She Took The House The Car And My Heart novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25 Testing Freya

The burden of being the Briggs Group successor weighed heavily on Freya’s shoulders. She yearned simply to find genuine love–someone who cherished her for herself–so they could build a life together through their own achievements, not inherited wealth.

Even without her successor title, Freya’s social standing matched Kristian’s perfectly.

She wanted their marriage to conclude just as it had begun–with her identity stripped down to simply being.

Freya.

Having made this decision, she resolved to inform Hugh immediately.

If she delayed, Kristian’s introduction tomorrow would certainly catch Hugh off guard, potentially exposing her

secret.

“W–What?” Hugh stammered, visibly shocked, his mind temporarily unable to process her words. “Why would he bring you to meet me?”

“He intends to verify my identity,” Freya stated matter–of–factly.

In reality, this wasn’t Kristian’s true motivation.

His actual purpose was to discover whether Freya would contact Hugh after learning about the meeting.

If she reached out to Hugh, it would confirm their relationship.

If not, he would dismiss her claims as mere fiction.

After speaking with Hugh, Freya checked her inbox and discovered two emails.

The first one read, “I request your assistance in examining call records for a number to determine if it has recently communicated with Hugh Briggs of the Briggs Group.” The second email contained her own number.

Freya nearly laughed at the irony. Kristian had unwittingly asked her to investigate herself.

Her spirits lifted slightly as she swiftly replied, “Checked. No contact.”

She harbored no concerns about Kristian employing additional hackers for verification.

Her contact information remained securely encrypted, rendering it untraceable through illicit methods.

Upon receiving her email, Kristian placed a verification call, which yielded identical results–no contact detected. This discovery deepened his contemplation of the situation.

The following afternoon found Freya still at the hospital, engaged in conversation with her sister, absorbing fascinating stories from the past two years.

Their discussion eventually turned toward Kristian.

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Ethel’s expression changed subtly. “Mina, there’s something I’ve been keeping from you.”

“What is it?” Freya’s interest piqued immediately.

Ethel hesitated. “It’s about Kristian.”

Freya tensed, an uneasy premonition washing over her.

Squirming under Freya’s intense gaze, Ethel bit her lip nervously and confessed, “This morning, I had a brief conversation with Dad. When I learned Kristian was bringing you to meet him, I persuaded Dad to relocate the meeting here.”

Freya blinked in surprise. “Are you serious?”

“I just wanted to see what he’s like in person,” Ethel admitted, acknowledging her mistake yet unable to suppress her curiosity. “After all, he was practically family at one point.”

Freya fell into contemplative silence. Her sister certainly excelled at complicating her already precarious,

situation.

“Mina?” Ethel ventured softly.

“Can you act convincingly?” Freya asked without accusation.

Ethel paused momentarily, then nodded casually. “I can.”

“If Kristian agrees to meet here, when you see me, pretend we’re strangers,” Freya instructed, concerned about Ethel’s theatrical abilities. “And avoid making eye contact with me altogether.”

“Understood.” Ethel nodded firmly.

Freya continued urgently, “Also, curb your curiosity about him. Remember, he’s not your brother–in–law- merely a business partner of the Briggs Group.”

“Got it!”

“Most crucially, never mention having a sister. Coordinate this with Dad beforehand and maintain absolute discretion.”

Ethel readily agreed to every.condition.

She had heard countless stories about Kristian’s remarkable accomplishments, his business acumen, and his flawless decision–making that had elevated him to legendary status in corporate circles.

Though she had glimpsed him at business functions previously, she never imagined he would become her brother–in–law.

Shortly after concluding her instructions to Ethel, Freya received Gerard’s call inquiring about her location for. pickup. He mentioned the meeting venue had been changed to Ethel’s hospital.

Unwilling to travel far for Gerard’s convenience, Freya simply stated she would wait at the hospital ending the call.

те

As she departed the hospital, she stopped briefly at a small market outside to exchange some cash.

At precisely half–past five, Gerard arrived with Kristian at the hospital, where they met Freya.

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<Chapter 25 Testing Freya

Kristian had changed into an impeccably tailored gray suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and trim waist, giving him the appearance of a fashion model, though his demeanor radiated an even more pronounced

coldness.

“Mrs. Shaw,” Gerard greeted her with a slight smile.

Freya corrected him firmly, “Just call me Freya.”

Both Gerard and Kristian lapsed into momentary silence.

“Is someone in your family hospitalized here?” Kristian’s penetrating gaze surveyed the surroundings as he posed this critical question.

Freya replied evenly, “No.”

Kristian’s scrutiny intensified as he studied her face. “Do you honestly expect me to believe that?”

“Whether you accept my answer or not remains entirely your concern,” Freya countered sharply.

Since Ashley’s unfortunate incident, she had recognized that Kristian’s trust in her had completely evaporated. Gerard remained silent nearby, unwilling to intervene in their confrontation.

“If no one in your family is hospitalized here, perhaps you could explain why your phone’s step counter barely exceeds two hundred steps today?” Kristian produced his phone, opened the tracking application, and revealed her data without hesitation.

His demeanor grew noticeably colder as he recalled the fleeting shadow he had glimpsed outside Ethel’s hospital room yesterday, a figure strikingly similar to Freya.