(flashback)

---

Freya dialed a number and placed the phone to her ears. Her fingers were tapping nervously against her purse. She had a thing with patience. She never liked to be kept waiting and he knew better than to keep her waiting.

It was unconscious that her eyes found another who had been trying to get her attention for a while she had been there. He waved again before signaling for her to come outside. 

"About time," she muttered. 

She stood and walked away from her table and stepped out of the restaurant as he requested. Her eyes searched for the man that grabbed her attention a while ago. He no longer stood in his former position as if he didn't want to be seen. She found him leaning on the wall of the building close by. 

The young man smiled at her and she let out a sigh of relief.

(Ends)

---

"Sir, I've got the report from Mr Frederick," Samuel said as they walked hastily into the company.

"Good let me take a look," Ashton told him, and received the file from Samuel. Never pausing, he flipped through the pages.

"He told me that she nearly died. She seemed to have been hit on the head very hard."

Ashton stopped and closed the file with a flip. "Thank you Samuel."

He continued walking into the building and Samuel followed him.

"How's my mother doing?" Ashton asked.

"She doesn't seem to be taking the death story well," Samuel said.

"And father?" Ashton added.

"He didn't show any emotion I could pick out,"

Ashton nodded. "That'll be all." He told Samuel.

Samuel thought he had better inform him about Thea. For some reason, she was in the hospital. He couldn't just dig the reason out without his boss's permission. He didn't know how Ashton would react to that. He knew better than to mention Thea's name before Ashton but there was no person on Earth that would convince him that his boss doesn't love Thea anymore. So, he had the right to know.

"Well, I saw-"

"Mr. Ryder?" Both their attention were drawn to the figure approaching them. Ashton shook the hands of Jace Lockhart, a client of his.

"I haven't seen you in months. When did you get back from London?"

Ashton replied, "I got back last night,"

Jace hummed in reply. "Okay. Did the model tag along?"

Ashton's reply was a little bit sharper than usual. "You could as well address her by her name Jace and no, she didn't come along. Her shoot ends in 2 weeks time, she'll join me by then."

"Very well then. By the way, I'm really sorry for your loss. I heard just yesterday, that Freya was dead." Jace said.

"Thank you Jace, I have to get back to work anyway."

"You up for a drink tonight, maybe tomorrow or whenever you are free?" Jace asked.

"I'll give you a call." Ashton told him before turning to leave.

"Sure, see you around." Jace said as he watched Ashton walk away from him.

"Well, Samuel, ensure that those documents are finalised today. I would love to see what I own by tomorrow." Ashton said as they turned down a familiar corner of his office.

"Definitely," Samuel said.

---

Thea arranged herself properly before knocking on the door.

"Come in,"

She did so before shutting the door behind her. Thea cleared her throat to draw his attention. His chair was turned away from the entrance and his fingers were quite busy, swinging the pen absent-mindedly.

"I'm listening,"

"Well, someone called and said you were supposed to meet in ten minutes."

"I know Miss Kennedy and I'm getting ready for that," Mr Maxfield told her and she nodded.

"Here are the files you asked for," Thea told him.

"You can leave after you drop them on the table," he said to her.

"Okay sir," but she still lingered longer to notice the black file planted on his desk. She frowned.

She didn't put that file there. All the files brought to him were from her, but this file felt odd.

"Is there something else, Miss Kennedy?" Samson asked her.

She shook her head in reply. "No, I was just leaving." She told him and turned to leave.

"How's your mother Thea?" He suddenly said. Thea halted in her steps and turned immediately.

"Well, she's getting better."

He unfolded his legs, turning his chair to it's initial position and sighed. "That's good to know," He picked up his file and stood.

---

"Who did this to you, Freya?" Ashton muttered to himself. He sank into the chair provided for him.

"Who is it that wanted you dead?" Ashton sighed heavily before picking up his phone call. He stood from his position where he sat, and walked to the window.

"Yes Samuel?"

"Everything is ready," Samuel stated, and that was all Ashton needed to hear. That was the root of the equation. To get something big, you have to make the bits. There was something about this relationship Freya had with Samson. Could it be Freya was killed out of anger, or was it rather jealousy?

Ashton cut the call, taking another look at his sister, he walked out through the door, telling the doctor to remember his promise of secrecy. If Freya's murderer is to be found, she would have to play dead for the mean time. At least that was how it would work.

---

The air around the room stilled uncomfortably. His heels stopped midway as he raised his brow at what was before him.

Not quite bad, he assesses.

It took some people more time to process what was going on.

No way! No fucking way! Their current boss couldn't be Ashton Ryder!

His eyes scanned his environment and landed on a pair of blue orbs. Fiona avoided his stare immediately. He flashed her a smirk of amusement before looking away. He eventually continued his strides down the hall to take the elevator with Samuel trailing behind him.

Ashton checked his watch before saying to Samuel, "Tell everyone that I will call a meeting in 5 minutes' time. Who can't should see me and we can discuss how much I am to deduct from their monthly salary and they can take it as me being kind."

Samuel nodded. "As you say sir,"

The door of the elevator opened and they both stepped out.

"Good morning sir,"

"Good-"

Most of the voices seemed very distant to him because he ignored them all. Each one of them would have passed out from cold feet at his intimidating look.

A brunette found it rather unchallenging to type on her Twitter page that the famous Ashton Ryder is now the owner of E.U

Now that sounds more terrifying than it formally was.

Oh shit! Hell's gonna break loose then.

---

Samson Maxfield combed his hair in frustration after moments of thought. He didn't know what he had done to deserve such cruelty. First, he had to file up hard feelings against such a damsel for ruining him.

He finally looked away from the picture that he had placed on the table, then stood and placed both hands on the table, still in thought.

Whatever it was that happened that night, the fact was, Freya was gone from his life and he could finally concentrate, right?

His fist tightened in anger and he slammed his palm on the table, making a picture frame crash into the floor and its glass shatter into pieces. When he turned to stare at what crashed into the floor, he found the picture of his ex-girlfriend smiling back at him.

---

"...the atmosphere should be preferably calm and not rowdy." Samuel read out.

Ashton tapped impatiently on his chair besides his crossed legs. His jelled hair gave him more privilege in beauty than every other male seated in the gathering.

He wet his lips unconsciously, earning looks from almost everyone, mostly the females. Annabelle, a brunette, gulped and looked away immediately when he caught her staring at him. She tapped her chest slightly on feeling her unsteady heart beat, urging herself to calm down.

"And lastly, whoever has a minute to work can have a personal talk with Mr. Ashton Ryder about why you shouldn't work a extra week from your Christmas holiday."

Holidays are to be spent with families, with loved ones. Honestly, he couldn't be that wicked to take that away from them, could he?

Samuel closed the book in conclusion and that was when Ashton stood to address this crowd.

"Well, I have only but a few words to say and yes, I hate tardiness." The silence that reigned was much more uncomfortable.

"If you don't think you should be here 30 minutes before your usual work time, then you can submit your resignation letter to me and I will gladly accept it. Anyone here against that opinion?" He asked and no one dared to speak.

"Well then, welcome to a new dawn." He finished.

___