Chapter 118:
Freya’s attention shifted to him, recognizing the figure who had been recording in the alley earlier.
Understanding dawned on the others, prompting a cascade of confessions.
“Yes, precisely!”
“She calculated your route, instructed us to simulate an attack against her, and planned to implicate Miss Bradley upon your arrival.”
“That’s exactly what happened.”
“Please, we’re telling the truth.”
If Freya couldn’t decipher their intentions now, she would be squandering valuable insight. This exchange illuminated the character of her hidden adversary.
Kristian’s demeanor darkened perceptibly, his frigid gaze locking onto Freya with palpable intensity. “Why did you do this?”
“Are you genuinely accepting their fabrications?” Freya asked, genuine surprise coloring her voice.
Kristian’s lips compressed into a taut line as he remained silent. How could doubt exist in his mind?
Each attacker wielded a baseball bat and demonstrated professional fighting capabilities. Despite Freya’s previous position as a bodyguard for the Briggs family, single-handedly defeating multiple trained opponents seemed implausible. The confrontation he witnessed from the vehicle would have overwhelmed most fighters.
Yet by the time he exited the car, Freya had already subdued her attackers.
As he approached, the white-shirted man exchanged a meaningful glance with him before their collective revelation about Ashley’s involvement.
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 ⬇ gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⫽𝓬𝓸𝓶
To dismiss such synchronized timing as coincidence stretched credibility beyond reasonable limits.
“This situation bears no connection to me,” Freya stated firmly, bristling at the false accusation. “I was completing my shopping when they cornered me in the alley. I fled here hoping to evade trouble, but they managed to follow.”
“You expect me to believe such a narrative?” Kristian responded grimly.
“Your belief is irrelevant to me,” Freya replied with composed indifference.
Her explanation emerged only to counter their deception.
Kristian’s judgment remained his prerogative; eventually, reality would expose genuine foolishness.
“When threatened, rational individuals seek crowded environments for safety. Why choose an isolated location rather than the security of your apartment?” Kristian challenged, his analytical mind detecting inconsistencies. “The distance from that alley to this spot spans several hundred meters at minimum. How did you maintain your lead against trained pursuers?”
Everyone fell into a heavy silence. They had merely followed the scripted deceit, yet inexplicably, Kristian had swallowed the tale whole.
“Mr. Shaw, actually…” one of them, grappling with a twinge of guilt, began, his voice trailing off as he considered revealing the truth—that Freya truly was swift on her feet.
Kristian’s gaze swept over them, frosty and detached.
The man in the white T-shirt hastened to elaborate. “Ms. Briggs indeed outpaced us, but only because she’d asked us earlier to ease off, ensuring she wouldn’t get caught.”
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