She Took The House The Car And My Heart

Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Let's Go Say Hi

To The Folks Next Door

9

"Sure," Kristian agreed, his voice tinged with the usual patience he reserved for Freya's whims.

As Freya continued to quietly eat, her thoughts wandered, puzzling over Kristian's presence.

Kristian couldn't help but grapple with the same question. Even after settling into a private room with his friends-Felipe Yates, always hungry for drama, and Zander- Kristian's mind replayed the earlier scene he couldn't shake off.

The image of Freya and Trent, seated unusually close at an expansive table, nagged at him.

"What's on your mind?" Felipe prodded with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "You mentioned wanting to

discuss something earlier. Why the brooding silence now?"

"It's nothing," Kristian muttered, dismissing the inquiry with a wave of his hand, his brow furrowed in irritation.

Felipe exchanged a knowing look with Zander.

Thriving on the thrill of the intrigue, Felipe couldn't help but stir the pot. “I heard Trent's reputation has been

spotless for nearly three decades-always distant, never tangled up with any woman. Seems like he's not as

aloof as the rumors made him out to be."

“That's for sure,” Zander chimed in, his voice smooth as he took a leisurely sip of his drink, his expression

unreadable.

The mere mention of Trent's name was enough to fan the flames of Kristian's annoyance. He snapped, glaring

at Felipe, "Don't you have anything better to do than dig up gossip?"

"Nope," Felipe retorted, his smile broadening, clearly enjoying the rising tension.

The three had been inseparable since they were kids, which explained why Felipe and Zander could weather

Kristian's storms of temper with such ease.

Kristian, feeling trapped in a maelstrom of emotion, fixed his eyes on Zander. His friend's aloofness pricked at

him, stirring memories of a clip from a reality show he and Freya had once watched. It was enough to reignite

his anger.

"You really think you're not a jerk, huh?" Kristian snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Must be nice, sipping drinks without a care in the world!”

Zander, caught off guard, furrowed his brows in confusion. What did he do to- deserve this?

Felipe slung an arm around Zander and chuckled with a devilish glint in his eye. "Oh, let's not wast

1 on

a cuckold."

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Hi To The

to mince words, especially not with them, shot back. "Worry about your own mess, Felipe, At least Freya isn't expecting another man's

struck a nerve. Felipe's mischievous grin stiffened into mask

He

who called this meeting?" Felipe interjected, his to now tinged

with it then."

“Look, I need a favor. Keep an eye on

me, will you?"

air was thick with the weight of unspoken debts as both men

owe

pivoted sharply when one of them

with a calm, almost distant

her?" Zander probed, his voice laden with a

his tone flat

in with a biting tone, "Did you forget

shattering you?"

explained, "It

the record straight six months

usually would, "Freya has

so I need you two to

her

for a moment, Kristian

like you're nothing to her. Feels more like

your money, not you."

that," Kristian countered quickly, a protective

share during the divorce," Felipe retorted with a smirk, his words sharp. "People often wear masks of dignity and integrity, but who really knows what lies beneath?

be extraordinarily greedy."

settling into the creases of his brow as he processed' Felipe's

wasn't the type to care about

her recent

further, the annoyance

increasingly difficult to s.

flavors of his meal.

the

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eyes flickered towards the door of

by a restless anticipation he

come forth with an explanation by

another distracted sip from

Felipe and Zander exchanged glances, acutely aware of

silence stretched on, the atmosphere thickened with unspoken words until Felipe could no longer bear the heavy air. He rose, casually slipping a hand into his pocket, his voice breaking the

flat refusal hanging between them Freya was the one who had every reason

coaxing to his tone, "Trent traveled all the way from Alerith to Jeucwell; shouldn't we at least greet

moment's hesitation, a flicker of conflict across Kristian's

reassuringly on his

decent reason, Kristian got up from

strikingly attractive, each standing tall, their presence commanding enough to turn heads

restaurant provided a semblance