Chapter 176: SAD NEWS
Astrid entered the mansion and was imdiately struck by the number of people present.
Almost the entire family was there, except for Julian, who had just dropped her off.
Astrid’s eyes scanned the room, taking in the sea of faces, it was weird how she had always thought of the people who presented her as high-class people only for them to now be of her family.
She was still trying to take in the appearance of the people present until her eyes t with Josh, her stepmom, and Nadine.
Nadine and Mattie exchanged conversation like that of close friends and she can’t help but smirk, they both fit themselves.
But before she could even process what was happening, Tonia’s angry voice cut through the air.
"You are late," Tonia snapped, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "How could you be so nonchalant about ti?"
Astrid felt embarrassed at this and quickly apologized, but Tonia seed determined to take it further.
However, before things could escalate, Zach intervened, his calm voice soothing the tension. "Let’s forget about it, Tonia. Astrid’s new to all this."
"New? She should get used to it already and know we don’t condone tardiness," she announced irritably.
"Ma’am Tonia she is..." But Astrid cut Nadine off before she could complete her sentence.
"You shouldn’t butt into this, and get on my bad side already." Nadine was left speechless at this and before she could respond her dad grabbed her hands shaking his head.
Tonia wanted to say sothing but Donald, also stepped forward, his voice firm but gentle. "Tonia, stop scaring the girl. She’s just arrived."
Tonia’s face fell, and she bit her lip staring up at her dad.
"Sorry Dad, I just..." she stopped talking and sighed. "Fine," she grumbled, walking away.
Astrid felt a sense of relief wash over her as the tension in the room began to dissipate.
Just then, Miles, Stephan, and Julian walked into the room, their presence drawing everyone’s attention.
Astrid’s eyes t Julian’s, and for a mont, they just stared at each other. But then Julian looked away, and Astrid felt a sense of finality wash over her. It was over between them and he ant it.
The grandfather cleared his throat, his voice taking on a solemn tone. "Let us begin," he said, his eyes scanning the room.
"Today, we gather to honor the mory of my beloved wife, the grandmother of Astrid and Mattie, and also Tonia and Elizabeth..." his voice cracked at the ntion of Astrid’s mum, but he managed to control his feelings.
"It has been many years since her passing, but her mory lives on in our hearts."
The family nodded in unison, their faces somber. The grandfather continued, "We will start with a prayer that will be led by Tonia. Please, let us bow our heads."
Tonia stepped forward, her eyes closed as he began to pray. They all bowed their heads, their voices murmuring in agreent as Tonia spoke.
After the prayer, Donald spoke again. "Now, we will light the candles. This is a symbol of our love and respect for our dear grandmother. Astrid, please bring forth the candles."
She nodded, walking over to a nearby table where a row of candles sat. She carefully lit each one, the soft glow of the flas casting a warm light over the room.
The grandfather smiled, his eyes misty. "Ah, the light of our grandmother’s love shines bright. Now, let us take a mont to share our mories of her. Tonia, would you like to start?"
Tonia nodded a small smile on her face. "I rember her kindness and generosity. She always had a warm smile and a listening ear. I miss her dearly."
The family nodded in agreent, each one sharing their mories of the grandmother. Astrid listened intently, feeling a sense of connection to the woman she had never t. She can’t help but wonder if her grandmother was alive she would love her.
As the sharing of mories ca to a close, the grandfather spoke again.
"Now, let us take a mont of silence to honor our grandmother’s mory. Please, let us stand."
The family stood, their heads bowed in respect. The room fell silent, the only sound the soft flickering of the candles. Astrid felt a sense of peace wash over her, as if the grandmother’s spirit was present in the room, watching over them.
As the mont of silence ca to a close, and it was all over Donald’s next word left everyone speechless
He glanced at Julian, a hint of expectation in his eyes. "Julian, when can we expect you to tie the knot with Mattie? Ti is flying, and we are all eager to see you two settle down."
Julian’s gaze drifted to Astrid, and he sighed, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions as Astrid ignored them already shattered at this.
But before he could respond, Mattie rushed to his side, grabbing his hands with excitent. "Grandfather, don’t rush him! We have plenty of ti."
But Donald’s expression turned stern. "Nonsense! What about your pregnancy, Mattie? Won’t Julian take responsibility and marry you soon?"
The room fell silent, with all eyes on Mattie’s rounded belly. Astrid’s heart shattered into a million pieces as she felt like she’d been punched in the gut. Julian’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Mattie, his face pale.
"Baby girl you are pregnant?" I asked rushing toward her daughter, and she swallowed hard in shock, she didn’t tell anyone she was pregnant aside from Stephan how did her grandfather find out?
Just then Donald’s voice brought Julian back to reality. "Julian, did you not know about the pregnancy?"
Julian’s eyes darted to Mattie, then back to the grandfather. "She never told ," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
The grandfather’s face turned red with anger. "This is unacceptable! You two will get married imdiately. We can’t have a child born out of wedlock!"
Julian’s face set in determination as he grabbed Mattie’s hands. "Don’t worry, Grandfather. I will take care of everything. We will get married as soon as possible."
Astrid felt like she was watching a nightmare unfold before her eyes. She turned to slip away, but her feet felt rooted to the spot. And then, just as she thought things couldn’t get any worse, Julian’s eyes t hers, filled with a deep sadness and regret...
And everything went black.
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