Astrid walked into her room and found her elder sister in bed with her fiancé. She was furious. "Astrid, I can explain," her sister said, but Astrid didn't want to hear it. She shut the door and stormed out.
She stood in the hallway for a while unable to move,she had been betrayed by her blood sister and her fiance,she decided that they weren't worth crying for. Rather she must have her revenge.
At the banquet, Astrid found her elder sister's fiancé, Mr. Thompson. "Mr. Thompson, there's something that's very urgent and it needs your attention " she said. "Follow me."
They slipped away from the party, and when they were alone, Astrid said, "It's in your room." Mr. Thompson swiped his card, and they entered the room. Astrid kissed him, but he pulled away, confused.
Mr. Thompson's expression changed.
"What's the meaning of this?" Mr Thompson asked in a stern tone.
"Mira cheated on you with my fiance George,so we need to get our revenge."
"What would I get if you get your revenge?" he asked. "I don't have anything against Mira, and I'm even happy she's doing it so I can break off the engagement. What do I get if you get your revenge?"
Astrid smiled. "You'll get paid," she said. "How much do you want?"
Mr. Thompson smiled back. "Let's talk about that later."
Few moments later
Mira walked into their room so she can have a shower and change into a different clothes, her eyes widening in shock as she found Astrid cuddling Mr. Thompson. She let out a loud scream, waking them up. Astrid smiled slyly when she saw Mira,she locked her eyes on hers and dropped a kiss on Mr. Thompson's bare chest, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"How dare you?" Mira spat, her face red with anger.
Astrid sat up, a triumphant smile still plastered on her face. "You started it first," she replied, her voice dripping with malice.
Mr. Thompson, tired of their bickering, interrupted with a dismissive tone. "Go home and argue, don't bother me." He stood up, his movements abrupt, and began to get dressed.
Mira's face twisted in anger, she turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Astrid and Mr. Thompson alone. Astrid lay back on the bed, a smug smile still on her face, as Mr. Thompson got up to get dressed.
"Are you satisfied with the outcome?" Mr. Thompson asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Astrid nodded, a triumphant smile spreading across her face. "I am."
Mr. Thompson's expression turned serious. "You owe me, Astrid. Five million."
Astrid's eyes widened in shock, her smile faltering. "WHAT??!! That's too much"
Mr. Thompson shrugged, his expression unyielding. "I'm not cheap. You should have known that before you dragged me here."
Astrid's face fell as she realized the gravity of her situation. "How do I pay you back?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mr. Thompson's face was straight, his eyes glinting with a hint of challenge. "Be my mistress."
Astrid stood firm, her voice steady. "No way. I'll find a way to pay you."
Mr. Thompson's expression remained unyielding. "I'm not waiting for long. If today runs out and you can't raise the money, then you're mine."
Astrid's eyes pleaded for mercy. "Give me a month. Just a little more time."
But Mr. Thompson was firm. "We've agreed on today." He picked up his coat, his movements deliberate, and left Astrid standing alone.
Astrid returned home, her heart heavy with worry. As she entered the sitting room, she was met with her father's angry glare.
"Do you want to disgrace me?" he thundered. "You're shameless!"
Astrid stood her ground, her voice steady. "Shameless? You should be saying that to Mira. She slept with George."
"WHAT?!" Mira asked feigning innocence.
Her father's face turned red with anger. "Shut up, both of you. Pray that your engagements go well."
Astrid's voice was firm. "I want to cancel my engagement. I'm not getting engaged to George anymore."
Her father's eyes widened in shock. "What?"
Astrid's father, Mr. Walton, glared at her, his eyes blazing with anger. "Are you interested in Mr. Thompson? He's older than you and way out of your league."
Astrid shook her head, her expression calm and collected. "I'm not interested in him."
Her sister, Mira, raised an eyebrow, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Then why did you sleep with him?"
Astrid's expression remained serene, but a hint of defiance crept into her voice. "I'm not interested in him."
Mr. Walton's face turned red with rage as he slammed his fist on the table. "Both of you should stop this! Astrid, I'm talking to you."
Astrid stood up, her movements deliberate and slow, her eyes flashing with anger. "I'm going back to my room."
But Mr. Walton wasn't done. His voice was firm, his eyes stern. "I'm not done talking to you, Astrid. Apologize to your sister."
