Chapter 7

It was just one evening, and Freya, who had been all over Kieran with sweetness and light, seemed to have transformed into someone entirely different. “Luna, let’s go,” Freya didn’t even spare Kieran another glance, as if looking at him one more time would make her sick. Luna was drunk and still clueless about what had just happened. And Silas was more baffled. He hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol and wondered if he was seeing things.

The Freya who had once spoken to Kieran in whispers, as caring and gentle as Eloise, had raised her hand against Kieran. And not just that, but slapped him across the face? “Kieran…” Silas waved his hand before Kieran’s face, asking, “You’re not knocked silly, right?”

Kieran seemed not to have recovered from the shock of that slap. Frowning, he pointed toward the door, “She dared to hit me?!” Sias nodded. “Yeah, she did. The slap mark is still there.”

Hearing this, Kieran’s expression turned even darker. Remembering the bold words Freya had thrown at him moments before, Kieran couldn’t help but laugh angrily. “Tell the Dawson family that Freya can forget about calling off this wedding!”

The next day, in the Dawson family home, Freya frowned as she sat on the living room sofa. “What? Not calling it off?” In her past life, Kieran had always loathed her to the bone. If Audrey hadn’t insisted she become Mrs. Sutton, Kieran wouldn’t have compromised. The previous night, not only had she initiated the breakup, but she had also slapped Kieran, grinding his pride into the dust. How could Kieran not want to cancel the engagement?

“Thank goodness! Thank goodness!” Johanna patted her chest as if she had survived a catastrophe and said, “I thought Mr. Sutton was furious this time. Thankfully, Mr. Sutton isn’t holding it against us. Freya, you should quickly go to the Sutton family and apologize to Mr. Sutton, and let’s put this matter behind us.”

Freya said, “If anyone should apologize, it should be you, Johanna. I’m not marrying him.” Freya’s attitude was frosty, which displeased Johanna. “You stupid child, how can you be so thoughtless? Your father is gone, and if we don’t rely on the Sutton family, how can we survive?”

Hearing that, Freya’s demeanor turned even colder. In her past life, her father’s death had been when she was most vulnerable. It was then that Kieran had extended a helping hand to the Dawson family, and Johanna had since been drilling into her the notion that Kieran harbored feelings for her. Gradually, she found herself falling for Kieran. She later found out that Kieran helped her only because she looked a bit like Eloise, which explained his willingness to assist the Dawson family.

By then, she was deeply in love with Kieran, even willing, upon Johanna’s persuasion, to act as Eloise’s substitute to win Kieran’s favor. Back then, she naively thought that someday, she could thaw Kieran’s heart. Looking back, how ridiculous she had been.

“Johanna, don’t worry. The Dawson Group is the legacy left behind by my father, and I won’t let it fall. If you truly believe we can’t make it without the Sutton family, perhaps you should give it a shot yourself.” With those words, Freya turned and went upstairs.

Johanna snapped. “You! How can you speak like that? I’m doing this for the Dawson family’s sake. You, a girl, what do you know about running a company? You’d be better off marrying a good husband and staying home to look after your family!” Freya ignored Johanna’s ranting behind her.

Johanna wanted Freya to marry Kieran so that her son could inherit the Dawson Group, paving the way for their future with her as Mrs. Sutton. But the Dawson Group was her father’s legacy to her! Freya wouldn’t make the same foolish mistake as in her past life, handing over the Dawson Group to this heartless mother and son!