?Chapter 589:


    Ellis stepped forward and sat down where Josiah had just been. “Sit.”


    Freya sat down without protest. She still couldn’t wrap her head around it—wasn’t he supposed toe back on the seventh? But today was only the sixth.


    “Feel like sweating it out with a hardcore workout?” Ellis handed her a ss of water, his tone light and easy. “Might help you loosen up.”


    Freya stayed quiet. She didn’t need it!


    “Freya,” Ellis called out to her.


    She instinctively answered, “Huh?”


    “Let’s y a game.”


    “But we’re about to eat.”


    “Josiah didn’t say it was ready,” he pointed out.


    Normally, Freya could handle situations with ease, but her mind was racing. She couldn’t stop worrying that Ellis might bring up herst phone call.


    It felt like there was a de hanging over her neck, and she was just waiting for it to fall.


    Ellis started setting up the chessboard, his eyes sharp as he noticed how distracted she was. “So, do you want to talk about how you used me to calm yourself downst time, or would you rather y chess?”


    “Chess,” Freya replied instantly.


    Ellis looked at her, his eyes unreadable. “Did getting married make you lose your nerve?”


    “Huh?”


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    “You used to be pretty bold,” he said with a sly grin.


    “Anyone would feel intimidated in front of you,” Freya muttered, then quickly shifted gears. “Didn’t Trent say you’d be back on the seventh? Why are you here now?”


    Ellis pressed his lips together. With his short-cropped hair and tall frame, he looked rugged and polished all at once. The crisp white shirt added a schrly charm to his usual quiet intensity.


    Freya blinked, a sudden thought crossing her mind—Ellis wasn’t bad-looking at all. If Frederick and n ever heard her say that, they’d definitely roast her. Not bad-looking? He was clearly drop-dead hot!


    “Just a little trick,” Ellis said coolly.


    Freya frowned. “What?”


    “To stop you from slipping away,” Ellis replied, eyes gleaming with insight. “If I’m not mistaken, your original n was to talk to Josiah, then hightail it out of Alerith, right?”


    Freya rubbed her temples. Of course—Ellis always saw through everything.


    “Are you embarrassed?” His voice was easy, but she knew he was fishing.


    “No,” Freya said honestly. She never figured Ellis, with his stern and aloof nature, would be the romantic type. “I just didn’t want to get roped into another brutal workout session.”


    Ellis’s eyes twinkled with understanding. Seemed like he’d need to take it slow.


    Freya sensed danger in the direction this was heading, so she switchednes. “Why are you back? On leave?”


    “Retired,” Ellis said tly.


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