《His Love Is As Deep As The Sea》 Chapter 1 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya heard someone kicking the door open, just as she was about to fall asleep. She was so startled that she suddenly sat up straight. After snapping out of her daze, she could see a man swaying as he walked over. It was her newlywed husband¡­ Gideon Carter. Even though Gideon seemed a little unsteady, he gave off a particularly imposing aura. The man was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he was an outstanding man. He was also recently hailed as the most gorgeous man in Ocean City by a magazine of high reputability. She was just the foster daughter of the declining Keller family, so they were worlds apart. However, she unexpectedly married him. This seemed utterly inconceivable. Freya was in deep thought when she suddenly smelled the strong scent of alcohol. She gathered her thoughts and got out of bed to help him. ¡°Mr. Carter, are you drunk?¡± The man heartlessly flung her aside. ¡°Get lost!¡± She froze briefly with her almond-shaped eyes wide open. Now, she has woken up completely. There was a rumor in Ocean City. Gideon was almost 30 years old, but he never had a girlfriend because of a woman called Brenna Davis. Now that he was forced to marry her, it was only natural for him to be angry. She stopped trying to touch him and said mildly, ¡°I will prepare a bath for you.¡± The man narrowed his eyes as he looked at the unknown woman from behind and followed her angrily. Shortly after Freya entered the bathroom, someone grabbed her by her wrist suddenly. He flung her against the opened door without holding back. ¡°Since you were able to marry yourself into the family, you must know a thing or two about getting what you want!¡± Her eyelashes trembled uncontrollably. If she had a choice, why would she marry a man whom she had never met in her life? However, there was no sense in arguing with a drunk man. She struggled a little and attempted to wrest her hands free from the man. Instead, he held onto her wrists even more tightly. Freya felt as though her bones were snapping. The man kept forcing her to look at him as his powerful voice echoed in the air. ¡°Answer me!¡± Freya lowered her eyes. She looked slightly stubborn from the way she refused to answer him. Gideon scoffed coldly. In a split second, the man tossed her into the bathtub altogether. Her back and calves got scraped in the process, so she could not help crying in pain out loud. Cold water sprayed onto Freya. Freya looked up and saw the man had turned on the shower. She anxiously reached her hands out to block the water as she looked at him and said, ¡°Are you insane?¡± Gideon could no longer hear what she was saying. He held her face and lowered his head to kiss her. ¡­ He called someone¡¯s name while he was kissing her intently. ¡°Brenna.¡± Freya was stunned. Sadness suddenly emanated from her eyes. Chapter 2 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations The next day when Freya woke up, she was exhausted and her mind was a blur. She forcibly sat up straight. A shadow promptly loomed over her from above. The woman looked up anxiously. After making brief eye contact, she averted her eyes and said with her head lowered, ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Carter.¡± The man sneered before moving away from her. He looked proud and mocking, and his tone of voice sounded even colder. ¡°Listen up.¡± Freya did not understand what he wanted. She simply pursed her lips without saying a word until the man¡¯s sexy voice could be heard. ¡°I was forced to marry you. I am sure you married me for disgraceful reasons as well. In this case, let¡¯s both get what we want out of the marriage. In the meantime, I strongly suggest that you do not waste any time on me.¡± Freya bit her lip. The man had called her by some other woman¡¯s name last night when he was kissing her. She did not fight his suggestion and said, ¡°I understand.¡± She watched as he left the room before she could gradually relax. ¡°In that case, you had better not offend me either!¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she lay back in bed. In reality, she was physically and mentally exhausted. After lying in bed for about five minutes, someone knocked on the door. She thought it was Gideon, so she swiftly sat up in bed! Instead, it was the sound of a maid. ¡°Mrs. Carter, breakfast is ready. Please come downstairs.¡± Freya felt relieved. ¡°Okay.¡± Freya got up and took some morning-after pills she had prepared in advance and made a call. A lively female voice came from over the phone. ¡°How was your wedding night?¡± ¡°Sigh. I don¡¯t know what to say. Did you go to court for me yesterday? What was the outcome?¡± Ashley Taylor sighed. ¡°Uh huh. The judge has passed the sentence for Uncle Noah. It was manslaughter, so he was sentenced to one year of imprisonment. In just a year, we can reunite, so don¡¯t worry. The only problem is your grandmother who is alone in the old folks¡¯ home.¡± Freya felt a twinge in her heart. ¡°Okay. Got it. I will find time to visit Grandma in a couple of days.¡± After hanging up the phone, she washed up and went downstairs. There was no sign of Gideon in the dining room, so he had probably gone to work. ¡°Mrs. Carter, Mr .Carter has already gone to the office. My name is Nora Miller. From now on, I will be at your service.¡± Freya nodded gently. Freya walked through the dining hall to the table. Just as she was about to take a seat, she suddenly felt giddy. She passed out and fell onto the ground. Nora hurriedly put down her things and walked over to help support Freya. The moment she touched Freya, she could sense her unusually high temperature. She said in shock, ¡°Mrs. Carter, why are you having such a high fever?¡± Nora helped Freya to the couch and sat her down before calling Gideon. The moment the call went through, a man¡¯s cold voice could be heard. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sir, Madam is having a high fever.¡± The man hung up the phone once he had heard what Nora said. Nora did not expect Gideon to react this way. She sighed. She gave Freya some cold medicine before calling the Carter residence. ¡­ Gideon¡¯s phone rang the moment he sat down at his desk. It was from his father, so he frowned. ¡°I have already married the woman you told me to. What more do you want?¡± ¡°You punk. Freya is sick. She is running a high fever, okay?¡± ¡°You are a powerful man in town. Would you ever need my help with helping someone with a slight cold?¡± The old man said furiously, ¡°Since you have married her, you have to treat her well. Otherwise, the woman lying in the hospital might get driven out at any moment.¡± Chapter 3 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon raised his hand and swept the documents on the table onto the floor, making a commotion in the office. The secretary quickly knocked on the office door. ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter?¡± ¡°Prepare the car.¡± The secretary acknowledged the man and ran out of the office. Nora was cleaning up when Gideon arrived back at the villa. The moment she saw Gideon, she quickly walked over. ¡°Welcome home, Sir. Madam is resting upstairs and the doctor came over to see her earlier. She has caught a cold, but ought to recover in a couple of days.¡± Gideon took off his suit jacket as he went upstairs without paying attention to what Nora said. He opened the bedroom door and pulled his tie to the side in annoyance. He walked up to the bedside and looked down at the woman¡¯s sleeping face. He sneered coldly before throwing his suit jacket on the bed. Since Freya was always a light sleeper, she woke up the moment she heard the noise. She was briefly stunned when she turned her head and saw Gideon in the room. Shouldn¡¯t he be at the office at this hour? The woman¡¯s voice sounded unmistakably weak. ¡°Why are you back?¡± Gideon leaned towards Freya and surrounded her with his intense scent. The woman¡¯s face was flushed from the fever. Or perhaps it was something else¡­ Just as she was about to speak, the man said in a mocking tone, ¡°Instead of seeing a doctor, you lie in bed and pretend to look weak.¡± Freya¡¯s eyelashes trembled before she said unhurriedly, ¡°I have already seen the doctor and I have taken my meds before going to sleep, just like the doctor ordered. I am not pretending.¡± Gideon looked at her inconceivably. ¡°Are you arguing with me?¡± Freya narrowed her eyes and her eyelashes covered her eyes as she thought. She finally said mildly, ¡°Mr. Carter, why do you keep insulting me? All I did was speak the truth.¡± She turned over with slight difficulty. ¡°If that is all you have to say, please leave. I don¡¯t feel well, so I need to rest.¡± Gideon watched as the woman turned her back towards him. He stuck his hands into his pants¡¯ pockets unhurriedly. No one knew what he was thinking. Freya slept all the way until the afternoon. When she woke up, she felt famished. She wanted to go downstairs to get some food, but she surprisingly saw Gideon sitting on the couch. Gideon was gorgeous and he had a lofty distant aura. Freya¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she could not help blushing just from looking at him. She walked distractedly and clenched her fists so tightly that her nails were digging into her palms. Freya did not expect the man to take the initiative to speak. ¡°Are you awake?¡± She pursed her lips and said softly, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you have a fever?¡± ¡°I caught a fever because I was drenched by cold water last night.¡± Gideon laughed gently. He said in disdain, ¡°That was one lousy excuse. The temperature in Ocean City was 78 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday. Your tasteful luxury wedding was held at a white church. How could you have gotten drenched? In your dreams, maybe?¡± Freya lowered her head. She reckoned he had forgotten what he had done last night. She did not bother explaining. Based on her limited interaction with the man, she knew he would say she was lying even if she tried explaining. ¡°Why ask if you won¡¯t believe me?¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she turned and headed towards the kitchen for some food. She was so hungry she could not be bothered to deal with the man. However, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist roughly. Freya felt very uncomfortable. ¡°Ow. What do you want?¡± When Freya looked up at Gideon, she finally noticed how vicious his eyes looked. He spoke as though he wanted to eat her alive. ¡°I am warning you. Don¡¯t try to win my sympathy with these tasteless stunts. Even if you die in this villa, I won¡¯t care.¡± Chapter 4 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya did not like being wronged. She really wanted to tell him how she ended up with a fever. She had also ensured he could sleep comfortably without catching a cold like her. However, she knew Gideon would not believe it even if she tried to tell him. Her phone happened to ring just then. Freya flung the man¡¯s hand away hard. After adjusting her breathing, she answered the phone calmly, ¡°Hello?¡± The caller asked, ¡°Hello, is this Ms. Freya Keller?¡± ¡°Yes, speaking.¡± ¡°I am calling from Mount Plenty Retirement Home to talk about Mrs Keller. Your grandmother¡¯s fees for the next quarter are still outstanding. The deadline is the 10th of this month.¡± ¡°Okay. Got it. I will definitely send the money,¡± said Freya courteously before hanging up the phone. The fees were due on the 10th, but she was paid on the 15th. What should she do? Freya suddenly looked dejected as she slumped down onto the couch. She had forgotten she was just in the middle of a heated argument with Gideon. Gideon noticed the instant change in her mood after answering the phone. He frowned and asked, ¡°Are you still acting?¡± Freya did not have the energy to talk to him. She went back into the kitchen to get some food and fill her stomach first. Freya knew she had to take care of herself first so that she could go to work as soon as possible. That way, she could pay the fees for her grandma¡¯s retirement home. There were frozen dumplings in the refrigerator, so Freya took them out and started to cook them. Ten minutes later, she walked into the dining room holding the dumplings and took a seat. She picked up the cutlery and was about to eat when Gideon suddenly stood beside her. Before she was able to raise her head and look at him, the man said in a questioning tone, ¡°Who said you could touch anything inside the villa?¡± Freya ignored him. She used a pair of chopsticks, took a dumpling, and placed it into her mouth. She was simply famished and had to eat. She could not be bothered wasting her time on the man. Before she was able to put the dumpling in her mouth, the man slapped her fork away. Freya raised her eyes and glanced at him. He was staring at her expressionlessly. Freya had taken care of Gideon all night after he got drunk yesterday. She had even given him a bath before putting him to bed. She ended up having a fever in the morning and hadn¡¯t taken a bite all day, so she was ravenous. How could he¡­ Why wasn¡¯t she even allowed to eat a single bite? Her eyes turned red at the thought, but she knew it was no use arguing with him. She suppressed the twinge in her heart, picked up the chopsticks, and tried to eat a second dumpling. This time, the man picked up the entire bowl of dumplings altogether! The woman looked at him in shock as he threw the entire bowl of dumplings into the trash can in the kitchen expressionlessly. Freya was still reeling from shock when Gideon said coolly, ¡°Nora, keep an eye on everything in the villa. If anyone touches anything, you will have to answer for it.¡± He was obviously referring to her. Gideon veered his eyes away from Freya the moment he finished his sentence and quickly turned to leave the villa. The instant the door closed, Freya could no longer suppress her tears and cried. Initially, she sniffled softly before she ended up crying loudly. Her father needed a good lawyer in order to reduce his sentence, so she approached Charlie Carter and promised to marry his son, Gideon Carter, in return for the favor. It had already dawned on her that she would never have a normal blissful married life with him, but she did not think it would be this bad. Nora looked at Freya. She really wanted to give Freya some food, but she was afraid Gideon would find out and get angry, so she did not know what to do. After crying briefly, Freya got up from the dining table, went back to the room to freshen up her face, and left the villa. ¡­ Freya had made plans to meet Ashley at a restaurant. Since she could not eat in the villa, she could only go out for food. Whatever it was, she had to give her stomach justice. After putting down the cutlery, Freya finally noticed Ashley staring at her. Freya thought that there was something stuck on her face, so she wiped her face with a piece of tissue. However, Ashley still kept looking at her. Freya asked quizzically, ¡°What¡¯s with the staring?¡± Chapter 5 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Ashley shook her head. She simply sighed and said, ¡°I noticed how hungry you were. Isn¡¯t there any food at the Carter residence?¡± ¡°Maybe at the Carter residence, but not with Gideon around,¡± said Freya nonchalantly. ¡°You must tell his father, Charles Carter. Otherwise, he will just keep bullying you.¡± Freya smiled. ¡°It¡¯s useless. The two of us live outside alone. Uncle Charles can¡¯t keep saving me. Moreover, I have already troubled him so much as it is.¡± Ashley felt powerless. ¡°Fine. If you encounter any problems, you have to tell me. If you really have to, you can eat at my place.¡± Freya could not help laughing. She raised her head and looked at the woman sitting across from her and said, ¡°This problem won¡¯t last forever.¡± The moment she finished her sentence, a familiar silhouette entered the restaurant from the entrance. To be precise, it was two people entering the restaurant. One of them was Gideon Carter, the man who refused to let her eat. Also, there was a woman with him. A waiter went up to them and escorted them to their table warmly. After Gideon sat down, Freya could see him laughing as he chatted with the woman. She was forced to marry Gideon, so she never dreamed he would treat her well. His gentleness towards other women was a stark contrast to his cruelty towards her. Freya could not help feeling a twinge inside just thinking about it. Just as she was about to veer her eyes away, Gideon suddenly looked over. Freya was startled and hurriedly averted her eyes. ¡°Ashley, let¡¯s go.¡± Freya glanced from the corner of her eye. She could see Gideon had not moved and was still looking towards them. However, they were in the path towards the entrance. Freya had intended on walking past them quietly but she automatically halted when she heard the man calling her. ¡°Freya Keller, are you following me?¡± She did not turn back and simply inhaled deeply before she answered, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t follow you.¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she wanted to leave, but the man held her by her wrist. Gideon had stood up. Freya could hear his threatening tone by her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t ever let me catch you doing this again.¡± Freya wrested her hand free. ¡°Since your girlfriend is still waiting for you, don¡¯t let me get in your way.¡± The man narrowed his eyes. He seemed to find the word ¡°girlfriend¡± inconceivable before he quickly said to Freya, ¡°Get lost!