Astrid's eyes widened in outrage, her face pale with anger. "What? No, I won't apologize. Mira owes me an apology for sleeping with George constantly behind my back."
Mira's face twisted with anger, her eyes blazing with fury. "If your scandal gets out, don't you know it's a disgrace to our family for you to sleep with a man who's ten years older than you?"
Astrid retorted, her voice laced with venom, "Don't you think it's also a disgrace to sleep with someone who's three years younger than you?"
Their father's face turned beet red with rage as he shouted, "Shut up!! Both of you are shameless!" He was fuming with anger, his eyes bulging with fury.
"Astrid Walton, apologize to your sister this minute!" he demanded, his voice dripping with malice.
Astrid's eyes flashed with defiance as she refused, "I won't."
Mr. Walton's face twisted with anger as he walked over to her and slapped her. Mira made a mocking face, a sly smile spreading across her lips.
Astrid's eyes welled up with tears as she turned to leave, but Mr. Walton stopped her. "If you step out of this house, then know that you have no share in the company, your position would be revoked, and I'll freeze your credit card."
Astrid's face was a mask of calm determination as she replied, "Do as you please," and walked away, leaving Mr. Walton's face twisted with anger.
Astrid walked into her room, tears streaming down her face. She hated her life. Why did Mira have everything she wanted, while she had nothing? No love, no care from anyone.
She looked at her mother's pictures on the table, picked one up, and wished she was alive. She wouldn't have to endure any of this. Astrid's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at her mother's smiling face.
Astrid didn't know where to go, but she was sure of one thing - she was leaving the house. She was tired of everything.
Astrid packed her valuables into a suitcase, her hands shaking with anxiety. She took a deep breath before leaving, steeling herself for the unknown.
As she opened her door, she saw Mira standing there, her arms folded across her chest. "This is what you get for trying to steal Andrew," Mira said, her voice dripping with malice. She flicked her hair and swayed her hips down the stairs, leaving Astrid feeling defeated.
Astrid's mind was racing as she thought about her huge debt, which she had to pay before the day ran out. She bit her lips, knowing she wouldn't be able to raise such an amount in a day. Her credit card had been seized, and she couldn't pay in installments.
As she went downstairs, she saw her father sitting in the sitting room, but he didn't even spare her a glance. Astrid felt a pang of sadness and hurt, but she knew she had to keep moving forward.
Astrid took her luggage and went inside the car. She decided to drive far away from there, as far as she could. She wanted to leave everything behind - start a new life, get a job, work hard to make a living, and live a good life somewhere else. Astrid started driving when suddenly she was cornered by four black cars. She wondered what was happening, what she had done, who she had offended, but she couldn't think of anyone. Suddenly, a man in a black suit opened the door and took her out of the car and put her in his car. Astrid's voice was nowhere to be heard; she couldn't even scream. She just stayed still.Unknown to her, Andrew had sent someone to keep an eye on her from the minute she left the hotel and report everything that happened to him. The man in black suits drove forward; it felt like eternity. Astrid was woken up by a light tap on her shoulder. When she got down, she was shocked by their destination. The destination she expected was a warehouse where she'd be beat
"Is this really necessary?" Astrid asked."Yes, it is. You are his jewels and..." Claudia started to say."I will need to correct that part. I am not his. I belong to no one but myself. Understand?" Astrid interrupted."Yes, miss. I'm sorry," Claudia apologized."Better. Are you hungry?" Claudia asked."I'll eat later. I want to shower," Astrid replied. "Let me go and get the water ready myself."" I can do it myself.""Mister Thompson won't forgive me if I let you do anything," Claudia said. "That is your business with him. I want to bathe, and I can prepare the water for myself."Claudia stepped in, blocking the road to the stair, and bowing her head politely. "Miss, I can't let you do it."Suddenly, the door opened, and Andrew stepped in. "It's good that you have met Claudia, and you are already getting along," Andrew said. Astrid's face became fierce, and she refused to say anything."Claudia, how is she treating you, Mister Thompson?" Andrew asked."She wouldn't let me prepare t
