Chapter 225
After clinking glasses with Johnny and Freya, Harry took a sip of his drink before saying, “We’re all friends; there’s no need for such formality.” Although their cooperation had been relatively smooth, Johnny never considered Harry a true friend. Of course, he also knew Harry’s words were just polite pleasantries. That being said, Johnny was satisfied with Harry’s ability to set aside personal grudges and focus on business. Though Harry was speaking to Johnny, his attention was still largely on Freya.
Tonight’s event was hosted by Johnny and Freya. Even though Johnny was there to protect her, Freya had still drunk quite a bit of alcohol that evening. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, her eyes glistened with a soft glow, and the usual coolness in her gaze was reduced, giving her a somewhat…cute appearance. Harry’s grip on the stem of his wine glass tightened slightly, his gaze shifting away slowly. Though Freya had drunk some alcohol, she was not yet intoxicated.
As the evening wound down, as Freya saw Harry to the door, Harry stopped in his tracks. The cold wind outside was biting, and noticing the small section of white, delicate calf exposed beneath her soft gown, he said, “Let me take it from here.” Freya nodded, “Alright, take care.” Harry looked at her as if he had something to say, but after a brief hesitation, he remained silent and turned to leave.
After all the important guests had left, Freya finally got into Jason’s car and left the hotel. But Harry hadn’t actually left yet. He was worried that Freya might encounter trouble after drinking. Only after confirming she had safely gotten into the car and left did he turn to his driver and say, “Let’s go.”
The next day, when Freya woke up and had breakfast, Helen and Old Mrs. Miller were discussing the preparations for the New Year. Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and the company had officially gone on holiday today. Freya said, “I’ll go with you all.” Old Mrs. Miller smiled, “Good, good, we’ll go together.” Then, her smile faltered for a moment, and she asked, “Mag, is Isabella celebrating the New Year at the Wilson family this year?”
Mentioning Isabella, Freya’s expression softened somewhat. “She probably is.” On the day she met with Mr. Taylor, Matteo had briefly mentioned Isabella, subtly implying that she should take care of Isabella. However, after that day, neither Matteo nor Isabella had reached out to her. So, it seemed likely that Isabella would spend the New Year at the Wilson family. Old Mrs. Miller felt torn between missing Isabella and sympathizing with Freya. But Freya remained calm, comforting her, “Grandma, I’m fine. As long as Isabella is happy.”
Old Mrs. Miller felt that Freya was trying to hide her sadness to prevent worrying her, but she sighed quietly and didn’t bring it up again. After breakfast, Freya and Helen went out to buy New Year’s goods. The shopping streets outside were decorated with bright lights, and familiar New Year songs filled the air, creating a strong festive atmosphere.
Helen had already done most of the New Year shopping, so today they were just checking for anything they had missed. The streets were crowded with children wearing festive cotton outfits, holding small tiger lanterns that were adorably cute. Freya stopped in her tracks as she watched a little girl hopping around. Before Isabella left to study abroad with Matteo, Freya would buy her two or three sets of these traditional cotton outfits every year for the New Year. Isabella had loved them. She had also adored the little tiger lanterns. In the days after New Year’s Eve, those lanterns were her favorite toys. Once the candles were lit, she would play with the lantern for hours, completely engrossed. But that had been two years ago.
In the two years since Isabella left, one year was spent abroad with Matteo, and the following year, Isabella had returned. But by then, she no longer cared for these festive items. She found them tacky and refused to wear them. Freya didn’t force her; if Isabella didn’t like them, she wouldn’t insist. Later, she tried picking out other clothes for her, but Isabella didn’t like those either. At first, Freya thought it was because she couldn’t keep up with Isabella’s tastes, but later she realized that Isabella simply didn’t want to wear the clothes she picked. Freya slowly withdrew her gaze and her thoughts, catching up to Old Mrs. Miller and Helen.
Knowing that Freya and Helen were out shopping for New Year’s goods, Hugo and Xavier secretly messaged her, asking her to buy more fireworks so they could set them off in the garden on New Year’s Eve. Freya smiled when she saw the message and replied, “Alright.” Since marrying Matteo, he rarely stayed in the capital, even during holidays. He often flew around the world for business. Even so, every year after their marriage, Freya would still return to the Wilson family’s old residence for the New Year, even if Matteo wasn’t there. Thinking about it, it had been seven years since she last spent the New Year with her own family.
Freya put away her phone, smiling slightly, just about to buy fireworks when her phone suddenly rang. It was Johnny calling. He told her he had bought a large quantity of expensive fireworks and would send some to her shortly. Freya didn’t hesitate to accept, saying, “Thank you, Senior.” From what Johnny said, it sounded like he would be sending a lot, so she didn’t need to buy any herself.
After finishing the shopping and heading home, Freya’s phone rang again. This time, it was Harry calling. Freya hesitated before answering, “Mr. Becker?” “I ordered a small batch of fireworks a while ago, and Daisy asked me to send some to you. Could you send me your address so I can have someone deliver them?” Freya paused for a moment and instinctively refused, “Mr. Becker, it’s really not necessary—” “Then, can you call Daisy later and tell her?” “…” She was silent for a few seconds before responding. “Please thank Daisy for me.”