Freya reached her mother's house.
She saw her mother sitting on the couch reading the magazine in her hand.
Immediately Mrs Caterina set her eyes on her daughter, her eyes lit up,she was genuinely happy to see Freya.
Ella,her mother stood up abandoning the magazine she was reading and pulled her daughter into a warm embrace.
Hi mom,how have you been? Freya asked enthusiastically.
As Freya hugged her mother, she noticed her mother was getting older by the day,the grey hair and wrinkled were enough evidence.
The thought of her mother getting old and weak,made her heart twitched.
Mrs Caterina noticed her daughter's sad expression.
She wanted to say something but Freya
Quickly smiled and brought out the samosa she had made specifically for Mrs Caterina.
Mom, I tried a new recipe,you should check it out, brought out the samosa from her tote bag and handled it to her mother.
Freya, Where is your husband?her mother asked, making her quickly stop in her tracks.
You told me you were coming together with him.
He is fine.
Freya said quickly avoiding her mother's gaze, she pursued her lips waiting for her mother's possible question.
She thought her mother would push further but thankfully she didn't,luck was on her side.
Freya spoke, breaking the awkward silence between them.
He is on a business trip, but when he gets back we will come around.
Freya lied.
Since she married Hilary she had been lying to her mother, from telling her she and Hilary were dating and already planned on having an
Plain wedding.
She never told her mother,her marriage with Hilary's was to save her father from staying behind bass.
Mrs Caterina wasn't aware of all of these as she doesn't stay in Mr Carter home.
They got divorce since Freya was three.
Freya spent the whole day with her mother.
As time approached her mother checked the wall clock and asked her daughter if she wouldn't be going home tonight.
But she told her mother she would sleep over and get to her shop from here,the next morning.
Meanwhile Hilary has called Freya five missed calls,she didn't know her phone was ringing as she had mistakenly put her phone on silent earlier on.
Hilary checked his watch and realized it was almost 7:30 pm yet Freya was yet to come back home and she had refused to pick his calls nor return them.
Many things were going through his mind.
She probably might be with her boyfriend as she had told him days ago about being in a relationship.
She was just waiting for the contract to be over then she'd get married to her lover.
Truthfully Freya doesn't have a boyfriend,she only told him to set boundaries when she and Hilary almost got into a kiss two days ago.
He had a girlfriend too, one he was in love with.
It was better she set her boundaries too.
The tattoo on his hand which had a date on it 13/07,says it all,he had someone special to him.
She knew him from highschool. He doesn't celebrate his birthday on the tattoo date on his hand.
He also didn't have any siblings to have tattooed his or her birthday; he was an only child.
It must be of a lover then.
As Freya and her mother sat in the living room,a soft knock came in, and for a moment her heart skipped even though she didn't know why."Are you expecting anyone?" Freya asked her mother, walking hesitantly toward the door.
To her surprise, a familiar cologne drifted into her nostrils the moment she turned the knob. Her heart skipped—his handsome face, beaming with a smile, greeted her as the door swung open.
"W…what are you doing here?" she stammered.
Freya whispered, pressing her lips into a thin line.
Making sure her mother wouldn't hear her, Freya whispered hurriedly, "I'm sleeping over."
She tried to dismiss Hilary quickly before her mother noticed him.
After all, she had lied earlier, telling her that he'd traveled on a business trip. Seeing him show up now, at her door, would only raise suspicion.
—
Hilary doesn't seem to care about her uneasiness.
He wrapped his strong arm around her slender waist and walked into the house.
He exchanged pleasantries with Mrs Caterina enthusiastically.
I have come to take my wife with me, I've missed her so much,am just coming back from a trip and I probably can't sleep without her, Hilary stated.
Freya chuckled nervously at Hilary's words; and behavior,they didn't share the same bedroom at all.
They didn't share the same bedroom.
They barely talked.
And even if she wanted to initiate a conversation Hilary wasn't approachable.
But his way of acting was impressive—it made things easier for her. She no longer had to rack her brain for lies to tell her mother; Hilary was already doing that on her behalf.
She carried her bag after saying her goodbyes to Mr Mother and left with Hilary.
Her mother couldn't be more happier,her daughter had gotten a man who loved her dearly, even though her marriage with
Mr Jones didn't work out because she believes her daughter would experience the best marriage.
