?Chapter 1146:


    Ellis replied, “Ten years of quiet pining before either of you said something? Only you would call that romantic instead of just in stupid.”


    “Go ask Alyssa if she thinks it’s sweet—or just dumb.”


    Ethan was stunned into silence. Something in his gut told him Alyssa would probably think it was totally dumb.


    After that, Ellis put the photo album back where it belonged.


    As he moved around the room, Freya pulled out her phone and texted Greta and Riley, asking if they’d managed to deal with Ellis.


    Both of them texted back the exact same word: “Settled.”


    Once the album was back in ce, Ellis turned to her and asked casually, “What are you working on?”


    “Nothing really,” Freya said quickly as she turned off her phone screen and tucked it behind her.


    Her weirdly secretive behavior caught his eye. He nced at the arm she was trying to hide behind her and said, half-amused, “That’s your idea of ‘nothing’?”


    “Just some girl talk,” she said.


    “Oh yeah?”


    “Yeah.”


    “Mind if I take a look?” Ellis raised an eyebrow. Something felt off.


    If it really was just girl talk, she wouldn’t be acting so weird about it. His gut told him—whatever it was, it definitely had something to do with him.


    “That’s my privacy,” Freya clutched her phone, trying to reason with Ellis. “You can’t just go through my messages.”


    “Does this so-called privacy have anything to do with me?” Ellis took a slow step closer, carrying that careless charm of his.


    Freya opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She found herselfpletely speechless.


    Ellis added, “So, you guys are talking about me?”


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    “No, it’s not.”


    “Are you certain?”


    Freya’s nerves got the best of her.


    “Yeah…” Her voice barely carried any certainty.


    A sly smile yed on his lips. That maic voice of his turned teasing. “You swear you’re not messaging about me? Otherwise, I might be impotent for the rest of my life.”


    Surprise hit her square in the chest. Making that kind of promise felt impossible. Raising her brows, she challenged him. “That’s pretty extreme.”


    “What, is that making you hesitate?”


    “Suppose I actually was talking about you, and I swore just like you said anyway?”


    “That wouldn’t matter to me.” Ellis leaned back, unbothered. “If I’m impotent, then you’re stuck with the same problem.”


    “So you’re willing to drag us both down?”


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