"There is no use crying over spilled milk," she consoled herself as she went to take her bath."What is going on here?" she asked Claudia, shocked."Since Mister Thompson is going to spend the night here, then I rearranged the room, and I was instructed that you are meant to take a beauty bath every evening before you go to bed," Claudia said with a smile."You are disturbing and stressing yourself for no reason. He has gone back to where he came from," Claudia gasped. "Did you make Mister Thompson angry? You have to appease him when he comes next, or else you will be dead," Claudia said, scared.Astrid was shocked about how scared Claudia was and how Claudia feared the cycle so much. "Why are you afraid?" Astrid asked.Claudia replied, "Nothing, miss.""Not wanting to leak out information for the sake of her life," Astrid thought."Talk to me and drop this formal behavior," Astrid said."I was instructed to say nothing regarding my past," Claudia said.Astrid sighed because of that,
"I apologized already ,but there was nothing for me to post about for almost two months. There was nothing good happening in my life. I started losing followers, and it was really bad. Plus, that post made me gain the attention of the Brooks family. They love me now " "They don't love you; they're using you to get juicy gossip because that's what you're good at," Astrid said, offending Ashley with the last part"Excuse me?" Ashley said, feeling annoyed with the last sentence. I'm sorry, please just drive," Astrid apologized, even though she knew she had told the truth. She didn't want to be kicked out of the car because she was stranded."Fine, where am I going to go? Corporate society? Why do you want to go there?" Ashley asked."I'm going for an interview," Astrid replied."What?" Ashley exclaimed with a smile. "Astrid wished she hadn't told her that. It explains why you're dressed like this. The young daughter of the Waltons needs a job," Ashley said with mocking laughter."Wait,
When they got back, Claudia had already prepared lunch so Astrid showered and ate to her satisfaction while Andrew simply watched her. He waited until she was done before he spoke"You have three hours to rest,I have an event by seven so you'd better be up before then." Andrew informed her"How does it relate to me? I'm not your fiancé" Astrid said."You'd be my arm candy for the night ""What would people say,when I'm by your side instead of Mira" Astrid asked "That's not your problem is it?" Andrew asked "No but I can't make a public appearance when you have Mira ""I'm going to cancel my engagement with Mira"Andrew replied "She'd be really angry."Astrid said with a smile and Andrew shot her a glare"I mean she really wants to be Mrs Thompson and join the Elites club" Astrid replied "Someone would be here in three hours time to get you dressed. "He said as he stood up and was about to leave "Where am I going to? " Astrid asked "Is there a problem? "Andrew retorted"Don't I hav
At Mrs. Mills' birthday party, they arrived and their entrance made heads turn and mouths whisper, but the person who was mostly whispered about was Astrid. "Isn't that Mrs. Astrid of the Waltons?" someone asked. "Wow, she's so pretty. ""Yeah, but why is she with Mr. Thompson?" That was the question that left people wondering. Reporters rushed to them to interview, but they were pushed away by the guards. "So who is she? Where is Mira? What happened to your engagement? Why is she with you?" The reporters fired the questions.Astrid understood the fact that the reporters didn't know her; she wasn't popular anyway. She was always left to be at home while Mira attended the occasions. She looked at Andrew; he was so confident. His eyes were cold. There was no smile on his face. "Would you like to drink?" he asked in a cold voice when he noticed that Astrid was looking at him. "Yes, please," she said with a smile and watched Andrew grab a drink, but was stopped by someone suddenly.A
"Astrid woke up due to the piercing rays of the sun. She lay there for a while, trying to get her emotions intact. Andrew wasn't beside her. The room had been cleaned. She sat up, and her eyes went to the lamp stand. She saw a glass of water and contraceptive pills. She quickly took them to avoid any string that would draw her to Andrew Thompson.She went to the dining. The maids were ogling about something. 'What is so juicy?' Astrid asked. 'It's nothing, ma'am' They all chorused. Astrid knew that they were talking about her. They were talking about last night because she spotted Claudia eavesdropping last night.'Good morning, Miss' Claudia greeted. 'Morning' Astrid answered. 'Did you see the tablet I placed by...''I've taken them already,' Astrid cut her short. 'What time did Mr Thompson leave?' she asked.''He left last night, ma'am,' she replied courteously."Meanwhile, at the Walton's home, when Mira got home, she cried throughout the night, and her father kept consoling
