Freya squinted, the word husband sounding foreign, strange, heavy in her ears.
Finally, she said quietly, almost like a confession:
"Hilary, Hilary Thompson."
Karen burst into laughter, hitting her friend lightly on the shoulder.
"Oh, come on! You've been reading too many of those novels where some random girl marries a billionaire at first sight—and to make it juicier, The crush!" she teased, raising her brows dramatically.
But when she noticed Freya's expression—serious, unflinching—Karen's smile faltered.
Her fingers brushed Freya's palm gently.
"Wait…Freya, are you serious?"
Freya's silence was enough,to tell she is.
Karen's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You mean Hilary Thompson? The hottest, richest CEO in the city? The same guy who bullied you in high school?"
Karen shook her head in disbelief, then laughed breathlessly.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing you finally married your childhood crush—the love of your life. Isn't that fate? It brought you two together."
Karen pulled her into a hug, her joy genuine, though her thoughts tangled with unease.
She wasn't happy about the suddenness of it all, but she couldn't deny who Freya had ended up with.
Pulling back, she asked eagerly, "How did you even do that? Tell me everything!"
Karen was eager to hear the Cinderella's love story of her friend,she believes her friend finally found love.
But Freya's gaze dropped to her cup. "I never did," she cut softly, her voice tight.
Karen frowned. "Never did what?"
"never stopped loving him?"
Freya's's eyes hardened. "No, Karen.
I never had a crush on him,you only believe I did,how can I even possibly like someone who uses any chance he gets to tease me?
Either way one of you was hiding something,but am happy you both ended up together.
Karen giggled.
Freya took another sip of coffee before finishing, her tone almost flat:
"I didn't even know it was him I was getting married to."
As Freya parted ways with her friend she went back to her new home.
The delivery man arrived with the kitchen utensils she had ordered earlier.
She quickly prepared a casserole and pizza;she hadn't eaten any proper food for two days.
Once she was done she had a warm bath before she ate, Freya prefers home made meals to restaurant, she believes it was less spending for.
After she finished eating she walked to her room,it was already 7:35 pm and Freya was yet to arrive home.
She remembered they exchanged numbers with Hilary,she quickly picked up her phone and dialed his number,but he did not pick up.
Since he was still at work,she decided to send him a quick message. She was getting a little worried and was almost getting late for every white collar worker yet to arrive home.
Hilary was in a conference meeting, everyone present in the meeting had set their phone on silent mode as no personal calls are allowed during the period.
He did not save Freya's number earlier,he blacklisted the number without second thought,he didn't know who was calling him and he did not think it was necessary to know.
Placing his phone back on the table, Hilary lifted his head and noticed all eyes were on him.
With his stoic expression, Hilary said back to the meeting.
Looking around the room, Freya heaved a sight,she had called Hilary to ask if he was coming back home.
The house was big,even much bigger than her father's house. Sleeping alone in such a mansion was something she never did, least she needed Hilary to be home,he could protect her.
But he blacklisted her number,she thought he wouldn't be back home tonight.
Grabbing her pyjamas,Freya had a warm bath and allowed the weariness to rock her to sleep.
Meanwhile, Lucian walked out from the conference hall,owned by his family.
With Freya's thoughts coming to his mind,he decided to go home.
While on the drive home,it was then Hilary checked his phone.
He opened his Whatsapp and found three missed voice calls,he didn't save the number but with the picture on the profile Hilary knows whom the number belongs to,it was the same number he blocked.
Why was she calling him?Is she okay?
He quickly unblocked the number and called.
But Freya doesn't respond,what must have happened to her?
In a husky voice he asked his driver to speed off.
Freya was awakened by the kick on the door.
Who was banging the door?She thought,who is it? Freya managed to ask as she came downstairs even though fear was already gripping her.
But she was stumped the moment she heard the hoarse male voice from the outside.
She quickly opened the door, she stared at Hilary's face for a while before putting a smile on her face.
Oh it's you,she muttered with embarrassment.
Hilary's rage was already high as she did not pick his calls and even locked him outside his house.
He has never felt embarrassed and ignored like the way Freya made him feel.
Brushing Freya off, Hilary walked past her with a sour face.
Why was he fuming?She had called him several times to ask if he was going to come back home but he didn't pick up t atlas. He blacklisted her number,so why was he fuming.
Freya stucked her tongue out behind him.
"I thought you wouldn't be coming back tonight.
I even called but you didn't take any of my calls she explained but Hilary did not even look up to see her face.
That's the effect of marrying someone you both don't have any feelings for.
Without any utterance Hilary walked to the master's bedroom to have a bath, after about twenty minutes he came down stairs.
Sitting at the dining table Hilary stared icily at her with a dead pan yet penetrating eyes.
He ate his dinner quietly while he stole glances at Freya as she focused on the k_drama series with her wide doe eyes.
For some reason she wasn't feeling sleepy anymore.
Hilary wasn't a fan of late night meals,he just had to eat since Freya already kept the food for him, so rejecting her meal for the first time wasn't a right thing to do.
I'll be home every single day unless I tell you otherwise,I don't appreciate the way you locked me out,let this not repeat itself, Hilary told Freya.
But I.. Freya tried to explain to Hilary that she called him but he stopped her abruptly. I don't have time for talks.
She bit her lower lip and nodded her head,it was his house after all he could have the last say, but she wouldn't let his words get to her.
I guess I will go back to bed,good night.
Freya muttered before turning to leave.
Reya.
Pausing, Freya turned her head around and asked yes.
She remembered the name he had once called her, back then in high school.
Calling the name again gave Freya nostalgia.
She had thought Hilary didn't remember her.
Due to a small scar now on her temple.
He didn't show any form of remembering her either.
His intense gaze roamed around her body before he said coldly.
Please don't walk around in your pyjamas next time."
She was not wearing a bra, unfortunately Hilary's eagle eyes picked up her hard nipples.
They were husband and wife afterall.but what if someone sees her.
Freya's face was red with embarrassment,she bolted back to her room and slammed the door.
The last thing Hilary wanted was for another man to see his wife's body.
When Hilary walked to his master bedroom he was impressed at how Freya had quickly put some things in others,since he quickly bought the house at the last minute some stuffs were not fully organized.
However he still doesn't see her as a smart girl,she was still the naive girl with wide doe eyes who was always shy to look at him back then in high school.
As Freya lay on her bed,many thoughts ran through her mind,with the thoughts she slept off, however she woke up to the cold gaze of Hilary right in her bed.
W..what are you doing here she asked frightened.