Chapter 3: Kenneth Lee Wright

Kenneth Lee Wright appeared, walking tall and confident, with sleek brown hair, a hint of manly scruff on his chiseled face, and intense dark eyes locked on Freya.

For a second, Freya almost didn’t recognize him.

She hadn’t seen him for over a year—or at least she thought so. She couldn’t remember precisely when they had last attended a gathering with the Wright family.

‘He looked—’ Freya refused to admit it at first, but eventually, she caved. ‘Very good.’

Inner Devil: ‘Very good? Freya, he’s yummy! He’s dessert, appetizer, main course, and that midnight snack we pretend not to want but totally do!’

Inner Devil 2: ‘Facial hair? Check. Bone structure? Check. Eyes that could undo a bra? Double check.’

‘Oh, please. My bra is still intact!’ Freya retorted in her head.

“Freya.” When Kenneth spoke, she realized how deep his voice was, oddly more salacious than she remembered. ‘Was his voice always like this?’

Inner Devil 2: ‘Didn’t you say you like men with sexy voices?’

‘Stop it! Both of you!’ Freya scolded her inner thoughts and instead focused on Kenneth.

“What brings you here?” Kenneth asked. As he stood there, barely a meter from her, his manly cologne hit her nostrils, jolting Freya out of her thoughts.

“Kenneth.” She smiled. “It’s been a while.”

“Yes,” he said.

Instead of answering, she turned to the receptionists. “These two refused to believe I knew you. I asked them to contact you multiple times, but they said management ordered them to brush off women who asked for you.”

Kenneth frowned. “I never said that. One of my secretaries handles my guests.”

“Well.” Freya crossed her arms. “I was humiliated. They even implied I had breast implants! I want them fired.”

Kenneth glanced at the now-panicked receptionists. Then, he turned to Freya. He focused on her face before his eyes dropped briefly to her chest. He said, “They look… the same to me.”

Freya: “…”

‘Since when did he ever pay attention to my breasts?’ Freya was caught off guard by his response, but her only reply was: “Well, at least you are my witness.”

“We apologize, Mr. Wright. We were acting on Miss Susan’s orders,” the red-haired girl said.

“Yes, Mr. Wright. There have been so many women who claimed to know you, we didn’t think she actually did,” the other receptionist added.

“Freya’s family is an old partner and friend. Anyone who disrespects her has no place in my company. You’re both fired with a month’s notice,” Kenneth said. “I’ll ask my assistant to find replacements immediately.”

Gasps erupted around them. Still, the receptionists knew better than to argue.

This was the Kenneth Freya knew. He was firm, immovable, and his words were always final.

Inner Devil 2: ‘I like him already. He’s definitely the kind who kills mosquitoes with one slap.’

“This way, Freya.” Kenneth motioned toward the lift, and Freya followed.

In the elevator, Kenneth stared at Freya’s reflection in the door. He said, “This is a surprise. To what do I owe the visit?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just a casual Wednesday. Got forced to take a vacation leave, accused of having fake boobs, now trying to take back a company from you,” she muttered.

“From me?” Kenneth raised a brow. “I don’t remember taking your jewelry company, Freya.”

“Oh, but you did!” Freya snapped. “Stop pretending like you’re not aware! My father transferred all his shares to you, including my mother’s shares, and Aunt Gaby even transferred hers!”

“My mother?” Despite the accusation, Kenneth stood tall, calm, and painfully attractive.

‘This guy can’t be gay,’ she thought.

Inner Devil: ‘He’s not. No gay man could get me wet.’

Unexpectedly, Freya caught Geneva openly drooling at Kenneth as if he had just walked off a steamy romance novel cover.

Inner Devil: ‘Geneva, honey, please stop staring at the man like he’s a buffet at a bridal shower. Only we are allowed to do that.’

Inner Devil 2: ‘Yeah!’

When Freya glared, Geneva snapped out of it, clearing her throat.

Kenneth, unaware, glanced her way. He asked, “Your assistant?”

“Yes, Geneva,” Freya replied.

