Chapter 201 Just a Man
After some consideration, Freya made an appointment with Radley to review the contract at the West Geft Joint Department tomorrow.
Half an hour later, Freya’s car stopped at the entrance of the Parkers’ house.
After informing security, it didn’t take long for the butler of the Parker Residence to personally greet her.
“Miss Kaufmann, you’ve arrived. Mrs. Parker would have personally invited you here if you hadn’t come by now!”
Freya was a bit surprised. “What’s going on?”
The butler looked bitter. “Ever since Miss Parker returned from Vroria, it’s been over half a month. She locks herself in her room every day, and we have no idea what she’s doing. Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker, and Old Mr. Parker are all distraught.”
Freya furrowed her brows. “James, I know about this. The main issue is that I haven’t been able to reach Isabella either. Don’t worry, I’ll see her right away. Call me directly if you think the situation gets serious
next time.”
“I said I would call you, but Miss Parker won’t allow it. Her emotions have been especially intense. Mrs. Parker thought you quarreled with her, which caused her to be so angry, so she didn’t intervene for a while.”
James looked troubled. “I can’t believe it’s been over half a month, and Miss Parker still refuses to leave her
room.”
Freya’s brows tightened. “Then how is she eating?”
“The maids deliver her meals to her room every day. If she really stops eating, I’m afraid Mrs. Parker and Mr. Parker will have to pull her out of the room, but even though she eats, she doesn’t eat much.”
James had watched Isabella grow up, and his words were filled with sorrow and tears in his eyes.
“Miss Parker has lost a lot of weight lately. You can see it for yourself!”
Under the butler’s guidance, Freya first met with the head of the Parkers, Jonas Parker, and then Isabella’s parents, Emily Duvall and Ron Parker.
Emily held Freya’s hand and asked anxiously, “Frey, did you have a conflict with Isabella?”
“Mrs. Parker, we really haven’t quarreled. Please don’t worry,” Freya reassured.
Jonas interjected, “Enough now. If it were about Frey, Isabella wouldn’t have acted this way for so long. She used to be terrified of going hungry, but now she can’t be bothered to eat even when meals are delivered to her doorstep.”
Jonas looked at Freya and said, “Frey, go check on her. See if something is bothering her and try to talk it
out.”
Emily chimed in, “Frey, if anything is going on, you must tell us. Get her to speak about it. I need to know what’s going on! This is really driving me crazy!”
Freya sighed inwardly.
She could not possibly tell Emily that Isabella became like this because of her brother. The situation between Isabella and Braxton could get even more complicated.
After greeting the elders of the Parker family, Freya followed the butler to Isabella’s room on the second
floor.
She knocked on the door gently, but there was complete silence inside.
The butler raised his voice. “Miss Parker, Miss Kaufmann is here to see you!”
There seemed to be a faint sound inside the room, but it quickly subsided.
Freya felt both deeply worried and a little annoyed at Isabella for not taking care of herself.
She turned to the butler and said, “James, you can go do your work. I’ll talk to her.”
James sighed, still concerned, and reluctantly left. He glanced back a few times while leaving.
At the end of the corridor, Freya was left alone. She knocked on the door a little harder this time, but there was still no response from inside.
Freya’s voice turned serious and firm.
“Izzy, we’ve been friends for so long, and now you’re treating me like a stranger? Are you shutting me out?”
Still, there was no sound from inside the room.
Freya gritted her teeth and said,
“Do you know how worried your parents and grandpa are? If you right now, he might even be happy to see you full of energy!
go and smash your grandpa’s clay teapot
“Your mom has been crying, and your dad is sighing too! Even James couldn’t hold back his tears when he mentioned this. Izzy, do you really want to make your whole family so sad?”
There was still no response inside the room, and the stubborn door remained like a stone, blocking Freya’s
way.
Freya tried calling again and got irritated. “Izzy, can you listen to me? Open the door for me! You know my temperament. If you don’t open the door today, I’ll have James bring a hammer and break it open for
you.
I’m pregnant now, and if you want me to risk my health, just keep pretending to be dead.”
There was a sound from inside the room, showing signs of wavering.
Freya persisted and leaned on the door, saying, “What’s the big deal about a guy? If it doesn’t work out, we can find another one!”
The door suddenly opened. Freya was caught off guard and almost stumbled inside.
She held onto the door frame and looked at Isabella in front of her. She had indeed lost weight, but it was not as exaggerated as James claimed.
The room was dim, with the curtains tightly blocking all light. Freya sighed and walked into the room.
her teeth, her eyes red and teary.
“What do you mean by finding another one? That’s your brother! You’re his sister. How can you not stand by him?”
Freya raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it good that I’m standing up for you?”
Isabella squeezed her hands and fell silent.
Freya walked to the curtains and pulled them open, letting the sunlight fill the room. Isabella turned her head uncomfortably.
Beyond the wide window was a small balcony. Freya opened the balcony door and sat down on a chair.
She gestured to Isabella. “Come over here. It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other; let’s talk for a while.”
Isabella sat down with a sullen face. “You used your pregnancy to threaten and make me open the door! Now you have the nerve to act all friendly with me!”
Freya laughed. “If I hadn’t threatened you, would you have opened the door for me? Are you really planning to keep yourself closed off forever without considering our parents and family?”
“I just have a lot of things I haven’t figured out.”
“What is there to figure out?” Freya inquired.
“I don’t understand what your brother was thinking!” Isabella griped. “Do you know that he’s even more infuriating than those sc*mbags? At least with sc*mbags, I know it’s a character issue, but Braxton? He always acts so superior and sometimes appears genuinely affectionate!”
Isabella spoke with evident discontent but then mentioned some of Braxton’s good qualities. “I know your brother well, and he has great values and character. But what I can’t fathom is why he treats everyone so kindly yet so cruelly to me!”
Freya sighed softly and reached out to hold Isabella’s hand.
“Let me tell you why. It’s because he loves you.”
“What do you mean?” Isabella frowned. “I don’t have Stockholm Syndrome! He loves me, and that’s why he treats me like this?!”
Freya glanced around the balcony and then back at Isabella’s room.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“I’m just checking if there are any surveillance cameras in your room.” Freya chuckled.
“There’s none here. They’re only in the living room.”
