Fiona's lips curled into a pout as she tucked the bills into her pocket."Hmph, you'll need to offer at least two million dollars for the hush money!"Frederick's eyebrows shot up in surprise.Two million dollars? That was an exorbitant amount.Noticing his astonishment, Fiona conceded slightly, "Fine, 200 thousand dollars will do."A wave of embarrassment washed over Frederick. He wasn't one to carry large sums of cash, most of his wealth was tied up in Ragnarok. His remaining savings barely amounted to a few thousand dollars."I don't have that kind of money on hand," he admitted sheepishly.Now it was Fiona's turn to be taken aback."You don't even have 200 thousand dollars?"She scrutinized Frederick more closely. Both she and Anya hailed from wealthy families, their social circles populated by individuals for whom 200 thousand dollars was a mere trifle.Fiona had assumed her uncle would choose a well-off suitor for Anya, hence her initial demand for two million dollars.
The biting wind howled, and the snow fell relentlessly. Large snowflakes blanketed everything in a shimmering silver, the winter's chill as unforgiving as ever.In a secluded corner of the park, a boy of seven or eight huddled on a bench, shivering uncontrollably.Frederick had lost both his parents and was overwhelmed with the uncertainty of his future at such a tender age. Perhaps there was no need to dwell on the future at all—he might not even survive the day.As he lay there, his stomach rumbled with hunger, his body grew increasingly cold, and his eyelids drooped heavily.Everything around him blurred as he could no longer endure the frigid conditions.Slowly, he closed his eyes.Just before the darkness fully enveloped him, he saw his parents. They were together as a happy family, just as it had been before.Soon, he thought that he would be in another world, reunited with his mom and dad."Wake up, wake up." Suddenly, a gentle shaking and a clear, childish voice pul
Frederick smiled and pointed at Anya. "You, of course. You're my wife."Anya was dumbfounded. This man was actually calling her his wife?To be called "'wife" by a man was a novel experience for her!As she was going to shout at Frederick, Fiona's voice chimed in from behind, "Ann, you're back."Anya was surprised to see Fiona, as she hadn't been aware of her arrival. Anya hadn't seen Fiona earlier as she was in a different room."Fiona, why are you here? Have you met him?" Anya asked, nodding toward Frederick.Fiona blushed, remembering their recent encounter where Frederick had seen her naked.The question about him only intensified her embarrassment.She managed a quiet "mm-hmm" in response. Anya was oblivious to Fiona's discomfort due to her own inexperience with relationships. She inquired, "Why are you here? Did you have a fight with your family?"Fiona suddenly embraced Anya tightly. "Ann, I ran away from home. I'm here to stay with you."Anya was stunned. "Ran away
Fiona glanced at Frederick, and a wave of bashfulness washed over her.Memories of the incident when he had seen her naked flooded back, turning her cheeks the color of blooming peonies.Anya was unaware of Fiona's inner turmoil. She saw Fiona's face erupt in a fiery blush, reminiscent of a ripe crab. Reaching out with concern, Anya touched Fiona's cheek to check for a fever.The touch sent a jolt through Fiona. She flinched, her own hand instinctively flying to her burning cheeks.Anya's brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you having a fever, Fiona?"Panic bloomed in Fiona's chest. How could she possibly explain the real reason for her flustered state?Stammering, she struggled to form a coherent response.Meanwhile, Frederick sensed Fiona's rising panic and feared she might blurt out their beach encounter.He interjected swiftly. Having just discovered his long-lost savior in Anya, the last thing he needed was a revelation that could jeopardize his newfound connection."Sweethe
The two-story villa offered ample rooms, and Fiona's suggestion struck a chord with Anya. She readily agreed and set about packing her belongings.Frederick watched them with a slight shake of his head. Living together wasn't a priority for him at this point. His focus was to be her lifelong protector, and there was no need to rush things.As he observed the two women bustling around, he sensed a touch of fatigue evident in their movements.Frederick offered, "Sweetheart, why don't I lend a hand with moving those?"Fiona, ever vigilant, immediately stepped in front of the doorway.Her gaze was wary as she replied, "We appreciate the offer, but it's alright. We can manage. Let's be honest, some men can be a little... opportunistic, especially around a woman's personal belongings. You wouldn't happen to have any designs on Anya's clothes or socks, would you?"Frederick's eyes widened at the blunt accusation. He hadn't anticipated such a young woman to be so versed in the unsavo
Fiona's cheeks flushed with anger as she dragged Anya to the couch and said to Frederick, "You're moving all the stuff!" Frederick was helpless about Anya overexerting herself and reluctantly complied.Fiona fetched orange juice from the fridge, poured two glasses, and handed one to Anya. "Ann, have some juice," she said, taking a refreshing sip."We'll keep an eye on him from here, so he won't try anything weird with your socks."Anya felt a pang of guilt watching Frederick haul her belongings while she relaxed."Isn't this a bit much?" she asked.Fiona shook her head vigorously. "Ann, you don't understand men. When they have energy, their minds wander. What if he sneaks into our room and tries something? But if he's tired from work, he'll just pass out at night and won't have the energy to think about that stuff!"Anya's eyes widened as she listened to Fiona's surprisingly logical explanation. She couldn't help but wonder how Fiona, a university freshman, possessed such kno
As Frederick approached, Fiona bounced over and eagerly handed him the "special" orange juice."Ann asked me to give this to you," she said.Frederick looked at the murky concoction with confusion. "Why is this orange juice black?"Fiona put on a show of being offended. "Because it's fancy imported black orange juice, silly! Don't you trust Anya's gift? Or are you scared she'd try to poison you?"Frederick simply replied with his straightforward and honest nature, "Oh, it's from my sweetheart? Then I'll drink it." He gulped down a large mouthful before Anya could even stop him.Anya could only shake her head in exasperation. Fiona was too mischievous, and Frederick too trusting.He deserved to be tricked!Fiona leaned back and expected a look of disgust on Frederick's face.However, Frederick wiped his mouth and said, "Wow, this is actually good! Must be some high-quality black orange juice!"Anya and Fiona's jaws dropped. It was a concoction of orange juice, soy sauce, and
Fueled by anger, Fiona stormed upstairs, her cheeks puffed like a disgruntled chipmunk. Anya quickly followed as she knew Fiona all too well. Fiona was not one to take things lying down. Frederick didn't manage to make her cry this time, and Anya considered it a stroke of luck.As she marched upstairs, Anya shot a withering glance at Frederick, silently pinning the blame on him.Frederick could only rub his nose helplessly. It wasn't his fault Fiona started the prank war after all.In her room on the second floor, Fiona unleashed a torrent of fury and pummeled her teddy bear."What a jerk! How dare you mess with me! Just wait, I'll pay you back for this! I'll punch you to death!" Fiona's threats dissolved into a flurry of childish violence against the defenseless toy.Anya watched with a sigh as Fiona vented her frustration. "Fiona, no amount of punching the bear will faze Frederick one bit."The truth of Anya's words hit Fiona. Deflated, she tossed the bear aside and jumped of