“I have an urgent meeting. That’s why I missed your calls,” Kenneth said. “Give me an hour. You can wait in my office. After that, we’ll discuss this misunderstanding.”

“You’re telling me you have no idea about the transferred shares?” Freya asked, skeptical.

“I’m oblivious.” A faint smile formed on his face. It was almost playful. “But I’m interested to know.”

He guided her to his office, and as they walked, all eyes were on them. Both men and women looked curious. Some, whispered to each other.

Soon, they reached his office. A young man trailed behind.

“This is Kirk Dean, my assistant. He’ll attend to your needs while I’m in the meeting,” Kenneth introduced.

“Good morning, Miss King. It’s nice to see you here in Freedonia,” the assistant greeted.

Freya extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Dean. I’m sorry, I don’t remember our meeting.”

“Oh, we haven’t. But I saw you two years ago, during Madam Wright’s birthday party,” the assistant said.

“Oh, Aunt Gaby’s party,” Freya said, referring to Kenneth’s mother.

“Do you need coffee, snacks, or tea?” Kirk asked.

“Do you have oatmeal? It’s almost lunch,” Geneva said.

Kirk smiled. “I’ll get some oatmeal for you, Miss—”

“Geneva Blaire, the ever-so-loyal assistant to Miss Freya King,” Geneva introduced herself.

“And what about you, Miss King? Do you need anything?” Kirk asked Freya.

Freya yawned. She checked her watch. “I have to wait for an hour?”

“At the very least,” Kenneth replied plainly.

With a frown, Freya said, “I’m exhausted.”

“You can sleep in my room,” Kenneth offered, gesturing toward a concealed door. He walked over, opened it, and revealed a private space—lavishly designed yet as cozy and functional as a studio apartment.

“Is this okay?” Kenneth asked.

Before Freya could react, Kirk suddenly started choking on his own breath. “You—Miss—how—wow. Ah—um—” It ended with Kirk’s mouth wide open, seemingly in disbelief.

“What’s wrong with him?” Freya asked.

“I don’t know,” Kenneth replied. “But it’s not contagious.”

Freya: “…”

“Well, that’s quite an assurance,” she said with a brow raised.

“I’ll leave you to rest. I’ll come back after the meeting,” Kenneth said.

“I’ll just stay here and get updates about the company, Miss King,” Geneva offered, motioning to the sitting area of Kenneth’s office.

“Very well,” Freya said.

Because she was indeed sleepy, Freya allowed herself to rest. She easily found Kenneth’s bed and lay there in her business dress. His bed was so comfortable that she dozed off in seconds.

***

By the time Freya woke up, it was late. “What the—?”

“Freya, calm down.” Kenneth was sitting on a sofa next to the bed. He had no coat, his sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and it looked like he’d taken a quick nap.

‘On the sofa? Next to me?’ Freya wondered.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“It’s six in the evening,” Kenneth said.

“Six in the evening?!” Freya shot up. “You said your meeting would last only an hour! How did I end up sleeping here for more than seven hours?!”

“You were clearly tired… and you looked comfortable in my bed,” Kenneth replied.

‘Comfortable in his bed?’ That phrasing didn’t sit right, but his unreadable face gave nothing away. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“I tried, but you were simply out of it,” Kenneth said.

“What about Geneva?” Freya asked.

“She’s passed out on the couch,” Kenneth replied.

“Great. Just great,” Freya muttered as she got out of bed and fixed her clothes.

“I did check the documents,” Kenneth said. “They arrived yesterday, but I hadn’t read them until now.”

“Good! I’d like to buy those shares, please. That way, I can just go back to Halliport,” Freya said, standing before Kenneth.

“Freya, I’d give them to you without any cost, but I’m afraid it won’t work that way,” Kenneth said, taking the document from the bedside table and handing it to Freya. “There’s a special condition in the contract before the shares can be transferred to you.”

“It states that—” Strangely, Kenneth looked amused. It was a bit dark in his private room, but Freya saw it. “You have to get married before any of those shares can be transferred to your name.”

Freya blinked.

Her lips twitched.

Then, the reaction: “WHAT DID YOU SAY?!”