She Took The House The Car And My Heart

Chapter 23

Chapter 23 Arranging Dinner With Freya's Father

Kristian strode out of the hospital room with measured steps, Damon's words echoing in his mind.

His eyes darkened as the implications sank in. Could Freya truly be Hugh Briggs's daughter? The possibility

unsettled him.

Outside, he spotted Richie Hewitt, the branch manager, waiting attentively by the door.

"Richie," Kristian summoned him with quiet authority.

Richie snapped to attention, his posture stiffening as he searched Kristian's expression for clues about the meeting with Damon.

"Find an opportunity to arrange dinner with Hugh Briggs of the Briggs Group," Kristian instructed, his voice deliberately measured, masking his true intentions. Confusion flickered across Richie's features. “Hugh Briggs of the Briggs Group?" "Yes," Kristian confirmed casually, continuing his path down the corridor. He paused briefly to glance into Ethel's room as he passed.

Richie hurried after him. "But our projects with the Briggs Group aren't core collaborations." He assumed business motives behind the request. "Wouldn't arranging dinner seem inappropriate under these circumstances?"

"It's perfectly fine," Kristian replied, shifting his gaze forward again. He had already formulated his strategy to probe Hugh. "Simply mention that I find our cooperation with the Briggs Group promising and wish to explore deeper collaboration."

Richie hesitated, his lips twitching with unspoken reluctance.

"What's wrong?" Kristian inquired, noticing the man's discomfort.

"Our cooperation with the Briggs Group hasn't exactly been pleasant..." Richie's face paled as memories surfaced. "During percentage negotiations, both parties maintained superficial politeness while secretly harboring violent thoughts toward each other."

That collaboration had resembled nothing short of a battlefield.

The Briggs Group ranked last on Richie's list of desired business partners-they were impossibly difficult! Kristian fell silent, taken aback. He hadn't anticipated this complication, as Alerith's business dealings were managed externally. "Then devise another pretext for the meeting," he directed.

"Yes, sir," Richie agreed, though reluctance still tinged his voice.

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Meanwhile, Freya remained blissfully unaware that Kristian planned to meet her fatture

At nine that evening, Ethel finally stirred from unconsciousness

Pain radiated through her body coding her to wince as she attempted to move. Then, a voice- one she

reached her ears.

restraining hand on her sister

drip."

Ethel's being. Joy illuminated her

exclaimed, her voice thick

drip will be completed in about twenty minutes just ter sill wil frem "Okay," Ethel complied eagerly, her bright gaze fixed

blanket snugly around her sister's form, concerned about

"Mina," Ethel murmured.

"Yes?" Freya responded attentively.

you back," Ethel continued, her

curved into a tender

"Mina," Ethel called again.

"Yes?"

Ethel whispered, her words

sister's nose, affection radiating from her expression.

Ethel beamed with

the infusion completed,

nurse

Ethel struggled eagerly to sit upright, desperate to be closer

a comfortable position, offered her a cup of water, and settled beside

Ethel's face radiated pure joy, her spirits soaring with each passing moment. "Dad

in her eyes.

silent, contemplating the

seemed to have spread

settling on the bandages encircling Ethel's head, "you need to explain how you acquired

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Arranging Dinner With Freya's

noticeably, replaced by a flicker of

waited with patient silence, allowing her sister the space to

become angry when I tell you," Ethel negotiated, teeth worrying

conceded with a reassuring

before finally admitting, "I was beaten, though

it.*

with me," Freya encouraged, maintaining her composure despite

believe it might have been Cheryl's relatives," Ethel

probably bears no connection

father's new companion in recent

Ethel elaborated, reconstructing the sequence of events. "It claimed a friend of mine was in trouble and urged me to

probed, seeking

eyes deliberately avoiding

on