Chapter: 14

"I thought Freya hired that hit-and-run driver?" Ashley's friend frowned. "Why is Mr. Shaw still-—"

"It wasn't her." Ashley's brow furrowed.

At first, she'd assumed Freya was behind it-after all, her return threatened Freya's place as Kristian's wife.

But Freya's reaction today? Too genuine. Too uncalculated.

Kristian had noticed it too.

In the backseat of the car, tension hung thick between him and Freya.

Before Kristian could speak, Gerard's call cut through. "Sir, we traced the IP. The login didn't originate from our city."

"Understood." Kristian's grip tightened on the phone, the weight of his mistake settling like lead.

He'd wronged Freya. His gaze flicked to her, silhouetted by sunlight filtering through the window. The glow softened her edges, almost like the woman she'd been before—before the bitterness, before the barbs.

"Freya." Her name left his lips, uncharacteristically hesitant.

She'd overheard the call. "Don't tell me you're about to apologize."

Kristian's jaw clenched. Why did every conversation with her feel Like walking into a trap?

"An out-of-town IP doesn't prove my innocence," she mused, voice light but edged. "What if I hired someone else to contact the driver?"

He knew she was baiting him. The apology lodged in his throat, stubborn as a stone. After a beat, he forced it out. "I know it wasn't you."

If she'd orchestrated it, she wouldn't dissect the evidence so coolly-or taunt him with its flaws. His worry for Ashley, Freya's recent unpredictability—they'd blinded him.

"Oh." Freya's reply was a dismissal.

Kristian blinked. Just.. "oh"? He'd expected fury, demands, something. Instead, he thrust a black card at her. "Take the primary card. Spend however you want."

"Gladly." She plucked it from his fingers without hesitation. His eyebrows shot up. "Now the others," she added.

Kristian turned to her, not quite following. "What others?"

"Considering your inappropriate behavior today," she said, her tone impossibly neutral, "and to avoid any further complications, I'll be holding onto all your cards starting now. You'll get them back on the day of the divorce." The driver nearly choked on air.

Kristian's brows snapped together.

"What, you don't want to?" Freya pressed, arching a brow.

"You should know when to stop while you're ahead," Kristian said, irritation creeping into his voice. The air in the car grew thick. "I admit I misjudged today, but let's not pretend your erratic behavior lately didn't play a role in that."

Freya stared at him, disbelief flashing in her eyes. He was seriously blaming her for this?