Chapter 57: Freya Sets a Trap

Once Freya became convinced that Louis was probably L, the secret became far too entertaining to expose immediately. She wanted certainty, and she also wanted revenge for every smug comment the account had left beneath her chapters.

Her opportunity arrived the next afternoon.

Louis messaged that he would be home late because of a meeting. Freya replied normally, then opened her manuscript and added a scene designed specifically for one reader.

In the chapter, the heroine discovered that her emotionally reserved husband had secretly been reading every story she published. Instead of confronting him, she teased him by writing a fictional character suspiciously similar to him.

Freya changed enough details that ordinary readers would see nothing unusual. The fictional husband was wealthy, excessively calm, obsessed with contracts, and terrible at admitting jealousy.

She uploaded the chapter at eight.

L appeared at eight twenty-three.

The comment was unusually short: "This character seems unrealistic."

Freya laughed until her stomach hurt.

She replied: "Really? I thought he was one of my most realistic characters."

L didn't answer.

At nine fifteen, the apartment door opened. Louis entered wearing the same composed expression he always did, but Freya noticed he looked at her for half a second longer than usual.

"You're back," she said cheerfully.

"Yes."

"How was your meeting?"

"Fine."

Freya returned to her laptop. "I uploaded a new chapter."

Louis paused while removing his coat. "I see."

"Readers seem to like the new character."

"Good."

"One reader thinks he's unrealistic."

Louis hung his coat carefully. "Readers have different opinions."

Freya nearly lost control of her expression.

At dinner, she continued the attack. "The new character is based on someone I know."

Louis's chopsticks stopped. "Who?"

"Can't tell you. Writer secret."

"Then why mention it?"

"Because it's funny."

Louis looked increasingly suspicious of her good mood.

After dinner, Freya uploaded a bonus paragraph to the chapter. In it, the fictional husband secretly used the username "M" to comment on his wife's writing.

Within minutes, L deleted one of his older comments.

That was enough.

Freya walked into the living room holding her phone. Louis looked up from the sofa.

"Hello, L."

Silence.

Louis's face didn't change, but his eyes did.

Freya crossed her arms. "Would you like to explain why my mysterious reader knows exactly how you think?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? Then should I post another chapter about a husband who secretly reads web novels?"

Louis stared at her for several seconds before asking, "How long have you known?"

Freya grinned. "Not long enough."

He looked almost embarrassed, which was so rare that Freya wanted to preserve the moment forever.

"Why didn't you just tell me you were reading it?" she asked.

"You didn't tell me your pen name."

"So you found it anyway and created an account to criticize me?"

"Constructive criticism."

Freya laughed again. "You're unbelievable."

Louis looked toward her laptop. "Are you going to remove that character?"

"Absolutely not. Readers already love him."

For once, Louis had no useful response.

Freya returned to her room still smiling. She had expected Louis's hidden assets, secret company, and suspicious business plans to be the strangest discoveries of their new marriage. Somehow, learning that the cold antagonist of the original novel secretly waited for romance updates had beaten all of them. She decided immediately that this information would remain private—for now.