Chapter 84: MAREN’s THREAT
Astrid could be seen with Julian’s laptop tapping on it continuously, she had asked for it from him the previous night.
She is the type that goes with a flash drive having her whole docunt so she could proceed with her job.
She wasn’t allowing her little illness to make her lazy, she had promised not to use her entitlent for the job.
Just then a notification popped on her phone.
"Mrs. Logan... we have seen part of the money you sent the treatnt will comnce on her shortly,"
Astrid’s face lit up seeing this.
She recalled how she had scread with delight when she saw the paynt from Maren that morning.
The notification brought her imnse satisfaction, knowing she could finally cover her mother’s treatnt expenses. She eagerly anticipated the day she would hear her mother’s voice and embrace her warmly.
Her thoughts drifted to her father, whose actions had left her mother unconscious.
Astrid’s heart ached, but she refused to let sorrow consu her. She smiled, lost in hopeful thoughts until soone cleared his throat.
"Jul... Julian," she called, hastily dropping her phone.
Julian’s curiosity was piqued. "Hiding sothing from ?" he asked, eyeing the phone.
Astrid shook her head, unwilling to share her mother’s condition with anyone until she regained consciousness.
"Well, your parents want to see you. Should I let them in?" Julian asked, not ready to push the topics.
Astrid’s smile faltered, her expression darkening instantly.
"They slept here last night?" she inquired, her tone laced with unease.
Julian nodded. "Fine, you can let them in... and also..."
He paused, sensing Astrid’s tension.
"I would like so privacy, please," she requested, her voice firm. Julian nodded sympathetically and exited.
Seconds later, Astrid’s parents entered, followed by Josh, who locked the door behind him.
"Having another thought in your head?" Astrid asked, irritation evident in her voice.
Her father’s smirk ignited Astrid’s frustration.
"You bitch!" he growled, his amusent noticeable as he approached Astrid.
"You’ve been living in paradise, surrounded by kind people, yet you refuse to send money ho," her father accused.
Astrid’s emotions simred, a mix of resentnt and hurt.
"Money?" she asked, a bit shocked at his words, "I just gave you my whole life savings not quite long.." she let out in shock.
The smile on their faces changed and she scrambled off the bed, "What did you do with the money?"
Josh snickered at this, "That shouldn’t be your concern.." he looked around her room like Nadine had been admiring her room.
"You have it all now, so that should be a chicken change to you,"
"Rember, I am not his real wife..." she tried reminding him and Josh grabbed her and pulled her roughly closer to him.
"You will make him be with you forever even though he doesn’t love you!" his voice stern and anger bubbling in his eyes.
"You..."
"I need to secure that contract no matter what, I am working on the idea now," he explained and she snickered at this.
"Really?" she asked with an eye roll, "What do you even know about this?"
Josh clenched his fist infuriated by his daughter’s words. Truly he had been managing this company built by his ex-wife but it kept going down the drain because of his lack of knowledge and gambling.
He almost smacked her face when Leila grabbed Josh’s hands stopping him.
"You can’t, they would think you constantly abuse her. That is what the bitch wants them to think." Josh dropped his hands glaring hard at Astrid.
Astrid stood firm, her voice steady. "Your contract... It depends on my acceptance, and trust , it wouldn’t go the way you want."
Josh’s face tightened, his anger simring. "Finally, you are showing your true colors. I love that, and I’ll make you regret it."
With a fierce glare, Josh stord out of the room.
Astrid’s stepmother, Leila, sneered. "You ungrateful brat. After your mother abandoned you, we took you in, but you are not as grateful as we expected."
Astrid’s pain boiled over. "Grateful? Should I be? You have only cared about your daughter and made
live the life of a slave."
"You!" Leila pulled her by her hair making Astrid groan in pain.
"Let
go!" Astrid scread and Leila’s grip on Astrid’s hair intensified, her voice nacing.
