Chapter 76 I''ve Only Ever Kissed You


    Kristian''s gaze lingered on Freya''s lips, now a deeper shade of red from her nervous biting. His throat felt dry as desert sand


    Stepping forward, he towered over her, his eyes narrowing slightly. The rough timbre of his voice broke the silence "What did you just say?"


    "I said I... M


    Her words faltered, muffled by his sudden, passionate kiss,


    Kristian cradled the back of her head with one hand, while his other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer with a gentle yet electrifying grasp.


    In these moments, Freya found herself utterly overpowered. Each kiss melted her resistance, leaving her helplessly swept away by hismanding presence.


    The typically stok andposed Kristian, once ruffled and passionate, transformed into an intoxicatingly dangerous enigma


    Her remaming shred of rationality wed at her, urging her to break away. She feared she would have stayed ensmayed by him, wandering through a dreamlike trance.


    wch a surge of strength, she pushed against his chest. "Kristian!"


    The usual coldness in his eyes now swirled with an indescribable heat, and his lips, stightly parted, shimmered with a reseal monstress


    Flustered with her cheeks burning and heart pounding, Freya fixed him with a fierce stare. "How many times vest 1 tell you? Don''t kiss me with the same lips you''ve kissed Ashley with I''m guarding my health from Windsorbacter Pyines"


    Aber words, the corners of Kistian''s mouth twitched upwards. His initial annoyance melted into a bemused


    bacter Pn-es whe would think of such a thing in a moment like this


    Twe as me and you" Kutian''s tone was lofty, touched with an indifferent coolness, his usually pristine etter sightly darede ek in his poned facade "If you were going to catch anything, it would''ve happened when we that got art wed


    Tad er es get back the wordsced with venom


    Carrung der fabed cheeks, a bunt of sent tackered across his features, lightening his mood. "Do you want to get checked? 15 coves the medical ex*****


    Chapter 76 I''ve Only Ever Kissed You


    Freya was speechless, her frustration boiling over.


    "No need." She wiped her mouth again, then stood up sharply, her movements brusque. Taking a few deliberate steps away, she shot him a piercing re before marching upstairs.


    Kristian watched her depart, a slow grin spreading across his face-a smile be scarcely noticed forming


    He grappled with the thought, bewildered, of how Freya could stir his momordinary desires so easily


    This stir of emotion, it seemed, was reserved solely for her.


    Irritated yetposed, Freya ascended the stairs. As she approached the door, she took a moment to steady herself, ensuring she made no sound that might disturb Farrah


    To her surprise, however, the lights inside the room were already on.


    "What happened, Freya?" Farrah inquired, her voiceced with concern as she noted the unusual tension in her demeanor. "Who''s got you all worked up?*


    "It''s no one," Freya responded curtly, her usual calm and rational facade slightly cracking under pressure, a rare urrence unless provoked by Kristian, who always seemed to effortlessly stoke her ire. "Why are you up? Did I disturb you?" "Nope," Farrah replied, her voice short and to the point, before swiftly changing the subject. She leaned in lowering her voice with a sly edge. "Is Kristian Shaw the husband you''re nning to divorce?"


    "Yes," Freya confirmed tly.


    "And who was his ex?" Farrah prodded, her curiosity piqued.


    "Ashley Bradley."


    "Never heard of her," Farrah blurted out, a frown knitting her brow in confusion, but she quickly shook it off, pressing on with her inquiries. "Are you really prepared to divorce him? He seems like the dream husband to many-charming, wealthy, and undeniably attractive."


    Despite being immersed in the entertainment industry, Farrah wasn''t up to date on every scandal, including the one involving Ashley.


    "He''s definitely handsome, no doubt about that," Freya admitted, a hint of


    reluctant admiration in her voice. As someone who appreciated beauty, she couldn''t deny the allure of Kristian''s handsome features. "But, unfortunately, he''s also an unfaithful husband."


    "Indeed," Farrah agreed, nodding thoughtfully.


    No matter how dashing, affluent, or physically appealing a man was, if his heart wasn''t truly with his partner, none of it mattered in the end.


