Though Kristian’s gaze remained penetrating, he eventually relented, rising from the bed to sit in the living room, a palpable heaviness surrounding him.
Freya stood unhurriedly, composing herself.
As she prepared to leave, Kristian’s intense scrutiny fell upon her.
“Shouldn’t you explain what you were doing at the Savory Haven?”
Freya didn’t even pause. “That’s none of your business.”
“That place operates exclusively for members. You couldn’t have gained entry alone.” Kristian’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Who took you in?”
Freya repeated firmly, “I said, it’s none of your business.”
Having no desire to prolong her time with Kristian, she strode past him toward the exit.
Kristian seized her arm abruptly, pressing her against the wall with his hand positioned beside her face.
“Freya, there’s a limit to my patience!”
Confusion flickered across Freya’s features.
“I didn’t intervene before because I wanted you to recognize that the elite circle harbors more dangers than you realize.” Kristian’s voice lowered ominously. “After today’s events, you should understand this circle isn’t suitable for you. If Edwin had sent you to someone else, you wouldn’t be standing here unharmed.”
His words carried unmistakable gravity, his eyes conveying a glacial warning.
Freya responded with subtle defiance, “Is that so?”
“You don’t believe me?” Kristian questioned, tension evident in every syllable.
Freya offered no response, her silence speaking volumes.
Kristian dragged her decisively into another room of the suite. He activated the computer, his long fingers moving with purpose across the keyboard. Within moments, a series of photographs appeared on the screen, each person’s identity concealed by pixelated eyes.
“These are all individuals who were destroyed by people like Edwin,” Kristian explained, gesturing toward the monitor while his penetrating gaze remained fixed on Freya. “Some were sentenced to prison for their transgressions, while others continue to move freely among us.”
Freya examined the screen with measured interest. Despite the digital obscuring, she recognized one woman – someone she had personally helped report to authorities. Yet due to insufficient evidence, no arrests had followed.
The screen revealed people who projected glamorous exteriors while concealing their true natures beneath carefully crafted facades. She deliberately shifted her gaze away, acknowledging Kristian’s concern but remaining resolute.
“I’ll protect myself.”
“Freya!” Kristian’s voice erupted with frustration.
Freya maintained her composure, unmoved by his outburst. “I value my well-being more than anyone else possibly could. Anyone foolish enough to harm me will face consequences. Since we’ve already decided on divorce, certain matters no longer fall within your jurisdiction.”
“Do you expect Trent Seymour to watch over you?” Kristian demanded, his anger intensifying.
Freya responded without intentional provocation, “I don’t require anyone’s protection.”
“Are you genuinely determined to be part of this circle?” Kristian questioned, exasperation evident in every syllable.
Freya answered without hesitation, “Yes.”
“Even knowing you might pay a devastating price?” Kristian pressed further.
Freya affirmed with unwavering conviction, “That’s correct.”
“Fine.” Kristian rose abruptly, coldness radiating from his entire being. “When trouble finds you, don’t seek my assistance.”
“Rest assured, I won’t,” Freya promised calmly.
Her response only fueled his mounting fury.
He struggled to comprehend why, despite having substantial wealth, she remained so determined to penetrate this particular social sphere. The business world teemed with deception and treachery – even billions couldn’t safeguard against the consequences of a single misstep.
Following this volatile exchange, Freya and Kristian parted ways, their relationship further damaged.
Kristian departed in a state of seething rage. Gerard promptly compensated the hotel for room damages before escorting his boss to the airport.
All essential business transactions had been successfully concluded over the previous days.
Regarding the earlier meeting, had it not been for extracting critical information, Kristian wouldn’t have bothered engaging with those men.
Gerard observed his boss’s darkened mood cautiously. “Are you certain you wouldn’t prefer to remain another day?”
Kristian responded with icy brevity, “Shut up.”
“Yes, sir,” Gerard acknowledged immediately.
