?Chapter 342:


    Trapped in the chair, Frederick took a moment to consider his situation before hesitantly asking, “Could I go to the bathroom first?”


    Kristian gave a slight nod, and Gerard swiftly unstrapped him from the chair.


    To ensure Frederick didn’t escape, Kristian instructed Gerard to stay by his side.


    As they entered the bathroom, Frederick noticed Gerard trailing him every step of the way, his gaze never wavering. Sighing deeply, Frederick muttered, “Could you at least turn around? It’s a bit ufortable with you staring.”


    “If I don’t keep an eye on you and you escape, I’ll lose my bonus this year,” Gerard replied, adjusting his sses with a seriousness that made his words seem final.


    Frederick was left speechless. He knew better than to try reasoning with someone who valued their sry and bonuses more than anything else.


    Five minutester, Gerard escorted him back to Kristian’s office, where Kristian awaited, still holding Frederick’s phone in his hand.


    Kristian lingered in the chair, the crisp lines of his tailored suit lending an air of detachment to his presence. As Frederick stepped in, Kristian inquired, “Ready to tell me now?”


    “Why are you so adamant about Freya unblocking you?” Frederickunched into the conversation.


    A quick nce toward Kristian betrayed Gerard’s unease. His gut churned with the premonition that Kristian’s forting words would be anything butforting.


    “It’s I who should cut ties, not her,” Kristian dered, his eyes turbulent with raw emotion. “She shouldn’t have the power to block me.” Ideally, if someone were to be blocked, it would be him initiating it. Furthermore, Freya hadn’t been honest from the very beginning.


    Gerard found himself at a loss for words.


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    Frederick deemed Kristian’s stance somewhat immature. “Why not just delete her? Then you’d be the one ending things.”


    Kristian just gazed at him in response. He uttered no word, nor did his expression turn threatening, yet the intensity in his silence was enough to send chills down one’s spine.


    “If you truly desire Freya to unblock you, you must first prove your worth to her,” Frederick said earnestly. “As things stand, she won’t be persuaded otherwise.”


    Kristian’s eyes narrowed. How had someone as uninspiring as this be Freya’s friend?


    Frederick hesitated, his voice trailing off. “Not to mention…” He pondered whether to divulge more.


    Impatient, Kristian pressed on, “Not to mention what?”


    “You are Freya’s ex-husband,” Frederick blurted out, then quickly averted his gaze, nervously scratching his cheek. He continued, his voice lowering, “She has a strict rule about past rtionships—an ex should be someone you never hear from again.”


    Kristian’s interest piqued, and he queried sharply, “What about her first love? Did they cut off all ties after their breakup?” He recalled Freya mentioning a simr idea.


    Yet, he vividly remembered a party hosted by Liam where Freya, having lost a game, was asked to call her first love. Her reaction was quite revealing. Instead of making the call, she chose to ept punishment, knocking back three sses in a row. During their two years of marriage, Freya seldom touched alcohol, only doing so when absolutely necessary.


    Was her excessive drinking that night due to her steadfast rule, or did it stem from a deep-seated scar left by that first love?


    As these thoughts swirled in his head, Kristian felt a constriction in his chest. Perhaps her phone still contained that first love’s number, or maybe she had etched it into her memory.


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