...Hmm.

Lost.

This little lying mouth of hers, always with the excuse of being lost.

Yet, to Bradley Austin's surprise, she returned.

Last night, when Freya Lawson left, he had Frederick Johnson discreetly send someone to find her, ensuring that no one at Royal Garden Mansion knew of Freya's act of playing dumb.

As he wheeled closer to her, Bradley wore a stern expression, admonishing, "From now on, no more venturing out alone at night. Understand?"

"I understand," Freya replied, her head lowered, resembling a schoolgirl who'd made a mistake.

"If you want to go out, either have Frederick Johnson or Rosa accompany you."

"No," she shook her head, "I'm fine without them."

"Who do you want with you then?" The hint of an answer lurked in Bradley's narrowed eyes behind his sunglasses, but he wanted her to voice it.

"I...I want Bradley with me," her voice, soft and mellow, struck deep within him.

Bradley Austin was aware of her act but chose not to confront her, deciding to play along. He affectionately ruffled her hair, saying nothing.

Looking up with doe eyes, Freya softly pleaded, "Bradley..."

"Yes?"

"Will you... accompany me?" She tugged at his shirt sleeve, her voice dripping with coquetry.

"Sometimes I'll be with you. But when I'm not around, you'll have Frederick or the others with you."

"Alright, I promise to behave," Freya's voice was sweet, ringing like a melodious chime.

Bradley's gaze darkened. If he didn't know she was acting, he'd surely be taken in by her performance. She was cunning and intelligent, yet so adept at playing innocent – a combination most men found hard to resist.

"Bradley... can you accompany me to my father's birthday banquet? He wants me to bring you home," she hinted, sensing his hesitation.

Sophie Lawson had meticulously invited the senior Austin to cast a shadow over Freya and embarrass Bradley at the banquet. Freya knew Bradley would typically avoid such events. The primary reason for her return was to retrieve a necklace and discuss this banquet. It would be a shame if he missed out on the drama that would unfold.

His gaze grew colder. He was aware of Bruce Lawson's upcoming banquet as he'd received an invitation days earlier. Yet, such gatherings held no appeal for him. Even if he decided to attend, he wouldn't want to appear vulnerable and become the laughingstock.

In a cool tone, he remarked, "I'll send an extravagant gift with Frederick. He can accompany you."

She clicked her tongue in disappointment, having anticipated his response. Whether Bradley attended or not, it wouldn't matter – her plan was in motion. Yet she pretended to be upset, voicing her longing, "But I want you with me."

"Freya," his voice dropped, carrying a note of warning, "if you truly wish for my company, I'll be with you in my own way."

With that, he wheeled towards the elevator and departed.

Freya Lawson watched him leave, slightly puzzled by his cryptic remark.

However, she didn't overthink it, simply attributing his behavior to a reluctance to face others. After all, apart from the elder Mr. Austin, no one in the Austin family regarded Bradley as an equal. To them, he was just a handicapped blind man, unworthy of consideration.

Freya had tasked Ella Fisher with digging into Bradley's past. Just this afternoon, she learned that Bradley wasn’t a blood relative of the Austins. However, his remarkable business acumen had won the deep affection of the elder Mr. Austin. Arthur Austin, the eldest son of the family, harbored fears of Bradley usurping the family fortune and consistently tried to suppress and sabotage him. The massive fire at Bradley's villa seven years ago might have been Arthur’s doing. It was during that catastrophe that Bradley sustained grave burn injuries, lost his sight, and was confined to a wheelchair. Ella Fisher even showed Freya a photo of Bradley post-injury, which genuinely horrified her.

How had he mustered the will to live after suffering such severe injuries?

Even after this tragedy, Arthur Austin didn’t relent. He contrived countless ways to humiliate Bradley, even orchestrating women to enter the Royal Garden Mansion to further demoralize him.

Freya clenched her fists. She realized she was just another pawn in Arthur Austin's games, exploited to target Bradley. But they would never expect her to turn the tables on them, shattering their perfectly laid plans.

Her gaze lingered on the silhouette of the man, already boarding the elevator.

He seemed so isolated, so pitiable, doomed to spend his life in a wheelchair, too apprehensive to face the world. Freya felt a genuine sympathy for him. If he kept his distance, she might consider staying longer to help with his treatment, maybe even... assist in his quest for vengeance. But she was keenly aware that if he ever discovered her deceit, he'd eliminate her just like the three women before her.

Her compassion wasn't worth the risk.

One thing was certain: once she secured her necklace, she had to leave.

Thinking of the necklace, Freya rushed upstairs. Catching sight of Bradley about to enter his study, she called out, "What about my necklace? Has it been fixed? I wanted to wear it for my father’s birthday banquet."

"Not yet a few more days," he responded, clearly having anticipated this. He distinctly remembered Freya mentioning the necklace's significance to her.

He knew she'd return for it.

Freya's heart sank slightly. Not retrieving the necklace today meant she had to prolong her stay at the Royal Garden Mansion. Watching his figure disappear into the study, she turned and headed back to her room.

She dialed her friend, Madeline Luna, informing her about the current situation. She couldn't leave without the necklace. Using the "got lost" excuse too often would raise suspicions.

Once she had the necklace, there would be no ties binding her to this man.

In the study, Bradley Austin held the silver necklace. It had been repaired and returned to him that very morning, but he wasn't ready to hand it back to her yet. He knew just how crafty Freya Lawson could be – if she got the necklace, she would surely run away.

Did she genuinely want him to accompany her? If so, he decided, he would attend the birthday banquet with her, curious to see what games she had in store. Initially, Bradley Austin couldn't figure out Freya Lawson's intentions for getting close to him. But now, it seemed he had pieced it together.

He had heard that Freya Lawson's mother was forced out of the Lawson family by Sophie Lawson, and later died in a tragic car accident, leaving all assets in the hands of Bruce Lawson and Sophie Lawson. Over the years, the Lawson family treated Freya Lawson poorly, leaving her in the countryside, out of sight and out of mind. Considering Freya Lawson's capabilities and her lack of need for money, why was she pretending to have mentally incapacity?