?Chapter 489:


    Hugh was frustrated.


    How could Kristian be so dense? Freya simply didn’t like that gesture!


    “Dad, go on ahead,” Freya said gently, knowing that if she didn’t speak with Kristian now, he would follow her straight up to her room. “I’ll be up in a bit.”


    Hugh hesitated, uneasy. “But…”


    “I know what I’m doing,” Freya reassured him, her toneposed.


    Hugh studied the two of them. Kristian didn’t seem out of line, so he chose to trust Freya and left them to it.


    Freya walked to the nearby garden, cutting to the chase. “What do you want?”


    Kristian said nothing. He didn’t know what he wanted.


    All he knew was that the thought of her going back to Alerith left a hollow ache in his chest. He just wanted to see her, speak to her, and be near her.


    “If you’ve got nothing to say, then stop following me,” Freya snapped, not in the mood to drag it out.


    Her icy tone struck something in him. “Am I really that worthless in your eyes? Not even as decent as Cyril—the guy you just met?” She usually disliked giving her number to strangers, but she hadn’t hesitated when Cyril asked.


    She had even said she preferred Cyril’spany to his.


    “Yes,” Freya replied without hesitation.


    For the first time, Kristian truly grasped the meaning of heartache. Watching her expressionless face utter that word felt like a de slicing through his ribs.


    “Just because of the past… you hate me that much?” He still cared—deeply. He still wanted a ce in her heart.


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    Freya corrected him without a flicker of emotion. “It’s not hate. It’s simply indifference.”


    That said everything.


    No matter what he did or how much he cared, she would never return those feelings. The moment they divorced, she had shut him out entirely.


    Sometimes, he thought she was too cold—cutting people off the second they made a mistake.


    He had thought of countless ways to keep her by his side, but her unwavering distance had crushed every one of those ideas.


    “I’m heading up now,” Freya said, noting that he was still staring at her, unmoving. “If you need to talk about that man, just message me.”


    Kristian gave a small nod.


    Freya sensed something turbulent in him, but she didn’t care.


    They were divorced. His emotions were no longer her concern.


    She turned and walked away.


    Kristian could only stand there, watching her silhouette retreat into the hotel and vanish from sight.


    He remained there, motionless, until a chilly breeze broke the trance. When he finally checked the time, he realized an hour had slipped by. Not far away, Felipe sat in his car, having watched the whole scene. He hadn’t intervened—only observed, curious how long Kristian would stand there like a statue.


    When Kristian finally turned to leave, he nced once more at the hotel before heading to his car.


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