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

through her body coding her to wince as she attempted to move. Then, a voice- one she had yearned to hear em in

reached her ears.

gently, placing a restraining hand on her sister "You's will commened

drip."

Joy illuminated her eyes as

she exclaimed, her

about twenty minutes just ter sill wil

blanket snugly around her sister's form, concerned

"Mina," Ethel murmured.

"Yes?" Freya responded attentively.

so wonderful to have you back," Ethel

into a

"Mina," Ethel called again.

"Yes?"

to see you," Ethel whispered, her words simple but

her sister's nose, affection radiating from her expression. Focus

Ethel beamed with

the infusion

nurse

from the IV, Ethel struggled eagerly to sit

a

spirits soaring with each passing moment. "Dad mentioned

in her eyes.

silent,

marriage seemed to have spread further than she

Freya redirected gently, her gaze settling on the bandages encircling Ethel's head, "you need to explain

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Arranging Dinner With

noticeably, replaced by a flicker of hesitation that crossed her

patient silence, allowing her sister the

can't become angry when I tell you," Ethel negotiated, teeth worrying her bottom

Freya conceded with

hesitated extensively before finally admitting, "I was beaten, though I'm uncertain about

it.*

Freya encouraged, maintaining her

Cheryl's

bears no connection to her

father's new companion in recent

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

friend?" Freya probed, seeking crucial

hesitated meaningfully, her eyes deliberately avoiding Freya's

dawned immediately on Freya. "A