Chapter 40: Shifting Power

Alex's POV

11:59 PM

Where the hell was Freya?

I turned my eyes away from the grandfather clock and returned it to the fireplace as I watched the woods crack under the heat of the roaring flames. My throat burned as I swallowed the last gulp of the whiskey in my glass.

She was never this late.

My gaze traveled back to the clock just as the minute hand struck three.

12:03 PM. My phone still had not rung.

The soft thrum of the city filled the silence of my office, dampened by the thick glass windows that gazed out across the skyline. Smoke danced from the cigarette between my fingers, into ghostly forms before dissolving into the gently lit room. The leather chair I sat on groaned as I rocked back, letting out a slow breath, my mind wandering.

Sarah... the babies... I still could not take them out if my thoughts no matter how hard I tried. The image from the hospital-Sarah covered in beads of sweats, her teeth clenched in pain-even though I tried to block it out, kept returning to my thoughts.

I sighed, taking a long drag from the cigarette in my hands before leaning back into my seat.

That was when she walked in.

Freya.

The sharp, staccato click of her heels on the marble floor shattered the quiet that had enveloped the room, each step that she took measured, packed with the kind of confidence that made others nervous. She moved as if though owned the place, and maybe, in some twisted way, she believed she did.

"Turn on the news," she told me, her tone light, almost teasing, as she closed the door shut behind her.

I released another plume of smoke, not even looking at her. "I'm busy, Freya," I muttered under my breath as I closed my eyes. 

She laughed gently. "Busy brooding?"

My jaws clenched. "Please go watch your soap movies elsewhere."

"Just turn it on, Alex," she said with a scoff as she threw her jacket on my lap before walking to my side. "You're going to love this, I promise."

Her tone irritated me. I didn't like it when she talked like that—like she was playing some sort of game that everyone else wasn't in on. And the commanding demeanor that she wore.

I clamped my nails down on my leather seat.

I exhaled and stood up to grab the remote, hitting a button. The huge screen on the wall sprang to life.

And that's when I saw it.

The title, big and clear:

BREAKING NEWS: Rising fashion star Sarah Dawson rocked by secret pregnancy and reported affairs with powerful men, while billionaire Freya Sinclair signs exclusive deal with luxury brand Verón. Meanwhile, fallen ex-lawyer Spencer Hayes has his license restored with the unexpected backing of billionaire Alex Carter, leaving the legal world stunned.

I sat up straight, watching as the video behind the headlines played. The reporters were tearing into it, speculating theories, dissecting every detail.

Freya sighed in delight, moving closer, her image dancing on the TV screen's glass. "Beautiful, isn't it? A masterpiece of destruction."

I spun to face her, my jaw clenched. "You did this?"

She smiled. "Of course. Who else?"

I could feel my fingers shake around the cigarette before extinguishing it in the ashtray with a little too much force. "And you thought it was a good idea to do this without talking to me about it?"

Freya rolled her eyes and walked over to the bar, serving herself a drink. "Oh, come on, Alex. Don't act like this wasn't the perfect play." She swirled the amber liquid in her glass before drinking it slowly. "Sarah's already on edge and this takes it to the next level. She'll flail, make mistakes. She'll question everyone around her. And Spencer?" She laughed. "He's as good as useless to her now."

I stood, the chair scraping against the floor as I faced her once more. "That isn't the point, Freya. You don't take action without speaking to me first."

Her eyes sparkled with enjoyment as she leaned against the bar. "Oh, is that how this goes? You believe you're in control?"

I took a step closer, my voice dropping to a lethal level. "This isn't a game."

She narrowed her eyes in me, the smile on her face widening. "Oh, but it is, Alex. And I'm winning."

My fists tightened. "You put my name in the crosshairs. The firm, my reputation—everything I've worked for—now tainted by your mess."

Freya tutted, setting her glass down with an almost languid grace. "Your company?" Her head inclined to one side. "Allow me to ask you, Alex, who is it bankrolling half your projects? Who is it making sure that you have clout left after Sarah ruined you?" She took a step closer, her fragrance bitter and heady. "Me."

I clenched my teeth.

She stepped in closer, voice dripping with satisfaction. "You don't own me. I own you."

The words fell like ice into my veins.

She smiled, content with the silence that came after. "You needed me, remember? After Sarah exposed you. After she took everything. You came to me, Alex. And I've been cleaning up your mess ever since."

I hated that she was right.

But I also knew that I wasn't a pawn.

I wrapped my fingers around her wrist, pinching her arm hard enough to make the point. "This isn't over, Freya."

She didn't even flinch. She merely laughed low, her breath close enough against my skin that I felt it. "Oh, darling," she whispered, her smile sharp as a knife. "It never is."

And she pulled her wrist gently out of my hand, smoothing her dress.

"You'll find out soon enough," she said airily before turning on her heel and heading straight for the door.

She paused just inside the doorway, tossing me one last glance over her shoulder. "Get accustomed to it, Alex. I'm the boss now."