In the bedroom.

Freya laid on the spacious double bed, her slender and fair legs crossed together. Her playful little fingers fidgeted restlessly as she dialed Madeline's number on her phone.

"Sweetie, don't tell me you're really charmed by Bradley?"

Madeline's teasing laughter rang out. Upon learning the news that Bradley was not ugly, blind, or disabled, she was still quite surprised.

Blushing, Freya's cheeks reddened as she shyly replied, "Madeline, don't talk nonsense. I haven't fallen for him."

"Really?" Madeline didn't believe her. "When you talk about him, your tone is gentle and soft, just like a shy girl experiencing her first love. Are you sure you can fool me?"

"Of course not!" Freya retorted, feeling annoyed. "He and I just have a contractual relationship. After we each get what we want, I will divorce him."

In fact, even she didn't know she was deceiving herself. Clearly, she had started to fall, but she forced herself not to like him!

But she admitted that Bradley was so outstanding. Based on his handsome appearance alone, he could captivate hearts, not to mention his charm and tenderness that no woman could resist.

So she didn't think too much about it, simply believing that it was just girlish infatuation.

After all, which girl doesn't like a handsome guy, especially one who is also charming and gentle?

"Freya, I think since fate has entwined you two, why don't you try to get along with him? As far as I know, Bradley is emotionally blank and valued by the Austin family. You said he's about to take over as CEO of the Austin Group. If you're with him, you'll be the real CEO's wife."

"Emotionally blank? Madeline, don't forget, before me, he had three ex-wives. Even if he didn't touch them, that doesn't qualify as emotionally blank."

"Alright, you can argue all you want. Anyway, it's up to you. Bradley is indeed a good man. If you dump him, women from all over the country will be fighting for him."

Listening amusedly, Freya said, "And what about you? Don't tell me you're also moved by him..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Freya sensitively noticed something unusual behind her.

She abruptly turned around, only to meet a pair of deep and affectionate black eyes.

Bradley's tall and straight figure stood quietly by the bed. She didn't know when he had appeared, but he didn't speak, just silently gazing at her.

Freya was startled, hastily hung up the phone in panic, and nervously asked, "When did you come in? Why didn't you make any sound?"

"Who were you talking to on the phone?" Bradley glanced at her fair toes, cute and mischievous like beautiful pearls.

"A friend."

Seeing him looking at her toes, Freya immediately crossed her legs and sat up straight on the bed, looking up at him.

Bradley smiled, sitting down beside her. "I just talked to my dad. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you back to the Royal Garden Mansion before heading to the company. Before that, how do you plan to deal with Lola?"

Freya blinked. "How to deal with her?

"Yes, anything works."

His deep voice exploded in her ears, accompanied by his hand reaching out, gently patting her head.

Freya shuddered. She didn't know why, but she felt he was even gentler than before, especially those deep and affectionate eyes. Just one glance made her heart pound nervously.

"I've figured out how to deal with her. I'll leave first."

With that, she was about to jump off the bed, but the man seized her arm without a word and pulled her into his arms.

"Don't be in a hurry. I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Freya struggled uncomfortably. Being held by him, enveloped by his powerful aura, made her very nervous.

In the silent atmosphere, she could even hear the sound of her heartbeat.

Bradley lowered his head to look at her, his narrow and cold eyes deep and mysterious. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke.

"When you were in the mountains, did you encounter a wolf pack?"

Freya shrank her neck at the question. Avoiding his gaze, she didn't dare to look at him.

Why did he suddenly ask this? Was he starting to suspect something?

"When you went into the mountains, I heard the howling of wolves from the old house. When I went in to find you, I also encountered a wolf pack. You've been in the mountains for so long, how did you manage to evade the wolf pack's pursuit?"

He couldn't believe that this girl could associate with wolves. After all, the skill of animal taming was only possessed by the people of Solterra. To control wild beasts, it required the use of specialized tools unique to the people of Solterra.

One of those tools was the beast taming whistle.

Freya pursed her lips and began, "That's because I have..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Bradley's phone rang, interrupting what Freya was about to say.

Glancing at the caller ID, Bradley said, "I need to take this call."

"Oh, okay."

Bradley left the bedroom with his phone and returned to the study. At that moment, a mysterious figure emerged from the darkness.

"Mr. Bradley!"

"What is it?"

The man put away the gentleness he had just shown Freya and spoke with a voice as cold as ice, as if he were submerged in an icy pool.

"There's news from Solterra. Led by Ian Logan, they've begun secretly gathering forces, preparing to pressure Kevin Logan to abdicate. The Logan family has already begun to fall into internal strife. Now is our opportunity," Shadow reported respectfully.

Bradley's expression darkened. "No, the time is not right yet. You take command of our people first and incite internal discord among the Logan family. When Ian Logan and Kevin Logan are both weakened, then we can reap the benefits."

It's not that he didn't want to start a war; it's that there was something equally important he hadn't retrieved yet.

Although he had assembled many elite soldiers and weapons over the years, a direct confrontation with the Logan family would still be like hitting a stone with an egg.

In Bradley's plan, he would leverage the skills of Solterra's beast tamers, using mountain beasts as his army to completely overthrow the Logan family.

However, his wolf whistle had disappeared after being given to that girl seven years ago.

He had to find that girl and retrieve the whistle to initiate his revenge plan. Otherwise, a head-on confrontation would not only result in casualties but also undo all his efforts over the years.

Shadow nodded. "I'll follow your arrangements, Sir."

"I'll issue the Obsidian Order. I need to find that girl as soon as possible!"

"Understood."

Like a wisp of smoke, the shadow disappeared, leaving Bradley to sit on the sofa for a while, his thoughts drifting back seven years.

That little girl back then, she was covered in bruises, looking disheveled like a wild child. He broke his promise by not picking her up. Is she okay now? Did she leave safely?

Bradley rubbed his brow, an unnamed agitation building up in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

He knew nothing about the girl's background, but every year, on the seventh day of July, he would wait at the agreed-upon place. Yet, he had waited for a whole five years, and she seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth, never appearing.

His breach of promise to her must have disappointed her greatly, right?