She Took The House The Car And My Heart

Left Me With Walls, Wheels, and Wounds 281

Chapter 281 Ellis's Phone Got A Virus

After shooting off the message, Ellis powered down his phone and tucked it away, resolute in his mission to avoid any unnecessary distractions.

He'd finally coaxed Freya out for a breath of fresh air. No way was he about to let anyone mess that up.

The instructor stared blankly at the message lighting up his screen, completely at a loss.

Without wasting a second, he hit the call button and tried Ellis. But all he got was Ellis's voicemail

He was left speechless. He narrowed his eyes at the car that had just driven off, jaw tight with irritation. "Fine. Let's see how long you last without turning your phone back on."

Ellis, on the other hand, couldn't care less about ruffling his friend's feathers. They'd been pulling tricks on each other since childhood.

To be fair, they only ever reached out when it suited them.

By the time they rolled into the city, the clock had already ticked past four in the afternoon.

Ellis drove Freya straight home.

There was no use heading to the office at this hour. Besides, he and Melvin had already squared away everything that mattered. Freya had nothing left to stress about.

Once they arrived, Freya unlocked the door.

"Thank you for today," she said, glancing back with a rare flicker of sincerity in her eyes. "I'll give you a raise next month."

Ellis replied in his usual nonchalant drawl, "Much appreciated, my dear boss." Freya was momentarily struck dumb. She still wasn't used to being called that. "Go on in and rest up. I'll holler when dinner's ready," Ellis said in that familiar, protective tone, one that bordered on brotherly. "Especially after that raise you promised me."

"I..." Freya started, instinctively ready to decline.

But the look in Ellis's eyes stopped her short.

She swallowed her protest and changed her answer. "Alright."

After they parted ways, Freya reached out to Trent.

Compared to her, Trent probably knew Ellis even better. The two of them were like peas in a pod-sharp,

0.0%

18

IN

18:33

O<

Chapter 21 QUA W

and full of

connected, Freys made small talk for a bit

down Ellis's dinner invitations

asked, dating his

Freya admitted, a tle uneasily Even though Ellis had

always opers, when he's nice to you,

embarrassing phone call, the couldn't think of any reason she'd

already

marveling at how rocky Ellis's journey to

caught the look. "What's

Ellis's retired?" Trent tried to shift the

looked confused. Hadn't Ellis already

captain', maybe it's time to stop

lens."

"Huh?" Freya was puzzled.

he's just trying to be nice," Trent explained, gently setting the stage. "Or maybe Irving in your place and collecting that

like that?" Freya always felt unguarded around her

more. "But now that we're all out in the real world, he's probably noticed that, compared to the rest of us, some folks-like you-come from

Freya frowned.

That just didn't

Men have their pride. Especially Ellis," Trent said, his tone turning sincere as he wove the tale on Ellis's behalf. "If he invites you to dinner, just go. It might ease that

serious?" Freya still found it hard

of person. But Trent's words

"If you don't believe me,

thoughtfully. After a bit more casual chatter, they

sifting through her thoughts, and came to

she didn't dwell on

28.6%

18.33

chat, she opened it-the one with all eight of them, Ellis

the Shaw Group. As far

really was

in, "How

Riley added, "No objections."

Trent echoed, "Me too."

their affirmatives as well. The only

him in the group, but he

there was a knock at Freya's

standing there, phone in hand, looking

butt of some grand cosmic joke.

"Hmm?"

got a

him in, suddenly remembering-he'd gotten that phone after retiring, and she'd never secured it for

quickly as he saw her hand move toward