Chapter 297 Pretend To Be My Girlfriend


    "Put it in with the constion prize boxes," Freya instructed, her tone crisp but deliberate. She was always meticulous in her nning. "After the raffle, just announce that there''s a mystery grand gift tacked among the


    constion prizes."


    That way, it would not draw any unnecessary attention. And it would give her a legitimate excuse to hand the gift to Ellis.


    Melvin nodded along to everything without hesitation. "Alright. Are you attending the annual party this year? he asked, his voice casual. Freya had never shown up at previous ones-he usually managed everything himself


    Freya shook her head lightly. "No, I''ll be at the masquerade party on the eighth floor."


    If Ellis had not mentioned the masquerade party a few days ago, she probably would not have bothered with i After all, since Anita International Group had been founded, Melvin had overseen most of its affairs.


    "You..." Melvin hesitated, seeming to search for the right words, then simply said, "Alright"


    *Mel."


    "Yes?"


    "You ought toe to the masquerade party tomorrow night as well" Freya did not want him to spend the best years of his life shackled solely to thepany. "After your speech at the annual party, just hand everything over to the secretarial team. Don''t stress about the rest.*


    1


    Melvin caught her meaning. "I don''t want to get married," he said bluntly.


    "It''s just an event for making friends."


    "I am not interested."


    "You are not interested in dating?" Freya asked, genuine curiosity creeping into her voice.


    Melvin never struck her as the typepletely consumed by work. Why was he so against dating?


    Thinking ahead, Melvin decided to be straightforward. "Not interested."


    Freya wanted to say more but then remembered what Gerard had told her about Melvin''s so-called heartbreak. Melvin had insisted it was just a story he had spun to get Gerard talking, but now... it seemed that might not have been a lie after all.


    “Alright,” Freya relented, offering him an understanding nod. “If you ever need time off for personal matters, just tell me."


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    "Okay," Melvin responded with a perfunctory nod.


    Once the video call ended, Freya immersed herself in other tasks.


    While she was working. n called to ask if she would be attending the Briggs Group annual party. Freya turned him down-Ethel would be there, and that was good enough.


    Time slipped by, and before long, it was six in the evening.


    When Freya stepped out, she spotted Ethel and Kristian lounging on the sofa- Ethel munching on snacks as she watched TV, while Kristian sat silently at her side, simply keeping herpany.


    Just as Freya opened her mouth to ask what they wanted for dinner, Ellis arrived.


    He knocked lightly before stepping inside, greeting the three of them with the calm,posed authority of an adult. His voice was brief yet steady as he announced, “Dinner''s ready."


    "Coming!" Ethel chirped, hastily turning off the TV and hurrying over.


    Kristian, however, remained seated.


    Freya arched a brow in puzzlement.


    Catching Ethel by the arm as she rushed past, Freya asked, "Since when are you two so chummy?"


    Given Ethel''s personality, even if she were eager to gossip about her rtionship with Ellis, she would agree to dinner, but she would never rush over so eagerly. This seemed... a little out of character.


    "Two hours ago," Ethel replied with an innocent blink. "Ellis came and asked what we wanted for dinner.*


    Freya''s eyes widened. "What?" How had she missed that?


    "I was about to say no, but he mentioned he promised you he''d help look after Kristian, so I said okay," Ethel exined matter-of-factly. "Wasn''t that how it was?"


    Freya pressed her lips together, a sense of unease settling in as the situation grew moreplicated.


    "Let''s eat first. We can talk about everything else after dinner," Ellis gave a quick look toward Kristian, who sat still, before shifting his focus back to Freya. "If we don''t hurry, the food will get cold."


    So they all headed off to eat.


    Throughout the meal, ''Ethel kept praising Ellis''s cooking. Everyone else ate quietly, the atmosphere thick with unspoken thoughts.


    Afterward, they all pitched in to clean up.


    Ellis stole a nce at Kristian, who remained slouched on the sofa, and then turned to Freya. "I need your help with something."


    "Go ahead," Freya said coolly, drying her hands on a towel.


    "I want you toe home with me for Christmas," Ellis said, his thin lips barely parting, his long, narrow eyes betraying little. "And pretend to be my girlfriend." Freya froze for a second. "Me?"


    15:14


    "Yes."


    "Why don''t you ask Riley of Greta?” Freya blurted out, her response nearly identical to thest time. She had not given it much thought. "I''m not really good at that sort of thing"


    Meeting parents, making good impressions-it was important.


    She tended to be slow in warming up to others, her nature leaning toward reservation. Even when she married Kristian, it had taken a while for her to feel truly at ease with his family.


    "Sometimes being too good at pretending can backfire," Ethel chimed in slyly, having kept one ear on their conversation. "It''s better if you''re not good at it."


    "You don''t have to stay overnight or talk much," Ellis added casually. "Just meet them, that''s all."


    Freya hesitated. Meeting Ellis''s parents was not something she thought should be taken lightly.


    "Or are you scared?" Ellis teased, raising an eyebrow.


    Freyapsed into silence. Not exactly.


    "If you really are, I won''t force you," Ellis continued, relentless in his gentleness. "Worst case, I get a lecture when I go home. No big deal."


    "I can only go with you at noon," Freya finally said, keeping her voice steady. "I


    need to be home for dinner." She kept it simple and direct. Ellis was a good person who had always treated them well. It did not feel right to let him face his family''s ire alone on Christmas Eve.


    Besides, it was just pretending, nothing more.


    "You agree?" Ellis''s voice lifted with a touch of surprise.


    Freya gave a small nod. "Yes."


    A subtle smile tugged at Ellis''s lips, his eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement.


    "Thank you."


    Sitting quietly beside them, Kristian watched their easy rapport, a subtle frown creasing his brow. Summoning a burst of courage, he stood up abruptly. "Freya." "What''s wrong?" Freya turned toward him immediately.


    Kristian pressed his hand to his stomach, feigning difort. "My stomach hurts."


    Freya stood up, moving toward him to check, but found no sign of anything unusual. She assumed it was something internal. "Does it hurt a lot?"


    "Yes..." Kristian winced, his face contorting with feigned pain.


    "I''ll take you to the hospital," Freya said at once.


    Kristian''s heart, leapt in panic. If they went to the hospital, she''d find out he was


    faking it. What should he do?


    "No need for the hospital," Ellis said calmly as he walked over. "He probably just


    ate too much. He''ll be fine


    after a little rest."


    "I checked already. It''s not because he ate too much," Freya insisted, worry


    clouding her features.


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    15:14


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    The Unwanted Wife''s Une