Chapter 72

The faint smile on Freya’s face vanished, replaced by indifference. She paused for a few seconds before answering the phone. "Hello."

On the other end, Isabella’s voice was coquettish. "Mom, when are you coming home?"

Freya didn't immediately respond, instead asking, "What's wrong?"

"I'm so bored at home alone. Can you come back and keep me company?"

With her father away and Aunt Raven busy, the house was quiet, and Isabella felt very lonely. She missed the days when her mother would chat with her and patiently listen to her talk about her favorite cartoons and figurines. So, she called Freya, hoping her mother would return home.

Freya replied calmly, "Mom has things to do. Maybe next time." She was her mother and should try to meet her needs, but she also had her own life and needed some personal time.

Isabella sounded disappointed. "Okay..."

"Then I'll hang up. If you need anything, just call me again."

"Mm..." Isabella hung up, feeling even more bored.

Just then, Matteo returned home. Seeing her looking despondent, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I called Mom hoping she'd come home and keep me company, but she said she had things to do…" She buried her face in a pillow, looking pitiful. "Mom's been so busy lately."

Matteo acknowledged her with a sound and sat on the nearby sofa, picking up his phone to discuss work. He didn't comfort her, but he remained with her. Only his presence seemed to slightly improve Isabella's mood. She happily picked up her tablet and resumed playing her puzzle game.

Chapter 72 (continued)

Upon their return, Logan asked, "Why were you gone so long?"

He paused. "I ran into Mag."

"Mm? You saw her?"

Lauren Brown, a strong woman in both her husband's and her own family, hadn't seen her niece in years. Her concern, however, wasn't for her niece. She was more interested in another matter: "Did you talk to her about Raven joining Cole?"

Logan shook his head. "We talked a little, but she wouldn't listen."

He set down his coffee cup and frowned. "Freya really… Although I understand she's upset about President Matteo and Raven, we've all met him. He's not the type of man to be tied to a woman like her, who has nothing to offer but her beauty. Even if Raven weren't in the picture, President Matteo would have eventually divorced her."

To Logan, Freya's obstruction was simply driven by jealousy that Raven had taken Matteo. He considered Freya frivolous, untalented, and uneducated, causing trouble needlessly. He found it laughable, and assumed Matteo felt the same. It was a pity Freya didn't realize this, perhaps still pleased with herself for ruining Raven's chances.

Considering Raven's talent and comparing her to Freya, Logan felt there was no comparison.

Logan sighed. "I know." He shared Lauren's assessment. "But she won't listen."

"She's just like her mother, stubborn." Logan didn't say this aloud; any mention of that person was uncomfortable.

"About the coup…"

"Let's wait until Raven returns to ask her about it."