?Chapter 459:


    Cyril blinked in surprise. “Huh?”


    The notion hadn’t even urred to him.


    “But… Kristian’s presence is so intimidating. I couldn’t bring myself to speak up.”


    While their exchange remained straightforward, the interaction between Kristian and Freya unfolded quite differently.


    After settling into the car, Freya turned to him. “What exactly are we retrieving?”


    Kristian ignited the engine silently, steering toward his family home.


    Several minutes passed before he finally broke the silence. “The retrieval was merely a pretext. I sensed your difort back there, so I fabricated an excuse to extract you from the situation.”


    “Then you can let me out here,” Freya stated, her voice devoid of emotion.


    Kristian showed no intention of stopping and continued driving directly to the Shaw estate.


    Recognizing his determination, Freya ceased pressing the issue and closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment of rest.


    Upon reaching their destination, Kristian exited the vehicle.


    Just as he moved to open her door, he discovered Freya had already stepped out independently.


    Aware of her familiarity with the ce, Kristian first treated her to lunch, then requested she wait while he ventured inside to change attire. After all, a formal dinner demanded appropriate clothing, not casual wear.


    Freya didn’t contest this. She merely nodded in agreement and found afortable spot to rest.


    Upd4t3s c0m3 F1RST 0n g4ln0v3ls.c0m


    Twenty minutester, Kristian emerged transformed.


    He wore a sophisticated charcoal gray suitplemented by a crisp white shirt underneath, creating ayered effect that heightened his natural aloofness and detachment.


    Despite their divorce and her waning affection, Freya couldn’t deny that Kristian embodied that polished GQ aesthetic.


    His casual clothes always appeared sharp and rugged, while the suit rendered him more profound and mysterious.


    He was, undeniably, strikingly handsome.


    Freya rose to her feet, about to ask if they were departing, when her phone vibrated insistently in her pocket.


    She extracted it to discover her father calling and swiped to answer. “Will you returnter?” Hugh questioned, still contemting how to address the Shaw family at the uing event.


    “Yes,” Freya confirmed.


    Her clothes remained at the hotel.


    Though Lionel’s birthday celebration wasn’t extravagant enough to demand formal attire, she couldn’t appear too casual either.


    “When do you expect to return? Should I arrange transportation?” Hugh asked, attentive to every detail.


    Freya declined the offer. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll return to the hotel with Kristian and make my way over independently.”


    The hotel where they were staying stood just a ten-minute walk from Lionel’s birthday venue.


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