Chapter 178:
Kristian’s jaw set firmly. He didn’t need a moment to ponder; he knew the answer was a resounding no.
Meanwhile, Freya, having grown bored with the unfolding drama, decided it no longer warranted her attention. As long as Kristian didn’t wrong her directly, she was content to remain uninvolved. She turned to Liam, her expression indifferent. “I’m leaving.”
“I’ll give you a ride,” Liam offered quickly.
“No, thanks,” Freya declined curtly.
With a dismissive flick of her hair, she strode past Kristian and Ashley, treating them as if they were insignificant.
Kristian’s heart constricted, his thoughts a swirling chaos, yet his feet moved of their own accord, trailing behind Freya.
Standing by the doorway, he turned to Liam, his tone firm. “Keep an eye on Ashley. I won’t be long.” Liam offered no reply.
By the time Kristian caught up to Freya, they had already made it outside the building.
“Freya!” he called out, seizing her arm, his voice a tense whisper. She halted, facing him with a serene expression. “What is it?” she demanded.
“I’m sorry about today,” Kristian stammered, the cold air biting at him, an uncomfortable shiver running down his spine. “Ashley doesn’t normally act like that. She might be dealing with past traumas that led to her outburst today.”
“Are you apologizing on her behalf? Who are you to her now?” Freya’s voice was steady, her gaze piercing.
Kristian faltered, words failing him as they lodged in his throat.
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Freya wasn’t about to waste her breath on him. “Leave me alone, Kristian.” Her tone was laced with frustration.
She felt slighted, and rather than seeking the truth, Kristian had blindly sided with Ashley. And now, instead of holding Ashley accountable, here he was, offering excuses for her.
Liam had seen it clearly. Kristian’s heart harbored a bias, always tilting in Ashley’s favor.
“Freya,” he began again, desperation edging into his voice.
“I said leave me alone,” she snapped, her patience worn thin.
“Please, just hear me out,” pleaded Kristian, unaccustomed to the iciness in her demeanor.
Their eyes locked—hers clear and unyielding. Her silence was loud and clear, a silent message that Kristian felt deeply.
“Where was your calm and rationality when I really needed you to hear me out?” she pressed, her voice laced with a steely resolve.
In that moment, a sharp pang of anguish gripped his heart, as if a heavy stone were pressing relentlessly against his chest.
Attempting to shift the heavy air between them, he pulled out his car keys. “Let me drive you home,” he offered.
“No need,” Freya countered with unwavering firmness.
However, he was not ready to back down.
With a determined grasp, he captured her slender wrist and ushered her toward the parking lot. Despite her protests, he gently but firmly guided her into the car and took the driver’s seat.
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