Chapter 296 How Could They Be So Alike?
Freya smiled, sensing Fitch’s change in attitude, the way his eyes lingered on her a little longer than before. She could tell he was intrigued, and she was quick to capitalize on that.
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of making you feel like you owe me, Mr. Bloor,” Freya said in a soft, flirtatious tone. “But I would love to spend some time with you over dinner. It would be nice to chat more about business—and anything else.” She emphasized the last part, making sure Fitch knew she had more than just business on her mind.
Fitch’s smile widened, and his gaze softened. He clearly found Freya’s presence captivating, her beauty and charm now impossible to ignore. Still, a part of him was curious about Athena. There was something enigmatic about her—something about the way she carried herself that was utterly different from Freya. Athena had a calm sophistication that Freya, despite her obvious allure, didn’t seem to have. But right now, that didn’t seem to matter. Freya was here, offering him a chance to get closer to her, and he wasn’t going to waste it.
“Alright, Freya. You’ve convinced me. How about we go to that new place in the city? I hear it’s fantastic,” Fitch said, already imagining the evening ahead.
Freya smiled sweetly, her eyes gleaming with both excitement and determination. She had to keep Fitch interested, and she had to be careful with every word she said. Athena’s sudden presence in the business world, her mysterious background, and her uncanny resemblance to Chelsea Stella, all of that was unsettling to Freya. She needed to know more, to get closer to Fitch and to figure out Athena’s true identity before things got out of hand.
“I’d love that,” Freya replied, slipping into the backseat of Fitch’s car with a calm elegance. “Let’s go.”
Meanwhile, Athena sat in the back of her own car, her thoughts far from the golf game or her meeting with Fitch. Freya’s strange behavior had not escaped her notice. The moment she’d introduced herself to Freya, Athena could see the discomfort, the subtle surprise that flashed in Freya’s eyes. And then there was the way she quickly tried to recover, covering up her apparent shock. Athena couldn’t shake the feeling that Freya knew something she shouldn’t.
Could Freya have recognized her as Chelsea? It was possible. The resemblance between her and Chelsea was striking, and Athena knew better than anyone the complications that could arise from that.
But she wasn’t worried. Athena had dealt with far worse. She had carefully crafted a life for herself, hidden behind the layers of her professional image. No one knew the real her. No one except for those she allowed to, and even they only saw what she wanted them to see. Freya’s suspicions were not something Athena was going to let interfere with her plans.
In fact, Athena almost welcomed the challenge. It would be interesting to see how Freya played this game. But for now, she needed to focus on the bigger picture—the business at hand, and the future she was building for her children.
She glanced at the time and reached for her phone to check her messages. There was a message from her assistant, reminding her of the upcoming meetings and a few potential clients she needed to meet. Her schedule was packed, but she was accustomed to it. She thrived on the pressure.
Athena’s gaze drifted to the window as the car pulled into her driveway. For now, she had to keep her cool. Freya might be a threat, but Athena wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. She had bigger things to worry about—things that had nothing to do with Freya Bates or the questions surrounding her identity.
Still, she couldn’t shake the nagging thought: What if Freya had already started digging? What if she knew more than Athena wanted her to?
Athena pushed the thought aside. It wasn’t the first time someone had tried to uncover her secrets, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
As she stepped out of the car, she reminded herself: Keep your enemies close and your allies closer. Freya’s next move would be crucial, and Athena was ready for whatever came her way.