¡± Now that Gideon was no longer in their way, Freya wanted to leave the restaurant with Ashley in tow. Ashley wrested her hand free from her gentle grasp and walked up in front of Gideon and said deeply, ¡°Mr. Carter, does this woman here know about your relationship with Freya?¡± It seemed as though Gideon did not hear a single word and did not react whatsoever. Despite the courteous smile on Ashley¡¯s face, her voice came out cold. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bully Freya. It is your good fortune to marry her. You might not like her, but you still have to feed her. If people find out Mr. Carter is abusing his newlywed wife, the Carters will be a laughing stock in Ocean City.¡± The man frowned and asked angrily, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am her best¡­¡± Freya pulled her aside mid-sentence. Once they were out of the restaurant, they got into Ashley¡¯s car. Freya glanced at the silhouette in the restaurant and turned to look at Ashley. ¡°Why did you tell him so much? If he gets angry with me, he might take it out on your family. Do you want to get implicated?¡± ¡°Is he that petty? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Freya was speechless. Inside the restaurant, the woman sitting across from Gideon looked at his angry face before she said cautiously, ¡°Gideon, who were those women?¡± Chapter 6 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon glanced at the woman with his imposing eyes. ¡°Abigail, I suggest you stay out of my business.¡± Abigail Davis quickly shut up. Although she did not bring up the subject, it was clear from her eyes that she kept speculating about Freya and Ashley¡¯s relationship with Gideon. ¡­ Meanwhile, at Bay View Garden at night, Freya lay in bed in the main room after taking a bath. She scratched her head powerlessly as she kept thinking of how to handle the fees for the old folks¡¯ home. She turned sideways and contemplated. Maybe she could ask her manager for an advance on her pay tomorrow morning? After thinking for a while, Freya felt a little tired. She was about to sleep when the bedroom door suddenly swung open. Freya could hear someone enter the room, so she suddenly felt tense. She did not move and simply continued lying on her side, trying to sleep. The bed in the main bedroom was very large, so Freya only took up a small corner of the bed. She quietly prayed Gideon would not do anything to her and leave her to sleep in peace. Freya heard Gideon coming out of the bathroom roughly ten minutes later. The man walked over to the bedside, pulled open the blanket, and got in. Freya could sense the mattress sinking on his side a little and could not help feeling nervous. After a few minutes, the man¡¯s steady breathing could be heard. She felt relieved to see the man genuinely asleep. Although she felt a lot better from her fever last night, she was not yet entirely well. Since she was having a headache, she could not resist raising her hand to rub her temple. The man seemed to sense her actions, so he suddenly sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. When he saw someone lying on the other side of the bed, he brusquely yanked the blanket from her half of the bed! Freya instantly sat up in shock and frowned as she looked at Gideon. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man looked at her angrily. ¡°Who said you could come in? Get out. Get out this instant!¡± Freya did not expect Gideon to suddenly lose it. She felt miserable when she heard what he said. She asked softly, ¡°Nora is already sleeping at this hour and the guest room isn¡¯t ready. If I leave, where will I sleep?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± said the man curtly. Freya could only cautiously get off of the bed. After turning off the bedside lamp, Freya walked out of the room in pure darkness. When she got to the headboard, she accidentally walked into the bed. She winced out loud as she gritted her teeth. After Freya went downstairs, she sat on the couch and went into a daze. In no time, she became so tired that she fell into a fitful sleep. ¡­ The next morning, Freya woke up before Nora did. After washing up, she went into the kitchen. She was halfway preparing breakfast when Nora woke up. Nora hurriedly wanted to take over the job, but Freya turned her down. When Gideon came downstairs at 7:00 a.m, Freya had already finished preparing breakfast and Nora was helping to place the food on the dining table. The moment Gideon came downstairs, Nora told him excitedly, ¡°Sir, Madam woke up first thing in the morning and made you breakfast. Would you like to have some?¡± Freya quietly served the soup. After interacting with him for two nights and one meal, she had an inkling of what the man was like. He hated her and she knew exactly why. Hence, she simply did her job as his wife and avoided talking to him. After Freya had placed the soup on the dining table, the man walked into the dining room and threw the food she had painstakingly prepared all morning onto the ground. Freya watched in shock as he said angrily, ¡°Since she has already done your duty as a maid, you may leave.¡± Chapter 7 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Nora was anxiously cleaning up the broken plates after Gideon threw the food onto the ground. The moment she heard what he said, she became completely flustered and kept apologizing. ¡°Mr. Carter, I am so sorry.¡± Gideon retrieved his wallet, took out a stack of bills, and placed them on the dining table. ¡°Take this money and leave this instant!¡± Nora was just a normal middle-aged woman. She did not know how to handle it when a man from a rich family suddenly threw a temper. She took the money, glanced at Freya fearfully, and turned to leave. Gideon turned to look at Freya now. ¡°Since you like to do chores, you can clean up the floor. From now on, you will do all the housework in the villa. I do not want to see a speck of dust in here.¡± Freya bit her lip and did not answer him. She squatted down to clear away the broken pieces of porcelain ware and felt absolutely indignant, so she could not resist muttering, ¡°You are too much.¡± Gideon frowned angrily. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Freya raised her head and smiled at the man patronizingly. ¡°Oh, nothing. I said I got it. I will clean up right away.¡± Gideon glanced at her in disdain before leaving the villa. After Freya was done cleaning up, she went to get changed. Freya stood in front of the dressing mirror and inadvertently saw the scar on her chest. She instinctively touched it. She had saved someone from a gunshot three years ago. When the doctor removed the bullet, he said she was very lucky. If the bullet had missed its path even slightly, she would be dead. She was genuinely very lucky to survive. All these years, this scar had remained with her. Freya stopped thinking about the past. She quickly got changed, went downstairs and headed to work. Gideon did not know she was working at Carter Group in the sales department as a sales representative. This was the reason she had the chance to meet Charles Carter and ended up marrying Gideon Carter. ¡­ After Freya arrived at Carter Group and punched in for work, she went straight to the manager¡¯s office. Freya had to pay the fees to the old folks¡¯ home on time no matter what. She stood outside the manager¡¯s office and was about to knock on the door when someone pulled her. She turned and saw it was her colleague from the same department as her, Carol Harris. She asked in surprise, ¡°Why are you pulling me?¡± Carol pointed at the manager¡¯s office and said with an exaggerated expression, ¡°Mr. Carter is inside right now. If you want to see the manager, you have to wait until Mr. Carter is gone.¡± Freya was caught by surprise. Gideon was inside the manager¡¯s office. Why did she keep bumping into him these days? However, she did not show it on her face and simply smiled and nodded to Carol. ¡°Oh. I see. In that case, I will wait outside.¡± She found herself a seat, sat down, and waited quietly. Carol did not leave. Instead, she sat down beside Freya and gossiped. ¡°Do you know how handsome Mr. Carter is? I heard he resembles a CEO straight out of an idol TV drama. The moment women see him, they want to pounce on him. Also, he is very intelligent. Hahh~ Since he is able to take care of such a huge business, I am sure he is extraordinary.¡± Freya sneered inside. Handsome? Straight out of an idol TV drama? Pounce on him? Carol simply made these assumptions without knowing his true nature. In her opinion, the man was cold, unsociable, rude, unreasonable, rough, and violent. He should be avoided at all costs. The office door suddenly opened. Freya hurriedly lowered her head and pretended she was reading a document. Carol sat beside her and kept pulling her arm and making her look up. ¡°Freya, it¡¯s the president. You have to check him out¡­ oh my gosh! He is such a hunk¡­¡± Chapter 8 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya genuinely wanted to hide somewhere if she could. Gideon did not like her. He kept putting her on the spot at the villa time and time again. If he found out she was working at the Carter Croup, what would he do to her? Just thinking about it made her tremble in fear. If she knew Carol would react so strongly and look at Gideon so blatantly, she would have waited at her own desk in private. Carol finally realized it was inappropriate of her, so she straightened her body and nodded to Gideon. ¡°Hi, Mr. Carter.¡± Gideon ignored her and turned to look at Freya immediately. Carol pulled Freya¡¯s arm slightly when the president started looking at her. Freya knew there was no hiding from Gideon now, so she stood up and greeted the man politely. ¡°Hello, Mr. Carter.¡± Gideon glanced at Carol and asked coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to work?¡± The moment he opened his mouth, Carol was so startled that she forgot to answer and simply ran off altogether. Freya looked at Gideon. She pointed at the manager¡¯s office and explained, ¡°I¡­ I have to see the manager.¡± Gideon narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her quizzically. He asked, ¡°Do you work here?¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± Freya did her best to keep her voice down, so that she would sound nice and obedient. ¡°Humph.¡± Gideon scoffed. His voice was dripping in coldness and disdain. Freya pursed her lips without speaking. The man sneered. ¡°You people are certainly scheming.¡± Freya did not know what he meant by people, but now was not the time to think deeply about it. She wished he would leave quickly and spare her for once. Gideon did not even bother glancing at her. He could already envision the powerless look on her face. Gideon finally spoke and systematically told Freya his demands in a firm tone. ¡°Do not talk to me while you are in the office. Do not tell anyone about our relationship. From now on, you are to avoid me if we cross paths in the office. If you ever show up within my line of sight, I can¡¯t promise what I might do to you.¡± Freya said nothing. ¡°Are you dumb or deaf?¡± Freya covered her mouth and shook her head. The man frowned. Now, he suddenly felt even angrier. ¡°Do you understand? Answer me!¡± ¡°Yes, I got it.¡± Gideon inexplicably felt annoyed. He said coldly, ¡°Leave.¡± Freya was very angry inside and she really wanted to pummel Gideon like he was a sandbag. What was with his lousy attitude and bad temper? What had she done to make him angry? It was impossible to even have a proper conversation with him. Charles was a kind, genial elderly man. She found it unfathomable how he could raise a son like Gideon. Freya turned to enter the manager¡¯s office after she was done letting off steam inside. After knocking on the door, she entered the room. She spoke hesitantly. ¡°I¡­ I have some family problems to handle. Can you give me an advance for my salary this month?¡± The manager was stunned. ¡°Did you have to tell me only today?¡± Freya did not understand why the manager reacted this way. The manager was powerless but patiently explained to Freya. ¡°Mr. Carter just came by to inform me all employees unable to hit their fortnightly targets are not allowed to enjoy company financial perks. If you really need it, you have to get his approval.¡± She immediately asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I recall you haven¡¯t made any sales all month, right? Also, you just came back from leave.¡± Freya was unable to defend herself. She had taken leave to get married. Since her father was on trial, she was in no mood to work, so she had no sales for over a month. Freya left the manager¡¯s office dejectedly. She looked absolutely miserable. Was she really going to have to ask Gideon to approve the advance? Chapter 9 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya sat in front of her desk thinking about the fees for the old folks¡¯ home and was unable to focus on work. She suddenly received a call while she was in a daze. After her desk neighbor told her about it, Freya picked up her phone. The instant she saw the name appearing on the screen, she snapped out of her thoughts. She took the phone and went out to the corridor and inhaled deeply before picking it up. ¡°Hello, Uncle Charles.¡± A mature smiley voice could be heard over the phone. ¡°You are already married to Gideon. Why are you still calling me Uncle Charles?¡± Freya pursed her lips and said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Dad¡­¡± Charles acknowledged her and asked, ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°I am working in the office,¡± answered Freya candidly. ¡°Why did you start working today?¡± Freya did not understand what he meant, so she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with working today?¡± ¡°Today is the third day of your marriage. According to tradition, you should visit your family.¡± Freya was stunned. She had completely forgotten about this. Also, her father was in jail, her mother was missing and her grandmother was at the old folks¡¯ home. If she were to go home, where should she go? Charles noticed a long silence, so he said, ¡°Freya, I know it is hard for you to visit your father. Why don¡¯t I get Gideon to come along and pay a visit to your grandmother instead?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can manage.¡± She swiftly turned down his offer. Also, she sounded a little anxious. Charles said earnestly, ¡°How could we let you go home alone? Don¡¯t worry. I will take care of this.¡± The moment he finished his sentence, he hung up the phone. Freya felt powerless. She suddenly felt that Uncle Charles and Gideon were in many ways alike. For a start, neither of them cared about her opinion before deciding on her behalf. However, unlike Gideon, Uncle Charles did it because he cared about her. Freya felt it was impossible for Gideon to visit her grandmother with her. Also, he would not like the idea of doing it. After standing in the corridor briefly, she composed herself and went back into the office. Shortly after she sat down, her phone rang once more. She glanced at the phone and noticed it was an unknown number. She felt it was wrong of her to keep taking personal calls during office hours, so she decided to reject the call. Then, she looked at the computer and forced herself to focus on work. She clicked on the clients¡¯ data file and was about to contact them when the manager¡¯s voice could be heard. ¡°Freya.¡± Freya looked over in surprise. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Mr. Carter wants to see you. Please go upstairs.¡± Everyone in the department turned to look at Freya on hearing this and whispered in hushed tones, ¡°Has Mr. Carter ever asked to see one of us alone other than the manager?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Mr. Carter likes her? Does he want to sleep with her?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Also, I saw her chatting with Mr. Carter for a long time earlier!¡± ¡­ The speculation in the atmosphere made Freya even more confused. Didn¡¯t Gideon just say not to speak to him while they were at the office? Why didn¡¯t the same rule apply to him? ¡°Hurry up!¡± The manager reminded Freya when Freya did not budge. Freya acknowledged the manager softly. She walked over to the lift and went upstairs, while everyone gossiped about her. After knocking on the door, she entered Gideon¡¯s office. She raised her head and looked at Gideon and got a shock from the look in his dark eyes. He was clearly unhappy. Although his face seemed completely calm, his voice was utterly frosty. ¡°Freya, how dare you hang up on me?¡± Chapter 10 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya was stunned. She quickly recalled she had genuinely hung up on a call earlier. She hurriedly explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was you calling.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Gideon¡¯s anger did not dissipate when he heard her explanation. Freya lowered her voice. ¡°Mr. Carter, I am sorry. No one has given me your number before. As your employee, I think it is unprofessional to answer personal calls during office hours, so I hung up.¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she could hear something falling on the ground. Freya furtively glanced over and saw the man had thrown a pen. Hmm? Was he angry again? Freya said nothing. Her strategy whenever the man got angry was the silent treatment. The moment she opened her mouth, the man would get even angrier no matter what she said. She saw Gideon standing up from the chair and walking towards her step by step through the corner of her eye. Freya did not know what he wanted, so she stood where she was obediently. The man stopped when he was five centimeters away and he was extremely close to her. ¡°I heard your foster father killed someone in a fit of anger when he found out his wife was having an affair and your foster mother felt too embarrassed, so she disappeared.¡± Gideon¡¯s voice and eyes were dripping with disdain. There was even a mocking smile on his face. Freya bit her lip without saying a word as she listened to the man pour salt on an open wound. Gideon raised his hand and touched her forehead before moving it down slowly. When it reached her chin, he grabbed it tightly and laughed as he said sarcastically, ¡°I am curious. How did my father choose someone from a family like yours to become his daughter-in-law?¡± Freya kept staring at the man. Her eyes were filled with resentment for this cruel treatment. She raised her hand and attempted to pull his hand aside. Gideon tightened his grip on her chin. He narrowed his eyes and looked at her threateningly. ¡°If you want me to come along and visit your grandmother at the old folks¡¯ home, you have to tell me the truth.¡± The anger in Freya¡¯s eyes finally turned milder when she heard the offer. She blinked and looked at him calmly, ¡°Mr. Carter, let go of me first if you want me to tell you.¡± Gideon glared at her before pulling his hand back in disgust. Freya raised her hand and rubbed her sore chin before she said nonchalantly, ¡°I did not want to marry you at all.¡± Gideon¡¯s eyes were filled with surprise on hearing this. No woman could say no to being Gideon¡¯s wife in Ocean City. Every woman had a crush on him and was head over heels in love with him. How could she say she was not interested in marrying him? She was clearly lying! Freya veered her eyes away and said mildly, ¡°I came to know Uncle Charles when he had a heart attack. Since my father suffered from the same problems, I used what I knew to help him. Uncle Charles wanted to thank me, so he gave me a name card and told me to call if ever I needed his help, no matter what it was.¡± Freya¡¯s voice suddenly went softer. ¡°After I met with some family problems, I needed a lawyer to fight my father¡¯s case. I didn¡¯t want to trouble Uncle Charles, but I was desperate, so I called him. Then, he unexpectedly told me to marry you in return.¡± Gideon laughed mockingly. Freya could sense his disdain just from the tone. ¡°Is that how you rose through the ranks in one move? Is that how a foster daughter of a poor family became Mrs. Carter?¡± Chapter 11 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya put on a brave front and looked up at the man¡¯s face. It was absolutely cold. Other than coldness, the man had no other expression for her. Even when he was angry, he simply spoke to her furiously with his face remaining expressionless. Freya smiled. It was very slight and she looked fearless. ¡°I never felt that way about being Mrs. Carter.¡± Gideon¡¯s eyes suddenly turned dark as he looked at her. Freya continued to smile. ¡°I am not even allowed to eat while I am at home. Also, I have to suffer mockery from you. In comparison to being Mrs. Carter, I think life as a girl from a poor family is easier.¡± Gideon¡¯s face looked absolutely cold while he patiently suggested to the woman. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get a divorce then?¡± Freya¡¯s smile froze. In a few seconds, she said, ¡°Sorry, I promised Uncle Charles not to divorce you. For the time being, we can¡¯t get divorced.¡± Gideon¡¯s lips twitched. His eyes turned dark as he sneered. ¡°You forced yourself on me. Yet here you are acting as though you were forced against your will. You are disgusting.¡± The woman narrowed her eyes. She did not care how he felt about the situation. She could not be bothered to argue with him. Freya veered her eyes away. She put on a respectful tone and said, ¡°Mr. Carter, why did you want to see me?¡± The moment she mentioned it, Gideon became even more infuriated. Before the man was able to mock her, someone knocked on the door suddenly. Gideon and Freya almost looked up in unison. A female secretary said, ¡°Mr. Carter, Ms. Davis is here.¡± Freya was briefly stunned. She automatically turned to look at Gideon¡¯s face. She veered her eyes away again and said calmly, ¡°Mr. Carter, if that is all, please allow me to take my leave.¡± The female secretary was still waiting for Gideon to respond but Freya had already turned to leave. Gideon suddenly reached his hand out and held her by the wrist. The woman turned back in surprise and glanced at his gorgeous face before looking at her wrist. This was the first time Gideon had any physical contact with her while he was sober. Freya looked at him with slight anticipation. Would he say no to seeing Ms. Davis? Instead, all he did was say coldly, ¡°Wait for me at the car park.¡± Disappointment flashed in her eyes. She looked at Gideon. ¡°Are we going to the old folks¡¯ home at Mount Plenty?¡± A cold light swept through his eyes as he looked at her angrily. ¡°Stop wasting my time!¡± She immediately shut her mouth and turned to leave the office. Uncle Charles had told Gideon to take her to the old folks¡¯ home. He did not want to go, but he could not go against his father¡¯s orders, so he could only take it out on her with his lousy attitude. To be honest, she was partially to blame for this. Freya saw Ms. Davis on her way out of the office. It was the same woman who had lunch with Gideon at the restaurant previously. She was wearing flawless makeup and looked amicable. Sadly, no matter how harmless Ms. Davis appeared, Freya did not like the sight of her. After all, Freya was Gideon¡¯s lawful wife. Since Freya was his lawful wife, it made total sense for her to show a little hostility towards his so-called girlfriend. When Freya caught Abigail (Ms. Davis) looking at her, she saw that Abigail looked at her with her eyes narrowed and was scrutinizing her in slight disdain. Freya could not help feeling annoyed by Abigail¡¯s rude stares. She glared at Abigail fiercely before averting her eyes and heading for the lift. Abigail felt a little embarrassed. Just as she was about to speak, the female secretary¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°Ms. Davis, Mr. Carter is ready to see you.¡± Chapter 12 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Abigail turned to look at the female secretary. ¡°Who was that woman?¡± ¡°She¡¯s an employee of ours from the sales department,¡± answered the secretary. She gestured towards the president¡¯s office and said, ¡°Ms. Davis, this way, please.¡± Abigail turned to enter Gideon¡¯s office with a smile on her face. When she saw Gideon standing beside the couch, she naturally walked up to him and held him by the arm. ¡°Gideon, will you have lunch with me?¡± ¡°Not today. Maybe next time.¡± Abigail was caught by surprise. In the past, Gideon had never once turned her down when she asked for them to eat together. She could not resist asking, ¡°Not free? Is it because you are going out with that other lady?¡± Gideon glanced at her somewhat annoyed, before he averted his eyes and said, ¡°Abigail, this has nothing to do with you.¡± Abigail was stunned. It was not about his reprimanding tone. Instead, she was surprised that he did not deny it. She continued smiling as she shook his arm gently. ¡°Gideon, if you don¡¯t like it, then I won¡¯t ask.¡± Gideon pulled his arm away from her. He picked up his suit jacket that was on the couch and said before leaving, ¡°The driver will give you a ride. Just tell him where you want to go. I have to go.¡± ¡°Bye bye, Gideon,¡± said Abigail, but Gideon had already left the office. ¡­ Freya went back to her department to retrieve her purse before taking the lift to the underground parking lot. Since she did not recognize Gideon¡¯s car, she could only wait at the lift. Gideon came downstairs soon afterwards. The moment he walked out of the lift and saw Freya, a look of surprise appeared on his face. ¡°Why are you standing here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what car you have, so I could only wait here.¡± The man looked at her. ¡°You are so smart.¡± He was implying something, but she could not be bothered to react. She followed beside Gideon. When they got to the car, Gideon pressed the car key to unlock it. Gideon had a Rolls Royce Ghost. When Freya saw it, she felt that the black car suited the temperamental man. Also, she found the luxurious life of a rich president from an important family absolutely incredible. He was genuinely wealthy. Sadly, he was not very nice. Freya glanced at Gideon furtively. Then, she looked at the front passenger seat, before then looking at the back seat. She walked over and opened the back seat door to get in. Gideon narrowed his eyes on seeing this. ¡°Who told you to sit there?¡± Freya instinctively asked, ¡°Huh?¡± The man clearly looked annoyed. Freya pursed her lips and explained. ¡°Isn¡¯t the front passenger seat usually saved for your girlfriend? If I sit there, Ms. Davis will probably get angry, so I decided to take the back seat.¡± Ever since Gideon woke up on the second day of their marriage, he told her not to harbor any fantasies about him, so Freya knew exactly where she stood. She did not expect him to ask her a rhetorical question in a particularly stern tone, ¡°Did you think I would like being your driver?¡± Despite Freya¡¯s good nature, she was starting to lose it when Gideon kept picking on her. She closed the back seat door in a huff and got into the front passenger seat. Gideon frowned slightly before getting into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡­ There were some uneven mountain paths on the way to Mount Plenty Old Folks¡¯ Home. Freya recalled that every time she visited her grandmother at the old folks¡¯ home with her father, the bus ride would get so bumpy that she would nearly get thrown out of her seat. However, Gideon¡¯s driving felt very steady. The anger Freya had for him promptly disappeared on thinking about this. She could not resist turning her face slightly to the side, so she could secretly look at the man beside her. Chapter 13 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon had a strong-willed profile and a dignified, distant aura making him seem mature and intelligent. He was genuinely the kind of man who would make a woman¡¯s heart throb. ¡°Stop looking at me!¡± said the man suddenly. Freya felt awkward. She hurriedly veered her eyes away, but she promptly felt something was amiss, so she turned to look at Gideon again. ¡°I am checking out the scenery. Is it any of your business?¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Freya retorted. ¡°How could I be looking at you?¡± ¡°Shut up. You are too noisy!¡± Freya went quiet. He did not like anything she said! The Rolls Royce Ghost pulled up at the Mount Plenty Old Folks¡¯ Home 20 to 30 minutes later. When the car pulled up, Freya undid her seat belt, but the man said, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± The moment he finished his sentence, he got out of the car without waiting for an answer from her. She sat in the car obediently and waited as she complained to herself about how demanding he was. A few minutes later, she could hear knocking on the window as the man said coolly, ¡°Get out!¡± Freya got out of the car to see the man carrying some fruit along with a bottle of tonic for the elderly. Freya was caught by surprise and felt touched. The dimple on her left cheek was visible as she smiled. ¡°Did you get all this?¡± Gideon noticed Freya smiling sincerely. She looked harmless and guileless. He did not know what came over him when he decided to take a second look at her. ¡°Even if you have the cheek to come empty handed, I can¡¯t afford to embarrass my family!¡± Freya pouted. ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± Gideon walked straight towards the old folks¡¯ home. A few steps later, when he realized Freya did not follow behind him, he frowned and looked at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to show me the way?¡± Freya finally realized her mistake, so she pulled him by the arm rather naturally. Gideon instantly wanted to pull his hand away from her but she held it very tightly. He asked angrily, ¡°What are you doing?¡± This was the first time Freya ever looked at them man imploringly. ¡°Can you help me, please? I want my grandmother to see how good my husband is to me. She can only set her mind at ease if we are a loving couple.¡± It was the first time Freya had ever humbly begged Gideon ever since they got married. The man said nothing and looked away, but he no longer attempted to pull his arm away from her. Freya felt relieved and grateful that he did not retaliate. Just as Freya was about to bring Gideon to see her grandmother, the last person she wanted to see suddenly walked over. It was Freya¡¯s grandmother¡¯s nurse, Rebecca Bailey. Thoughts kept running through her mind as she thought about what she should say about the outstanding old folks¡¯ home fees. Rebecca had already walked up to the two of them and automatically looked at the handsome man standing beside Freya, before looking at her. ¡°Freya, are you here to visit your grandmother?¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± Nodded Freya. Rebecca quickly said, ¡°Your grandmother¡¯s fees for the next quarter are¡­¡± Before Rebecca was able to finish her sentence, Freya let go of Gideon and walked up towards Rebecca. ¡°Rebecca, someone has already called me about the fees, and I will send the money.¡± Freya pointed at the man nearby and quickly told Rebecca, ¡°That is my friend over there. I don¡¯t want him to know I owe the old folks¡¯ home money. Do you mind not bringing it up in front of him please?¡± Chapter 14 Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Rebecca looked in the direction Freya was looking. She was blown away by the man¡¯s good looks. She furtively looked at his gorgeous face before she said to Freya, ¡°No problem. Then again, your boyfriend sure is handsome. He even visited your grandmother with you. He certainly treats you well.¡± Freya looked at Rebecca¡¯s besotted expression and laughed in her heart. Gideon was far from good to her. ¡­ When Freya brought Gideon over to see her grandmother, the old lady was sitting in her wheelchair listening to traditional opera on the radio. Freya walked into the room and turned off the radio. Then, she squatted beside the wheelchair to raise her head to look up at her grandma and smiled at the old lady. ¡°Granny, I am here to see you.¡± ¡°Freya, you are here.¡± Grandma Keller smiled kindly and turned to look up at the door. ¡°Who is he?¡± Before Freya was able to explain, the man¡¯s voice came from by the door. ¡°Granny, I am Gideon Carter, Freya¡¯s husband.¡± Freya was completely astounded on hearing what Gideon said. Disbelief was written all over her face. Did Gideon just call her Freya? Did he just say he was her husband? After encountering so many problems recently, this felt like an incredible gift to Freya. Grandma Keller nodded happily as she looked at Gideon. She even reached her hand out towards him. Freya looked at her grandmother¡¯s outstretched hand and instantly felt uneasy. She was afraid Gideon would not hold her grandmother¡¯s hand. However, she promptly realized her fears were uncalled for. Gideon had already walked over from the door to place his hand in her grandmother¡¯s. Grandma Keller placed Freya¡¯s hand in Gideon¡¯s. She instinctively pulled back and wanted to run when she sensed the warmth radiating from the man¡¯s large hands. However, Gideon held her hand tightly, rather unexpectedly. His eyes were inexplicably deep and profound. The woman could not help blushing. ¡°Gideon, Freya has always had a hard life. Although my son adopted her, her stepmother had a bad temper and always took it out on her. It was honestly not easy for her when she was growing up. Now that she has married you, you have to be good to her from now on.¡± Freya rolled her eyes when she heard what her grandmother said. ¡°Granny, don¡¯t be dramatic. I am perfectly fine now. Also, I have grown up to be very pretty. There is nothing for you to worry about.¡± Gideon did not respond to Grandma Keller. Freya naturally had no expectation for any response from him either. She pulled her hand from him and held her grandmother¡¯s hands. ¡°Granny, how are you feeling recently?¡± Grandma Keller instantly detected something amiss when Freya held her hand. She held up her right hand and scrutinized it for a long time and asked, ¡°Freya, you are already married. Why aren¡¯t you wearing your wedding ring?¡± Gideon glanced at Freya calmly. Freya hesitated for a long time before she finally lied and said, ¡°Erm¡­ Granny, I took off the ring and left it on the sink when I washed my face this morning and forgot to put it back on. I will remember to show it to you the next time I visit. The ring is beautiful and it has a huge diamond.¡± Gideon looked at Freya as she blatantly lied to the old lady without saying a word. Grandma Keller glanced at Gideon but the man had already placed his hands behind his back. She suddenly sighed. Gideon looked at them and cleared his throat. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead and chat. I am heading out for a minute.¡± Freya looked at him. ¡°Uh huh.