No More Layovers for a Love That Won't Land novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Six years later

Freya arrived at the A country airport, already past nine o’clock.

Today was her birthday.

When she turned on her phone, she received a pile of birthday wishes from colleagues and friends in the tech industry where she’d built a reputation as an AI development pioneer.

There wasn’t a single message from Matteo.

Freya’s smile faded as she stared at the screen. She had pushed aside critical work on her neural network launch to come to Country A, hoping to spend her special day with her family after two months of separation.

By the time she reached their villa, it was already past ten o’clock.

The maid Sara saw her and was stunned: “Madam… why are you here?”

“Where are Matteo and Bella?” Freya asked, setting down her designer bag.

“Master hasn’t returned yet, and Miss is playing in her room.”

Freya handed her luggage to Sara and went upstairs.

She found Isabella sitting in her pajamas at a small table, concentrating intently on something, so focused that she didn’t even notice someone entering the room.

“Bella?”

Hearing her voice, Isabella turned her head and happily called out: “Mommy!”

Then she turned back to her task.

Freya wanted to hug her, but was immediately pushed away: “Mommy, I’m busy.”

She hadn’t seen her daughter in two months and missed her terribly, wanting nothing more than to hold and kiss her. But seeing Isabella so concentrated, she didn’t want to interrupt.

“Are you making a shell necklace?” Freya asked.

“Mm–hmm!” Isabella’s eyes lit up: “In a week, it will be Aunt Raven’s birthday. This is a birthday gift I’m making with Dad for Aunt Raven! We carefully polished these shells together using special tools. Aren’t they beautiful?”

Freya’s throat tightened at the mention of Raven–Matteo’s new marketing director who had joined the company a year ago. Before she could speak, she heard her daughter say cheerfully with her back turned, “Dad also customized other gifts for Aunt Raven. Tomorrow-”

13:21

No More Layovers for a Love That Won’t Land

8.3%

Chapter 24

Freya’s heart constricted, and she couldn’t hold back anymore. “Bella… do you remember Mommy’s birthday?”

“Huh? What?” Isabella glanced up at her, then looked back down at the beads in her hands, complaining, “Mom, don’t talk to me, you’re making me lose track of the bead order-”

Freya released her embrace and fell silent.

She stood there for a long time. Seeing that her daughter didn’t look up at her once, Freya pressed her lips together and left the room without a word.

Sara saw her and said, “Madam, I just called the Master. He said he has something tonight and asked you to rest

first.”

“I understand.”

Freya responded, then remembering her daughter’s words, she paused before calling Matteo.

It took a while before he answered, his voice distant, “I’m busy, tomorrow we can-”

“Matteo, who is it this late?” It was a woman’s voice. Raven’s voice.

Freya gripped her phone tightly.

“Nothing.”

Before Freya could speak, Matteo had already hung up.

They hadn’t seen each other for two or three months. She had finally managed to come to Country A, and he couldn’t even spare time to come home to see her.

Even for a phone call, he didn’t have the patience to let her finish speaking…

for a Love That Won’t Land

After a long while, he only sent a message: [Something up?]