Chapter 25: A Second Encounter

Freya's suspicion toward Louis remained in the back of her mind, but she had too much work to spend all day investigating him. Her weekend promotion had started, and the sudden increase in readers kept her busy. She uploaded extra chapters in the morning, answered several messages from her editor, then packed three sold dresses for shipment.

Since Louis had asked her not to walk around alone for the time being, Freya ordered a car instead. She found the whole situation slightly ridiculous. She had survived being stabbed in her previous life only to transmigrate into a romance novel and become cautious because someone was photographing her trips to the supermarket.

After shipping the packages, she stopped at a nearby café to work for an hour. The apartment was comfortable, but occasionally changing environments helped when she was stuck on a scene. She ordered coffee, chose a table near the window, and opened her laptop.

She had barely written two paragraphs when someone stopped beside her table. "Mrs. Stone?" Freya looked up and immediately recognized Serena Wells. For the second time in less than a week, the female lead had appeared in front of her.

Serena looked equally surprised. "What a coincidence." Freya glanced around as though expecting the universe itself to be laughing. "Apparently we shop and drink coffee in the same places." Serena smiled. "Do you mind if I sit? The café is crowded."

Freya looked at the empty chair. Refusing would seem unnecessarily hostile. "Go ahead." Serena sat and placed several documents beside her drink. For a while, both women worked quietly. Freya returned to her manuscript, determined not to become involved in protagonist business.

Eventually Serena noticed the writing software on Freya's screen. "Are you an author?" Freya hesitated. "Something like that." "What do you write?" "Web fiction." Serena seemed genuinely interested rather than judgmental. "I read web novels sometimes. What's yours called?"

Freya immediately became cautious. She had published under a pen name and preferred keeping her writing separate from her identity. "It's still new. I'll tell you when it's more established." Serena laughed. "Fair enough."

The conversation unexpectedly became normal. Serena talked about books she liked, while Freya recommended several stories she had discovered while researching this world's market. For several minutes, Freya almost forgot that the woman across from her was the heroine who had helped destroy Louis's empire.

Then Serena asked, "How is Mr. Stone doing?" Freya's fingers stopped. "Fine." "Ethan said Louis hasn't contacted any of his former partners." "Maybe he wants a break." Serena nodded slowly. "Maybe."

Freya noticed the curiosity beneath her polite tone. "If Ethan wants to know what Louis is planning, he should ask Louis." Serena immediately looked embarrassed. "I wasn't trying to investigate." "I know. But I'm not involved in their business."

Serena apologized, and Freya accepted it without hostility. Soon afterward, Serena left. Freya watched her through the window and sighed. Serena seemed pleasant enough, but Freya couldn't afford to forget that protagonists had their own interests.

When Freya returned home, she told Louis about the encounter before he could somehow hear about it elsewhere. He stared at her. "Again?" "I know. At this rate, I'm starting to think the plot is chasing me." Louis didn't understand what she meant, but the phrase stayed in his mind long after Freya had returned to her room.

On the way home, Freya reviewed the meeting again and decided she would be more careful around Serena without becoming rude. She had no desire to manufacture hostility simply because the novel had placed their husbands on opposite sides. Still, knowing the original plot gave her one advantage she refused to waste: she knew that seemingly harmless conversations could become important later. From now on, she would keep business matters completely separate from casual friendship.