?Chapter 563:


    Maybe it was the liquid courage, or maybe something else, but he pulled out his phone and found Freya’s contact. He typed, “I’m sorry.”


    His thumb hovered over the send button, caught in hesitation. Eventually, he erased it and typed something simpler. “Are you sleeping?”


    He waited. A few minutes passed, feeling like centuries.


    When Freya didn’t respond, he found her number and dialed.


    This time, he didn’t hang up.


    Freya had been replying to n’s message when she saw Kristian’s name light up her screen.


    Without a second thought, she declined the call. But Kristian wasn’t giving up tonight.


    She declined once—he called again. She declined again—he called a third time.


    On the third try, Freya was about to decline again but paused. Maybe it was better to answer than let him keep calling.


    She didn’t scold him like she usually would. Her tone was calm, measured. “What do you want?”


    Silence greeted her on the other end.


    After a couple of seconds, just when she was about to hang up, Kristian finally asked, “Do you hate me?”


    Freya blinked. She had no idea why he was dragging their past up again. “If you’ve got something to say, say it. I’m busy.”


    She considered blocking him but didn’t want to give him a reason to keep pestering her.


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    “If Ashley hadn’te between us, would we still be happy?” Kristian’s voice was quieter than usual.


    Freya didn’t respond. What was the point of such what-ifs?


    She answered inly, “I don’t have time for pointless chatter. If you called to talk about nonsense, I’m hanging up.”


    Kristian didn’t reply. So Freya hung up. This time, he didn’t call again. He stared at the ended call, watching thest shred of hope slip away. The call had been a test. Now he knew the answer.


    As for Freya, after the call ended, she felt surprisingly calm. Kristian hadn’t shaken her.


    n, perhaps frustrated by her slow replies, rang her up directly to get to the point. “Have you decided whether you’reing to thepany’s team-building retreat?”


    “No, I’m not,” Freya answered tly.


    She wasn’t into big group events.


    Besides, she was only a part-time investment advisor for Briggs Group, not a full-time staff member.


    “Next year, you’re stepping into the big shoes at Briggs Group—ready or not.” n dropped the bomb like it was just another casual remark. “If you skip the corporate retreat and don’t meet the team, how will you even know who’s running what?”


    Freya blinked, genuinely thrown off. “Who even said I’m taking over thepany?”


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