bChapter /bb46 /b

bAdam /bbgave /bYosef an address and hung up the phone.

Then he looked up at Freya and warned, “If you every a hand on me again, don’t me me for what happens next.b” /b

Freya was fuming at being threatened by a child, but there was nothing she could do. Talk about being born lucky.

She clenched her jaw and forced a smile. “Adam, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just ying around.”

Adam stared nkly at her. “You’re a grown woman and still pulling childish pranks? How immature.”

Freya was ready to explode. She clenched her fists so hard her knuckles cracked, doing everything she could to stop herself from lunging bat /bbthe /bbbrat and /bstrangling him.

“I know I was wrong. I’m sorry,” she ground out.

Adam let out a humph and tilted his chubby little chin at her. “I don’t ept your apology.”

With that, he strutted past her, arms crossed like a smug little emperor.

Freya’s face turned stormy. Her teeth ground together audibly as she stared daggers at him, practically radiating hatred.

That night, once everyone had gone to bed, the house finally fell quiet. The only sound was the wind rustling through the leaves outside.

The next morning, the first thing Skr did was check on Adam. She opened the door and found him sitting on the bed, putting on his clothes all by

himself.

She smiled. “Getting dressed on your own? That’s impressive.”

Adam beamed proudly, hurried to finish dressing, then leapt into her arms with a soft hug. “Mommy!”

She pinched his squishy cheeks, amused. “Let’s go, Time for breakfast.”

“After breakfast, you’reing to the office with me,” she added. With Freya still at home, she didn’t want to risk another incident like yesterday.

Adam’s eyes lit up. “Awesome! I get to go to work with you!”

Skr looked down at him. “That exciting, huh?”

Adam nodded eagerly. “Of course! I love being with you, no matter what we’re doing!b” /b

Skr reached out and gently tousled his hair.

When they sat down at the table, Freya was already there. She didn’t look up once, silently eating with her head down. Not a single word.

Carlos and Yana made some casual conversationb, /band breakfast passed peacefully.

After eating, Skr took Adam with her to thepany.

Since Carlos and Yana had no ns that dayb, /bthey stayed home.

Freyab, /bnot wanting to spend the day stuck with them, found ban /bbexcuse /band went out.

Meanwhileb, /bbat /bthe Stone family, ever since she returned bfrom /bbthe /bbhospital/bb, /bbElianna /bhad been deeply bunsettled/b.

She worried that the bond between Skr and Adam would only bgrow /bstronger. If Skr used bthat /bbconnection /bbto /bbwin /bback favor bwith /bbthe /bbCampbell /bfamily, what ce would she have left in it?

b1/3 /b

08:12 bSat /bb28 /bbJun /b(70)

Chapter b46 /b

bThe /bbthought /bmade her lose her appetite entirely.

bJust /bthen, her phone rang. She picked up, sounding drained. “Hello?”

b“/bbElianna/bb, /bit’s me–Nadia,” came the chirpy voice on the other end. “Beautiful weather today! Want to bgo /bshoppingb?/b”

Elianna was in no mood to entertain her, but just as she was about to decline, an idea struck her. She swallowed her refusal band /binstead replied sweetly, “Sure! Give me a minute to get ready.”

After freshening up, she headed out to meet Nadia.

They strolled around for a bit, then ducked into a café for coffee and a break.

After a sip, Elianna casually brought up, “Hey, how much do you know about the Lambert family?”

She had tried digging up information on them before, but there was barely anything online, and her social circle didn’t stretch bfar /bbenough /bto reach the

likes of the Lamberts.

Nadia thought for a moment. “A fair bit, I guess. Sometimes I go with Phil to their parties.”

“What’s the Lambert family like?” Elianna asked carefully.

Nadia looked at her curiously. “Why the sudden interest?”

Elianna paused, then smiled. “Just curious about the lives of billionaires, that’s all.”

Satisfied with the answer, Nadia didn’t press further and began sharing what she knew. “Remember I told you the Lambert recently weed back a daughter?”

Eljanna nodded, sipping her coffee.

“Well, there’s another daughter–Freya. She has three older brothers.”

Elianna’s eyes sparkled. “How does the Lambert family treat Freya?”

“Pretty well, I guess. But… well, no one beats blood rtives,” replied Nadia.

“What do you mean?” Elianna leaned forward eagerly. “She’s not their biological daughter?”

“Yeah, kind of like Skr, actually,” Nadia clicked her tongue. “Let’s face it–people are biased. Now that bthe /breal daughter’s back, things are bound to shift. Freya’s life might still befortable, but it’s not what it used to be.”

“Oh, and I heard the family handed ba /bpany over to Skr. As for Freya…b” /bNadia trailed off, shaking her head.

Elianna’s lips curled into a smirk.

‘Skr… looks like I’m not the only one who wants to see you fall. She thought to herself.

Elsewhere, Freya was out shopping with a friend. Even though she’d bought ba /bton of stuffb, /bshe was still in a terrible mood.

“You seem really out of it today,” her friend said.

“I’m just tired.” Freya sighed. Her chest felt tight/her bthoughts /bba /bmess, and the weight on her shoulders unbearable.

“Let’s find ba /bce to sit,” her friend suggested.

They found ba /bsmall restaurant and ordered something blight/bb. /b

bOn /bbthe /bother side, Nadia suddenly zoned out, staring across bthe /broom. Elianna followed her bgaze/b. b“/bbWhat /bbare /bbyou /blooking bat/bb?/bb” /b

b08:12 /bbSat/b, b28 /bbJun /bW

b“/bThat’s Freya,” Nadia whispered excitedly, pointing at Freya.

Elianna’s eyes widened. What luck!

Nadia tugged her along enthusiastically.

“Ms. Freya! What a coincidence!” Nadia greeted with an ingratiating smile.

Freya nced up, annoyed. ‘A lowly mistress dares speak to me?‘ She thought. But still, she forced a polite expression. “Hello, Ms. Jenkins.”

Encouraged, Nadia offered, “Since we ran into each other, why not grab a bite together?”

“No thanks,” Freya said coldly. “We’ve got a project to get to.”

Elianna chimed in, smiling. “Why not join us?”

Freya narrowed her eyes. “And you are?”

“Elianna,” replied Elianna. “Elianna Stone.”

Stone? Freya thought, her face darkened. The same surname as the oh–so–perfect Skr. Disgusting.

She was clearly irritated. Elianna noticed the change and smiled even more brightly.

“Ms. Lambert, how about we chat in private? I think we could help each other,” added Elianna.

“Not interested,” Freya said tly.

“Don’t be so quick to turn me down,” Elianna leaned in and whispered, “What if I told you I can help you bring down Skr?”

Freya’s eyes flickered. She looked up slowly. “Well then, Ms. iStone/i, it would be rude of me to refuse such a gracious invitation.”

AD