She was indeed impressed with Hilary's behavior tonight, even though she was just seeing him for the first time she believes he truly loves her daughter.
Freya tore her gaze from the window, watching cars stream back and forth.
She bit back the urge to speak—though questions burned inside her, she couldn't bring herself to start a conversation with Lucian.
The way he pulled up unannounced in her mother's house she remembered clearly that she never told Hilary where her mother lives.
How had he shown up unannounced without even letting her know? And that little drama he pulled earlier—he was far too good at it.
"Do you really want to sleep over at your mom's place?" Hilary asked at last, his eyes fixed elsewhere, not sparing her a glance as he finally broke the silence between them.
She was angry and surprised at once,she was sure she never told him where her mother leaves.
How he managed to get the address was something she can't place a finger on and secondly he called her mother, mum and even showed affection towards her like it was real.
Next time, maybe text first before showing up. Courtesy, you know?"
Freya said without stopping herself.
"Maybe if you answered my calls, I wouldn't have to show up unannounced," Hilary said, irritation edging his voice.
He studied Freya, disbelief flickering in his eyes. How could she pretend she hadn't noticed his calls?
With that Hilary carried his phone and showed it to Freya.
Seeing Hilary was right she muttered a quiet sorry feeling embarrassed.
Freya was sure Hilary didn't call her that's why she was confident enough to say those words.
The ride was quiet and filled with tension after.
After having a quick bath Hilary quickly sent Freya a text.
Hilary: Where are you ?Come to the master bedroom.
Freya read Hilary's message and frowned; she was already on her bed and Hilary was asking to see her.
She checked her watch. It was almost 10:00pm ,she hesitantly went to the master's bedroom to meet Hilary.
"Let's sleep here tonight," Hilary said, his voice softer than usual, his eyes almost pleading with hers.
Freya arched her brows in confusion. It was unlike him to act this way—why was he suddenly different tonight?
"I…I don't understand," she stuttered.
"Can we sleep together tonight?"
He repeated softly, his tone gentler than before.
"I'm not ready to go back on any of our agreements," Freya replied, her voice steady despite the unease twisting inside her. "Besides, you stated clearly—no form of romance. This is a strictly business marriage."
She thought the reason Hilary was asking her to sleep in the master's bedroom with him tonight was probably because he wanted them to have sex.
Freya remembered he asked his driver to get him a pack of condom on their ride home, moments ago.
So it was better to make it clear—Hilary needed to know she wasn't interested.
At first, she feared her refusal might anger him.
But instead, he stepped closer. His warm breath brushed against her neck, and the familiar scent of his cologne wrapped around her, unsettling her resolve.
He wrapped his hand around her slender waist and whispered to her ear, just get to bed,you've had a long day.
And we are not doing anything tonight,he added with finality.
Freya was stunned by his response,she pressed her lips into a thin line.
Hilary left her standing and walked to his closet to wear his robe.
His abs looked carved from stone, every line sharp and commanding.
The tattoo etched across his chest wasn't just ink—it was an accent, a dark mark that drew the eye, making his already perfect body look even more untouchable… and irresistible."
Freya synchronize Hilary's entire body,it was indeed a work of art.
She lay at the side of the bed and closed her eyes, her mind drifting with many thoughts, Hilary's body was one of them.
Freya was awakened by Hilary's warm touch, she opened her eyes before she realized she had dozed off in just a few minutes, with Hilary.
Hilary dragged the duvex and covered Freya together with himself,he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
Her scent calmed his nerves as he breathed her in, a quiet relief washing over him.
"I've missed you," Hilary murmured, his grip tightening around Freya's slender waist.
All he wanted was to remain in this moment, holding her, until morning
Do you think I was joking when I told mum I missed you?
Hilary asked.
Freya wanted to say something but,the sound of Hilary's phone made her stop abruptly.
At first he hesitated to pick the call but immediately he saw the name on the screen, his face lit up.
I will be there right away.
Hilary said quickly and changed into something simple.
And stepped her out of the room.
Freya was certain it was a woman's voice she'd heard on the other end of the call. Whoever it was had to be important to Hilary—for him to leave the house at such a late hour.
—
Could it be the woman he had her birthday tattoo on?