?Chapter 511:


    He knew that if he admitted it, her calm front would shatter. She’d snap at him, and the way she looked at him would shift into something colder. And just like that, the gap between them would only widen.


    Freya couldn’t read what he was thinking. She didn’t push, just waited for him to answer.


    “In your eyes, am I just someone who always forces you to do things you hate?”


    Kristian shot back with a question of his own, sidestepping hers entirely.


    Freya didn’t hesitate. “Isn’t that what you are?” He’d made her apologize, med her for things she didn’t do, and kept showing up in her life even after they broke up.


    Now, she didn’t trust him.


    Her voice was steady, but the words hit him hard, leaving him feeling suffocated.


    Freya didn’t wait for a response. She started the engine and drove toward the Shaw Group office.


    The ride was silent, and the mood was tense.


    Freya kept her eyes on the road, while Kristian looked out the window, his thoughts adrift.


    But the silence didn’t bother him. In fact, it gave him a strange sense of peace.


    Because she was right there next to him. She might not care about him anymore, but for now, that was enough.


    More than an hourter, Freya pulled up outside the branch office of Shaw Group.


    “We’re here,” she said, keeping it brief.


    ???????? ?????????????? ???? ??????????????????.??????


    Kristian didn’t move right away. Instead, he turned toward her, his eyes unreadable.


    Once he got out, he probably wouldn’t see her again.


    Freya didn’t hear him budge and assumed he’d dozed off. She turned to nudge him—only to meet his gaze. His eyes—deep, conflicted, and tinged with something that looked like loneliness.


    She didn’t love him anymore. She felt nothing for him. But still, something in his gaze stung.


    She turned her face away and said, “You can get out now.”


    Kristian gave a quiet nod, then unbuckled, opened the door, and stepped out.


    Freya was about to pull away when she noticed him standing there, one hand on the car door, hesitating to shut it.


    “Miguel won’t force you into any more arranged marriages or blind dates,” Kristian said before she could say anything. His voice was calm, but carried a hint of sadness. “You’re free to choose who you want to marry.”


    Freya blinked, unsure what he meant. She was about to ask, but he had already closed the door and walked off, disappearing into the building with long, steady strides. All he left behind was the sight of his retreating figure.


    Freya stared after him for a second, then finally drove away.


    Meanwhile, Kristian returned to his office and sank into his chair, weighed down by thoughts.


    Gerard noticed hime in and walked over with the agreement Kristian had signed with Miguel. He handed it over.


    “Just leave it there,” Kristian said.


    .


    .


    .