Chapter 53: Stumbled Upon Stepmom's Little Secret.

Freya discerned the nuance in Madeline's words. The tales surrounding Bradley Austin had painted him in dark shades, but during her brief interactions with him, those tales seemed exaggerated. However, the evening's unsettling events had skewed her perception dramatically, validating her instinct to distance herself. A sudden realization hit her: the heirloom silver chain was still with Bradley. In her urgency to leave earlier, she'd left behind that invaluable necklace, a poignant keepsake from her late mother. She'd fought hard to retrieve it from Lola Lawson's possession; she couldn't afford to lose it again. Pulling herself from her thoughts, she heard Madeline suggest, "I've got a gig tonight at Shangri-La. Fancy joining?" Opting for discretion, Freya replied, "I'd rather avoid another encounter with that notorious playboy." She vividly remembered her ruse at Culinary Crown Court to elude Patrick Perry. Running into him at Shangri-La, his known haunt, wasn't on her list. Made