¡± After he had left, Grandma Keller held Freya¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Freya, you are still young and you have a long life ahead of you. Don¡¯t let your marriage end up like your adopted parents. Do you understand?¡± Chapter 15 - Won鈥檛 Ever Do It Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya lowered her head. All her life, she was in deep gratitude towards her adopted father, Noah Keller. Even if she had to marry Gideon to help her adopted father, she felt it was worth it. Although it was a rocky marriage, and her husband had a lousy attitude towards her, she held no grudges. Freya pondered briefly before she said calmly, ¡°I understand. You just focus on watching your health. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Sigh. Why didn¡¯t your father come with you this time?¡± ¡°He¡­ he¡¯s caught up with work. He was unable to take leave, so he sent me over to visit you.¡± The old lady sighed dejectedly. ¡°I see.¡± Freya and Gideon left the old folks¡¯ home at noon. Freya wanted to thank Gideon for his help earlier. However, after rehearsing a lot of lines in her head, she could not bring herself to speak the moment she looked at his cold face. ¡®The man was able to smile at her warmly when they were at the old folks¡¯ home, so why did he seem so unapproachable now? Freya made up her mind to say something. She looked at the man and said, ¡°Mr. Carter, thank you for helping me today. From now on, when we have to visit Uncle Charles, I will do the same and accommodate you.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± replied Gideon patronizingly. ¡®The sound of a ringtone could be heard and Freya took out her phone. She saw that it was Rebecca calling her. She answered the phone and lowered her voice. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I called to tell you someone has already settled the bill for all your grandmother¡¯s expenses for the coming quarter and next year. You don¡¯t have to worry about it from now on.¡± ¡°What?¡± Freya was stunned. ¡°Was everything paid for?¡± ¡°Your gorgeous boyfriend did it. Freya, you should be nice to him. Not only does he look hot, but he is also rich.¡± Rebecca hung up when she was done talking to Freya. Freya went quiet. Aminute after hanging up the phone, Freya felt she did not want to keep owing Gideon such a monetary favor, so she had to return it soon. However, getting an advance on her salary was out of the question now. How was she going to return him the favor? Freya suddenly recalled the woman she encountered at the president¡¯s office earlier called Ms. Davis. ¡®Was she Gideon¡¯s type? Gossip around town mentioned the love of his life was lying bedridden, so then who was Ms. Davis? She glanced sideways at Gideon. ¡°Mr. Carter, can I ask you a question?¡± ¡®The man did not respond. Freya took the silence as a yes. She continued speaking and said, ¡°That lady this morning. Ms. Davis, right? Do you like her?¡± ¡®The man stepped on the brake and the Rolls Royce Ghost jerked to a stop the moment she finished her sentence. Gideon¡¯s face instantly turned icy cold as he spoke firmly. ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°But we aren¡¯t there yet. Also, there is only one bus service to go back to Ocean City and it runs once a day. It is already 6:00 p.m. Look, the sky is already completely dark at 6:00 p.m this time of the year. I¡­ am scared.¡± ¡°Do I have to repeat myself?¡± Gideon looked completely annoyed. He spoke without so much as turning to glance sideways at her. Freya got anxious. She turned sideways, looked at the man, pulled his shirt without hesitation, and said pitifully, ¡°Mr. Carter, my bad. I am sorry. I really shouldn¡¯t have mentioned her. I shouldn¡¯t have asked about your personal affairs. On account of my sincerity, can you forgive me? From now on, I won¡¯t do it again¡­ Can you not kick me out halfway in the middle of nowhere?¡± Chapter 16 - Suddenly Leaned Towards Her Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya could not help feeling worried after she was done apologizing. She had a feeling that the man was not going to let her off so easily. Gideon looked at her almond-shaped eyes coldly as he listened to her apology. He suddenly leaned towards Freya. Freya held her breath and opened her eyes wide as she watched him lean towards her. She did not dare to say a word or stop to ask what was going on. Since he was very close, Freya could clearly smell his scent. She blushed uncontrollably as she sat there nervously. Until The sound of a seat belt unclasping could suddenly be heard. Freya¡¯s blush almost instantly dissipated. She lowered her head to look at his long slender hands. He had already reached his hands over towards the front passenger seat door in the Rolls Royce Ghost. Click. The door opened making the man¡¯s cool scent dissipate instantly. Gideon sat back into the driver¡¯s seat and uttered two words coldly. ¡°Get out!¡± Freya knew it was hopeless for her to do anything now. She glared at the man angrily and blatantly scolded him for the first time in her life. ¡°You are crazy!¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she got out of the car angrily and slammed the door as hard as she could behind her. Gideon did not expect her to argue with him. Also, she had just cursed him. He looked at her in bewilderment on hearing it but Freya had already strode off and left. A second later, she could hear the engine starting, Then, the Rolls Royce Ghost whizzed right past her and left. Before long, the car vanished from sight altogether. Freya scrutinized her surroundings as she walked. She was deep inside the mountain and she could hear strange sounds every now and then. Since she was timid in nature, she took out her phone right away and called Ashley without hesitation. ¡°Ashley, I am on my way home to Ocean City from the old folks¡¯ home at Mount Plenty. Are you free? Can you pick me up?¡± Ashley asked rhetorically, ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°Thave Gideon to thank for this.¡± ¡°Uh huh, Of course, I am free. I am coming over right now,¡± said Ashley quickly. She sounded like she was rushing through the door already. Freya did not think deeply about it. She simply waited for Ashley by the roadside after hanging up the phone. Although she had leamed taekwondo before and was capable of defending herself, she was just a vulnerable girl. She could not help feeling frightened walking in the deserted village streets by herself. Before long, Freya¡¯s phone rang once more. It was Ashley calling her. She answered the phone, ¡°Are you on your way?¡± ¡°Uh huh, 1 am on my way. You were a real lifesaver earlier. Grandpa was talking to me about going matchmaking. He kept telling me to go and didn¡¯t even give me the chance to say no.¡± ¡°Another matchmaking session?¡± Freya found it hilarious. It was already the 7th matchmaking session Ashley had attended this month. Ashley complained as she drove. ¡°Oh yes. I heard the guy is in finance. He has been working on Wall Street in America for years. Now, he owns a lot of shares for some company and is a major shareholder. I really don¡¯t know what to say.¡± ¡°Since he is such an outstanding man, there¡¯s no harm in meeting him. I am already married, but you don¡¯t even have a boyfriend.¡± ¡°Why are you helping him?¡± ¡°Lam serious. Also, out of all your matchmaking prospects, this one sounds the best. He¡¯s a perfect match for Ocean City¡¯s top socialite.¡± Ashley paused as she pondered the suggestion. Then, Freya heard a sneaky laugh. ¡°In that case¡­ why don¡¯t you help me check him out?¡± Chapter 17 - This Woman Was Genuinely Out to Get Him! Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations How could Ashley send someone else to attend the matchmaking session on behalf of her? Ashley chased Freya when she did not reply. ¡°Say something, will you?¡± ¡°Are you sure this is okay? I am already married.¡± ¡°Everything will be just fine. You were only recently married, so no one will be able to tell the difference.¡± Just as Freya was about to answer, her phone suddenly vibrated. She held up her phone and saw it was out of battery. By the time Gideon had gotten back to the Carter Group after he had dumped Freya in the middle of nowhere, an hour had passed. Shortly after he exited the lift, his secretary came over and said, ¡°Mr. Carter, someone is waiting for you in the office.¡± ¡°Who?¡± His secretary smiled excitedly with her eyes glinting. ¡°The superstar Jerry.¡± Gideon glanced at the office and surprisingly smiled a little. He strode into the office and quickly saw the man sitting on the couch playing with an iPad. The man heard the door open, so he put down his iPad and raised his hand to greet Gideon. ¡°Hello, my second older brother.¡± Gideon took off his suit jacket and threw it on the couch. ¡°When did you get back in town?¡± ¡°Just today. I was filming in Australia, but Dad summoned us for dinner tonight, so I came back.¡± Gideon paused and asked, ¡°Does this mean our older brother is coming back from the army as well?¡± The man smiled as he shook his head. ¡°It does not stop there. Even our little sister studying in the USA has come home.¡± Gideon frowned and said, ¡°Why though? What¡¯s the big deal?¡± ¡°Are you playing dumb here?¡± Gideon narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Dad said you got married. Although it is a secret marriage, we still have to have a reunion dinner as a family. You are the main attraction tonight. I don¡¯t know why you are asking me these strange questions.¡± Gideon¡¯s face instantly froze. Was everyone back because he just got married? This meant he had to bring Freya over. However, the woman said the next bus from Mount Plenty for Ocean City would only arrive at 6:00 p.m. He looked at the man on the couch. ¡°What time is dinner?¡± ¡®The man shrugged. ¡°8:00 pm at the main Carter residence.¡± Gideon walked over to the window, took out his phone, and called Freya¡¯s phone number, but all he got was a message saying her phone was off. sh*t! Gideon raised his hand and rubbed his brow. Moments later, he turned to take the suit jacket from the couch and headed out the door. ¡®The man sitting on the couch watched as Gideon left and asked, ¡°Gideon, where are you going?¡± But Gideon was already gone. Since Freya¡¯s phone was off, Gideon could only drive over to Mount Plenty and pick her up. He finished the entire route in an hour¡¯s drive, but Freya was nowhere to be seen. Did she get lost? This woman was genuinely out to get him! After Ashley brought Freya back to the city, the two of them went to a restaurant for lunch. Ashley looked at Freya and asked over lunch, ¡°Are you doing it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Freya was lost. ¡°are you helping me go for the matchmaking session?¡± Freya looked at the woman in front of her. For a moment, she did not know what to say. Should she help her or not? Ashley started to claim credit. ¡°I have not complained once when I went all the way to Mount Plenty to pick you up. I would never have done it for anyone else.¡± Freya bit her lip as she glanced at Ashley. She smiled and said, ¡°Ashley, if I promise to help, can you help me again?¡± Ashley promptly answered, ¡°Even if you do not help me, I will still help you!¡± ¡°You are the best!¡± ¡°That goes without saying. Tell me. What do you need help with?¡± Freya lowered her eyes somewhat guiltily and spoke with a stifled voice.. ¡°I¡­ I need to borrow some money from you Chapter 18 - Gideon Seems to Care About You a Lot Chapter 18: Gideon Seems to Care About You a Lot Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Ashley was caught by surprise when she heard Freya¡¯s request. After gathering her thoughts, she said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier if you needed money? Of course, I will lend it to you. Just give me a number and I¡¯ll transfer it now.¡± Freya looked at her with gratitude. Ashley went quiet. ¡°Since you need money, Gideon must be really bad to you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. He helped me pay for Granny¡¯s old folks¡¯ home expenses, but I don¡¯t want to owe him, so I want to return him the money.¡± Ashley instantly understood what she meant. They had been friends for years, so she knew Freya¡¯s concerns well. She quickly took a card from her purse. ¡°Is $5000 enough for the fees?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°You can save the money for later.¡± Freya stopped turning down her offer and accepted the money. After lunch, Ashley took Freya out to the opera. When they came out, Freya sighed happily, ¡°How many times do I have to go for high society activities popular with the ladies with you?¡± Ashley smiled and suddenly said, ¡°I heard about a good movie that¡¯s aired recently. Do you want to watch it?¡± Freya adored engaging in mentally un-challenging activities like watching the movies. When they came out of the movie theater, it was almost 7:00 p.m. Freya got into Ashley¡¯s car and just as she was putting on her seat belt, Ashley asked, ¡°Since you are helping me with the matchmaking session tomorrow, why don¡¯t you spend the night at my place?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I have to get back to Bay View Garden.¡± ¡°The man threw you out of the car halfway home. Why should you go back?¡± ¡°I am already married, so things have changed for me. Why don¡¯t you send me home? I need to talk to him about something anyway.¡± Ashley could not convince Freya to change her mind, so she replied mildly, ¡°Fine.¡± After the red supercar started its engine and drove off, Freya suddenly recalled her phone had been flat all afternoon. She took out her cable and charged her phone in the car. After plugging in her phone, she turned it on. Notifications for countless missed calls and text messages came in. They were all from Gideon. When Freya saw this, she had an ominous feeling about it. The man had also sent Freya text messages. Just by looking at their contents, Freya could tell how angry he must have sounded. The first text message from him read: [Where have you gone?!] The second one said: [Call me when you get this!) The third text message read: (Get to the main Carter residence this instant!] When Freya saw the third text message, she had an inkling of why he was so anxious. He needed her to go to the Carter residence with him. If they had to go to the family home, Uncle Charles would be there. Gideon or his woman might end up punished if she was absent. ¡°Ashley, I am not going to Bay View Garden anymore. Take me to the Carter residence please.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Gideon wants me to go, so something is probably happening there.¡± Ashley had also heard all the notifications coming from Freya¡¯s phone when she checked her messages earlier. She glanced at it from the corner of her eye and saw over 20 unread text messages. She smiled and said mildly, ¡°Gideon seems to worry about you a lot.¡± ¡°He is worried about the woman he loves.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the vegetable?¡± Freya said calmly, ¡°Everyone in Ocean City knows about it. Who else could it be?¡± ¡°In my opinion, Gideon is an intelligent man with money and power. Since you are already married to him, you should make good use of this opportunity. That way, you won¡¯t have to worry about money for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Make good use of my opportunity? It¡¯s not like he likes me, you know?¡± ¡°You need to cultivate a relationship with him, okay?¡± Freya lowered her eyes. Ashley was unaware of the agreement Freya had struck with Charles when they got married. They would only remain married for a year.. Chapter 19 - Only Cares About the Vegetable Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya said nothing. She simply smiled at Ashley. ¡°Forget it. I would rather spend time cultivating our relationship.¡± Ashley burst out laughing. She said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m dumb? I know you are still thinking about the man who left a mark on your chest.¡± Freya did not quite understand what Ashley meant and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashley tured to glance at her before she smiled and said, ¡°You have a scar on your chest. It has been over three years, but that man has never appeared. You aren¡¯t even sure if he is the man you keep thinking of. It¡¯s really time to let it go.¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m not sure? We exchanged a token to prove it ¡°are you talking about the drawing you did when you were five years old?¡± Freya blushed. ¡°Stop talking about it.¡± Ashley was naturally not about to stop talking. ¡°No one would believe this if they heard it. You had a crush when you were very young, but instead of letting it go you have held onto it for years. You had a crush from the time you were three years old until now, when you are in your twenties!¡± Freya leaned into the seat and pretended to be sleepy. ¡°Hurry up and drive. If I get there late, Gideon is probably going to give me an earful.¡± Ashley rolled her eyes at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are letting him do this to you. The man is crazy. He would rather spend his time thinking about a vegetable than be with you.¡± Freya was speechless. She simply pretended not to hear anything when Ashley complained about her marriage. After some time, Ashley stopped talking. Freya finally turned to look at her. ¡°Thank you for being my driver today.¡± ¡°Uh huh. You are welcome.