When Andrew left Astrid, he was informed that his mother was around, which made him annoyed because he knew that Mira had told her everything and he doesn't have a good relationship with his mother so he avoids her every chance he gets.He sighed when e received the news and went to his office before deciding to return home. "Welcome," he said coldly, knowing what was next."You are back, go and shower, let's have a meal," Mrs Elena Thompson said. When Andrew went to the bathroom, he dialed John's number. "Hello,""Yes sir," John replied. "I want you to transfer Astrid and all of her belongings to a hotel. I don't want any traces of her belongings there, and you will tell Claudia to clean the whole house, pack her things, and go back to base. Is that understood?" "Yes, sir," John said, and Andrew ended the call, had his shower, and went down for breakfast.At dinner, Mrs Elena asked, "What's your relationship with Mira's younger sister?" "There is nothing going on between us," And
"You are only permitted to assist your husband at work," Mrs Thompson said, her voice firm but controlled. "I didn't work; I only assisted my husband with work. When he died, I took over the family business and trained Andrew."Astrid's eyes narrowed. "Well, I'm not married yet, so I'm free to work."Mrs Thompson's expression turned stern, her eyes flashing with disapproval. "You're not going to any place called work. You're getting married next week, yet you don't know the basics."A pause hung in the air, heavy with tension."Do you plan to disgrace us on that day?" Mrs Thompson continued, her voice dripping with disdain. "That day is a big day for the Thompsons and the Waltons."Ashley felt a surge of defiance. "I know how to behave," she said, her voice steady.Mrs Thompson's gaze lingered on Astrid, as if searching for weakness. "I've assigned someone to teach you how to behave."The air seemed to thicken, the silence oppressive."I know how to walk properly in heels or my weddin
Mira's mind was racing. The thought of losing everything she'd ever dreamed of, becoming a laughingstock, and facing public ridicule was driving her to the brink of madness. "What did I do wrong?" she asked herself, frustration etched on her face.She couldn't bear to go online, where posts mocked her and her followers ridiculed her. Even her friends had turned against her. The engagement to Andrew, once the epitome of her success, was now crumbling. The embarrassing online tantrums, the tagged pictures – all for nothing.A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she thought about the cruel irony. Her sister, Astrid, was marrying Andrew next week, while Mira's own engagement was being called off this week.Desperate for answers, Mira dialed George's number. But he ended the call abruptly. She tried again, only to be met with the same dismissive response."What's going on?" Mira wondered, annoyance growing within her. George had always prioritized her calls and texts, responding promptly. Thi
She knocked on Mira's room.And Mira opened it.Mrs Thompson was shocked that Mira was already dressed for work.She was also happy to see Mira's devotion to her father's company, just like Andrew.A sense of pride swelled within her.She was sure Mira would make a good CEO."I want to talk to you briefly," Mrs Thompson said calmly.Her voice was measured."Oh, good morning, ma'am. Please come in and have a seat."The words hung in the air.When Mrs Thompson was seated, she invited Mira to sit beside her.Mira sat down.Her eyes locked onto Mrs Thompson's.Sensing what Mrs Thompson was about to say.Mrs Thompson's calm demeanor was unlike her usual self."I want to talk to you about something," Mrs Thompson began.Her words trailed off."I just hope you'll take it calmly, okay?"The silence stretched out."I'm listening," Mira replied.Her voice was steady.Mrs Thompson picked up Mira's hand and held it in hers."Look, I know this isn't what you wanted to hear," she said gently.Her e
Mira was happy regarding the news of George's wedding to Astrid. She knew within herself that she would finally get Andrew, and nothing would be in her way. Suddenly, she remembered the pregnancy - Astrid was still pregnant. How could she forget something so crucial, something so important like that? She really needed to find a way to cleanse Astrid of such impurities, she thought.She drove home feeling happy - although she had urgent work to continue. That didn't stop her, because she would be so powerful soon, and no one would dare mess with her. As expected, she was thoroughly searched before she was. She stepped out of the car and handed the keys to the doorman, instructing him to park it for her. As she gathered her belongings, her mind wandered to the events that had transpired earlier. The news of George's wedding to Astrid still lingered, fueling her determination.After being thoroughly searched, she entered the building, her heels clicking against the marble floor. The w
