When you inherit a company, you have to assume that there will be someone in your way. In Freya's case, it was her uncle. Not her father's brother like one would imagine, her step mother's brother.
"She is a child." Said Halbert Dalton.
"And this company is my birth right." She Said. "You know that I have been preparing for this my entire life while you only decided to swoop in now." She spoke emotionlessly, knowing the slightest tremble in her voice would lead to her being called hysterical, or probably on her period.
"You need to understand that I am the adult. I am the man of the family, and you will do as I say." He Said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"And you need to understand that I am eighteen and perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I have graduated early from a prestigious school and have read more books than can be counted on how to run a business."
"No, Freya. I need this company, to live." He pleaded with her. "Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement, I know how emotional women can be."
She refused to rise at bait.
"I refuse to give you my family's empire before you have earned the right to take it from me." She kept her tone the same although she was seething on the inside.
"Fine, councilman." Said her uncle nodding to the councilman on the other end of the table. He left the room.
"Frank, you think I'm ready right?" She Asked, looking up at her father's most trusted advisor.
"Yes, Freya. Your father left everything to you. And I know how you plan on expanding the business, and I think it's a marvellous idea."
"Thank you, Frank. And I trust that you aren't saying this just because you think I may replace you with Candace." She Said.
"Well Ms. Cane would be an excellent candidate. I would be a fool not to feel threatened." He chuckled.
"Don't worry, she has her own office, we've been planning this since we were twelve." She Said.
"I know you have." Said Frank. "And I am sorry about Andrew what he did to you was unforgivable." He placed a hand on her shoulder. She sighed.
"Do me a favour?" She Asked.
"What is it?"
"If ever I bring Tom around here do not mention anything about Andrew." She Said.
"You have my word. So am I finally going to meet this boy you speak so highly of?" He asked.
"Yes, he is brilliant. If my venture is a success I might hire him in a department." She Said.
"That serious? Tell me, do I get to give you away at the wedding?"
She laughed but nodded. Frank was her main father figure growing up. She spent spent time with him because he was the only one who spoke to her like a grown up. Then again when he was the only one who stood up for her when she told her father about what Andrew had done to her when she was fifteen. He was the reason that Andrew was in Azkaban instead of executed by MACUSA.
She smiled.
"I have plans to make, my first order of business is equal pay." She Said as she left Frank's office.
She entered her father's old office and began the paperwork. They had enough revenue to raise salaries without cutting them. She used a muggle pen because of her hatred of quills. When she went to Beauxbatons and they forced her to use a quill she looked at her teacher as if she was insane. Why not use pens? Of course she understood that while muggles adapted with the industrial revolution, wizards never had to. It was still dumbfounding that the community refused to accept muggle technologies.
She had been writing for an hour, her foot tapping the chair, as she worked.
When Candace waltzed into her office. There really was no other word for how Candace walked in.
"Francis Taschereau? I thought you were dead, and well, male." She Said in reference to the name plate on the desk.
She rolled her eyes, and rose from her desk.
"You know it's Francois, and what are you doing here?" She Asked.
"Well, since your beloved boyfriend cannot be here I have come to show you this." Said Candace.
Candace retrieves a piece of laminated paper that read
Graduate of Beauxbatons institute of magic.
"You didn't have to do this." She Said. "And That is such a nice lamination job, where'd you get this done?"
"I wanted to. We started together so we should end this together at the same approximate time." Said Candace, "Oh, and here is the laminating place's card. I knew you'd ask."
"Thanks." Said Freya.
"So, where is my office?" Asked Candace.
"Office, you have your own building." Said Freya.
"What?" Said Candace astounded.
"Of course it's close to this one, but it is dedicated to you and the new entertainment branch of the company."
"I can't wait, take me there now." Said Candace, grabbing her friends hand.
Freya led them almost running to the building, through the small tunnel between buildings.
They reached the immaculate building.
"I can't believe this." Said Candace.