¡± Ashley raised an eyebrow at Freya. Meanwhile, at the Carter residence. Gideon was sitting on the couch as Charles stared at him angrily. The eldest son, Ethan Carter, was chatting with his wife Rebecca Thompson, while Issac Carter looked at Gideon sadly. Their youngest sister, Madison Carter, paid no attention and kept texting people on her phone. Evelyn Carter finally glanced at her husband Charles and helped ease the atmosphere by suggesting. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try calling Freya?¡± ¡°Her phone is off. It is a waste of time to try calling her.¡± Gideon remained nonchalant. Charles rolled his eyes at Gideon before he took the phone and called Freya. Gideon did not even bother to look at his father and seemed confident he would not be able to get through. However, Charles quickly said, ¡°Are you almost here?¡± He was dumbstruck. ¡°Drive safe. Take your time.¡± He was truly dumbstruck. After Charles hung up the phone, Gideon looked at his father in disbelief. Charles said coldly, ¡°You are newlyweds. You aren¡¯t even bothered enough to give her a call?¡± Isaac laughed and said, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s true. It was impossible to get through earlier. I saw Gideon calling her several times.¡± ¡°Stop encouraging him. Why would I believe you?¡± ¡°Fine. Just pretend I said nothing.¡± Isaac felt powerless. He was speaking the truth. Why did he lose credibility because he spoke up for Gideon? Madison lowered her head and played with her phone as she said nonchalantly, ¡°My second older sister-in-law is undoubtedly a bigshot. Everyone is waiting for her to show up and both my brothers got scolded because of her. I don¡¯t remember this happening when Rebecca married Ethan.¡± She shook her head powerlessly when she was done speaking. Ethan and Rebecca looked at each other before Rebecca said, ¡°Madison, she was probably held up by something, It happens sometimes, so don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°She has Dad¡¯s backing, so I would never dare.¡± Gideon stood up angrily. ¡°Since she is nearly here, I will go out to get her.¡± Chapter 20 - Is This Your Idea of Begging Someone? Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Ashley¡¯s sports car pulled up outside the Carter residence about five minutes after Freya spoke to Charlie on the phone. Freya tuned and said to Ashley, ¡°Are you okay with going back on your own?¡± ¡°If I said I wasn¡¯t, are you going to invite me in?¡± Freya undid the seat belt. ¡°I would rather you didn¡¯t come in. Also, I will be very vigilant when I go for the matchmaking session tomorrow. I will try to squeeze as much information as I can out of him.¡± Ashley nodded with a straight face. ¡°Good. In that case, I will go home and make a list of questions.¡± ¡°You are undoubtedly not shy about it!¡± ¡°Why should I be shy with you?¡± Freya smiled as she got out of the car. She waved to Ashley. ¡°Go on then. Be careful on the road.¡± ¡®The car turned and quickly drove off. Freya veered her eyes away and turned to enter the Carter residence. After taking a step forward, she saw a man leaning against the door. Gideon was holding a cigarette with one hand to his mouth as he exhaled. His other hand was in his pants pocket. He was tall and gave off a mature aura as he stood there. Freya went into a daze. For some reason, his silhouette suddenly overlapped with the little boy in her mind. Freya had gone to the bathroom and was late while on a kindergarten excursion. She burst out crying looking at the locked gates and empty compound. Even after crying until she almost lost her voice, it remained futile. Fear and loneliness quickly overwhelmed her heart until a boy said from behind, ¡°Are you done? You are so noisy!¡± She instantly stopped crying. When she turned and saw the boy, she inexplicably stopped feeling scared. Someone was finally here. ¡°What are you standing around for?¡± Freya suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when Gideon¡¯s cool voice echoed in the air. She inexplicably felt he sounded just like the little boy in her memory. However, she did not keep thinking about it. Instead, she stepped forward. She was a little angry about Gideon kicking her out of the car on the way home. A part of her felt he deserved it for annoying her first. ¡®When Freya got to the door, she forcibly glanced at Gideon. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she walked into the villa. However the man suddenly pulled her by the wrist and flung her against the door. Freya could sense a dull pain coming from her back. She looked at the man inexplicably. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Well done. I called you repeatedly, but your phone was off. The moment Dad called you, you answered the phone. You must have done it on purpose, right?¡± Freya was speechless. She said, ¡°I ran out of battery before you called me.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me back after you charged your phone?¡± She looked at the man and contemplated with a slight smile on her face. ¡°Mr. Carter, tell me. Why should I call you? You should count yourself lucky I am here at all. Get this straight. If you did not kick me out of the car halfway back home, would Dad have to call me?¡± ¡®The man scoffed. ¡°Are you blaming me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point blaming you.¡± Freya veered her eyes away from him. ¡°You had better watch what you say later.¡± ¡°Is this your idea of begging someone?¡± Gideon raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why would I need to beg you?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it true? The temperature is very low tonight, but you stood here waiting for me out in the cold. You are pretending to wait for me but in reality, you want to warn me before I go in. Don¡¯t worry. You have already done me a favor at the old folks¡¯ home. From now on, I will repay the favor bit by bit.¡± Chapter 21 - What Do You Want? Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon looked at the woman¡¯s stubborn face and frowned. Freya reached her hand out and pushed him aside hard before walking into the residence. However, the man continued pulling her, so she asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Gideon spoke coldly as he reminded her, ¡°When we were at the old folks¡¯ home, you had the brains to hold my hand like we were married. What about now?¡± Freya felt this man was incapable of getting straight to the point. However, Freya reluctantly held his arm. The two of them headed inside the residence. The moment they entered through the door, Freya saw Isaac sitting in the living room. She moved her hand slightly as she held Gideon¡¯s arm and said softly in complete surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the superstar, Jerry? What¡¯s he doing here?¡± Gideon did not expect such a huge reaction from her on seeing Isaac. He looked a little irritated as he glanced at her with a complicated expression on his face. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Freya pursed her lips. ¡°Okay then¡­¡± Charles and Evelyn looked over at them. ¡°Over here.¡± Freya let go of Gideon¡¯s arm and ran up to Charles and Evelyn and said sweetly, ¡°Mom, Dad, my bad. I was late.¡± ¡°I¡¯s okay,¡± said Evelyn as she smiled. ¡°Freya?¡± A quizzical voice suddenly came from behind. Freya found the voice terribly familiar. Her lips instantly moved slightly the moment she turned and saw Rebecca. For a moment, she did not know what to say. Rebecca frowned. Then, she said in disbelief, ¡°Is it really you?¡± ¡°Becky¡­¡± Freya¡¯s voice suddenly went soft. Gideon had already walked over. He looked at Rebecca and Freya coldly before saying to Freya, ¡°She is your older sister-in-law.¡± ¡°No need to get so serious. I already knew Freya a long time ago. She always calls me Becky.¡± Charles clearly did not expect them to be acquainted. He smiled slightly. ¡°Rebecca, do you know her?¡± ¡°Ido. When I was in university, I¡­¡± Freya looked at Rebecca and interrupted her. ¡°We knew each other when we were in university. Rebecca was my senior.¡± Freya looked at Rebecca. She recalled something and was at a loss, but now was not the time to talk about it. Rebecca looked at Freya and then she looked at Charles and Evelyn and nodded. She chimed in, ¡°Uh huh. We have known each other for a long time.¡± ¡°It was quite the coincidence for you to marry into the family then since Rebecca is your older brother-in-law¡¯s wife. From now on, we are family. It¡¯s just that she will be your senior.¡± Charles smiled and seemed to be in quite a good mood. Freya looked at Ethan and Rebecca. ¡°Nice to meet you. It is our first time meeting, but I kept you waiting. I am so sorry.¡± Freya apologized sincerely before she turned to Isaac and Madison and smiled apologetically. Isaac waved his hand at Freya. He was tall and handsome and gave off a guileless air. As he spoke, he smiled mysteriously. ¡°Freya, I am Isaac Carter. I am the third child in the family, so I am your third younger brother.¡± He shrugged and smiled even more deeply. ¡°But you can just call me Isaac.¡± Freya did not expect to ever interact with Jerry in such proximity. Also, he was approachable even though he was a superstar. He looked particularly handsome when he smiled, so she looked infatuated with him, She looked up at the man and said in disbelief, ¡°Then, can I also call you Jerry?¡± She was so happy talking to Isaac that she completely forgot about Gideon. Chapter 22 - Did Not Care if Gideon Liked Her Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya failed to detect the anger on Gideon¡¯s face and the cold look he was sending her way. Just as Isaac was about to agree, Gideon stood in front of Freya, so that she was unable to see Isaac. The woman finally realized that Gideon looked even angrier than he did when he was talking to her outside the residence earlier. Three words came out of his mouth glacially. ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± The moment he finished his sentence, he added and said, ¡°There are rules in this household.¡± Freya was thinking about how to retort to the man, when Isaac suddenly got up and walked over. He stood beside Gideon with his elbow leaning against Gideon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Gideon, do you have to be so serious? You just scared her.¡± Freya secretly liked Isaac already. Gideon glanced at the man. Isaac was unaffected by Gideon¡¯s cold look. He turned to look at Freya. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Freya could not help saying excitedly, ¡°That goes without saying. You are a big hit. All my friends and I are big fans of yours.¡± She remained excited. ¡°Can you give me your autograph? No, wait, can I have two?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Isaac smiled warmly. If not for the people standing here, Freya really wanted to give the man a hug. ¡°If we knew Freya liked idols, we should have just let her marry Isaac.¡± The smile on Freya¡¯s face dissipated a lot when she heard this. She turned towards the source of the voice and saw a girl leaning against the couch sitting languidly. She had fair, flawless skin and her chestnut hair was tied in a bun at the top of her head making her seem energetic and youthful The moment Freya made eye contact with the girl, Gideon scolded her angrily. ¡°Shut up!¡± Madison seemed unaffected by Gideon. She blurted out. ¡°Why should I? I was just speaking the truth. What would it matter since you don¡¯t like her?¡± ¡°Madison!¡± This time, it was Evelyn speaking. Charles was in such a foul mood that he was about to smack Madison. The moment he heard Evelyn¡¯s rebuke, he snorted coldly at Madison. ¡°Fine. If you don¡¯t like it, I will stop talking about it.¡± ¡°Ereya, Madison is just a kid. Don¡¯t take her words to heart.¡± Freya smiled. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± In reality, Madison was speaking the truth, but she did not care if Gideon liked her. Ethan finally broke his silence and said, ¡°Gideon, it¡¯s Freya¡¯s first time at the Carter residence, so why don¡¯t you just spend the night here tonight? You can show her around tomorrow. This is her home too, so she should get to learn her way around.¡± Charles seemed to like his eldest son¡¯s suggestion and instantly warmed up to it. Freya felt Ethan had the best posture in the household. Also, he gave off a particularly warm energy, unlike his brothers. Despite the kind offer, she did not want to stay here. Also, wouldn¡¯t she have to stay in the same room as Gideon if she did? ¡®The man might just end up throwing her out of the room or find some way to abuse her. If she were at Bay View Garden, she could at least stay out of sight and keep a distance from him. Regardless of what she felt, she did not have any influence here. Freya automatically looked sideways at Gideon and shook her head slightly as she cast him an imploring look. She kept hinting that she did not want to spend the night here. However, Gideon mildly agreed to stay, without so much as looking at her or asking for her opinion. Freya was powerless. She could only look at Ethan and chime in as she nodded. ¡°Sure thing, Ethan..¡± Chapter 23 - Stay Quiet Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations During dinner at the Carter residence, Charles and Evelyn sat together, while Ethan and Gideon sat with their wives respectively. Isaac naturally could only sit with Madison. After taking a seat, Freya looked up at Rebecca emotionally. They had not seen each other in almost three years. This meant she had not met him in three years either. Rebecca raised her head and inadvertently saw Freya looking at her, so she smiled back slightly. Freya smiled back but quickly veered her eyes away. Gideon was sitting on her left while Isaac sat on her right. ¡®The atmosphere at the dining table felt a little serious. Freya felt a little stifled, so she exhaled deeply. Even though she did it very softly, the two men beside her caught it. Gideon simply glanced at her without saying a word. Isaac smiled and asked, ¡°Freya, are you not used to this atmosphere?¡± ¡°It feels a little too serious and stifling.¡± ¡°Uh huh. I think so too. If the old man does not give the order, I usually do not take the initiative to come home.¡± Isaac¡¯s warm smile made Freya lower her guard and she started to chat with him. ¡°Isaac, I only know Mom and Dad, but I don¡¯t know Ethan and Madison at all. Why don¡¯t you tell me more about them?¡± ¡°Ethan is in the army. Since you already know Rebecca, I won¡¯t bother telling you about her. Madison is the youngest. She is studying in the States, so she will be spending a few days here before heading back. Also, Madison is obsessed with Gideon. That is probably the reason she has a problem with you.¡± Freya could not help nodding on hearing this. ¡°No wonder Ethan seems more serious. Do you mean Madison has an older brother complex?¡± The man smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it that. It is more like a Gideon complex. She only obsesses over him and not the rest of us.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so good about Gideon? I would pick you any day.¡± Despite her soft tone, Gideon caught it. He glanced at her coldly. ¡°You are not allowed to speak while you dine in this household. Be quiet.¡± Isaac smiled ambiguously, but his arm suddenly hurt as he smiled. ¡®When he tumed to figure out what was going on, he saw Madison eating expressionlessly as she pinched the flesh on his inner arm. Madison had pinched Isaac where it hurt the most. He could not help frowning. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Madison glared at him fiercely. ¡°Serves you right for speaking ill of me. This is just a warning!¡± Isaac went speechless. Other than Charles and Evelyn, only Ethan and Rebecca were having dinner properly. They were like the model couple in the household. Every now and then, Ethan would place food in Rebecca¡¯s bowl over dinner, and Rebecca would smile and thank him. In Freya¡¯s opinion, there was hardly any expression on Rebecca¡¯s face, so it seemed rather cold. In the past, Rebecca was warm and laughed a lot. She was completely different from the old Rebecca she used to know. After dinner, Freya disregarded Gideon and openly pulled Isaac¡¯s arm. ¡°You promised to give me autographs.¡± The man raised his brow and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. Where shall I sign it?¡± Freya contemplated briefly. Then, she looked at herself and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sign it on my sleeve and on my pant leg, I will give one of them to my friend when I see her..¡± Chapter 24 - I Hate You Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon looked at them glacially the moment he heard the conversation between them. Freya was talking to Isaac excitedly, so she failed to notice the frosty stare coming from behind her. Isaac certainly saw it, but he simply smiled without mentioning it. Instead, he took the pen when Freya handed it to him. Freya reached her arm out. Isaac secured the shirt sleeve before signing his autograph. Gideon was standing behind them as he watched. The moment he saw Freya and Isaac make skin contact, he looked even more annoyed. Isaac was done signing the sleeve in a matter of seconds. Freya looked at the autograph on her sleeve happily as she said, ¡°One more, on my pant leg this time. Let me sit down s0 it is easier for you to sign it.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± said the man. Freya pulled up a stool near the dining table and sat down on the chair with her leg placed on the stool. She looked up at Isaac. ¡°I am ready. Please sign it.