Kristian fell silent, taken aback. He hadn’t anticipated this complication, as Alerith’s business dealings were managed externally.
“Then devise another pretext for the meeting,” he directed.
“Yes, sir,” Richie agreed, though reluctance still tinged his voice.
Meanwhile, Freya remained blissfully unaware that Kristian planned to meet her father.
At nine that evening, Ethel finally stirred from unconsciousness. Her eyelids fluttered open to reveal the sterile white hospital room. Pain radiated through her body, causing her to wince as she attempted to move. Then, a voice – one she had yearned to hear even in her dreams – reached her ears.
“Don’t move,” Freya cautioned gently, placing a restraining hand on her sister. “You’re still connected to an IV drip.”
Excitement instantly flooded Ethel’s being. Joy illuminated her eyes as she turned toward the beloved voice.
“You’re back!” she exclaimed, her voice thick with emotion.
“Yes,” Freya confirmed softly. “The drip will be completed in about twenty minutes. Just rest still until then.”
“Okay,” Ethel complied eagerly, her bright gaze fixed adoringly on Freya, drinking in her presence.
Freya tucked the blanket snugly around her sister’s form, concerned about potential chills.
“Mina,” Ethel murmured.
“Yes?” Freya responded attentively.
“It’s so wonderful to have you back,” Ethel continued, her voice warm with affection.
.
.
.
Freya’s lips curved into a tender smile.
“Mina,” Ethel called again.
“Yes?”
“I’m overjoyed to see you,” Ethel whispered, her words simple but heartfelt.
Freya playfully tapped her sister’s nose, affection radiating from her expression. “Focus on recovering first.”
“Okay!” Ethel beamed with happiness.
Twenty minutes later, after the infusion completed, Freya summoned the night nurse.
Once freed from the IV, Ethel struggled eagerly to sit upright, desperate to be closer to her sister.
Freya adjusted the bed to a comfortable position, offered her a cup of water, and settled beside her, their reunion finally complete.
Since reuniting with Freya, Ethel’s face radiated pure joy, her spirits soaring with each passing moment.
“Dad mentioned you married Kristian Shaw and are planning to divorce. Is that true?” she inquired, curiosity dancing in her eyes.
Freya fell silent, contemplating the question.
The knowledge of her marriage seemed to have spread further than she anticipated.
“Before I address that,” Freya redirected gently, her gaze settling on the bandages encircling Ethel’s head, “you need to explain how you acquired these injuries.”
Ethel’s excitement dimmed noticeably, replaced by a flicker of hesitation that crossed her features.
Freya waited with patient silence, allowing her sister the space to gather her thoughts without pressure.
“You can’t become angry when I tell you,” Ethel negotiated, teeth worrying her bottom lip anxiously.
“Alright,” Freya conceded with a reassuring nod.
Ethel hesitated extensively before finally admitting, “I was beaten, though I’m uncertain about who orchestrated it.”
“Share your suspicions with me,” Freya encouraged, maintaining her composure despite the revelation.
“I believe it might have been Cheryl’s relatives,” Ethel confessed in a whisper. “But it probably bears no connection to her personally.”
Cheryl Newman had become their father’s new companion in recent times.
“I only had a single morning class, so I’d arranged to go shopping with my dormmates that afternoon. Then I received an unexpected text,” Ethel elaborated, reconstructing the sequence of events. “It claimed a friend of mine was in trouble and urged me to hurry to a specific location.”
“Which friend?” Freya probed, seeking crucial details.
Ethel hesitated meaningfully, her eyes deliberately avoiding Freya’s penetrating gaze.
Understanding dawned immediately on Freya. “A boyfriend?”
Ethel confirmed sheepishly, anticipating her sister’s potential disapproval. “I didn’t analyze the situation thoroughly at the time and simply rushed to the address provided. It proved to be an elaborate trap.”
“Could you show me the text message?” Freya requested.
“Of course!” Ethel unlocked her phone with swift fingers and presented it to her sister.
Freya examined the message carefully, committing the number to memory.
“Mina,” Ethel ventured cautiously.
“Please don’t create difficulties for Cheryl,” Ethel implored, well aware of her sister’s lingering resentment. “I can confidently assure you she had no involvement in this incident.”
During the two years of her sister’s absence, Ethel had gained significant perspective. Cheryl wasn’t the villain she’d once believed her to be.
Freya paused thoughtfully before responding, “As long as she hasn’t caused you harm. What transpired after you arrived at the location?”
She returned the phone after thoroughly examining the message.
“I was ambushed in an alleyway before reaching my intended destination,” Ethel recounted with remarkable objectivity. “I caught a glimpse of Cheryl’s younger brother observing from outside the alley. Then my… boyfriend arrived, rescued me, and transported me to the hospital. Everything afterward remains a blank. Oh! I should mention – my boyfriend came because I texted him en route to verify if he was genuinely in trouble.”
Freya nodded, having assembled a comprehensive picture of the events. “Did you file a police report?”
“Yes,” Ethel confirmed with a nod.
Freya made a solemn promise. “I’ll provide you with the complete truth within seven days.”
Ethel nodded eagerly, a mischievous sparkle igniting in her eyes.
Having successfully avoided censure for having a boyfriend, she grew emboldened. “Now that I’ve shared my story, shouldn’t you reciprocate with yours?”
Freya was poised to respond when her attention shifted to an incoming text message from Hugh.
The message read, “Kristian has requested to have dinner with me. Should I accept the invitation?”
“What’s the matter?” Ethel’s voice carried a note of concern as she caught the subtle shift in her sister’s expression.
“Nothing. Get some rest,” Freya replied, her eyes darkening as she rose with her phone clutched in hand. “I need to make a call outside.”
Ethel nodded.
Freya strode into the corridor and dialed Hugh’s number.
Hugh answered promptly, “Hello, Mina.”
“When did he extend the invitation?” Freya asked directly, cutting through any pleasantries.
“Just moments ago,” Hugh answered with unusual candor. “A manager from his branch office contacted my secretary, explaining that Kristian has taken significant interest in the Briggs Group’s latest project and wishes to meet.”
Freya contemplated this information silently. Her instincts warned her that beneath the surface, something more complex was unfolding.
“Is declining an option?” she inquired.
“Not realistically,” Hugh explained from his business perspective. “A refusal might trigger Kristian’s suspicions.”
“When is this meeting scheduled?” Freya asked.
“The manager proposed tomorrow, though it depends on my availability,” Hugh informed her.
“If genuine cooperation is the topic, proceed normally,” Freya strategized quickly. “Should he inquire whether you know me or have daughters beyond Sheila, simply deny it.”
Hugh paused, the phone heavy in his hand.
The thought crossed his mind that she might be seizing this opportunity to sever their father-daughter connection permanently. After careful consideration, he ventured, “Doesn’t that seem rather severe?”
“What’s severe about it?” Freya responded coolly, her tone detached.
“Until the divorce finalizes, I prefer to keep my identity concealed, and I want to avoid complications in the proceedings.”
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.