Chapter 8 We Drink Till We Die

Josh's heart skipped a beat when he saw the caller. He took a deep breath to sound normal.

"B-Boss," he said, trying to hide the panic in his tone.

"Josh, I hope all is well," Krax said, noticing the tense in Josh’s voice.

When Josh realized his boss could sense the uneasiness, he swallowed hard. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"N-nothing, B-Boss," he stammered. His legs grew weak as he failed to conceal it anymore.

"Josh, you better tell me what's going on before I find out myself," Krax said in a cold, threatening tone. His chilly voice sent shivers down Josh's spine, making his hands tremble.

"Uhm... the lady you asked me to look after... she escaped," Josh said, almost dropping the phone with his shaky hands.

Suddenly, the line went silent. Josh held his breath, not daring to wake the sleeping lion. After a couple of seconds, he wondered why it was quiet. He shifted the phone from his ear to check if his boss had hung up. The call was still connected.

"Boss..." Josh called out tentatively. The air around him felt thick and suffocating.

"You have an hour to bring her to the mansion, or start making a will for your family," Krax commanded and hung up.

Josh heard the beeping tone and rubbed his head in frustration. "Damn it, what a bad day."

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….At Krax's Company…

After Ryan hung up, his eyes flashed, his irises shrinking as his pupils expanded. "This woman is playing with fire," he muttered while gripping the pen as he stared at the door in front of him.

—---------

….Meanwhile, at Astrid's end…

After running out of the hospital, she quickly took a cab and went straight to Mia’s house. When she arrived, she knocked heavily on the door.

Mia had just finished taking her bath. She was about to take off her bathrobe when she heard someone knocking like a maniac.

"Who the heck is that?" she muttered, storming to the door with gritted teeth.

She opened the door, ready to scold the intruder, but froze when she saw Astrid standing on her porch with mischief in her eyes.

Mia stared at her from head to toe. Astrid didn’t look like the elegant young lady she knew. Her hair was rumpled, her clothes messy. She had no makeup on and even looked sick.

"Astrid Carson, do you want to break my door?" Mia asked, trying to keep her tone low despite her boiling rage.

Seeing the anger in her eyes, Astrid grabbed her hands and pouted. "Big sis, looking at how wealthy you are, this door is just a piece of cake for you."

Mia took a deep breath, trying to contain her frustration. "Sometimes, I really wonder how you became my friend," she said, shaking her head helplessly as she walked to her room.

Astrid didn’t let go of her hand and added with a tinge of sadness in her tone, "You have no idea what I’ve been through these past few days."

Mia stopped in her tracks, making Astrid let go of her hand. "I can see from your appearance. Come, sit down, my baby. Why do you look so pale?" She helped her sit and went to the fridge to bring a glass and a jug of water.

"I almost lost my life," Astrid said quietly.

"What the fuck! Who did it? Was it your stupid husband....?" Mia asked loudly while pouring water. After handing the glass to Astrid, she waited for an answer.

Astrid took a deep breath and began narrating everything to her.

"You mean your father didn’t support you, and your stupid husband forced you to abort the child? Why didn’t you tell me?" Mia’s eyes turned red as a mix of anger and sadness filled her tone. She clenched the glass tightly, her chest heaving.

Mia had been with Astrid since high school. They did everything together. But after Astrid got married, the Slade family restricted her from visiting. Mia had long held grudges against them and had always hoped to teach them a lesson. Now, they dared to bully her friend?

Hah! They would pay.

Mia furrowed her brows and sat beside Astrid. She placed her hand around Astrid’s shoulders and asked, "So how did you escape from the hospital?"

"I told the bodyguard I needed some fresh air. He followed me everywhere, which frustrated me. Luckily, an accident happened nearby and distracted everyone. I slipped away quietly when he wasn’t paying attention."

Mia nodded and smiled broadly. "You’re truly my friend. Girl, you’ve suffered. Let’s go grab a drink."

Hearing this, Astrid stood up happily, threw her hands in the air, and exclaimed, "Yeah, let’s go!"

—-----

The two ladies went to the "Don’t Mind Your Husband" club at 7:00 p.m. When they arrived, Mia ordered a Kissed drink, while Astrid ordered Smirnoff.

Astrid looked around the club. It was full of vibrant people. Some were young, while others were adults. The music had the perfect tempo for dancing. The young ladies, especially, were busy twisting their waists to the beat.

Astrid picked up her Smirnoff and said softly, "It’s been a while since I came to the club." Her eyes turned red with sadness as she poured herself a drink.

Mia sighed and picked up her bottle of Kiss. "Yeah. Now you’re free. You can come here anytime."

Hearing Mia’s words, Astrid nodded and gulped down her drink. "So, I’m going to drink till I die." She squeezed her face at the sour taste.

Mia lifted her drink and replied, "Let’s drink to die." The ladies started gulping glass after glass, and in no time, they were drunk.

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….At Krax’s mansion….

He was still anxious to find Astrid. They had reviewed all the footage but still couldn’t locate her. What they didn’t know was that Astrid had changed her appearance before entering any cab. She had taken three cabs, changing her hairstyle and outfit each time before arriving at Mia’s place. This was why they couldn’t track her.

In the living room, Krax sat on his couch with his legs crossed. His cold gaze was like a frozen fish. The temperature in the room dropped, making Josh shiver in fear. He prayed silently that Astrid would be found soon.

Suddenly, he heard a notification. Checking it, he sighed in relief. At last, the prodigal daughter had been found. In an excited tone, he announced, "Boss, Miss Astrid is at the 'Don’t Mind Your Husband' club."

Krax’s brow furrowed. "Don’t... what?"

"Mind Your Husband," Josh completed the name.

"Very good, Astrid. Very good," Krax said through gritted teeth. His aura was filled with killing intent. "Let’s go," he said, standing up.