?Chapter 699:


    Ellis didn’t even nce at him. “She’s just as skilled as any instructor here. Probably more. She doesn’t need you.” He knew Freya’s limits—and more importantly, he knew how much she hated being hovered over. She wanted freedom, not someone clutching the controls. “Go focus on your own ride.”


    Though skeptical, the instructor shot a questioning nce toward Freya, who echoed Ellis’s sentiment with a decisive shake of her head. Convinced by their resolve, the instructor reluctantly geared up, deciding to join them in the air rather than remain on the ground. The engines roared to life, promising an exhrating ascent.


    Reluctantly, he had to give Ellis credit—he wasn’t reckless, just stubborn. If Ellis vouched for her, she was probably more than capable.


    The moment they soared into the air, Freya peered down at the craggy mountains shrouded in a silvery mist, the world unfurling beneath her like a vast, mysterious tapestry. The persistent tension that had knotted her muscles began to dissolve, her burdened heart gradually shedding its heaviness for a newfound lightness and freedom.


    During their flight, Freya was utterly captivated by the experience. Ellis remained attentively by her side, observing as the stress melted from her features.


    A subtle smile tugged at his lips, and a warmth flickered in his eyes—a silent reassurance only she could feel.


    The weather was impable that day, enhancing the serenity of the flight. Freya remained airborne for a blissful two hours, and by the time she touched the ground again, the swarm of worries that had clouded her mind had dispersed. Shended feeling serene,pletely at peace with the world.


    “That was insane!” the instructor eximed, his charm not dimming in the slightest as he shed his flight gear. Seizing the opportunity, he drifted closer to Ellis, eager to chat. “How did you get to know her? She’s stunning, and she flies like she was born to it. Tell me she’s got a sister. Hook me up, man.”


    Ellis responded with cool detachment. “Even if she did, it has nothing to do with you.”


    “Oh, don’t be like that,” the instructor whined, yfully throwing an arm around Ellis’s shoulders. “We’ve been through so much together. You’re really okay with me being miserable and single forever?”


    Just as Ellis caught sight of Freya approaching them, he quippedzily, “Her younger sister isn’t keen on older men.”


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    The instructor’s jaw dropped. “Older?”


    He retorted with a mock scowl, “Coming from you? That’s rich.”


    The jab hit Ellis hard, casting his thoughts back to a moment when Freya had poked fun at his age, injecting wry humor into the memory. His irritation with the instructor swelled, coloring his perception with a shade of annoyance.


    “Compared to you, I’m practically young,” Ellis retorted with his characteristic nonchnce, his voiceced with mock superiority. A hint of amusement flickered across the instructor’s face, his lips barely concealing a smirk.


    They were barely days apart, yet Ellis spoke as if the instructor were years ahead. Not even a hint of shame.


    Just then, Freya strolled up, catching the tail end of their yful jabs. Before she could get a word in, Ellis turned to her and announced, “Let’s go. We’re heading back.”


    “Already?” Freya raised an eyebrow, her tone light but curious. It was obvious Freya knew Ellis and the instructor were friends. “You two looked like you were having a nostalgic moment.”


    “Nostalgic?” Ellis arched a brow, feigning ignorance. “I’ve only known the guy a few days longer than you.” He delivered the lie with such a straight face that it was almost convincing.


    Freya cast a quick nce around, suspicion flickering in her eyes. Was that so? It didn’t feel like that at all.


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