink slightly.

Then, her back pressed against a burning chest; she was firmly held, and the arms around her waist tightened as if they wanted to fuse her into bone and blood.

She instinctively struggled a bit but was held tighter, "Don’t move."

Hearing the familiar voice, Holly gradually relaxed, falling back asleep peacefully in his embrace.

The next morning, when Holly woke up, the space beside her was already empty.

Only the creased sheets proved that last night’s embrace wasn’t a dream.