“Yes.” Kristian didn’t back down.
“Even if I hadn’t changed,” Freya countered, her confidence unshaken, “the moment you saw those chat logs about Ashley’s accident, you’d have accused me without a second thought. Admit it.”
Kristian opened his mouth to argue – then froze. She wasn’t wrong.
With a flick of her wrist, Freya tossed the card back at him, rubbing her temples as frustration simmered beneath her skin.
What was wrong with her? Since when did she let someone so irrelevant rattle her? Hadn’t she accepted long ago that Ashley would always come first in Kristian’s heart?
The card bounced off Kristian’s chest, leaving him momentarily stunned. Before he could react, Freya’s voice cut through the silence – this time addressing the driver. “Watson, drop me at the next intersection.”
“Understood, ma’am.”
Kristian’s voice turned glacial. “Why?”
“To stay away from you.” Freya’s tone was sweetly mocking, her composure fully restored. “Wouldn’t want your idiocy rubbing off on me like some common cold.”
Kristian’s temper flared. Since when did she wield sarcasm like a scalpel?
“Drive straight home,” he ordered through gritted teeth.
The driver obeyed, the car accelerating toward Regalia Villas. Any lingering guilt Kristian had evaporated under the heat of his irritation.
Thirty minutes later, the car rolled to a stop at a villa’s driveway.
Freya was out before Kristian could move, her purse slung over her shoulder as she vanished inside.
By the time he reached the living room, the bedroom door had already clicked shut behind her.
Knowing she’d change, he forced himself to wait.
Ten minutes later, Freya emerged in soft, loose clothing, her wispy bangs framing a face that looked deceptively fragile.
She didn’t so much as blink at Kristian’s presence. She knew exactly why he’d stayed.
“We’re due at my parents’ at six,” he said the moment she settled on the sofa. “Be ready. The driver will fetch you.”
Freya grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV. “Not going.”
“Freya!” His voice was a warning.
“You broke your promise first.” She didn’t glance up. “Don’t expect me to play along now.”
“There are priorities,” he snapped, studying her like a stranger.
“Shopping with you or Ashley’s life – which matters more?”
The TV blared to life with a variety show’s canned laughter.
Freya’s jaw tightened. Just hearing Ashley’s name made her temples throb.
Once, she’d pictured Kristian’s beloved as gentle, radiant – worthy of the devotion he gave her.
Now? The woman’s two-faced nature was almost disappointing.
“Shopping, obviously.” Freya deadpanned.
Kristian’s eyes turned arctic. “Must you always provoke me?”
Silence.
“If you want that divorce payout,” he bit out, patience snapping, “you’ll cooperate. Push me too far, and you’ll leave with nothing.”
Freya tossed the remote aside, her expression unreadable. “That’s not true,” she declared, her tone flat.
Kristian furrowed his brow, clearly confused.
“When you’re so eager to marry Ashley, you’d probably pay a fortune just to see me gone,” Freya continued, her voice firm and unwavering.
Kristian’s expression hardened, a chill spreading through his demeanor.
It was a new feeling for him, this sensation of being cornered. Freya had crossed a line no one else dared to.
“Are you implying that I’m powerless against you?” he questioned, his voice low and dangerous.
“Of course not,” Freya retorted.
She nonchalantly flipped through channels, finding another reality show, and spoke with earnest conviction. “You have plenty of options at your disposal. You could cut off my funds, confine my movements, or even exile me to some godforsaken place.”
Kristian listened, stunned by how absurd she was being – and somehow, that absurdity drained the heat from his anger.
How had someone who could provoke him so effortlessly also been so tender and supportive for two whole years?
“If you resort to those tactics, though,” Freya pointed out with a shrewd smile, “Ashley would never be anything more than a hidden affair. Surely, you wouldn’t let her be dragged through rumors and whispers, right?”
Though Kristian was revered as a titan of industry, his reputation teetered on the brink of disaster once whispers of his unfaithfulness and allegations of a mistress began to circulate, setting the stage for public ridicule and condemnation.
Ashley, shielded by his influence, would find herself under the oppressive gaze of judgment whenever she ventured out to shop or attend social gatherings.
Determined to protect his beloved from such indignities, Kristian must be resolute.
“What would it take for you to accompany me to the family gathering?” he demanded, aiming to steer away from their earlier contentious discussion.
“Sever all ties with Ashley Bradley immediately,” Freya commanded, her finger hovering over the pause button of the remote as the show halted. “Once we’re – “
“Officially divorced, you can love her freely.”
Kristian’s rejection was swift and firm. “No.”
“Oh?” Freya raised an eyebrow, taken aback.
Confusion clouded Kristian’s features.
Unfazed, she went on, “There’s a one-month waiting period before the divorce papers are filed. Who’s to say what twists might unfold in that time?”
The living room was charged with tension, a silent witness to the crumbling facade of their relationship.
Yet, Freya seemed detached from the emotional weight of the moment. She nonchalantly resumed the TV show, where the light-hearted banter of a reality show filled the space between them.
On screen, Zander Loftus, a charming and popular actor, engaged in a lively discussion about lost loves and current commitments.
“Let me ask you. If you were married and your supposed ‘one true love’ from the past came back into your life, what would you do? Would you go back to her or stay committed to your wife?” someone questioned, a hint of challenge in their tone.
Without missing a beat, one of them answered, “I’d stay with my wife, of course!”
“Choosing past love over your current love? That would be madness,” another added, laughter echoing among the group.
The questioner pivoted towards Zander with a curious tilt of his head. “Mr. Loftus, what about you?”
Zander, radiating an undeniable charisma, responded with a voice as smooth as silk, “I’m not one to dwell on the past.” He leaned back, his gaze thoughtful. “Life is a journey forward. Clinging to an idealized version of a past love often blurs the lines between genuine affection and mere regret.”
The room fell silent for a moment, contemplating his words, before the discussion picked up again.
“That’s quite deep,” one remarked, nodding appreciatively.
“Speaking of which,” another chimed in, a wry smile playing on his lips, “I remember a friend who ditched his current girlfriend for his first love. Talk about a classic jerk move.”
“Don’t they say online that an ex’s tears can melt even the coldest heart? There’s a bit of truth in that,” someone else added, sparking laughter around.
As the laughter faded, the television show played on, weaving its drama into the evening.
Across the room, Kristian’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze intensifying as he watched Freya, who sat across from him, perfectly poised.
He had a nagging suspicion that she was using the show’s dialogue to subtly taunt him.
“Freya,” he started, his voice a mix of resignation and resolve.
She turned to face him, her expression unreadable. “Yes?”
Kristian took a deep breath, steeling himself. “I can agree to your terms for the divorce,” he admitted reluctantly. “But before we cut all ties, I need to look into her car accident.”
“That’s acceptable,” Freya responded evenly, her indifference clear. “If you need to discuss anything with Ashley during this period, please have Gerard handle it.”
Kristian wanted to protest, to insist on handling things his way, but the thought of his family’s deep affection for Freya held him back. With a resigned sigh, he conceded, “Fine.”
“Better get moving,” Freya suggested crisply. Truth be told, she wanted the divorce more than he did and had no interest in dealing with him.
“Pick me up at six.”
“Sure,” Kristian agreed, a hint of defeat in his voice.
With their arrangement settled, Freya grabbed the remote, shut off the screen, and disappeared up the stairs.
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.