The Bride Who Said No: Escaping the Shadows of Yesterday

Kieran watched the couple who owned the small diner, both well into their fifties, tirelessly working from dawn till dusk without a moment's rest. It suddenly made him think of Freya. Would he and Freya end up like this if they went through with marriage decades down the line?

Just then, the lady behind the counter handed Kieran a bag of sandwiches, her smile warm as she said, "Hope your girlfriend gets better soon!"

Kieran offered a faint smile in return before paying them a generous tip that left the couple speechless. When they stepped out to thank him, Kieran was already in a cab back to the hospital. Freya had just finished her soup in the hospital room.

Kieran turned on the light, noticing the empty soup bowl on the table. He casually placed the bag of sandwiches on the small table.

Seeing the pile of sandwiches, Freya frowned, "All this?"

"I wasn't sure what you'd fancy, so I got a couple of each kind."

Kieran kept himself busy cleaning up the table, moving quickly and efficiently.

Freya, however, mentioned, "You took your time getting back. I'm already full."

"Oh." Kieran didn't seem bothered.

Freya's frown deepened. "You're not upset?"

"Figured you were pulling my leg. Given your injury, I'll let it slide." After cleaning up, Kieran settled on a nearby couch and said, "Eat if you want, or toss them."

Failing to get a rise out of Kieran, Freya opened a sandwich and took a bite.

Watching Freya from the couch, Kieran casually asked, "When was the last time you had these?"

Freya paused, her tone turning cold, "Don't remember."

"Was it when your dad was in the hospital?"

At Kieran's words, Freya's demeanor chilled further. "That's none of your concern. We've called off the engagement. My affairs shouldn't bother you anymore."

She put down her sandwich, suddenly losing her appetite. Freya vividly remembered being all alone during her father's hospitalization.

Even though Johanna came around,

it was obvious she was kinda hoping

for her dad to kick the bucket sooner to speedup Leland's inheritance. The bigwigs connected to the Dawson family all had their ulterior motives, leaving her feeling like a frightened rabbit amidst wolves.

Then, Audrey had set her eyes on Freya as a suitable bride for the Sutton family.

In his defiance against Eloise and Audrey, Kieran showcased his disdain for Freya as a statement of his resolve.

Freya could still recall trying to meet

Kieran at the Sutton family, hoping he'd visit her ailing father, if only for appearances. Yet, Kieran cruelly refused her, leaving her to face the world alone after her father's passing.

The irony was that she had once naively believed she could warm Kieran's heart, only to be met with a crueler reality.

Watching Freya's expression turn

cold, Kieran felt an inexplicable regret. Perhaps, had he been there for her, even just a bit warmer, things wouldn't have turned out so bitterly. en FindNovel