Page 73 of Eternal

“Freya, good morning. I’m calling you to schedule a meeting with you and your sister sometime this week.”

“Why do I need to schedule a meeting?” I ask, sitting up in bed.

Soren rubs his eyes and looks at his phone as well.

“Because it’s important that I speak to both of you. We have things we need to discuss.”

He’s being so fucking vague.

“Okay, well whenever just text me the location and time,” I snip at him before ending the phone call.

Soren’s already out of bed when I flop back down into the pillows.

Soren emerges from the bathroom dressed in black sweatpants. “What did he want?”

“He wants to have a meeting with Serena to ‘go over things’.” I gesture with air quotes.

“That’s not weirdly suspicious at all,” Soren remarks. “Want some coffee?”

A week later, Soren and I are arriving at my father’s skyscraper for my mysterious meeting. Days had gone by since the phone call and my father had continued to be extremely vague. My nerves heightened as we pulled up outside, not wanting anything to do with this meeting. I take a deep, steadying breath, as we get to the door.

Soren reaches his arm around me to open it for me, letting me go in first. My father’s personal secretary is waiting near the front door, as we step into the building. She’s dressed in a pristinely pressed dress, and her blonde bob is cut to her jawline in sharp edges. A soft, emotionless smile is plastered on her face as she takes in our appearances.

“Mr. and Mrs. Astor, it’s a pleasure for you to be joining us. If you would, please leave all personal belongings with Mr. Astor. The meeting will begin shortly.”

I turn back to Soren, leaning into him as the coil in my stomach tightens. Soren presses a kiss to my hairline as I prepare for my meeting with Serena and my father.

“It’ll be fine, Freya. You have your sister with you, and it’s the two of you against him. You know your sister will have your back at all times.” Soren strokes my hair as he attempts to sedate my nerves.

“It’s not that, Soren. It’s a lot of other things,” I mumble, not able to make eye contact with him.

Serena and Abe pass through the front doors and scowl at every employee around them. She’s always doing her best to put her best foot forward. But her eyes soften when she makes eye contact with me. My father’s secretary attempts to greet them, but she’s shut down when Abe tosses her a challenging glare.

“Are you ready to go in?” Serena asks while shuffling on her feet and fidgeting with her leather-bound notebook.

I take a deep breath. “Yeah, let’s get this shit over with.”

Soren lets go of me, whispering, “Go raise hell.”

I smirk and turn to walk side by side with Serena. She holds her head up high like she’s not terrified to go into this meeting. I try to follow suit, but it doesn’t come across as powerful as Serena’s.

My father and Larry Morris stand outside of the conference room doors, waiting expectantly for us to arrive.

My father glances at his watch, “You’re late.”

“Only by 15 seconds. You’ll survive.” Serena defends us both.

She’s always been able to say shit like that and get away with it.

Me?Ha! I’d be a dead woman if I said that to him.

We all file into the conference room and take our seats. Serena and I were on one side with the other two on the opposite side. My father pushes a button, and the see-through glass walls become frosted.

I marvel at it for a moment, before my father’s voice snaps my attention back to the meeting.

“Now, I’m sure you’re wondering what was so urgent for you to join me today. I wanted to discuss what I want to do with the business in the event of my untimely death.”

Serena’s mouth opens like an atomic bomb has been dropped on us. This was bound to be a conversation at some point. I have a husband now, so of course it would happen.

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