¡± Isaac raised an eyebrow as he leaned forward slightly. Just as he was about to start signing, Freya¡¯s leg fell off the stool. He raised his head and saw Gideon pulling Freya¡¯s arm angrily. ¡°Freya, you are at home. Do you look like a Mrs. Carter at all? Don¡¯t you know it is inappropriate for you to have body contact with a guy?¡± Freya raised her head and looked at Gideon. She felt a little afraid when she saw him throwing a temper. She suppressed her voice and said, ¡°It¡¯s just an autograph. Is it such a big deal?¡± Gideon narrowed his eyes and pulled the woman away without even talking. Isaac stood where he was, shaking his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in just a few months, but you are already so possessive¡­¡± Freya was pulled straight to the bedroom by Gideon. He flung her onto the bed. ¡°You better watch it. Don¡¯t even think about getting close to Isaac!¡± Freya hurt her back from the fall. She glared at the rough man and muttered, ¡°Then, what about you?¡± Despite her soft tone, Gideon heard her loud and clear. ¡°You can¡¯t come close to me either!¡± Freya rolled her eyes and got up from the bed to leave the room. Gideon glanced coldly at her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Lam going to see Rebecca.¡± She was naturally unable to keep her tone calm and sounded a little annoyed when she answered. ¡®The man answered coolly with five words, ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to go!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± asked Freya with a frown on her face. ¡°You need to know your place. You are simply a woman my father forced me to marry. Stop ingratiating yourself with my family.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, can you be more reasonable? If you think I was trying to get close to Isaac by getting his autograph, I have nothing to say. I will admit I like him since he is my idol and I am a big fan! However, I have known Rebecca for a long time! I knew her way before I ever encountered you or your father. How can you say I was throwing myself at your family?¡± The man asked rhetorically in a stern tone, ¡°You? Are you good enough for Issac?¡± Freya was furious. She did not know how to argue with this horrible man. She said nothing as her face flushed red. Her breathing rapidly increased and it seemed as though she was about to cry at any moment. They went into a stalemate for a few seconds until Freya suddenly looked at the man and said with a crying voice, ¡°I hate you!¡± After shouting at the man, Freya ran out of the room. Gideon was stunned. Was she crying? Her words kept reverberating in his mind and he inexplicably did not like hearing them.. Chapter 25 - Why Would My Second Older Brother Marry Someone Like You? Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon had never heard of someone hating him in all his life. Everyone watched his mood and spoke tactfully! This stupid woman shockingly said she hated him and even wanted to cry! After Freya left the room, her tears could not help trickling down. The Carter residence was divided into the North, South, East, and West quarters. Gideon and Freya were residing in the South quarters. Although she claimed she wanted to find Rebecca, she had no idea where her Becca was staying. It was late autumn, so it was rather cold at night and she could not help shrinking her neck. She sat down on a bench in the residence and raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Came a bright voice. Freya saw a pair of grey high heels appearing in front of her when she heard the voice. She raised her head to see that it was Madison. Madison seemed to dislike her back when she met her in the living room, so Freya¡¯s expression seemed mild when she saw her. She looked at Madison expressionlessly and asked, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?¡± Just as Freya was about to answer, Madison said mockingly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Gideon threw you out of the room?¡± Even though she had a problematic relationship with Gideon, she did not want their marriage to become a laughingstock. She looked at Madison and smiled as she said, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. He is my husband. Why would he drive me out of the room?¡± Madison said, ¡°Husband? Let me make this clear. Gideon likes Brenna. Do not for a moment think your title as his wife is secure just because you are married. The moment Brenna regains consciousness, Gideon will divorce you! Moreover, if he cared about you in the slightest, would he let you come out in the cold?¡± Freya pondered over Madison¡¯s words before she gradually stood up. Since Freya was a little taller than Madison, the moment she stood up, she was able to look down at her. She glanced at Madison. ¡°Who says he left me out in the cold? If you keep trying to drive a wedge between us, I will tell your father about it!¡± Madison instantly looked worried, but she put on a bold front and acted calm as she asked, ¡°Do you think he will believe you?¡± ¡°It is the truth, Why wouldn¡¯t he believe me? He trusts me. Considering your unreasonable and willful personality, Dad probably doesn¡¯t trust you to begin with, right?¡± Freya was just trying her luck. She did not know Madison well, but it was an easy guess. Any girl with a lot of older brothers was bound to get a little willful. Judging from Madison¡¯s expression now, she knew she had gotten it spot on! ¡°Why would Gideon marry someone like you?¡± Freya asked rhetorically without any hesitation, ¡°Then who else is he supposed to marry? Someone like you?¡± She spoke slightly louder than Madison. Madison was furious, so her face was red. She pointed at Freya for a long time, but she was left speechless. A low husky voice suddenly said, ¡°What are you arguing about?¡± Freya recognized Gideon¡¯s voice. She turned to look at the man and felt she was dead meat. Neither Gideon nor Madison liked her. They were bound to make things hard for her, since they were on the same side! Freya automatically held her breath as she pursed her lips and gritted her teeth. Madison started to talk badly about Freya as she pointed at Freya and said angrily, ¡°Gideon, she threatened me!¡± Freya went speechless. Gideon subtly glanced at Freya, while the woman fearfully avoided making eye contact with him.. Chapter 26 - Long-winded for Someone In Her Twenties Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon¡¯s gentle husky voice could be heard. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡®The moment Freya heard his voice, she raised her head and saw the man looking at her somewhat indulgently. She walked towards him at a complete loss. The man suddenly reached his hand out and pulled her into his arms when she came close to him. Freya was surrounded by his scent. After embracing her, Gideon looked at her and asked in concem, ¡°Are you cold?¡± Freya was dumbstruck. Was he showing concern towards her? She simply nodded obediently. ¡°A little.¡± Gideon looked at her warmly as he said with a gentle voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go back then.¡± Freya nodded once more. ¡®The man held her as he turned them around. Madison suddenly said reluctantly, ¡°Gideon!¡± She sounded angry with her second older brother. Did he stop caring about her, his little sister, the moment he got married? She was clearly talking to him earlier, but he only cared about this woman! Did Gideon really have a change in heart? Did he stop liking Brenna now that he was married? Gideon took Freya back to the room and let her go after kicking the door shut. Freya watched as he yanked his tie in annoyance before looking at her. The man looked very attractive when he took off his tie. The girl in her could not help feeling instantly mesmerized by the sight. However, the moment she made eye contact with the man¡¯s cool eyes, she got scared. Gideon questioned Freya coldly, ¡°Did you bully Madison?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I was just sitting on the bench minding my own business. She was the one who wanted to make trouble. She came over and said¡­¡± Freya was about to blurt out the truth regarding what Madison had mentioned about Brenna. However, she suddenly recalled the last time when she mentioned Ms. Davis, the man threw a fit and kicked her out of his car in the middle of nowhere. Gideon noticed her hesitancy. He narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°You were the one who asked. If I tell you, you can¡¯t throw a temper at me!¡± The man said annoyingly, ¡°You are only in your twenties. Why are you so long-winded?¡± Freya pursed her lips. She casually told him about what Madison had said to her. ¡°Your little sister says you like Brenna. She told me I won¡¯t be your wife for long just because we are married. The moment she wakes up, you will divorce me.¡± Gideon looked at her as she spoke. There was hardly any expression on her face and even her eyes were completely calm. He said matter of factly in a cold voice, ¡°She is right.¡± Just three words were enough to leave Freya speechless for a long time. Freya slowly walked over to the couch and sat down. She lowered her head and played with her nails looking completely listless. Gideon took off his suit and threw it on the couch beside her. Freya automatically glanced at him and muttered, ¡°When your little sister said I threatened her, why didn¡¯t you just scold me right away? Why did you bring me back here?¡± Gideon scoffed gently. ¡°People will talk.¡± ¡®The moment he finished his sentence, he looked at Freya.. ¡°Do you want people to see me treating you badly? If my father gets wind of this, do you want him to take your side?¡± Chapter 27 - Why Do You Think So Poorly of Me? Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya did not know what to say. She lowered her head before she raised it again and asked rhetorically, ¡°Why do you keep thinking so poorly of me?¡± Gideon said in utter disdain, ¡°You married into the family for money. Do you think you are some saint?¡± The moment he finished his sentence, he pulled off his tie over his head and unbuttoned his shirt nonchalantly. Freya instantly looked flustered when she saw him undressing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Going to bed,¡± the man answered succinctly. Freya hurriedly veered her eyes away, but she genuinely did not know where to look and felt terribly awkward. Gideon watched as she kept looking around uneasily. There was a blush on her face while he sat on the couch completely calm. He laughed coldly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I would never touch a woman like you. Do you plan on sitting on the couch the entire night?¡± ¡°Nope, definitely not!¡± she answered hurriedly. She added, ¡°I went to the old folks¡¯ home today and got kicked out halfway in the middle of nowhere on the way back. After Ashley came over to pick me up, we went out all day. Then, I came over and had such a serious dinner. I am really exhausted.¡± The man frowned. ¡°Is it my fault?¡± Freya hurriedly waved her hands. ¡°That was not what I meant. I mean I want to sleep too.¡± Gideon glanced sideways at her before taking his sleeping robe and going to the bathroom. The man washed up and came out ten minutes later. Freya was sitting on the couch when she heard the bathroom door open and instantly froze. She did not dare raise her head to look at Gideon, but she could hear him walking over. Freya secretly glanced over and noticed the man had already laid down in bed with his back facing her. Huh? Was he taking the bed? Did this mean she had to sleep on the couch? ¡°You can have one-third of the bed. You are not allowed to touch me while you sleep.¡± After taking a bath, his voice sounded clearer. Freya was a little lost. She finally realized what he meant a few seconds later and gave him a slightly delayed acknowledgment. Were they going to share the bed? Freya yawned and got up to enter the bathroom. After quickly bathing, she realized she had left her pajamas outside! Freya sighed. Then, she walked out of the bathroom furtively wrapped only in her bathrobe. Freya thought about her naked body under the bathrobe and how she was going to sleep on the same bed as Gideon, so she could not help blushing. After lying down on her half of the bed, she exhaled and promptly felt exhausted. She did not have the energy to keep thinking and quickly closed her eyes to sleep. Gideon was accustomed to sleeping by himself. When he suddenly smelled the woman¡¯s freshly showered scent, he automatically frowned. ¡®The next day, Ethan and Rebecca came over to see them off when Gideon and Freya were ready to leave the residence. Gideon and Ethan chatted a little, so Freya finally had the opportunity to speak to Rebecca. She held Rebecca¡¯s hand with a complicated expression on her face. ¡°Becky, is Luke back in town?¡± ¡°Soon.¡± Freya felt nervous. Was he really coming back soon? Just as she was in deep thought, Rebecca said, ¡°I did not expect you to get married. Also, you even married¡­¡± Freya did not seem to want to talk about it. Instead, she kept thinking about Luke Thompson¡¯s return. She thought about the things they had done together and her eyes could not help turning red.. After some time, she suppressed her emotions and looked at Rebecca as she said, ¡°Becky, when Luke comes back, don¡¯t tell him about seeing me, okay?¡± Chapter 28 - Stay Quiet Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Rebecca saw Freya¡¯s eyes fluttering nervously and did not know what to say. Freya kept asking Rebecca when she did not answer, ¡°Will you, Becky?¡± Rebecca nodded. ¡°Fine. Freya, I hope you won¡¯t blame me for making you leave Luke back in the day¡­¡± Freya interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. ¡°Becky, I don¡¯t blame anyone. I mean it.¡± Rebecca¡¯s lips twitched. Her expression looked a little unnatural, but she smiled. Freya smiled as well. Her entire face was smiling and it looked sincere and relaxed. The Rolls Royce Ghost left the Carter residence ten minutes later. After getting into the front passenger seat, Freya turned to look at the man¡¯s gorgeous profil ¡°Mr. Carter, just drop me near the office later.¡± Gideon ignored what she said and did not answer her. Freya pursed her lips. She heard a notification chime coming from her phone. She held up her phone and saw it was Ashley texting her. Freya deftly tapped on the text message. She could not help opening her mouth wide when she saw the message. She looked increasingly puzzled and helpless as she went through the contents of the text message. Ashley had listed the questions she wanted Freya to help her ask the man at the matchmaking session later. How many times had he gone on matchmaking dates? How many girls had he dated? How many times had he had s*x? Freya pressed her throbbing temples after reading the message. Then, she finally got to the last question. How was the guy in bed? For a moment, Freya forgot about the man driving the car beside her. She instantly burst into scolding Ashley. ¡°Are you crazy? How could she have the cheek to ask a man whom she has met for the first time such questions?¡± Gideon glanced at Freya when she muttered to herself. Freya caught him looking at her from the corner of her eye. She looked sideways and smiled as she said, ¡°I simply saw something funny online.¡± Gideon said expressionlessly, ¡°I am not interested in what you do. If you can¡¯t stay quiet, then get out of the car.¡± Freya acknowledged him resentfully, dragging her voice. ¡°Okaaay¡­¡± Freya composed a text message and sent it back to Ashley. [Your questions are crazy, especially the last one. How do you expect me to ask him?] Ashley replied almost instantly. Qust ask him. I need to know if we will get along after marriage. If I have to marry him, this question is very important to me.] Freya sighed and texted Ashley back. {1am too shy to ask.] Ashley sent Freya a puking emoji and added. [I have already personally witnessed what a thick skin you have.] Freya was about to reply, when Ashley sent her yet another text message. [My dear¡­ The future of my s*x life is at stake. You have to help me.] Freya sent her an emoji of her rolling her eyes. Ashley replied with a heart emoji. In the end, Freya put away her phone, leaned into the seat, and seemed at a loss. The Rolls Royce Ghost pulled up below the Carter Group building 30 minutes later. When Freya realized the car had stopped, she looked outside, undid her seat belt, and got out. ¡®The man in the driver¡¯s seat watched as she got out of the car, closed the door, and walked off leisurely. He could not help frowning angrily. Humph. Even though he told her to be quiet around him, shouldn¡¯t she at least thank him for the ride? The girl undoubtedly had a questionable 10. Did she do it on purpose? Chapter 29 - Don鈥檛 Be Nosy Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Carol came over after Freya sat down in the office. ¡°Ereya¡­¡± Freya turned to look at her. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Where did you go with your bag halfway through work yesterday?¡± Freya was organizing some paperwork when her hands paused. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡­ I went to visit my grandmother.¡± ¡°Did you know? After you left yesterday, so did Mr. Carter.¡± Freya frowned. She looked at Carol curiously. Carol¡¯s eyes were glinting with excitement from the gossip. Freya shook her head. ¡°I¡­¡± Carol scrutinized her quizzically. ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Erm¡­¡± Carol happily gossiped. ¡°Someone saw you boarding Mr. Carter¡¯s car in the underground parking lot.¡± Freya raised her head to look at Carol and said, ¡°Stop being nosy. Get back to work¡­¡± Carol came over to Freya¡¯s ear and continued speaking, ¡°Everyone is saying Mr. Carter wants to date you.¡± Freya frowned. Gideon Carter? Date her? Oh please. He would kill her if anything! Freya glanced around at her other colleagues. She was surprised to see many people looking in their direction. She hurriedly changed the subject. ¡°Carol, I didn¡¯t manage to finish my work yesterday, so I have to get to it ASAP. Aren¡¯t you expecting payment from a client? It is already the end of the month. If you really want your bonus this month, aren¡¯t you counting on the client?¡± ¡®The moment Freya brought this up, Carol suddenly recalled the matter and anxiously said, ¡°You are right.¡± She returned back to her seat and started to contact her client. After Carol left, the other colleagues stopped looking at her. Awoman called Jennifer Martin sat behind her. Freya failed to notice there was something different about the way her colleague sitting behind her looked at her. Later in the afternoon, in front of a posh restaurant. Ashley pulled Freya towards the door and pointed at a table. ¡°See? That¡¯s the guy. I will sit behind you later. That way, I can see how he looks.¡± Freya glanced and commented, ¡°From behind, he certainly looks handsome.¡± Ashley smiled. ¡°Go on then.¡± Freya tumed to glance at her with a look of disdain before she headed into the restaurant. Ashley followed behind her. The man sitting at the dining table was reading some finance papers, when he sensed someone stopping beside him. He put down his paper and raised his head. In an instant, Freya suddenly thought about Gideon. Gideon had a mature aura, while the man in front of her felt more refined. He had kind eyes and his smile did not seem frivolous at all. Every word he uttered sounded polite. ¡°Are you Ms. Taylor?¡± Freya finally nodded after hearing his nice voice. ¡°Uh huh. That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Tam Kieran Anderson. I went abroad to work a few years ago and just returned home recently.¡± Freya reached her hand out and smiled. ¡°How do you do Mr. Anderson? Kieran reached his hand out and shook hers politely. ¡°Ms. Taylor, please have a seat.¡± Shortly after Freya sat down, Ashley could not resist looking over from behind her. Kieran smiled subtly. A waiter came over to the table. The man handed the menu to Freya and invited her to order. Freya did not turn down the offer. She ordered a few dishes before handing the menu back to the waiter. After the waiter left, the atmosphere went quiet for a few seconds. Freya suddenly heard Ashley softly clearing her throat behind her. She instinctively raised her head to look at Kieran. She smiled as she spoke, ¡°Mr.. Anderson, how many times have you gone on matchmaking dates?¡± Chapter 30 - Perhaps I Am More Devoted Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Kieran was straightening the cutlery, when his hands suddenly froze after hearing Freya¡¯s question. He raised his head to look at Freya with a smile on his thin lips. ¡°Ms. Taylor, do you mean this is not your first time?¡± Freya went quiet. She smiled mildly. ¡°Mr. Anderson, I was the one asking questions. Why did you answer a question with a question?¡± ¡°My bad. It simply struck me when you asked. As for me, this is my first time going for a matchmaking session, so I am quite inexperienced.¡± Freya kept turning her index fingers nervously under the table. Was the man implying that she was very experienced at going for matchmaking sessions? Ashley was the top socialite in Ocean City. How could she have asked a question that would bite back at her? Freya could not help glancing behind herself furiously. The waiter came over with the food. After serving everything, he told them to enjoy their meal and left. Kieran turned his attention to the food on his table as he smiled teasingly. Freya pointed at a dish on the table and recommended it. ¡°Mr. Anderson, this restaurant is famous for its seafood, so you should try this.¡± Kieran nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®The moment the man placed a prawn on his plate, Freya asked a second question, ¡°Mr. Anderson, how many girlfriends have you dated before?¡± Kieran pondered briefly before quickly clearing his thoughts. He looked at Freya and spoke candidly. ¡°One.¡± Freya could not believe her ears. ¡°Huh?¡± The man raised his brow. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The moment he finished his sentence, he inadvertently caught a familiar silhouette walking towards them. ¡®The man walked up behind Ashley and halted. He frowned slightly looking at Kieran and Freya sitting behind Ashley. Since they were very close, he was within earshot. Freya was completely oblivious as she smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Anderson, you must be joking, right? You have good looks, wealth, and status. How could you have only dated one girlfriend in your life Kieran smiled. He placed his long slender fingers on his expensive suit jacket and undid a button. Then, he said, ¡°You can call me sentimental then.¡± Freya nodded. ¡°I see¡­ Did you sleep with her?¡± Kieran finally frowned. He glanced at the man standing not far from Ashley first and saw him looking at them glacially, so he smiled automatically. He glanced at the woman sitting by herself in front of him and suddenly smiled deeply. In the end, he glanced at the woman in front of him and said mildly, ¡°Nope. She married someone else.¡± ¡®The woman lowered her head and picked up the juice on the table. She muttered, ¡°I see.¡± The woman left the straw in her mouth for a long time as she kept looking around. She put down the juice a minute later and raised her head to look at the man with a determined expression on her face after making up her mind to ask. Kieran felt puzzled. She finally asked, ¡°Mr. Anderson, I am down to my last question. How are you in bed?¡± The man frowned. He could not help smiling ambiguously. ¡°Ms. Taylor, I heard you are a famous socialite in town, However, you seem to have kept asking very personal questions from the very moment I sat down.¡± Freya laughed out loud a couple of times awkwardly. She sheepishly picked up her juice and chewed on the straw as she tumed to look at Ashley. Instead, she inadvertently saw Gideon standing behind Ashley! Chapter 31 - Women Tend To Be Shy Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya almost stopped sipping the straw the moment she saw Gideon. She was completely frozen as she stared at the man. Ashley kept looking at her and hinting for her to turn around to avoid detection. Freya kept staring at Gideon¡¯s long legs as they strode towards her. She promptly veered her eyes away and ignored the man sitting across from her. She simply sat with her eyes lowered and did not dare to make a sound. Gideon slowly approached her. Freya kept holding her breath. The man suddenly halted in front of her. Freya clenched her fists so tightly that her nails nearly dug into her skin as she kept staring at the ground with her head lowered. Kieran could not help laughing as he shook his head on seeing this. He looked at Gideon and said, ¡°Long time no see, Gideon.¡± The moment Kieran greeted Gideon, Freya was caught by surprise. Did they know each other? Gideon said, ¡°When did you come back?¡± ¡°Not long ago. We should catch up soon.¡± Gideon nodded. Then, he turned to look at Freya. ¡°And this is?¡± Gideon smiled nonchalantly. ¡°Since I am not getting any younger, I was thinking of getting married. I am in a matchmaking session,¡± Kieran said. Freya closed her eyes. She raised her hand and scratched her head the moment she heard their conversation. She kept her head lowered the entire time until Gideon asked Kieran, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us?¡± The woman raised her head. The moment she made eye contact with Gideon for a second, she looked away and tured to look at Kieran. ¡°Mr. Anderson, I have to get back to the office. We¡¯ll talk again.¡± She glared at Ashley before running out of the restaurant. Ashley frowned. She leaned her head against her hand with her head lowered and busied herself with drinking, It felt as though she was trying to hide. Kieran veered his eyes away from Freya¡¯s departing figure and turned to glance at the woman sitting at the other table. He finally replied to Gideon, ¡°That was Mr. Taylor¡¯s granddaughter, Ashley Taylor.¡± ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t her.¡± ¡°Ohhhh?¡± Kieran acknowledged him ambiguously as he dragged his last syllable. Gideon turned his face sideways and raised his chin at Ashley. ¡°The one sitting over there is the right one. The other woman was her friend. From the looks of it, you just went for a bogus matchmaking sessio Gideon patted Kieran¡¯s shoulder and left. Ashley went speechless. Kieran narrowed his eyes with a smile on his face. Kieran raised his head and looked at the real Ashley Taylor. He walked over and stood in front of her and laughed without restraint. Then, he said in a sexy voice, ¡°Ms. Taylor, is there something wrong with me? Did you have to send someone else to the matchmaking session? Are you afraid of me?¡± Ashley gradually stood up. A perfect smile emerged on her face, making her look beautiful and confident. ¡°Mr, Anderson, women tend to be shyer than men. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Kieran scrutinized her intriguingly before he gradually said, ¡°Ms. Taylor, does this mean you don¡¯t mind getting to know me better?¡± Ashley smiled. ¡°Well, how shall I put it? Let¡¯s just say I have a good first impression of you.¡± Kieran said humorously, ¡°Did I do well for my test?¡± Ashley instantly blushed slightly. She lowered her eyes and said, ¡°That was not what I meant.¡± After Freya left the restaurant, she quickly hurried over to the office. She walked quickly, looked nervous, and even her forehead was sweating. However, she was unable to evade the man who had suddenly appeared in front of her. Freya kept avoiding eye contact as she muttered, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Chapter 32 - Stay Away From Other Men Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon kept staring at her with his deep profound eyes. His stares were making Freya¡¯s hair stand on end. She had trouble speaking coherently. ¡°I¡­ I am heading back to the office.¡± ¡®The moment she finished her sentence, she wanted to walk past him and leave. However, Gideon moved along with her. Freya felt powerless. After lowering her head dejectedly for a few seconds, she looked at the man and said, ¡°Mr. Carter, we are near the office. If we are seen standing together, someone from the company might see us and misunderstand.¡± Gideon gave her a faint, ambiguous smile, which quickly disappeared and turned cold. ¡°Is there anything worthy of misunderstanding between us? Freya looked around the place. There was a lot of foot traffic and people heading into the Carter Group. She frowned at Gideon. ¡°If I stand too close to you, your female fans at the company might make trouble for me.¡± ¡®The man narrowed his eyes on hearing this. ¡°Is it any of my business if they want to make trouble for you?¡± Freya did not know how to answer him. She put on a bold front and looked at him. ¡°Mr. Carter, you are blocking my way. Is there anything you need?¡± Gideon adjusted his posture and said expressionlessly, ¡°Did you go for a matchmaking session?¡± Freya bit her lip. Considering the distance between them in the restaurant, he had probably overheard her entire conversation with Kieran. She raised her hands and shook them sheepishly. ¡°N¡­ no, I didn¡¯t. I was just helping a friend. It was not what it seemed.¡± Gideon suddenly wanted to tease her when he saw the anxiety on her face and smiled. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? When people try to explain themselves, they are always trying to cover up for something.¡± Freya tumed her head and looked regretful. ¡°How could you ask him how he was in bed? Are you so close to Ashley that you don¡¯t mind sleeping with the same man?¡± ¡°It is none of your business,¡± said Freya angrily before she left. The man¡¯s husky voice could be heard from behind and it was impossible to ignore him. ¡°If you want to find a man, I don¡¯t mind helping to introduce them to you.¡± Freya went quiet. She halted and turned to look at him. ¡®The man was gorgeous and composed. Any woman would say the same thing about him. He was so hot that everyone would want to hit on him. Gideon glanced at Freya and asked curiously, ¡°Tell me what you prefer. Other than his skills in bed, what else do you like? I can find you the right man no matter what you like.¡± Freya tumed to look at Gideon and could not help blushing. He kept looking at her intently as she spoke and she could almost see her reflection in his eyes. Freya suddenly smiled with her beautiful dimples showing. ¡°Mr. Carter, I told you. I can¡¯t divorce you yet. When the time is right, it is not too late to help me then, okay?¡± Gideon watched as she tumed down the offer and spoke in an imploring tone, and he instantly looked annoyed. Freya tilted her head sideways and pointed at the office. ¡°I am going to work now.¡± ¡®The man looked distant and glacial as he spoke sternly. ¡°In that case, remember you are Mrs. Carter and keep a distance from other men.¡± The moment Gideon finished his sentence, he tumed to leave without waiting for her. Freya stood where she was by herself. She raised her hand and pointed at herself before looking at his disappearing figure and said, ¡°Do you think I want to be Mrs¡­ Carter? I had no choice, you cold idiot!¡± Chapter 33 - How Could You Make the Atmosphere So Tense? Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya checked her phone when she got back to the office. She had received a text message from Ashley. (Darling, I did not expect your husband to suddenly appear at the restaurant. Are you alright?) Freya exhaled and composed a reply. [He didn¡¯t do anything to me. It¡¯s not like he can eat me alive, right? I¡¯m good. What did Mr Anderson say?] After replying to Ashley, Freya put down the phone and found a potentially big client¡¯s number and dialed it. Before long, the call went through. Freya smiled and said, ¡°Hi, Mr. Davis. I am Freya Keller from Carter Group. We spoke earlier¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Mr. Davis interrupted her. ¡°Ms. Keller, I remember you. Hasn¡¯t the company already assigned a new representative to work with me?¡± ¡°Is that so? I was on extended leave previously, so I wasn¡¯t able to contact you as regularly.¡± ¡°Jennifer Martin has been talking to me. Why don¡¯t you check with her? Sorry, I have to go.¡± Freya pondered and said, ¡°Sure thing. Thanks, Mr. Davis.¡± After hanging up the phone, Freya turned to look at Jennifer. She was looking in the mirror when Freya called her. ¡°Hey, Jennifer.¡± Jennifer turned to look at Freya coldly. ¡°Yes?¡± Freya pointed at Mr. Davis¡¯ information and said, ¡°Have you gotten in touch with this client?¡± Jennifer glanced at the information and replied matter of factly, ¡°Yes, I have. He is my client. Why would you have access to his file?¡± Freya could not help feeling surprised when she saw Jennifer¡¯s attitude. She smiled and did her best to sound polite. ¡°I already got in touch with him before I went on leave. He is a very good client. Also, I have already come up with a proposal and quotation.¡± Jennifer did not buy what she said. ¡°Really now? I have already met Mr. Davis in person twice and the contract has been settled. Now, I am simply waiting for him to send the money.¡± She looked sideways at Freya and said in a high pitched voice, ¡°Freya, you already have Mr. Carter. Do you have to fight with me over a client?¡± The moment Jennifer finished her sentence, everyone in the sales department turned and looked over. A sales representative said, ¡°Freya, how could you steal Jennifer¡¯s client? Our department has always been tight-knit. How could you make the atmosphere so tense?¡± Another sales representative said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Carter already treats you differently. You should really focus on him instead of fighting over a client.¡± Other sales representatives also chimed in and took Jennifer¡¯s side. Freya was not about to let Jennifer openly steal a client. She looked at everyone and said calmly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t fighting for anything. I was just defending myself. I do not have the backing of Mr. Carter, so please mind your words.¡± Jennifer scoffed. ¡°You already got into the man¡¯s car, so you are not far away from getting into his bed altogether. Stop acting like a saint already!¡± Freya frowned and stared at Jennifer. ¡°How could you say that?¡± Jennifer rolled her eyes and scoffed in contempt. More and more people started taking Jennifer¡¯s side. The rest of the department looked at each other without saying a word. Carol was sitting the closest to them, so she witnessed everything. She pulled Freya. ¡°Time to work. Stop wasting your time arguing with her.¡± Freya wanted to speak, but Carol pulled her back to her seat. Carol looked at Freya and comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t get into an argument over a single client. It¡¯s not worth it. You are just falling for her trap!