A palpable tension permeated the vehicle’s interior.
Kristian, overwhelmed by restlessness, briefly closed his eyes before issuing a commanding directive, “Have our associates in Alerith create some difficulties for Freya – enough to make her reconsider her current path.”
“Isn’t that excessively harsh?” Gerard dared to question.
Kristian’s gaze transformed into something glacial. “Sympathetic toward her?”
“Certainly not,” Gerard answered diplomatically. “I simply wonder – since you evidently still care for her – why proceed with the divorce? Wouldn’t bringing her back to Jeucwell be preferable?”
“Just focus on the road,” Kristian commanded sharply, effectively ending the conversation.
Gerard bit his tongue, opting for silence as he steered the car through the streets.
After Kristian reiterated his directive, Gerard relayed the instructions with meticulous care.
Arriving at the airport, Gerard clutched the plane tickets and ventured cautiously, “Sir, do you truly intend to leave Alerith?”
Kristian’s expression tensed subtly, irritated by his assistant’s persistent questioning.
“The message you had me deliver could lead them to believe Mrs. Shaw has crossed you,” Gerard explained, his voice laced with concern. “What if they decide to target her while you’re gone?”
Kristian hesitated for a moment.
Pushing further, Gerard implored, “You understand the intricacies of the social networks better than anyone. The moment word gets out that you’re distancing yourself from Mrs. Shaw, the others will likely take it as a cue to isolate her. In the long term, this could be detrimental to her…”
Gerard paused, releasing a deep, troubled sigh.
A brief shadow of contemplation flickered across Kristian’s features before he dismissed it with a fleeting smirk. “If you’re that concerned, perhaps you should consider marrying her yourself.”
Gerard was utterly lost for words.
“Moreover, Freya has already filed for divorce,” Kristian declared, his voice icy and detached. “Once I have the divorce papers in hand, I never want to hear ‘Mrs. Shaw’ mentioned again.”
“Got it,” Gerard responded without missing a beat.
Kristian paid him no mind, his dark gaze growing ever more enigmatic. In a swift motion, he slipped something into Gerard’s hand, rose from his chair, his neatly pressed trousers highlighting his tall stature.
Gerard peered at the object in his hand and inquired, “What is this?”
“Had you not jogged my memory, I would’ve completely overlooked this,” Kristian murmured. “At today’s lunch, everyone was aware that Freya was accompanying me.”
A look of confusion crossed Gerard’s face.
“If you relay my instructions, some might suspect you bear a personal animosity toward Freya,” Kristian remarked calmly. “Logically, someone who just spent time with me wouldn’t have a problem with me, right?”
“What exactly are you getting at?” Gerard inquired, his tone pressing for clarity.
“Head back to Jeucwell for now. I’ll remain in Alerith,” Kristian commanded, his deep voice unwavering. “Only by causing her direct inconvenience will everyone realize the seriousness of my grievances,” Kristian explained, his tone as firm as his resolve.
Gerard was left dumbfounded. If Kristian was genuinely concerned about Freya, why not just admit it? His indirect approach seemed rather absurd.
“Understood,” Gerard responded tersely, choosing not to elaborate further.
With a sense of finality, Gerard boarded the plane, ticket in hand, while Kristian summoned his driver and made his way back to his branch office.
Kristian’s scheme was straightforward yet bold.
He intended to personally complicate Freya’s life, hoping she would come to regret her choices.
By persistently pestering her, he believed she would eventually tire of their shared social circles and opt for a tranquil existence with the assets from their divorce.
However, dreams and reality often clash.
After spending three additional days in Alerith, Kristian had not caught even a fleeting glimpse of Freya. His inquiries suggested she had vanished into thin air.
Despite his efforts, she remained elusive.
Leaving the hotel behind, Freya retreated to her true sanctuary – the castle she shared with her family.
She had devoted the entire day to cleaning the vast castle.
.
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.