Chapter 35 Bradley, Are You in Love with Freya?

Xavier was taken aback by what he witnessed, unsure of what was happening. It was surprising to see Bradley, who was typically serious, laughing goofily all by himself. This unexpected display of silliness reminded Xavier of a conversation he had with Patrick, who had mentioned Bradley's romantic pursuits at the Lawsons’ house after leaving the Shangri-La Bar. At first, Xavier found it hard to believe that someone as cold and ruthless as Bradley could have such a romantic side. However, witnessing Bradley's sudden burst of laughter made Xavier have no choice but to believe it. "Bradley, are you in love with Freya?" Xavier asked in shock as he looked at him. A mental image of Freya's face flashed before Bradley's eyes, and he squinted slightly. He wasn't entirely sure if he was in love with her, but he was feeling a desire to flirt with her. He experienced a pang of pain when he saw her sad and felt a sense of empathy when she was mistreated. There was a strong pull towards her that he couldn't ignore. Observing Bradley's continued silence, Xavier persisted, "Remember, she became your wife because Arthur asked her to do so. I’m worried your family may exploit and turn her into a formidable adversary against you! I know she’s pretty, but you mustn't allow yourself to be lured by her beauty." In response, Bradley raised the corners of his mouth and tossed Xavier a cell phone. Xavier's confusion lingered as he cautiously unlocked the phone to reveal its contents. Meanwhile, Bradley nonchalantly peered out the window, his smile subtly lingering on his face. As Xavier played the video on the phone, he couldn't contain his sudden burst of laughter. "Your little wife is truly fascinating! She skillfully outplayed Ethan in such a smart way. But my dear friend, are you certain that such a cunning person is a fool? Could it be possible...?" "Perhaps she is not as foolish as she seems!" Bradley's gaze never left the girl in the video, who displayed sharp intellect and revealed no traces of naivety. "If she is indeed pretending to be foolish by your side, then we must not allow her to prolong her stay any further!" Xavier remarked. With a soft tap on the window using his slender fingers, Bradley's voice took on a low and determined tone. "I have my own judgment in this matter. If she turns out to have hidden motives in approaching me, rest assured, I will not go easy on her." In a flash, Bradley's eyebrows turned icy, and a glimmer of sinister intent flickered in his eyes. Xavier patted Bradley on the shoulder, attempting to redirect their conversation, "That's enough talk for now. By the way, I think your new wife might possess some medical skills. She might actually be able to cure your headaches." A smile crossed Bradley's face as he contemplated the number of stitches he would have to endure and the mosquitoes he would have to keep in the Royal Garden Mansion just to provoke her clever arguments. However, a phone beside them started ringing then. "Mr. Austin, something terrible has happened. Mrs. Austin encountered Ethan and Lola at the hair salon. They appear to be a threat, and the situation does not look good for Mrs. Austin." Bradley's eyebrows knitted together slightly as he spoke sternly, "Ensure her safety. I'm on my way." Ethan harbored deep grudges toward Freya, and after the incident with her in the mall, he certainly wouldn't let her slip away easily. After hanging up the phone, Xavier leaned in, curiosity lacing his words. "What happened this time? Did your troublesome new wife cause trouble again?" Ignoring Xavier's question, Bradley focused on the urgency at hand. "Go to the hair salon," he commanded, his brows furrowing. Freya found herself being dragged by Lola, fully aware that she wouldn’t let her go without consequences this time. Meanwhile, Frederick confronted Ethan with his bodyguards. Ethan arrogantly dismissed Bradley's authority. "Go ahead and bring that disabled man here. I want to see how he'll handle me after I beat his new bride to death today." Frederick's anger boiled over as his face contorted with rage. “Mr. Austin is your uncle, after all. It is highly disrespectful for you to provoke him this way openly." Ethan scoffed with arrogance, his face dripping with disdain. "Disrespect? He whipped me twenty times without any consideration for the fact that I was his nephew. Besides, I'm only a few years younger than him. Why should I call him uncle?" Ethan's insults towards Bradley fueled his rage, his neck turning red with anger. He held no fear towards Bradley and was determined to completely dominate him, showing Bradley that he was not someone to be trifled with. "Ethan, how dare you disrespect Mr. Austin!" Frederick exclaimed, his face flushed with anger. Bradley was like a son to him, and he would not tolerate anyone speaking ill of him. "So what if I insult him? That disabled, blind man is condemned to life in a wheelchair. Even if he gets married, what can he do? He can't even sleep with his wife. He must feel utterly powerless!" Ethan sneered. "You old man, you better leave, or I will also beat you up today. By the way, tell Bradley that today I plan to do more than teach his woman a lesson. I plan to strip her naked and parade her through the streets while broadcasting the event to the entire country. Hahaha!" As Freya listened to Ethan, her temper began to boil. "He wants to strip me naked and humiliate me in front of everyone? What a perverted monster!" she thought. In front of them, a hairstylist assistant wheeled a small cart carrying hair dye. Freya's eyes gleamed mischievously, and as the assistant passed by Ethan, she swiftly pulled and pushed Lola backward. "Ah!" Both of them screamed simultaneously as the cart tipped over, spilling all the vibrant hair dye onto their faces. Suppressing her laughter, Freya wasted no time and quickly darted away. "Freya, stop right there!" Ethan bellowed, wiping his face with his hands and cleaning the dye. With his ridiculous appearance resembling that of a clown, the entire hair salon erupted into laughter, further igniting Ethan's fury. "Catch that little fool for me. Whoever catches her will be rewarded with one hundred thousand dollars," Ethan announced. Hearing this, everyone immediately began searching for Freya, as they couldn’t make $100,000 even if they worked at the salon around the clock. "Stop! Don’t touch Mrs. Austin!" Filled with concern, Frederick swiftly commanded his bodyguards, "Go after her but ensure Mrs. Austin's safety. If any harm befalls her, Mr. Austin will show no mercy." The bodyguards sprang into action, seamlessly joining the chase as they navigated the bustling streets. Not only Ethan and Lola but over a dozen individuals from the hair salon also fervently pursued Freya. Ethan's taunting voice echoed from behind, "You idiot! You will be stripped, hung, and mercilessly beaten if you get caught. Then, I will allow others to have their way with you until your last breath." He thought to himself, "Today is the day I kill this idiot! If I don't, the whole city will mock me." Freya's heart raced as she observed the relentless pursuit behind her, with Frederick and the bodyguards trailing close behind. She was well aware that any sudden move would expose her, so she focused on evading her pursuers and finding an opportunity to shake them off. After leading the group in bewildering circles, Freya managed to disorient them, causing them to stagger and eventually collapse to the ground in a dizzy state. Freya blinked her eyes and tried to keep running despite feeling a little lightheaded. As she turned around, however, she collided with another person. When she raised her small fist to strike, a large and strong hand grabbed it instead. Freya slowly turned her head and met a pair of dark, narrow, and emotionless eyes. The tall, well-built man in front of her wore a black shirt that showed off his physique. His features were stunningly handsome, almost like those of a Greek statue, and he gave off an air of commanding presence. His dark eyes were so profoundly set that they appeared to have no bottom, drawing their victims in like a vortex. Freya was dumbfounded.