Chapter 25 Testing Freya
The burden of being the Briggs Group sessor weighed heavily on Freya''s shoulders. She yearned simply to find genuine love-someone who cherished her for herself-so they could build a life together through their own achievements, not inherited wealth.
Even without her sessor title, Freya''s social standing matched Kristian''s perfectly.
She wanted their marriage to conclude just as it had begun-with her identity stripped down to simply being.
Freya.
Having made this decision, she resolved to inform Hugh immediately.
If she dyed, Kristian''s introduction tomorrow would certainly catch Hugh off guard, potentially exposing her
secret.
"W-What?" Hugh stammered, visibly shocked, his mind temporarily unable to process her words. "Why would he bring you to meet me?"
"He intends to verify my identity," Freya stated matter-of-factly.
In reality, this wasn''t Kristian''s true motivation.
His actual purpose was to discover whether Freya would contact Hugh after learning about the meeting.
If she reached out to Hugh, it would confirm their rtionship.
If not, he would dismiss her ims as mere fiction.
After speaking with Hugh, Freya checked her inbox and discovered two emails.
The first one read, "I request your assistance in examining call records for a number to determine if it has recentlymunicated with Hugh Briggs of the Briggs Group." The second email contained her own number.
Freya nearlyughed at the irony. Kristian had unwittingly asked her to investigate herself.
Her spirits lifted slightly as she swiftly replied, "Checked. No contact."
She harbored no concerns about Kristian employing additional hackers for verification.
Her contact information remained securely encrypted, rendering it untraceable through illicit methods.
Upon receiving her email, Kristian ced a verification call, which yielded identical results-no contact detected. This discovery deepened his contemtion of the situation.
The following afternoon found Freya still at the hospital, engaged in conversation with her sister, absorbing fascinating stories from the past two years.
Their discussion eventually turned toward Kristian.
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Ethel''s expression changed subtly. "Mina, there''s something I''ve been keeping from you."
"What is it?" Freya''s interest piqued immediately.
Ethel hesitated. "It''s about Kristian."
Freya tensed, an uneasy premonition washing over her.
Squirming under Freya''s intense gaze, Ethel bit her lip nervously and confessed, "This morning, I had a brief conversation with Dad. When I learned Kristian was bringing you to meet him, I persuaded Dad to relocate the meeting here."
Freya blinked in surprise. "Are you serious?"
"I just wanted to see what he''s like in person," Ethel admitted, acknowledging her mistake yet unable to suppress her curiosity. "After all, he was practically family at one point."
Freya fell into contemtive silence. Her sister certainly excelled atplicating her already precarious,
situation.
"Mina?" Ethel ventured softly.
"Can you act convincingly?" Freya asked without usation.
Ethel paused momentarily, then nodded casually. "I can."
"If Kristian agrees to meet here, when you see me, pretend we''re strangers," Freya instructed, concerned about Ethel''s theatrical abilities. "And avoid making eye contact with me altogether."
"Understood." Ethel nodded firmly.
Freya continued urgently, "Also, curb your curiosity about him. Remember, he''s not your brother-inw- merely a business partner of the Briggs Group."
"Got it!"
"Most crucially, never mention having a sister. Coordinate this with Dad beforehand and maintain absolute discretion."
Ethel readily agreed to every.condition.
She had heard countless stories about Kristian''s remarkable aplishments, his business acumen, and his wless decision-making that had elevated him to legendary status in corporate circles.
Though she had glimpsed him at business functions previously, she never imagined he would be her brother-inw.
Shortly after concluding her instructions to Ethel, Freya received Gerard''s call inquiring about her location for. pickup. He mentioned the meeting venue had been changed to Ethel''s hospital.
Unwilling to travel far for Gerard''s convenience, Freya simply stated she would wait at the hospital ending the call.
те
As she departed the hospital, she stopped briefly at a small market outside to exchange some cash.
At precisely half-past five, Gerard arrived with Kristian at the hospital, where they met Freya.
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Kristian had changed into an impably tailored gray suit that entuated his broad shoulders and trim waist, giving him the appearance of a fashion model, though his demeanor radiated an even more pronounced
coldness.
"Mrs. Shaw," Gerard greeted her with a slight smile.
Freya corrected him firmly, "Just call me Freya."
Both Gerard and Kristianpsed into momentary silence.
"Is someone in your family hospitalized here?" Kristian''s prating gaze
surveyed the surroundings as he posed this critical question.
Freya replied evenly, "No."
Kristian''s scrutiny intensified as he studied her face. "Do you honestly expect me
to believe that?"
"Whether you ept my answer or not remains entirely your concern," Freya countered sharply.
Since Ashley''s unfortunate incident, she had recognized that Kristian''s trust in her hadpletely evaporated. Gerard remained silent nearby, unwilling to intervene in their confrontation.
"If no one in your family is hospitalized here, perhaps you could exin why your phone''s step counter barely exceeds two hundred steps today?" Kristian produced his phone, opened the tracking application, and revealed her data without hesitation.
His demeanor grew noticeably colder as he recalled the fleeting shadow he had glimpsed outside Ethel''s hospital room yesterday, a figure strikingly simr to Freya.
"Coming from any significant distance, wouldn''t that number be substantially higher?" Kristian''s prating gaze intensified, creating palpable pressure.
"I never imagined love could so thoroughly erode someone''s rational thinking, but now I have living proof," Freya remarked with unmistakable contempt.
Her words left both Kristian and Gerard momentarily speechless.
"There exists a remarkable invention called a taxi," Freya added icily.
Traveling by vehicle naturally wouldn''t register steps.
Both men immediately recognized this logical exnation.
Gerard nced toward his boss, thinking once again that Kristian''s cognitive
sharpness seemed diminished whenpared to Freya''s quick thinking.
Kristian''s confidence faltered visibly.
Though Freya''s exnation was technically wless, her overall demeanor didn''t suggest someone rushed over from a distant location.
had
"Sir, we should proceed inside," Gerard interjected, sensing the escting
tension. "After visiting Miss Briggs, we still have important matters to discuss with
Mr. Briggs."
Kristian continued examining Freya intently.
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Treya permitted his scrutiny without flinching
After several ufortable moments, Kristian finally withdrew his gaze and moved purposefully toward the inpatient department
Freya exhaled subtly with relief, touched the currency in her pocket reassuringly, and followed behind him. She had exchanged cash specifically in case Kristian demanded proof of transportation payment-a receipt she couldn''t possibly provide. If questioned, she could simply im she had taken a taxi and paid with
cash.
Since he hadn''t pursued the matter, she needn''t worry about saying too much and inadvertently revealing inconsistencies
The path from the hospital entrance to Ethel''s room wasn''t particrly lengthy, yet Kristian deliberately slowed
his pace.
He was testing Freys, attempting to determine whether she trulycked
knowledge of Ethel''s ward location.
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