Chapter 26 26
FREYA POV
“Should I say I’m dumbfounded?”
“Yes. I am.”
I have been standing here for a long, agonizing minute, just staring at the car keys, while my mind is still in a total battlefield—a mess of conflicting thoughts that I can't seem to untangle.
My head just keeps playing back the last few minutes, specifically the way Steve reacted—or rather, the way he didn't.
It was so different from last time. I mean the last time Mark’s name had even come up, Steve looked like he was ready to tear the world apart with his bare hands. He’d been explosive, terrifyingly possessive, and loud. But now? Now that I was actually telling him I needed to go see the man, there was nothing. No flare of temper, no blocking my path, just that cold, hollow silence. It was an unexpected reaction that unsettled me more than his rage ever could. It felt like the heavy, still air right before a tornado hit.
I looked down, my vision blurring for a second as I stared at the diamond ring on my finger.
“Take care of that,” he had said.
“Wait, Was that a warning?”
It sounded like a warning, or perhaps more like a reminder: that even if he was handing me the keys to go see Mark, he still held the leash to my future. It was as if he was marking me, even in his silence.
“Oh God,” I whispered. I hated that I didn't know which version of him I was dealing with.
I was completely lost in thought until a burst of high-pitched, bubbly laughter broke through my thoughts. I blinked, as my head snapped toward the sound. It was Luna. She was giggling at something Diana was showing her, her small face glowing with a kind of pure, untainted happiness.
She looked so small, so innocent. She was the kind of child who just accepted anyone being good to her, completely unaware of the monsters circling her life or the darkness her mother was currently wading through. A lump formed in my throat, thick and dry. Looking at her, I made a silent, desperate vow: I promise not to bring this mess into your life.
I looked down at what I was wearing—just a short, silky mini gown that hugged everything it shouldn't for a meeting like this. I couldn't just go meet my damn ex-husband looking this way. It felt too vulnerable and too much, un as much I don’t want to appear there looking jagged but not this way
I turned and walked back into the bedroom, heading straight for the walk-in closet.
I stood there for a second, my chest heaving, before I reached out. My hand trailed along the hangers, the fabrics clicking softly as I drew the clothes back, searching for what to wear. I need to look like a woman who has moved on..
I finally settled on a pair of high-waisted, tailored black trousers and a crisp, structured white silk blouse. It was simple, sharp, and looked expensive
I paired them with some classic black pointed-toe shoes, the kind that made me feel taller, and more grounded.
I’ve never been particularly good at makeup, so I didn't try to be anyone else today. I just did my regular, simple face—a bit of mascara and a swipe of tinted balm. I finished it off with a few sprays of perfume, the scent lingering in the air as I took one last look in the mirror.
As I pulled the clothes on, I caught my reflection in the full-length mirror. The diamond ring caught the light, and Steve’s voice crawled back into my head. “Take care of that.”
I buttoned the blouse with trembling fingers, tucked it in, and grabbed a lightweight black trench coat to finish the look. I grabbed the keys from the nightstand and walked out of the room, taking one last look at the "Steve wing" of the house. I paused for a heartbeat, my mind drifting toward the garden where Luna was playing. I thought about going to her, just to feel her small hand in mine, but I stopped myself.
“I’ll be back in an hour,” I muttered to the empty hallway
I headed for the garage, my chest tight. It was time to see just how far Mark had fallen. Stepping out toward the driveway, I took a long, wary look at the row of vehicles before pressing the unlock button to locate the exact car Steve had given me.
Pim-pim.
The lights of a latest Bugatti Tourbillon flashed in the driveway. The car key dropped from my hand instantly, hitting the pavement with a loud clack.
”Hell no, what the fuck….”
It can’t be. I stood there, staring at the car in the total shock of my life. Yes, I had been wondering how a "gym guy" could have all this luxury. I had managed to suppress that thought after getting a little hint from Ben; he said Steve had "other businesses" he didn't talk about, and that the gym was just a retired setup. Ben had shut up right after, like he had said way too much. I had been holding on, waiting for Steve to say it himself, but seeing this car... it made everything feel so much more serious.
I managed to pick the keys back up with my shaking fingers. I took a step, little by little, approaching the sleek, carbon-fiber body of the car. A Bugatti Tourbillon. I couldn’t even call it a dream car, because it would be the very last thing I could even imagine myself in.
I stood by the door for a second, my reflection looking back at me from the polished black surface.
With a deep breath, I pulled the handle. The inside of this thing smelled like straight-up power. I sat down, trying to get my act together and actually relax. I looked out the window back at the house—I couldn't see Steve anywhere, but I just knew he was watching me. I could feel his eyes on me.
A smirk actually crawled onto my face. I just kept thinking about how my damn ex-husband is going to look. I disappeared seven days ago, and now I’m showing up in a car where the tires—just the tires—probably cost more than his entire property and everything in it.
“Let’s go see the damn ex,” I said to the empty car.