    Freya perched on the edge of the bed, a twinge of guilt coloring her tone. "I''m sorry. I know you''re pregnant and it was thoughtless of me to ask you toe over sote. I just wasn''t in my right mind," she admitted, her eyes clouded with remorse.


    Farrah, taking Freya''s hands in hers, gave her a reassuring smile. Her voice was gentle,ced with unwavering affection. "You''re my best friend, Freya. I''de to you whenever you need me."


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    Chapter 76 I''ve Only Ever Kissed You


    There was a palpable sense of gratitude in Freya''s heart, feeling trulyforted and cherished. The thought that Farrah considered their friendship so profound made her presence feel all the more significant.


    With a concerned furrow in her brow, Freya inquired further, "Have you had your prenatal check-up yet? How''s the baby doing?"


    "Everything''s fine," Farrah replied, her voice bubbling with warmth and a serene happiness that filled the room.


    Freya exhaled a deep sigh of relief upon hearing the good news.


    They switched off the bedsidemp, and the darkness enveloped the room as theyy side by side, each ensnared by their own swirling thoughts as sleep slowly overtook them.


    As the night deepened, Freya sumbed to the embrace of sleep, undisturbed by Kristian''s earlier attempt at affection. Meanwhile, Farrahy awake, her mind a storm of worries that kept sleep at bay.


    Downstairs, Kristian, restless andpelled by his own concerns, dialed Gerard''s number.


    It was well past three in the early morning-a time when any unexpected call was bound to grate on one''s nerves, Gerard''s included.


    "Does it really have to be at this hour? Why the urgent call?" Gerard grumbled into the phone, his voice thick with sleep. "Just because you''re my boss doesn''t give you the right to disrupt my night."


    "Get up. I''ll make sure you see an extra ten thousand on your paycheck this month for your troubles." Kristian''s deep voice resonated with an enticing offer.


    Ten thousand dors? The fog of sleep cleared from Gerard''s mind instantly.


    He flung the covers aside, briskly rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and fumbled for


    his sses on the nightstand. Slipping them on, he adjusted to his more business-like tone. "What do you need, Mr. Shaw?"


    "I need a background check on someone."


    "Who are we talking about?"


    "Charlie." Kristian''s voice took on a grim tone as he uttered the name.


    He could postpone digging into Freya''s past rtionships for now, but Charlie was


    a different matter-Freya''s bedtimepanion, the one she clung to even in


    sleep, choosing him over her own husband.


    Kristian was driven by a need to uncover the face and the allure that kept Freya''s thoughts tethered to Charlie, even after two years of marriage.


    Gerard''s brow furrowed in confusion. "Just a name?"


    "Someone intimately linked to Freya. They''re inseparable," Kristian replied, careful


    not to divulge too much about Freya''s circumstances. "They spent most of their nights wrapped up in each other."


    Gerard paused, processing the information.


    "Focus on this instead of those other minor tasks," Kristian instructed, bestowing


    him with certain special benefits "Forget about cleaning toilets for now. I need you


    to uncover everything you can about this Charlie. Hurry up and get it done"


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    "Understood, sir," Gerard responded, his voice tinged with relief at the prospect of avoiding the dreaded toilet


    cleaning.


    Kristian acknowledged with a nomittal grunt and ended the call.


    He lingered over his phone for a moment, contemting whether to enlist his hacker friend''s aid in his quest. However, the risk of his own identity being unearthed dissuaded him.


    After all, repeatedly soliciting help for investigations wasn''t typical among friends. Eventually, he drafted a message to Damon in Alerith, seeking assistance. Given Freya''s origins in Alerith, Damon might have an easier time gathering information. With his requests dispatched, Kristian finally allowed himself a moment of respite. He loosened his tie, sprawled out on the sofa, and tried to rx.


    But rest eluded him, his sleep troubled and fitfulpared to Freya''s peaceful slumber.


    In his dreams, he saw Freya encircled by two charismatic men, both adept at charming her.


    As she embraced the gentle one, she turned to Kristian and said, "You have Ashley, while I have Charlie and my first love."


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