Chapter 161:
“Grandpa, she sacrificed our relationship for my well-being back then, and I cannot fail her now,” Kristian insisted.
“And what of Freya?” Lionel burst out, frustration evident. “Have you considered her feelings at all? From the moment you chose matrimony with her, commitment to your marriage should have been paramount.”
Kristian fell silent, contemplating the accusation.
He acknowledged that his time with Freya had brought joy, yet he couldn’t sustain their union.
“Regarding Ashley—just because she claimed to have faced a life-threatening illness, does that guarantee its reality?” Lionel challenged bluntly. “If such grave conditions were so easily conquered, your grandma wouldn’t have departed this world so swiftly!”
Kristian paused, the words striking deep.
Lionel pressed on, “Throughout this entire situation, Freya remains the only one truly wronged! Even if Ashley’s narrative proves accurate, she made her choice. No one waits indefinitely.”
These piercing observations momentarily touched Kristian’s heart, leaving him awash in conflicting emotions.
“You’re forsaking Freya for Ashley now, but when regret inevitably finds you and you yearn for Freya’s return, she’ll have vanished,” Lionel declared with certainty. “She won’t linger for someone who failed to treasure her presence.”
“You cannot speak for her—how could you possibly know?” Kristian shot back instinctively.
“Do you believe that because your dad managed to reclaim your mom’s heart after wounding her, you might accomplish the same with Freya?” Lionel delivered the devastating truth. “If that’s your assumption, I must inform you: Freya isn’t like your mother—she won’t welcome you back.”
Find what you love at gⱯlnσν𝓮𝓁s․𝒸𝗼𝗺
The words caused Kristian’s heart to falter momentarily. Suddenly, an unfamiliar sensation surged within him—as if something precious was slipping through his fingers like sand.
“I’ve shared all I needed to say. If reclaiming Freya’s affection matters to you, abandon this divorce,” Lionel advised, concern evident in his tone. “Should she insist, use my approaching birthday celebration as justification for delay.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Kristian refused firmly.
Lionel abandoned further persuasion attempts.
Kristian reflected on how Liam had whisked Freya away some time ago. Rising to his feet, he announced, “I’m departing now. I’ll visit again when time permits.”
“Just go!” Lionel snapped, abandoning any pretense of politeness.
Kristian marched purposefully from the family estate. Declining driver assistance, he took a vehicle himself and drove away.
As he navigated away from the family estate, Lionel’s words echoing in his mind, he placed a call to Gerard.
Gerard had been preparing for sleep when his boss’s call illuminated his phone. Drawing a deep breath, he forced a smile into his voice and said, “What can I do for you, sir?”
“Investigate what critical illness Ashley suffered from,” Kristian instructed, his lips barely moving as he spoke.
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