"Only the best for my sister." Said Freya.
"I also got you this." Said Candace, handing her a key.
"Candace, you won't be a bachelorette for long I doubt you'll need a bachelorette pad." Said Freya, failing to conceal her smile.
"No, it's for us. I know you don't want to be in that house yet, and I don't want you to be alone." Said Candace.
"I still need to finish the paperwork for equal pay." She said.
"No, we need to finish it." Said Candace.
"Fine, but tell no one." She said.
"How is Frank?" Asked Candace.
"Good, he wants to walk me down the isle at mine and Tom's wedding. Before there even is a wedding." Said Freya, laughing slightly.
Candace made a mock offended face, "I thought I would walk you down the isle at your wedding."
Freya rolled her eyes as they began mindless chatter, I was overpowering the grief that Freya still had yet to face.
~•~
Tom places the picture he had received from Freya of her standing next to her office door with her name on it, into a small ornate box that contained everything she had ever sent or given him. She looked happy. Too happy, Tom thought she should only be that happy if she were with him. He left for the library. He returned to his studies on the dark magic. The only reason he didn't graduate early was because he still wanted access to the Hogwarts library, no other reason. He was mid way through a paragraph on magical barriers and how to break them when someone interrupted him.
"Hi, Tom."
His attention immediately went to the girl who had so rudely interrupted him. He put on his most charming fake smile, recognizing the girl as the Ravenclaw prefect.
"How can I help you?" He asked.
"Well, I was just wondering if maybe you would, um, well my friend Kitty was thinking that maybe you would like to go to hogsmeade with her." Said The girl.
"No, I have a significant other." He said.
"I know, but how much better could she possibly be than Kitty?" She Asked, "all I'm saying is that you should know all your options. Who is this girl anyways?" The Ravenclaw crosses her arms over her chest.
"Freya Taschereau." Said Tom, returning to his work.
The girl's expression immediately changed. "Are you serious? She's like my hero. Could I meet her?"
Tom was genuinely flabbergasted by the girl. First she hated his girlfriend then loved her?
"No." Was all he said.
He felt oddly threatened by the girl as she seemed like a little more than a fan of Freya's.
He watched as the girl walked excitedly to her friend and seemed to tell her who exactly was Tom Riddles celebrity girlfriend.
Tom frowned, would this be his life? No, it wouldn't because he would become something greater than the Taschereau dynasty.
He felt threatened once more but it was his pride. She should be the one shooting people who want to hear about him away, not the other way around.
~•~
Candace danced in the living room of the lavish apartment.
"This is not how you're going to dance at the gala this evening, is it?" Asked Freya.
"Why shouldn't it be? As the British say, give those toddlers something to talk about."
"It's tossers."
Freya laughed and continued with her work on the final setting for the official reopening of the Taschereau company. She would have photos of her late family members to commemorate them.
"Is Tom coming?" Asked Candace.
"I don't know, but he doesn't usually respond to these invites until I literally see him there." She Said, closing the plans.
"That sucks." Said Candace. "Olly always responds to my letters right away." She said proudly
"I don't know. Olly isn't exactly the poster child for the perfect spouse." Said Freya.
"Coming from the girl who has a boyfriend who is emotionally unavailable and only know the emotions, jealousy and lust." Said Candace playfully.
"Ya." Said Freya, but it really did strike a nerve.
"Let's get ready."
"Way ahead of you." Said Candace, who was already pulling out a rack of her best dresses.
They sifted through old family heirlooms that they never had the heart to throw away, they were all jewelry. Freya found fans and diamonds.
As somewhat shallow albeit mature teenage girls, this went on for a good few hours before they each settled on a dress.
Everything was set for the gala, and guests would soon be arriving at the Taschereau ballroom. As the caterers came in, Freya mentally checked off each item on the list in her head. As it got to be a little later and guests started arriving, there was only one thought on Freya's mind.
Where the fuck is Tom Riddle?