“I’m merely friends with him,” Freya asserted firmly, her voice steady and clear. “I have no intention of pursuing anything beyond that. Don’t project your assumptions onto me. Basic respect is fundamental in any human interaction.”
Kristian’s expression grew more intense, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Seizing the shift in conversation, Freya turned the tables. “Speaking of which, when exactly did you meet Ashley Bradley?” she asked, her tone equally probing.
Kristian fell into a troubled silence, his jaw tightening.
Echoing his earlier words with a hint of irony, Freya continued, “She’s not as innocent as she seems. Don’t even think about getting too close to her.”
“Freya!” Kristian’s voice rose in anger, frustration flashing across his features.
Unfazed, Freya leaned back against the plush cushions of the sofa, her posture relaxed but alert.
“Ashley and Trent are worlds apart,” Kristian snapped bitterly, his frustration evident. “It’s unfair and wrong to compare her to him.” He leaned forward, his tone severe and final. “I’ll say this one last time – if you want a peaceful life after the divorce, keep your distance from him.”
Freya snatched her phone from the table and walked away.
The idea of having a meaningful conversation with Kristian now seemed ludicrous to her. What a love-struck fool! He was always babbling about Ashley – Ashley this, Ashley that. If he was so obsessed with that woman, why did he rush into marrying her? What a piece of shit.
Meanwhile, Kristian stood rooted, watching the door shut behind Freya, a storm of frustration swirling within him.
Freya felt suffocated in that space, especially in his presence.
Her gaze lingered on the lush greenery visible through the window, a temporary balm to her frayed nerves. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she picked up her phone again and dialed with practiced ease. “Hello, is this Spotless Housekeeping? I need a cleaning service for my house – just a thorough dusting. I’ll be moving in tomorrow. Thank you; I’ll send over the address and access code in a moment.”
After ending the call, she quickly texted the address and access code for her luxury duplex apartment in Jeucwell – a sanctuary she had bought years ago but rarely used.
The picturesque views and mild climate of Jeucwell made it the perfect retreat. She had purchased the place with the intention of having somewhere to unwind whenever she needed a break.
Though renovated, she had never spent a single night there. After filing for divorce the next day, she planned to settle there, escaping the constant frustration of running into Kristian.
Unbeknownst to Kristian, Freya was quietly orchestrating her escape. Meanwhile, he found himself increasingly drawn into the mysteries of her life.
After some reflection, it hit him – he didn’t know a damn thing about her beyond her name.
Spending the entire afternoon digging through files and making discreet inquiries, Gerard ended up with little more than what was already listed on Freya’s passport.
The lack of substantial findings unnerved him as he picked up the phone to report back. “Sir…” he began, his voice tinged with unease.
Kristian’s response was immediate and direct. “Did you uncover anything?”
“Well, I did come across something,” Gerard admitted, fumbling with the sparse notes before him and swallowing hard. “But to be honest, the information’s barely there.”
There was a pause on the other end as Kristian processed the words. “Go on, then.”
Clearing his throat, Gerard read hesitantly, “Freya Briggs, female.” His heart raced, waiting for Kristian’s reaction.
The silence that followed was thick, broken only by Kristian’s deepening frown. “Is that all?” he finally demanded.
“And, um,” Gerard stammered, nervously pushing his glasses up his nose for the hundredth time, “that’s pretty much the extent of it.”
From his study, Kristian stood abruptly, his gaze fixed on the glowing screen displaying another file – Trent’s.
His voice was sharp with frustration. “That’s all you’ve got?”
“I’ve spent the entire afternoon on this, yet I’ve come up with less than what her passport shows,” Gerard explained, his tone tinged with apology.
He hesitated before adding, “If I may ask, why are we investigating your wife so intensely?”
Kristian’s voice was impatient as he insisted, “Investigate more thoroughly.”
Gerard responded defensively, “I already did. This is the result of a thorough investigation.”
“Are you absolutely certain you were thorough?” Kristian pressed, frustration evident in his voice.
He couldn’t believe that after all the digging, all he got was such a disappointing response.
Gerard let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, I’m sure.”
A tense silence fell between them, broken only by Gerard’s sudden speculation. “Sir, is it possible your wife is some kind of highly skilled hacker who’s managed to erase her tracks?”