George barged in without knocking shocking Andrew and Astrid,he walked in and held Astrid's hand attempting to drag her away from Andrews' grip but Andrew's grip was stronger. George continued dragging not minding if it was hurting her or not, his goal was to take Astrid back to The Smiths mansion "Let her go" George said when he discovered that he wasn't winning at all Astrid gripped unto Andrews' neck for support as she was being pulled by George. Andrew stood up releasing Astrid because he understood it was hurtful."Why are you here" Andrew asked "I'm here to take what belongs to me""There's no ring on a finger that says she is yours and there's no tag on her which says she belongs to you."Andrew!!" Astrid screamed in tears as George squeezed her hand too tight."Let her go!" Andrew replied." This is none of your business. I'm tired of letting you use who belongs to me and you wants to get married to her while I wasn't even a single chance to do anything,do you know how that
(An hour later)Astrid woke up, feeling a huge load on her chest. She opened her eyes and saw that it was Andrew; he fell asleep on her.She smiled, gently patting his hair, reminiscing about what had happened earlier.Suddenly, it hit her: today was Friday; she had to be at work.Andrew wouldn't be bothered, though - he was the CEO; no one would question why he wasn't in the office.She stretched her hand and picked up her phone, which was on the bedside lamp.Fifty-three missed calls from Mrs Karen and other workers flashed on the screen; they also sent text messages.Astrid's stomach knotted with anxiety.Astrid stopped patting Andrew's head and reached for her phone to read the messages. But Andrew was quicker; he took the phone from her hand."What's that?" Astrid pleaded. "Please get off. I need to rush to work.""You will go tomorrow," Andrew replied, his voice calm and soothing. "Take the day off.""Please, you're different," Astrid said, frustration creeping into her voice. "
"And we also found this." The security personnel said as he brought out the stacks of cash given to the photographer by Mira.Andrew's smile vanished, replaced by a stern expression. The security personnel handed him the money found in the photographer's bag."Give the camera to the security personnel," Andrew ordered, his voice firm. "Wipe out everything in it and return it to him."Andrew understood the photographer's desire to make his family proud. But using illegal means was unacceptable.He walked to Mira's room, allocated by his mother. He knocked.Mira groaned from inside, hastily hiding the pictures under her pillow. She opened the door, attempting a smile."Good morning," she greeted.Andrew's expression remained stern."If you want to engage in illicit activities, don't do it here," he said. "This house belongs to my late grandfather. Show some respect. Take all your dirty affairs to your house or you get a hotel."Mira's eyes widened."I didn't do anything nasty," she prot
The photographer approached the gate, his footsteps echoing through the morning air. As he caught sight of the men in black, his heart skipped a beat. Their imposing figures seemed to loom over him.At first, he was scared. But Mira's assurance that everything was okay echoed in his mind, calming his nerves."Good morning," he greeted, trying to sound casual as he touched the gate, thinking he'd be able to open it.But instead of a friendly response, he felt a sudden jolt of electricity from the gates."What does this mean?" he asked, confusion etched on his face.One of the security personnel stepped forward, his voice firm."Where were you last night?" he asked.The photographer hesitated."Where exactly am I coming from? What sort of question is that?" he replied, trying to sound confident.The security personnel raised an eyebrow."Let me out!" the photographer demanded, touching the gate again without thinking.He yelped in pain as the electricity coursed through his body.The se
"I like you" Kimberly replied making Andrew a bit shocked,he pushed her slightly creating a gap between them,he didn't expect his secretary to like him"Why did you do that?" Andrew asked calmly."Do you like me or not?" Kimberly asked with red teary eyes because she already knew the answer,he didn't kiss her back which meant he didn't like her"I do not." Andrew's expression turned gentle, but firm."Kimberly, I appreciate your honesty, but I'm committed to Astrid."Kimberly's eyes welled up with tears."I understand," Kimberly replied feeling heartbroken Andrew continued, his voice soft. "You're an exceptional assistant, and I value our professional relationship. Let's keep our focus on work, shall we?"Kimberly nodded, her face flushed with embarrassment."I'm sorry, Mr Thompson," she whispered.Andrew smiled kindly."No need to apologize, Kimberly. Let's just forget this happened, okay?" Andrew replied as he dialed John to bring a car and drop her home because she can't find her