MainNovelChapter 397:
Ethel blinked, stunned. Her eyes widened with disbelief.
She stammered, “You—you..."”
“Hmm?” Freya remained gentle.
“You just said... Dad?” Ethel stammered. Ever since their fallout two years ago, Freya had refused to utter that
word once in reference to Hugh.
Yet now, she had.
It felt almost unreal.
Freya's world had fallen apart, and somehow, through the wreckage, she had cto see things more clearly.
She had grown—shed the need to draw strength from old ideas of family.
Reaching out, she gently ran her fingers through Ethel’s still-damp hair. Her touch was soft, reassuring. “Yes.
He's my dad.”
“Can you tellwhy you were so upset with him before?” Ethel asked cautiously. “Now that things seem
better?”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“I didn’t understand everything back then,” Freya said. “Now | see—ssituations aren’t about right or wrong.”
She had no desire to untangle the past any longer, nor did she feel it was her burden to carry.
From where she stood, Hugh moving on so soon after her mother’s passing had felt like a betrayal—like he'd
traded love for convenience. But now, she saw another side. Two people denied their first loves, cornered by
tradition. Surely, regret weighed heavily on them both.
Ethel scratched her head, visibly confused.
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She didn’t push further but asked the one thing on her mind, “What did you mean earlier when you said Dad
should marry Ms. Newman if he wants to? Does that mean you're okay with her now?” That didn’t sound like the
sister she knew.
“I haven't accepted her,” Freya clarified, her usual calm returning. “But I've stopped trying to dictate Dad's
happiness.”
Over two decades ago, Hugh had no control over his own marriage. Now, even if Cheryl wasn’t someone Freya
liked, she wanted her father to choose for himself this time.
“You're saying things | can’t wrap my head around. You two must've talked about something serious behind my
back.” Ethel pouted and stepped into the room uninvited. “To protest this betrayal, I've decided—I'm sleeping on
your bed tonight.”
Freya sighed.
What a child!
“I'm claiming your bed, your blanket,” Ethel announced, flopping onto the mattress like a small whirlwind of joy,
“and | shall jokingly compete with Charlie for your love.”
Freya moved her stuffed pillow to the sofa before sliding under the covers beside her.
Once the lights were off, Ethel curled
close to her, resting herhead@gaihst
I
Freya's Bir) Mdrmuring, "Mina..." The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
“Hmm?” Freya turned slightly toward her.
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“You've still got me,” Ethel whispered,
her breath warm, her, ygrds swest as
“fe {ified Faas stand by
you.” The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
“Sleep well,” Freya said softly, tucking the blanket around her little sister.
Both of them had grown—no longer
children clinging to the past. It wes
tto live theipop ds, fo stop
tying bier their father's. So long
as it didn't concern the Briggs Group,
Freya would no longer interfere. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
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