His firm hand landed on her back, a gesture of reassurance that sent shivers down Freya's spine.

Though meant to comfort, the unexpected touch caught her off guard.

She couldn't help but shy away, a hint of bashfulness coloring her cheeks.

"Feeling shy?" His low chuckle danced in the air. "Didn't you have your way with me last night?"

"Darling, hush! You can't say that,"

Freya interjected hastily, moving to muffle his words with her hand.

Observing her blush, Bradley's spirits lifted, igniting a playful urge to tease her further.

"Why not? Last night, it was clear you..."

Before he could finish, Freya took the initiative and silenced him with a kiss.

Bradley hadn't anticipated her bold move.

Already on edge that morning, her sudden advance only intensified his discomfort.

Feeling the tension, Freya attempted to retreat, but it was too late. He deepened the kiss.

"Bradley, let go,"

she insisted, pushing against him.

"Why should I let go when you're the one coming to me?"

His grip tightened.

Unable to break free, Freya relented, locking eyes with him in bewilderment.

"Darling, I have a question for you."

"Go ahead," he replied.

"Have you been involved with anyone else?"

Recently, she had been confronted by various individuals causing trouble, and she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

Despite cultivating many adversaries, Freya usually operated under the alias Mystica, shielding her true identity from most.

However, today, Lucy had approached her with a proposition, her gaze filled with spite akin to that of a romantic rival.

The crucial point lies in the gaze she casts, saturated with the malice of a romantic adversary.

This prompted Freya's inevitable association with Bradley, pondering whether he had stirred up trouble with others.

She couldn't help but wonder, why would someone as composed as him go out of his way to provoke trouble?

"I've only ever been yours," his deep voice echoed in her ear.

His warm breath gently brushed against her earlobe.

Freya's heart raced faster, as if it might burst out of her chest.

Retorting firmly, Freya asserted, "It's better if there isn't, but if I find out otherwise, I'll divorce you."

At her words, Bradley's expression changed immediately.

Squinting, he stared at her sharply. "Thinking about divorce, are we? You're asking for trouble."

With that, he scooped her up and gave her a playful spank on her rear.

"Ouch!" Freya froze, infuriated by his actions.

This insufferable man, how dare he treat me like this.

She reached out to tickle him in retaliation.

Soon they found themselves playfully wrestling like children, laughter filling the room.

Half an hour later.

Bradley rolled out of bed, his voice coarse as he announced, "I'm going to take a shower."

Continuing their antics might lead to him losing control, and he had more important matters to attend to today.

Bradley never considered himself a gentleman, and he wanted to be entangled with her for a lifetime.

But today, he had other important tasks to accomplish, and after their late-night antics, he feared she might not be up for more.

He headed to the bathroom for a cold shower.

The icy water helped extinguish the fire raging within him.

That woman is like a drug, intoxicating him with just a taste.

After about twenty minutes under the cold water, Bradley emerged, wrapped in a bathrobe.

Meanwhile, Freya was lying on the bed, talking on the phone, her restless legs shifting beneath the covers.

She wore only a nightgown, her slender, bare legs captivating him with a single glance.

Bradley spared her a glance, his Adam's apple bobbing as the flame he had just managed to quench reignited once more.

"D*mn it!"

he muttered under his breath, then turned and stormed back into the bathroom.

After a couple of rounds, the hands of the clock on the wall had already reached eight in the morning.

Freya hung up the phone and watched him emerge from the bathroom in a disheveled state. "Honey, aren't you going out today?"

"I am. I'll leave after we finish breakfast."

"Okay."

Freya grinned mischievously at him.

After tidying up, they headed downstairs hand in hand.

Just then, Shadow One passed by them, and as she appeared at the foot of the stairs, she nodded respectfully to Bradley.

"Sir, Mr. Gabriel has already gone to Wolf Mountain. He asked you to meet him there for an important discussion."

"Okay, got it."

Bradley waved his hand, signaling for her to leave.

As she turned to leave, her gaze swept over Freya.

Their eyes met briefly.

In that moment, Freya noticed a scar on her neck, causing her pupils to contract.

"Wait,"

Freya called out.

Shadow One paused, turning back with a curious expression. "Do you have any orders, Madam?"

"What happened to the scar on your neck?"

"Thank you for your concern, Madam. It's just a minor injury from training."

Shadow One loosened her collar and looked into Freya's eyes, which were as dark as pitch.

“Really? How did you get injured?”

Freya narrowed her eyes as she approached, lifting Shadow One's collar. The wound was thin, obviously caused by something like a blade.

Shadow One's nerves tightened, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Could it be that she had noticed something wrong?

That day outside the forest, she failed to assassinate Freya and ended up with a cut on her neck from her.

She had been trying hard to conceal it, but she didn't expect Freya to discover it.

"Freya, what's wrong?"

Bradley noticed Freya's unusual behavior and furrowed his brows slightly.

"It's nothing."

Aware of her own lapse in composure, Freya released Shadow One.

Stepping back, Shadow One maintained her respectful posture. "If madam is fine, I'll take my leave."

"Go ahead,"

Freya replied calmly.

Shadow One left quickly.

Freya stared at her retreating figure for a long time.

Was it really just a coincidence?

After breakfast, Bradley left, and Freya went to the store.

With just over a month left until the annual International Design Competition, she had to complete her work before then.

The store was still crowded with customers.

Upon entering, Freya looked around and raised her eyebrows. "Lily isn't here?"

"She called me this morning and said she wasn't feeling well, so she took the day off,"

Ava replied.

"Well, do any of you know her address?"

When an employee falls ill, shouldn't the boss visit them?

"I do. She lives in a courtyard on West Lane Street."

Freya nodded and informed Ella that she had something to attend to before leaving.

She bought a bouquet of flowers from a flower shop on the street, as well as a fruit basket and various supplements, and headed to West Lane Street.

Ava sent her the exact location via her phone, and Freya found Lily's home based on the house number.

It was an old house with a limited lifespan, forming a circular shape overall.

Lily, her child, and an eighty-year-old grandmother lived inside.

As for Lily's husband, he was said to be a construction engineer who was usually away on projects and rarely came home.

Freya entered carrying flowers and gifts, gently tapping on the door.

Shortly after, a voice from inside asked, "Who's there?"

"Lily, it's me,"

Freya replied.

There was silence inside for a while.

Freya lingered at the door, waiting patiently until she heard footsteps drawing near.