¡± Even though Carol was comforting Freya, Jennifer had caught every word she had said.. ¡°Carol, what is the meaning of this?¡± Chapter 34 - Who Started It? Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Carol stood up and glared at Jennifer. ¡°You know exactly what I mean. Mr. Carter will never fall for you. No matter how many new sales you rake in, you are just an insignificant employee in the sales department. Do you have to make trouble for Freya?¡± Jennifer was furious when Carol openly embarrassed her, so she lost it altogether. She raised her hands and pulled Carol¡¯s hair. ¡°You b*tch!¡± ¡°AHHHH!¡± Carol screamed sharply. She randomly pulled Jennifer¡¯s clothes down in retaliation. Freya was stunned for three seconds before she hurriedly stepped forward to pull them apart. ¡®When the other colleagues caught sight of this, they also tried to stop the fight. Freya raised her hand to wrest Jennifer¡¯s hand free of Carol¡¯s hair. She said to Carol, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let go first? Did you have to get into a fight?¡± Carol gritted her teeth. Just as she was about to let go, Jennifer waved her hand and slapped Freya across her face with the back of her hand! Since Jennifer was in a fit of anger, she had used a lot of strength. Freya¡¯s face was now swollen from the ruthless blow. She stumbled from the impact and fell backward towards a chair behind her. She automatically shouted in panic. Just as she was about to hit the chair, a strong powerful hand suddenly held her arm and helped her up. Everyone in the department was astonished. Despite being in the middle of a fight, Carol and Jennifer quickly straightened their clothes and hair. Freya suddenly found the man¡¯s scent vaguely familiar. She turned her face sideways and said, ¡°Thank¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she saw the cold serious look on Gideon¡¯s face. She opened her mouth in shock and added, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Carter.¡± ¡®The moment she finished her sentence, she pulled her hand from his grip. Gideon narrowed his eyes and pondered briefly, before he snapped out of his thoughts. He looked at Freya and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Freya lowered her head after thanking him. When she heard his voice from above, it felt as though he was showing concern for her. However, she said nothing. The man frowned. He looked at Carol and Jennifer who were fighting. Then, he asked coldly, ¡°Who started it?¡± Carol bit her lip without saying a word. Jennifer raised her head and tried to look Gideon straight in the eyes. Sadly, she gave up after a few tries. Jennifer lowered her eyes. ¡°I started it first, but it was because¡­¡± Before Jennifer could finish her sentence, Gideon interrupted her indifferently. In fact, his voice was beyond cold. ¡°Go to the HR department and collect your cheque. You are no longer an employee of the Carter Group.¡± Jennifer was stunned. She clearly did not expect Mr. Carter to fire her. Jennifer raised her head resentfully and said tearfully, ¡°Mr. Carter, Freya, and Carol started it. Why did I end up being the one who is fired?¡± Gideon did not even bother to look at her. Instead, he said to Freya, ¡°Come with me to my office.¡± Freya nodded in a daze. ¡°Huh? Okay.¡± After Gideon started walking out, the sales manager walked up in front of him anxiously. ¡°Mr. Carter¡­¡± ¡°If this ever happens again, you will be fired next.¡± ¡®The moment Gideon finished his sentence, he walked out of the department leaving the sales manager ghastly pale. Freya touched her face which was swollen from the slap. She bit her lip and followed behind the man.. Chapter 35 - Are You Showing Concern for Me? Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Gideon sat with his back straight at the desk in his office. Freya stood in front of him sheepishly, just like a kid caught red-handed doing something wrong. The man picked up his teacup and took a sip as he asked, ¡°Tell me. What happened back there?¡± Freya asked rhetorically, ¡°Huh?¡± Gideon felt that she was acting innocent and found it annoying, but he did not lose his temper. ¡°Why was there a fight at your department?¡± Freya muttered, ¡°Weren¡¯t you there to see it for yourself and handle it? Why are you asking me this now?¡± The man looked irritated. He looked at her frustratedly and shouted, ¡°Freya Keller!¡± Freya suddenly smiled at him. ¡°Mr. Carter, I am just an insignificant employee here. If people find out that you can remember my full name, they will misunderstand.¡± After she smiled, she could sense a burning sensation on her face on the spot that Jennifer had slapped. Gideon scoffed mockingly. Freya gritted her teeth and did her best not to make a sound. The man simply glanced at her before turning to look at the laptop. He started typing on the laptop with his slender fingers as he said lukewarmly, ¡°You have a minute to tell me what happened. Otherwise, you and the other girl who got into a fight can collect your cheque from the HR department as well.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, isn¡¯t this a minor matter? Why do you want to know?¡± Gideon surprisingly did not blow his top and simply said, ¡°You got hurt right under my watch, so I want to know what happened.¡± Freya pursed her lips and asked awkwardly, ¡°Are¡­ are you showing concer for me or something?¡± The man looked into her eyes and smiled coolly. He suddenly stood up and strode towards Freya. She could smell the man¡¯s cool scent as she stared at him with her cheeks blushing. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing?¡± Gideon smiled nonchalantly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t care about you ever. Not even in my next lifetime.¡± Freya gritted her teeth. She really wanted to pummel him with her fists! She looked at the man and clearly looked bewildered. ¡°Then, why did you fire Jennifer?¡± ¡°We do not condone violence at the Carter Group no matter how good one¡¯s performance is.¡± Gidon¡¯s eyes glazed over briefly. Also, he was worried Charles might have planted spies in the company to keep an eye on Freya. If he did not handle her problems properly, innocent people would get implicated. The person who would get implicated the most was Brenna. Moreover, they were legally married. If something happened to her, it would make him look bad! Freya pursed her lips and said, ¡°Jennifer and I got into a fight because she stole my client. Carol was trying to help, but Jennifer got agitated and started the fight.¡± ¡°Idiot.¡± The man spoke coolly. It was unclear who he was directing the word towards. Freya pursed her lips and glanced at the man before she said, ¡°Mr. Carter, if that is all you need of me, I am going back to my desk. From now on, try not to call me to your office. You know how people in the office talk.¡± Gideon smiled coldly. He glanced at her indifferently before veering his eyes away and saying deeply, ¡°Take care of your wound. I don¡¯t want to see it when I get back to the villa tonight..¡± Chapter 36 - Most Gorgeous Man in Ocean City Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya pursed her lips before turning to leave Gideon¡¯s office. ¡®When she got back to the sales department, everyone was working hard. The atmosphere felt more intense than when the fight was going on. Freya did not take it to heart and simply took her seat. Carol handed her some cream for the swelling on her face. Freya took the medication and thanked Carol. She cautiously applied the medication to her face. After applying the medication, she picked up her teacup to take a sip. Her phone happened to vibrate, so she picked it up to take a look. It was a text message from Ashley. (Mr. Anderson said you are very adorable and asked good questions.] Freya nearly spat out the tea from her mouth when she saw the message. Ashley must have said something to Kieran behind her back. Freya sent Ashley an emoji of her rolling her eyes and said: [You will buy me dinner tonight to make up for it. Also, I have a gift for you.] Ashley quickly replied to Freya: [Sure thing. See you at 7:00 p.m at the seafood restaurant.] After replying to Ashley, Freya threw herself into work. ¡®When Freya knocked off at 6:00 p.m, she loitered around the company until 6:30 p.m before she took a taxi to the restaurant. Ashley was sitting in their usual spot smiling as she looked at her phone when Freya arrived. Freya walked over softly. When she got to Ashley, she suddenly said, ¡°Who are you chatting with?¡± Ashley quickly put away her phone. She smiled at Freya. ¡°Mr. Anderson asked if I had had dinner yet, so I replied to him.¡± Freya rolled her eyes. ¡°Judging from the smile on your face, it seems you have fallen head over heels in love in just a day.¡± Ashley hogged the food as she smiled and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little too fast?¡± Freya leaned her elbow against the table with her hand under her chin. ¡°I have already helped you to ask the embarrassing questions. You just had to sit back and enjoy the results. The world is so unfair.¡± Ashley glanced at her. ¡°Stop getting emotional. Your husband is the most gorgeous man in Ocean City. You are the real winner here.¡± Freya laughed coldly. ¡°Him? I should thank my lucky stars if he does not try to torture me.¡± Ashley smiled. ¡°Freya, your husband looks so unapproachable and sexy but I am sure he is very good in bed, right?¡± ¡°Ashley Taylor! Aren¡¯t you the top socialite in town? I am an impoverished girl who grew up in the countryside, but even I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask such questions. How could you ask so blatantly?¡± Ashley shrugged. ¡°Socialite or not, Iam a woman.¡± Freya had no words to describe her shock. She shrank her neck and shook her head powerlessly before throwing the question to the back of her head. Ashley chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me?¡± Freya rolled her eyes. ¡°Can you just shut up?¡± She veered her eyes and took off her jacket before handing it to Ashley. ¡°Give me your jacket. This is for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Freya pointed at her sleeve. ¡°See that? That is Jerry¡¯s personal autograph. I only have one. You are the only person I have given it to.¡± Ashley looked at Freya in disbelief. ¡°How did you manage to get Jerry¡¯s autograph? Did you get autograph this yourself?¡± Freya snorted in contempt. Then, her phone suddenly rang. ¡®When she answered the phone, she gestured for Ashley to stay quiet. Gideon¡¯s cold angry voice came from over the phone as he asked, ¡°Where have you gone?¡± Chapter 37 - Most Gorgeous Man in Ocean City Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya looked at Ashley and said in a serious tone, ¡°Yes? I am having dinner with my friend.¡± Gideon¡¯s tone was filled with disbelief as he asked, ¡°Dinner?¡± Freya pondered. Was there anything wrong with eating dinner? Since it seemed perfectly normal, she replied to the man, ¡°That is right. I am in the middle of dinner now.¡± ¡°Come back to Bay View Garden this instant.¡± Gideon hung up the phone the moment he finished his sentence. Freya looked at Ashley at a loss. ¡°He told me to go back and did not say it very nicely.¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t Mr. Carter the most popular man among women in town? Why is he so uncivilized?¡± ¡°Then again, he always does it.¡± ¡°Does he hate you that much?¡± ¡°What do you think? He is capable and gorgeous but ended up marrying a woman he had never seen in his life. It is only natural for him to dislike me. I can totally understand.¡± Ashley looked at Freya as she placed some fish in her bowl. She shook her head and said, ¡°I think you must be defending him because you have Stockholm syndrome.¡± She looked at the food on the table. ¡°Are you going to continue eating?¡± Ashley¡¯s last sentence kept echoing in Freya¡¯s mind. Her eyes lit up and she suddenly raised her head. ¡°Oh gosh. I am dead meat.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He is probably alone at home with nothing to eat, but I told him I was out having dinner. No wonder he had a fit!¡± ¡°Does this mean you are going home to cook dinner for him?¡± Freya did not answer Ashley and simply bent over to take her bag and leave. Ashley stood up as well. She took off her jacket and handed it to Freya as she beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the jacket with Jerry¡¯s autograph. You can have this one instead.¡± Freya glanced at Ashley. Ashley tilted her head sideways. ¡°You usually do not lie. I don¡¯t care how you got your hands on it as long as it is authentic.¡± Freya had no time to spare talking to her. She took the jacket, put it on quickly, and headed for the exit. Ashley called out after her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pack up the food and bring it home for him?¡± Freya was on the brink of tears. ¡°How could you suggest giving him the leftovers? Do you really wanna kill me?¡± Even though Freya was afraid of the man, she got back to the villa 30 minutes later. She pressed in the passcode for the door and checked out the living room as she put on her slippers. The light in the living room was on and the man was sitting on the couch giving off a dignified aura. After Freya put on the slippers, she walked over and noticed how annoyed he was. He was clearly very angry. Freya walked over and stood in front of him. Then, she pointed at the kitchen and said, ¡°I will make you dinner now. It won¡¯t take long. Just give me a minute.¡± Gideon looked up and stared at her deeply. Freya chuckled sheepishly and went to the kitchen when she noticed his silence. She checked in the refrigerator and found noodles, green peppers, tomatoes, and some vegetables, and so she decided to make him some noodles. ¡®When she washed the ingredients, she accidentally dropped a spoon making a loud clang. The moment the man heard it, he frowned in displeasure. Freya came walking out with a piping hot bowl of noodles ten minutes later. She placed it in front of the man and said happily, ¡°Mr. Carter, I made you noodles. My father always said that it was my best dish. Why don¡¯t you have some?¡± Gideon looked at her coldly before he said, ¡°I am not your father..¡± Chapter 38 - Unexpected Eye Contact Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Freya looked at the man as he spoke in an unfriendly tone. The smile on her face disappeared slightly as she pouted. ¡°My dad doesn¡¯t have a bad temper like you.¡± Gideon cast a cold look at her. Freya bit her lip. Moments later, she smiled with dimples on her face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a bite now? The noodles won¡¯t taste nice if you eat them cold.¡± Gideon continued looking at her with a complete disregard for the bowl of noodles in front of him. Freya¡¯s lip-biting advanced to pure gritting of her teeth as she clenched her fists tightly. She looked at the dignified man and did not know what to do. One minute later, she finally looked at the man and smiled gently. ¡°Mr. Carter¡­ aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± The cautious look on her face seemed to appease Gideon, so his face finally did not look as stern. He said, ¡°From now on, you are not allowed to nag me.¡± ¡°Huh? Okay.¡± Freya nodded obediently. Gideon finally lowered his head to look at the bowl of noodles. He picked up his fork and took some noodles before slamming the fork back on top of the bowl. Freya frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Idon¡¯t eat vegetables.¡± The moment he finished his sentence, Freya tumed and walked off. Gideon glanced at her from behind and scrutinized her. A minute later, she came back with a bowl and a fork. She sat down beside Gideon with the bowl and fork and removed the vegetables as she said, ¡°Vegetables are good for you. Also, they don¡¯t have a strong smell. I think it is better if you eat some of this since it is healthy.¡± Since Freya had suddenly sat down beside Gideon, he could catch her scent. He automatically frowned. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the woman remove vegetables from the bowl of noodles. Freya had a milky complexion and her long wavy hair went past her shoulders with some of it covering the side of her face. It made her look warm and gentle. She looked particularly serious when she took out the vegetables. After putting down the fork, Freya suddenly turned her head. She promptly looked into the man¡¯s deep dark eyes. The unexpected eye contact made Gideon pause for a second before he quickly glared at Freya. Then, he looked down at the bowl of noodles in disdain. Freya was speechless. Gideon stood up without saying a word and went to the stairs. Freya asked from behind, ¡°I have already removed the vegetables, Aren¡¯t you going to eat it?¡± The man answered with four words without even turning his head, ¡°Is it still edible?¡± Freya looked at the bowl of noodles. After picking the vegetables out of the noodles, the food no longer looked appetizing. However, she answered, ¡°Uh huh.¡± The moment she finished her sentence, she automatically covered her mouth. Gideon had just warned her about talking too much. Freya glanced at the staircase. Gideon had opened the study door and gone in. She was about to veer her eyes away when she paused briefly. Then, she stood up and went upstairs. Freya stood outside the study and knocked on the door, but no one answered. Just as she was about to try a second time, the study door suddenly opened. It felt as though Gideon¡¯s eyes were shooting daggers at Freya, so she took half a step back instinctively..