"I might not be able to lay my hands on you, but recall what I can do to your mom if I get my hands on her."
Astrid’s eyes widened in horror. She couldn’t let them discover her mother’s hospital.
"I will do everything to save my mom, and you won’t touch a single strand of her hair, I promise you," Astrid vowed.
The door swung open, and all eyes turned to the newcor.
"Ma... Ma’am, Becky..." Nadine gasped, standing beside Maren, who radiated elegance.
Becky’s gaze followed the hair still clutched in Leila’s hand. "What’s going on here?"
Leila released Astrid’s hair, her smile twisted. "My daughter was being rude, so... I was teaching her a lesson."
"By pulling her hair?" Becky asked, walking right inside the room with Maren also staring at them, now having a weird feeling about this family relationship.
Maren’s piercing gaze scrutinized Leila while Becky stepped forward, concern etched on her face. "Astrid, what’s happening?"
Astrid’s voice trembled. "No... nothing,"
Maren has always wondered why Astrid couldn’t treat herself even though her family was a bit okay.
"It’s fine, Ma’am... I had... talk rudely to her," Becky nodded her head and then moved closer to them.
"Well, thank goodness you are here then I had brought her to personally help with her weight loss and her health issues."
"Losing weight? From her?" Leila asked and Maren nodded her head slightly.
Maren’s mysterious smile hinted at ulterior motives. "But aren’t you Mattie’s? Would she be happy with this?" Leila was not happy with how things were going fine with Astrid in this house.
Astrid’s eyes narrowed, sensing tension. Maren continued, her voice asured,".
"Well, Mattie might have considered terminating her contract with , but it remains binding. No need to publicize the news... yet."
Maren’s gaze shifted to Nadine, her expression softening. "You have an exquisite daughter." She is beautiful already.
As she gently played with Nadine’s hair, her eyes t Astrid’s. The pure hatred in Astrid’s gaze confird Maren’s suspicions that Astrid despised her family. She isn’t the type to hold a grudge but for her to have this expression ans she has her reasons.
Leila’s excitent bubbled over. "Thank you, ma’am. She’s always aspired to model, but only secured small-brand opportunities."
"Really? There’s an audition in two months. I would like her to work diligently till then." Maren’s words sparked Leila’s enthusiasm.
Leila’s enthusiasm made her move toward Maren, but ren swerved, bringing her to an abrupt stop, almost tripping.
"Oops, sorry... I don’t appreciate unexpected touch," Maren murmured, shifting closer to Astrid.
Astrid’s cold deanor didn’t falter, and then she wrapped her hands around that of Astrid.
Leila’s embarrassnt deepened as Maren addressed Astrid. "Hey, baby girl, you didn’t respond to my ssage."
Astrid ignored her, fueling Leila’s discomfort. Nadine intervened trying to hide her envy, smiling warmly. "Miss Maren, it would be an honor working for you."
Maren nodded, still avoiding contact with them. Then Becky turned to Leila.
"Leila..." Becky called and whipped her head toward Becky’s direction in a hurry.
"Leila, we are like sisters now, with our children married." Leila felt inferior, her discomfort was noticeable.
"We should have breakfast," Becky suggested, and Leila approved, bowing her head.
Once they disappeared behind the door, Maren’s expression darkened, her gaze piercing Nadine.
"You are quite the manipulator, aren’t you?" Maren’s voice dripped with disdain. Nadine’s eyes flashed with shock, but she remained silent.
Maren’s eyes narrowed."You should be grateful to your elder sister, you get the pleasure to even get auditioned without paying..." Maren’s sudden stern voices called her back to her senses.
Maren moved closer and Nadine could feel the weird anger coming from her.
"I can tell with just a blink when a relationship isn’t going well,"
"Ma.. ma’am,"
"If Astrid mistakenly complained about you to , consider your audition gone and also." She paused and swung at how Nadine was so scared.
"Make sure to work extrely hard, so you can pass
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