Chapter 5 If only,

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Freya dialed a number and placed the phone to her ears. Her fingers, tapping nervously against her purse. He knew better than to keep her waiting.

It was unconscious that her eyes found another who has been trying to get to get her attention recently. He waved again before signaling for her to come outside.

"About time," she muttered. She was tired of sitting there waiting.

She stood 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 been seen. She found him leaning by the wall of the building close by.

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

---

"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 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 at the hospital. He couldn't just dig the reason up without his boss's permission. He didn't know how Ashton will react to that. He contemplated telling him for a while, feeling that Ashton preferred not to hear anything about Thea again. But it was better he told and left the decision to Ashton.

"Well, I saw-"

"Mr. Ryder?" Both their attention were drawn to the figure approaching them. Ashton shook the hands of Jace Lockhart, a long term business partner.

"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 come along?"

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

"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 turn 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 dropped 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 and Thea halted 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 besides Freya 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 is 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 midways 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 recent 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 call a meeting in 5 minutes time. Who couldn't make should see me and we can discuss how much am I to deduct from their monthly salary and they can take it as me being kind."

Samuel nodded. "As you say sir,"

The door the 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 enterprises.

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 thoughts. 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 in the table, still in thoughts.

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

His fist tightened at his thoughts and he stomped it on the table loudly making a picture frame crash into the floor and it's glass shattering 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 giving him more privilege in beauty than every other male seated there in the gathering.

The lips he constantly wets, was something else. Annabelle, a brunette, gulped on staring at him and sighed involuntarily. She tapped her chest slightly on feeling her unsteady heart beat, urging herself to calm down.

"And lastly, who ever is a minute to work can have a personal talk with Ashton Ryder on why you shouldn't work a extra weeks 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 from his comfort zone 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.

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