She glanced back at the shareholders present, arching her eyebrow. "What's this? Waiting for me to have someone throw you out too?"

The directors, fearing a fate similar to Bruce's, slinked away, their spirits dampened.

Only then did the meeting room regain its quietude.

Taking her seat again, Freya's gaze remained icy.

Ella observed her, concerned. "Your health hasn't fully recovered. Let me take you back to the hospital first, then return to handle company matters."

"You go on. Don't worry about me. Let me be alone for a while," Freya replied, pinching the bridge of her nose. The satisfaction of revenge brought a heavy fatigue.

And the fact that Bradley hadn't replied to her messages since last night added to her nameless irritability.

Though Madeline had mentioned that Bradley had fired that woman, shouldn't he at least call or send a text to explain?

It made her feel unimportant.

"Freya, what's wrong? I've never seen you like this before," Ella observed, her concern growing as she scrutinized her for several seconds.

Freya remained silent, her head still bowed.

Ding!

Suddenly, the sound of a text message pierced the quiet of the meeting room.

Freya's dim eyes briefly flickered with hope as she hurriedly fished out her phone to check.

But soon,

the light in her eyes faded again.

It wasn't his message—it was from Madeline, saying she had to leave for something urgent and asking Ella to take Freya back to the hospital later.

Agitated, Freya powered off her phone and tossed it into her bag, feeling stifled by the weight of her emotions.

Ella, observing her every move, seemed to understand something, raising an eyebrow.

"So, you're waiting for Bradley's call?"

Caught off guard, Freya blushed and snapped, "No way. You're overthinking it."

"Don't lie to me. We've been friends for years. I can tell what's on your mind," Ella said, crossing her arms with interest. "Seems like you have deep feelings for Bradley. Now, rather than letting your emotions be affected by him like this, why not just call him yourself?"

"He's busy," Freya dismissed, whether it was true or not, or whether he cared about her or not, she no longer wanted to know.

This nameless anxiety was wearing her out.

Ella shrugged.

She knew Freya too well. If she didn't want to do something, no one could force her.

"Fine, you take a breather. I'll go deal with some things."

With that, she stepped out, then suddenly remembered something and turned back.

"Oh, and from now on, Linda will be your assistant. If you need anything, just find her. She'll handle it for you."

"Got it," Freya murmured in acknowledgment.

…

Freya remained in the office until closing time. Upon leaving the hospital, she ensured she had her medication with her, alleviating any concerns about delaying her treatment.

It was already 5 p.m. by the time Ella had finished her tasks.

Entering the room, she found Freya seated on the sofa in the CEO's office, lost in thought.

Freya's absent-mindedness and desolation, akin to that of a sick individual, tugged at Ella's heartstrings.

"Freya, it's getting late. Let's grab a bite to eat first. Afterward, I'll escort you back to the hospital,"

Ella suggested, her voice breaking Freya's reverie and bringing her back to reality.

Linda accompanied them, and the trio headed to a nearby Western restaurant.

Seated at the table, Freya rested her chin on her hand, absentmindedly playing with a spoon, her mind elsewhere even during the meal.

Ella glanced at her from time to time, discussing work matters with Linda. At one point, Ella's phone rang.

"Alright, I'll be back soon."

After ending the call, Ella sighed and shook her head as she glanced at her phone. "Freya, please recover soon and return to work as soon as possible. The company is swamped with tasks, and I'm completely tied up with work."

"What happened?" Freya narrowed her eyes, her expression immediately turning serious.

"It's nothing major, just an overwhelming number of issues in the company. Plus, with most of Bruce's associates gone, we're short on manpower. I'm handling the work of several people alone—strategies and paperwork. You owe me," Ella complained.

Freya listened to her grievances, smiling. "I'll increase your salary later."

"Deal!" Ella lightly patted her shoulder. "Alright, you and Linda enjoy your meal. I'll head back now. Later, I'll have Linda take you back."

"Okay, you go on."

Freya gestured her encouragement towards Ella.

Since Freya's marriage into Royal Garden Mansion, Ella had not only managed the clinic but also assisted her in dealing with Bruce. It could be said that without Ella, there would be no Freya.

Ella had always been Freya's most trusted assistant. The understanding and friendship they had formed over the years had long surpassed mere kinship.

In Freya's heart, Madeline and Ella were her family.

But now, among her family, there was an addition—a man named Bradley.

"Ms. Freya, the sweet and sour pork ribs here are quite good. You should try them," Linda interjected timely, using chopsticks to pick up a rib and placing it in Freya's bowl.

"Thank you."

Although Freya had little appetite, she didn't want to disappoint Linda's kindness. She picked up the rib and started eating.

However, before she could even lift it to her mouth, the rib slipped from the chopsticks and directly soiled her skirt.

Seeing this, Linda hurriedly brought over some tissues to help clean it up. Freya smiled at her attentive gesture.

"It's alright. I'll go to the restroom to handle this. You keep eating."

With that, she didn't let Linda follow, wheeling herself to the restroom alone.

At that very moment, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure advancing toward her.

The other person clearly spotted her too, and bellowed fiercely.

"Freya!"

Freya had originally intended to ignore him, but before she could, the figure had already charged over, boldly obstructing her path.

"Is there something you need?"

She inquired, arching her eyebrows and casting him a disdainful glance.

The individual standing before her was Ethan. The last encounter they had was at the Austin Mansion. He had been ousted from the premises by Owen Austin and had since vanished without a trace.

It was quite unexpected to cross paths again while simply grabbing a bite to eat.

Ethan's eyes blazed with fury as he gazed at Freya.

"Despicable b*tch!"

The last time she and Bradley had teamed up to make his life miserable, he was not only expelled from his home, but his bank accounts were also frozen. That fateful night, he desperately dialed friends for a loan, only to be met with indifference. Penniless and unable to secure lodging, he ended up in a brutal altercation under a bridge, fighting for territory with a gang of beggars, resulting in a near-fatal beating.

He spent several days in the hospital. Later, it was his mother who visited him in secret, slipping him some money, without which he might have truly starved.

And that was just the beginning. News of his downfall spread like wildfire, and former friends who had once been close now reveled in mocking him.