Chapter 3
Freya made her way toward Kieran with determination in her steps. Kieran didn’t even glance her way. Quick to intercept, his bodyguard smoothly blocked her path. “Ms. Dawson, Mr. Sutton is occupied and can’t see you now.”
“I need to speak with Kieran,” Freya insisted.
“Mr. Sutton is entertaining guests now and can’t spare the time,” the bodyguard replied, his patience wearing thin.
Freya noted the bodyguard’s attitude, but it wasn’t surprising. After all, she had just been a lovesick puppy following Kieran around, likely getting on his nerves nonstop. It made sense that his bodyguard felt emboldened to speak to her this way. “I will be Mr. Sutton’s fiancée after tonight. You might want to think about the implications of speaking to the future Mrs. Sutton in such a manner,” she countered.
Hearing Freya claim the title of Mrs. Sutton, the bodyguard’s disdain grew. “Ms. Dawson, even if tonight were your wedding, not your engagement party, I’d still follow orders. If Mr. Sutton says he’s unavailable, he’s unavailable. I’d advise you to save your energy, return to your seat, and stop causing trouble.”
‘Causing trouble?’ So, in Kieran’s eyes, she had always been a nuisance.
Freya didn’t give up. “What if I insist on seeing him now?”
The bodyguard sighed, “Ms. Dawson, why embarrass yourself like this?”
Over the past three months, Freya had been doggedly pursuing Kieran. She delivered breakfast to his office only for him to ignore it, showed up uninvited, and waited for him to finish work, only for him to stay late to avoid her. It was clear to everyone that Kieran found Freya unbearable. And yet, she failed to see the reality of her situation. How could someone like her possibly become the future Mrs. Sutton? Even tonight’s engagement party was Audrey’s insistence, not a genuine desire from him. In their eyes, only Eloise was seen as the future lady of the Sutton family.
When the bodyguard thought Freya would retreat as usual after his threat, she sharply retorted, “Is this the kind of manners Mr. Sutton’s bodyguards have?”
Caught off guard, the bodyguard faltered. “While I may not yet be Mrs. Sutton, I am still the heiress of the Dawson family. Even Kieran wouldn’t dare speak to me this way. And you, a mere bodyguard, dare to threaten me? The Sutton family has truly surprised me today.”
His expression changed. Freya might not yet be Mrs. Sutton, but she was undoubtedly the darling daughter of the Dawson family. “Ms. Dawson… I didn’t mean…” His tone softened. Freya had always been compliant, never speaking out against them. But today, her words were sharp as knives.
Freya announced, “It seems the Sutton family isn’t genuinely interested in joining with the Dawson family. Perhaps we should call off this engagement then.”
At that moment, applause broke the tension. Kieran had been listening and stepped forward, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Has the Freya finally stopped pretending?”
He had thought Freya would do anything to please him, even jumping into a pool to retrieve a ring as a test. Yet there she was, showing her true colors. Always the haughty heiress, she had tried to play the part of the demure fiancée before him. This confrontation had been quite enlightening.
Facing Kieran, Freya saw the disdain in his eyes for the first time. In her previous life, she had devoted herself entirely to him. She believed that through her efforts as a devoted wife and diligent business partner, she could warm his heart. What a fool she had been to think her efforts to become Mrs. Sutton would be enough, only to be abandoned at the crucial moment for a ransom she knew he could easily afford.
Laughing softly, she said, “Yes, I’m tired of pretending. Let’s call off the engagement. We’re both busy, after all.”
Chapter 5