?Chapter 977:


    Freya and Ellis returned his greeting with matching warmth.


    Noticing Alyssa and Ethan approaching from the parking area, Freya leaned toward Frederick and whispered subtle instructions. “The woman is Alyssa. y your part convincingly but with restraint.”


    “Consider it handled,” Frederick responded with a conspiratorial nce.


    As the neers joined their circle, Ellis performed necessary introductions with practiced ease.


    Frederick’s natural vivaciousness made his performance effortlessly convincing. Following preliminary pleasantries, he swept Alyssa away toward various entertainments, his smooth execution surprising both Ellis and Freya.


    Ethan’s brow creased with unmistakable displeasure.


    “Does Frederick truly possess such simplistic character?” Ethan questioned, disguising jealousy behind moral concern. “His immediate familiarity with Alyssa suggests questionable reliability.”


    “His trustworthiness surpasses yours considerably,” Ellis countered with unruffledposure.


    Ethan’s frown deepened into a scowl.


    How dare he make such aparison?


    “Alyssa has been an integral part of our lives since childhood,” Ethan reminded him, an indirect warningced through his words. “Should you cause her any distress, I’ll be first in line to address the matter personally.”


    “And how precisely would you aplish that?” Ellis arched an eyebrow, his tone infuriatingly tranquil. “Perhaps by infiltrating my devices with malicious software or resorting to physical confrontation?”


    Ethan nearly suffocated on his suppressed frustration.


    g ? ln σ ν?? ?s, where stories thrive


    The paradoxical nature of friendship—how it could simultaneously inspire profound affection and intense irritation—bewildered himpletely.


    When rtionships flourished harmoniously, they brought unparalleled joy, yet during conflicts, they transformed into exquisite torture!


    “You actually dare bring that up?” Ethan’s scalp prickled with the unpleasant memory of his mother’s fury that day. “Who did you hire to tamper with my phone? I’ve approached several specialists, yet none could prate its defenses.”


    Freya maintained her deliberate silence.


    Ellis’s eyes danced with mischief as he uttered just two words. “A genuine expert.”


    “Obviously it’s a genuine expert,” Ethan grumbled, convinced that Ellis had grown insufferably smug since entering a rtionship. “I’m asking for their actual identity.”


    “A hacker,” Ellis replied with maddening brevity.


    Ethan shot him an exasperated look.


    This conversation was deteriorating into absurdity.


    If this pattern continued, Ellis would surely drive him to the brink of insanity sooner rather thanter!


    “You wait here for the others. I’m going to investigate whether Frederick is as dubious as he appears.” Ethan’s mind was already churning with possibilities.


    Since Ellis had mentioned a hacker, Frederick’s technical prowess must be considerable.


    Why not enlist his assistance in cracking the virus?


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