Chapter 201:
He flung the covers aside, briskly rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and fumbled for his glasses on the nightstand. Slipping them on, he adjusted to a more business-like tone.
“What do you need, Mr. Shaw?”
“I need a background check on someone.”
“Who are we talking about?”
“Charlie.” Kristian’s voice took on a grim tone as he uttered the name.
He could postpone digging into Freya’s past relationships for now, but Charlie was a different matter—Freya’s bedtime companion, the one she clung to even in sleep, choosing him over her own husband.
Kristian was driven by a need to uncover the face and the allure that kept Freya’s thoughts tethered to Charlie, even after two years of marriage.
Gerard’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Just a name?”
“Someone intimately linked to Freya. They’re inseparable,” Kristian replied, careful not to divulge too much about Freya’s circumstances.
“They spent most of their nights wrapped up in each other.”
Gerard paused, processing the information.
“Focus on this instead of those other minor tasks,” Kristian instructed, bestowing him with certain special benefits.
“Forget about cleaning toilets for now. I need you to uncover everything you can about this Charlie. Hurry up and get it done.”
“Understood, sir,” Gerard responded, his voice tinged with relief at the prospect of avoiding the dreaded toilet cleaning.
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⫽𝖼𝗈𝗺
Kristian acknowledged with a noncommittal grunt and ended the call.
He lingered over his phone for a moment, contemplating whether to enlist his hacker friend’s aid in his quest. However, the risk of his own identity being unearthed dissuaded him.
After all, repeatedly soliciting help for investigations wasn’t typical among friends.
Eventually, he drafted a message to Damon in Alerith, seeking assistance. Given Freya’s origins in Alerith, Damon might have an easier time gathering information.
With his requests dispatched, Kristian finally allowed himself a moment of respite. He loosened his tie, sprawled out on the sofa, and tried to relax.
But rest eluded him, his sleep troubled and fitful compared to Freya’s peaceful slumber.
In his dreams, he saw Freya encircled by two charismatic men, both adept at charming her.
As she embraced the gentle one, she turned to Kristian and said,
“You have Ashley, while I have Charlie and my first love.”
Freya had just wrapped up her conversation with Kristian and had even pressed a swift kiss to Charlie’s cheek.
Kristian, seething with a silent rage that seemed to boil his very blood, was jolted awake by the disturbance.
Irritated, he flicked his eyes to his phone, checking the time. The glowing digits showed it was only five in the morning. Sighing deeply, he massaged his weary temples, his fingers tracing circles of exhaustion. With a huff, he grabbed his coat and strode over to the room where Liam was dozing.
Pushing the door open with more force than necessary, Kristian’s shadow fell over Liam. In a single, fluid motion, he nudged Liam off the bed.
.
.
.