?Chapter 1176:


    “Why are you just sitting there? What’s going through your head?” Greta nudged her.


    “Nothing,” Freya answered softly, snapping out of her reverie. “I don’t even know when I started falling for him. But when he said it out loud, I knew I felt the same.”


    “You’ve got guts,” Riley said seriously. “If it were me, I’d have bolted ages ago.”


    Freya used to think she would’ve done the same, but truth be told, no one could stay indifferent to Ellis’ warmth. That tenderness, his sincere respect—it was the kind of thing any woman would melt for, and she was no exception.


    “Well, that’s exactly why he loves Freya and not you,” Greta teased with a grin.


    The three of them chatted for a while longer, then eventually said their goodnights and went to bed.


    That night, Freya’s heart overflowed with a kind of sweetness she hadn’t expected.


    It turned out that mutual affection could be such a light, lovely thing.


    She had hoped her proposal would be the one that mattered—but when Ellis beat her to it, proposing instead, she felt something deeper than joy. She felt cherished.


    In stark contrast to all this sweetness, Kristian’s reaction couldn’t have been more different.


    Back at his hotel room, he sat in silence, staring at a video on his phone—the scene of Freya and Ellis’ proposal ying out, lingering especially on her close-up.


    “Mr. Shaw,” Gerard walked in, half-smiling, eager to chat about thetest gossip.


    “Did you catch today’s trending story?”


    Kristian quickly shut off the video and locked his phone. “What is it?”.


    “Drones, fireworks, even a meteor shower,” Gerard’s tone was animated. “People used to be scared to fly drones during fireworks because of the risk, but tonight’s show went off without a hitch.”


    A tightness gripped Kristian’s chest. Those scenes he’d just watched echoed painfully in his mind.


    That drone and fireworks disy—it had Freya’s touch written all over it.


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    “Should we think about getting a batch of those drones?” Gerard asked, treading carefully.


    Kristian was quiet for a moment before replying in a low voice, “No need.”


    “Why not?”


    “It’s unnecessary.”


    “Didn’t you mention it before? Someone’s already figured out the logistics—it saves us the trouble.” Gerard didn’t catch the tension in Kristian’s voice. He just assumed he was being moody as usual.


    “Besides, I heard tonight’s fireworks and meteor shower were all for a proposal. Who would’ve gone to such lengths for that?”


    Kristian said nothing, a heaviness settling in his chest.


    Gerard hesitated, sensing something was off. “Is something bothering you?”


    “It was a proposal.” Kristian’s voice was t, but his heart felt like it was caving in.


    He wished Freya the best, but part of him still ached for what was lost.


    Gerard paused, then asked slowly, “Wait… were you there?”


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