Chapter 2 Is That What You're After?

Freya's POV

I spoke with an unsettling calmness as if discussing an inconsequential matter such as a meal. 

But as soon as my words reached Kingsley's ears, his body stiffened, and I could clearly see the desire in his eyes dissipated instantly. 

"Is that what you're after?" he retorted coldly, searching my face for a reaction in the dim moonlight filtering through the window.

"I'm simply on a mission to produce a child," I replied in a monotone voice, with a subtle sadness.

"Are you using this way to secure your own future?" Kingsley asked, standing up from the bed and slowly putting on his clothes.

Silence filled the room as I seemed to shrink before Kingsley's eyes. 

He looked so angry and confused, like my words had cut him deeply. 

"We've been mated for three years and have yet to conceive. I'm anxious about the possibility of you having a child with another woman," I said, my voice cracking with emotion as I thought of Tracy's pregnancy-test report.

Kingsley frowned deeply. 

"It's not about that," he replied, feeling the weight of my accusations. "If being with me is no longer enjoyable, what's the point of staying together? Do you really need to preserve your family's reputation by staying with me?"

My body tensed, and I could only feel his frustration and anger growing.  

"Why are you making such a fuss?" he demanded and clenched his fists before I said anything.

"You're right," I snapped, my voice laced with bitterness. "I must be insane to have accepted you. If it comes to this, let's just reject each other and be done with it."

I stood up from the bed and looked down at Kingsley with tear-filled eyes, my body trembling uncontrollably. 

Obviously, Kingsley couldn't fathom what had caused me to act in this manner, and he just grabbed his jacket and made his way to the door, shutting it with a heavy thud.

As he walked away, I let out a piercing scream of anguish, and the sound of a pillow slamming against the door followed.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair at the turn our relationship had taken.

...

It was too late when I arrived at Novia's house. 

Novia opened the door and was surprised to see me standing there with a suitcase in hand.

"Can I borrow you for the night?" I asked, and my voice was clear and composed.

After I came in, she quickly handed me a cold glass of wine, but before she gave it to me, Novia smacked her forehead in frustration as she realized that I was getting ready for pregnancy. 

"Oh no. Let me get you some milk instead," she said.

But I waved off the offer. 

"No need. I can drink anything now. After all, who cares about pregnancy and all those restrictions now that Kingsley and I are going to reject each other?"

She was clearly taken aback by the news.

"Are you kidding me?" Novia asked cautiously.

I nodded with a hint of sadness in my eyes. "He's back with Tracy again."

Novia clenched her fists in anger. "That shameless bitch! First, she tries to ruin your life, and now she's back again? And as for Kingsley... What kind of man goes back to eating old crap when he can have something fresh? You should fight back and expose them for who they really are!"

I remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. "But I don't want to give them the satisfaction of knowing that they destroyed my life. I want to keep some shred of dignity," I said finally.

Novia shook her head in frustration. "But what about them? They don't deserve to get away with this. They're just a pair of liars and cheats."

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter. At the end of all this, I know who I am and what I stand for. And that's more important than anything else."

Novia sighed, knowing that I was right. "Well, if you ever need anything, you know I'm here for you," she said, giving me a reassuring hug.

Observing the anger on her face, I smiled and tried to ease the tension by saying, "Don't worry, Kingsley has treated me well throughout these years. Look, I never had the chance to wear this jewelry before, which even made me a bit hesitant. After all, I may not be able to wear them in the future after leaving him."

Novia, however, disagreed with my perspective. "I don't think so. You're a genius! Don't you remember? You had been admitted to Film University and topped your class every year in college, and everyone believed you had a bright future ahead of you! If you hadn't been his mate after your graduation, you could have had a successful career in acting and made a big success."

"And look at you, how stunning you are," Novia added with excitement.

Hearing her words, I couldn't help but think about my dream of being a successful actress. 

However, ever since I was accepted by that damn man as his mate immediately after graduating, I had to put my dreams of becoming an actress aside due to my obligations. Perhaps I shouldn't have lived such a boring life.

"What are your plans for the future?" she inquired in the end.

"I plan to take a few days off, settle down first and then start working on the diubling of a new film," I replied.

"Have you ever thought of coming back to the acting industry, this time in front of the camera?" she asked.

I was surprised by the question. "It's been three years since I last acted. I'm not sure if I'm still good enough."

"Don't say that. You've already gained almost 10 million fans as an action stunt double, which also requires emotion and acting skills, Look, there are many actors who lack even the basic line skills yet are still popular. With your face and acting skills, you have nothing to fear!" Novia encouraged.

Novia was right. Even if I couldn't become a successful actress, my current fame as an action stunt double was enough to sustain me financially. 

I could always try and see how it goes. 

Besides, I truly loved acting, and giving up my passion because of a man had been a foolish decision. The good news was that it wasn't too late.

We chatted for hours before Novia finally succumbed to her exhaustion and went to bed. 

I lay on the couch, pondering the conversation. 

I realized that I had to pursue my passion and reignite my acting career. With that thought, I fell asleep, feeling content and excited about what the future held.

Early in the next morning, I was woken up by the urgent ringing of my cell phone.

I picked up the phone. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end of the line was hesitant, "Hi, Luna. It's Sarah. I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if you knew where the blue notebook is?"

My mind was still foggy from just waking up, but I immediately responded, "Oh, the blue notebook. I remember seeing it on the bookshelf in the living room. It should be the second one from the left."

After a moment of silence, Sarah spoke again, "I searched around, but I didn't see it."

I couldn't believe it. I knew I had put the notebook there myself. "That's impossible. I remember putting it there last night. Maybe you just missed it."

Sarah hesitated before replying, "I already looked twice, but I'll check one more time."

I was now fully awake and feeling a little annoyed. 

How could Sarah not see the notebook? It was right there on the bookshelf. 

"If I can't find it, what should I do?" Sarah asked nervously.

"Just keep looking. It's not that hard to find. And if you really can't find it, then use a different notebook. It's not the end of the world."

With that, I hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh. 

I checked the time and saw that it was only 7:00 am. 

As I was preparing to start my day, my phone rang again, interrupting my train of thought. It was Sarah again. She was calling me to inquire about Kingsley's tie this time.

I rubbed my temples, already feeling a headache coming on. "It's the blue and green striped one, second shelf from the top, first cubby on the right," I instructed her wearily.

There was a muffled thump on the other end of the line, and then a low whisper that I strained to hear. "I'm sorry, I can't find it," Sarah said.

I let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Maybe you should just give the phone to Kingsley," I said, realizing that I wasn't going to be able to get anything done if I continued trying to direct Sarah from afar.