Kristian scoffed at the wild guess. “Gerard, try using your brain for once.”
Unfazed, Gerard continued, “Alerith is known for its enigmatic and gifted individuals. Could she be one of them?”
He was already halfway convinced that Freya was no ordinary person. After all, it was rare for him to come up empty-handed.
Kristian’s expression darkened, his brow furrowing deeply. “Alerith?” he echoed skeptically.
“Yeah, what about it?” Gerard pressed, sensing Kristian’s shifting interest.
“How did you come to the conclusion that she’s from Alerith?” Kristian questioned, curiosity piqued.
“I remember seeing her passport when you were getting married,” Gerard said, his remarkable memory leaving no detail out.
“The address showed she was from Alerith.”
Kristian’s reaction was one of sheer astonishment.
“You seriously never noticed?” Gerard pressed on.
Without another word, Kristian ended the call.
A slight crease formed between his brows. Freya was from Alerith? Could her history with Trent really stretch all the way back to childhood?
The notion flickered briefly through Kristian’s mind before he dismissed it. Yet almost immediately, another thought took root – he realized he needed to meet Freya’s family. With a decisive motion, he tossed his phone back onto the desk and allowed himself a moment to reflect.
After half an hour lost in thought, he rose and approached Freya’s room, knocking firmly.
The door swung open to reveal Freya, her hair still damp from a shower, a towel catching stray droplets. Water traced delicate paths down her elegant neck, pooling subtly at her collarbone and enhancing her ethereal allure.
Kristian caught himself as his breathing deepened, hastily averting his eyes – only to find himself caught in the trap of her clear, luminous gaze.
Before Kristian could utter a word, Freya cut him off sharply, “Stop staring.”
“I have something to discuss with you,” Kristian said, steering the conversation away from the weight of his own guilt.
Still drying her hair, Freya cracked the door open just enough to fix him with a dismissive look. “If this is about Ashley or Trent, save your breath. There’s nothing to say.”
“It’s not,” Kristian replied, irritation flickering beneath his calm tone. Her attitude grated on him.
What he really wanted was to peel back the layers and see who she truly was.
Freya set the towel aside and sighed. “Go ahead.”
“I’d like to visit your family,” Kristian said, his voice firm, though the request was little more than a pretext. “My grandpa made a valid point – in two years of marriage, I never once met your parents. That’s inexcusable.”
“There’s no need,” Freya countered flatly.
“It’s just an apology. I won’t overstay my welcome.” His voice was low, deliberate.
Freya didn’t budge. “Seriously, drop it.”
“Why the resistance?” Kristian’s eyes narrowed. “Are you hiding something?” Gerard’s earlier insinuations resurfaced in his mind.
“Exactly.” Freya met his gaze without flinching, her expression dead serious. “My family’s filthy rich. I’m afraid you’ll get dollar signs in your eyes, refuse to divorce me, and then siphon off my inheritance to fund Ashley’s lifestyle.”
Kristian stared at her, momentarily speechless. He didn’t buy a word of it – but he humored her anyway. “Name one. I know every major family and corporation. Which one’s yours?”
“The Briggs Group,” Freya shot back without hesitation.
She had no reason to lie. Her identity wasn’t some well-guarded secret. Hugh Briggs’s daughter was common knowledge in elite circles – except the one everyone recognized was her younger sister.
Freya had always preferred solitude over socializing, so few outside her inner circle even knew she existed.
“You could have at least picked a believable lie,” Kristian scoffed. “I’ve met Hugh Briggs’ daughter. She looks nothing like you.”
“Oh.” Freya’s response was ice-cold.
The difference between her and her sister couldn’t be starker. Where Freya embraced simplicity, her sister dripped in elegance – every outfit curated, every smile polished to perfection.
“Half a day. That’s all I’m asking,” Kristian pressed. “I won’t monopolize their time.”
“You didn’t care to visit when we were married. Why start now?”
Freya’s tone was light, almost mocking. “People might think you’re doing this out of spite.”
“Because I never – “
“If you’d truly wanted to meet them, you would have done it years ago,” Freya interrupted, her usual composure slipping into blunt impatience.
“Last time, Kristian. Drop it.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.