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,

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Chapter 21 QUA W

and full

call connected, Freys made small talk for a bit before cutting to

down Ellis's dinner invitations

asked, dating

to eat," Freya admitted, a tle uneasily Even

worry. "With the way he's always opers,

from that one embarrassing phone call, the couldn't think of any reason

already moved past

rocky Ellis's journey to win her heart had

caught the look.

the fact that Ellis's retired?" Trent tried

looked confused. Hadn't Ellis already said

"Since he's no longer that 'devil captain', maybe it's

lens."

"Huh?" Freya was puzzled.

"Or maybe Irving in your place and collecting that generous paycheck makes him feel

really think like that?" Freya always

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 pretty privileged backgrounds. That might

Freya frowned.

out of place? That just

Trent said, his tone turning sincere as he wove the tale on Ellis's behalf. "If he invites

serious?" Freya still found it hard

like that kind of person. But

"If you don't believe me, ask other guys. Just don't

thoughtfully. After a bit more

sifting through her thoughts, and came to one conclusion. Ellis really did have a whole

she didn't dwell

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

couldn't in the Shaw

set. She really

chimed in, "How about tomorrow

Riley added, "No objections."

Trent echoed, "Me too."

affirmatives as well. The only one

and Riley kept tagging him in the group, but he didn't

a

there,

the butt of some grand cosmic joke.

"Hmm?"

got

stepped aside and let him in, suddenly remembering-he'd gotten that phone after retiring, and she'd

said quickly as he saw her hand