Chapter 5

Despite the uncertainty, Astrid had made up her mind. She would start looking for a good, high-paying job tomorrow. She wanted to be financially independent, so when the year was over, she could walk away from Andrew and never look back.

Astrid's thoughts turned to her financial situation. She hated the fact that she had put all her eggs in one basket. She shouldn't have put all her money in one account, but it's not like she had enough money to disperse into numerous banks. She made a mental note to be more careful with her finances in the future.

As she stood there, lost in thought, Astrid felt a sense of determination wash over her. She would get through this, and she would come out stronger on the other side.

As Astrid stepped out of her room to take a bath, she consoled herself with the thought, "There is no use crying over spilled milk." She walked towards the bathroom, her mind still reeling from the conversation with Andrew.

When she entered the room, she noticed Claudia standing by the bed, arranging something. Astrid's eyes widened in shock as she took in the scene. "What is going on here?" she asked, her voice laced with surprise.

Claudia turned around, a smile on her face. "Since Mr. 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 he gets here," Claudia explained.

Astrid's eyes scanned the room, taking in the changes. She was about to respond when Claudia's expression changed to one of shock. "You are disturbing and stressing yourself for no reason. He has gone back to where he came from," Claudia gasped.

Astrid's confusion turned to alarm as Claudia's voice dropped to a whisper. "Did you make Mister Thompson angry? You have to appease him when he comes next, or else you will be dead," Claudia said, her eyes wide with fear.

Astrid was taken aback by Claudia's fear. She had never seen anyone so scared. "Why are you afraid?" Astrid asked, her voice softening.

Claudia's eyes darted around the room, and she replied, "Nothing, miss." Astrid knew that Claudia was hiding something, probably for her own safety. "Not wanting to leak out information for the sake of her life," Astrid thought.

Astrid sighed, feeling a sense of empathy for Claudia. "Talk to me and drop this formal behavior," Astrid said, trying to put Claudia at ease. Claudia's expression remained guarded, and she replied, "I was instructed to say nothing regarding my past."

Astrid nodded, understanding. She knew that Claudia's past was likely tied to the debt she was trying to pay off. "Please remove the petals on the bed," Astrid said, changing the subject. "I will like to rest once I am done with my bath."

As Claudia began to remove the petals, Astrid walked into the bathroom. She was taken aback by the sight of the bathtub, filled with water and floating petals. Astrid's laughter burst forth, and she couldn't hold it back. The absurdity of the situation was just too much.

As Astrid settled into the bathtub, she noticed the abundance of petals floating on the water. "Andrew loves petals this much," she thought, deciding not to say anything and just enjoy her bath. The warm water and soft petals were soothing, and she let out a sigh of relaxation.

Just as she was getting comfortable, Claudia entered the bathroom. "Sorry I'm late," Claudia said, her voice apologetic. Astrid looked up, surprised. "Why are you here?" she asked.

Claudia replied, "I'm here to help you take your bath." Astrid raised an eyebrow. "I can do it myself," she said, feeling a sense of independence.

Claudia's expression remained neutral. "I'm meant to ensure that your personal hygiene is up to one hundred and one percent," she said. Astrid felt a surge of frustration. "Go away," she said, trying to assert her authority.

Claudia hesitated, her eyes darting towards the door. "Unfortunately, I'm under strict orders," she replied. Astrid sighed, feeling trapped. "I don't need your help. I can also give you a massage if you want," Claudia offered.

Astrid shook her head. "I don't need this; I can do everything on my own," she said firmly. Claudia's expression remained calm, but Astrid could sense her reluctance.

"Let's agree on something," Astrid suggested, trying to find a compromise. "Okay, I'll do some of my work, and I won't tell Mister Thompson that I did them myself. Is that okay?" Astrid asked, hoping to find a way out.

Claudia's expression softened slightly, but she still looked hesitant. "I'm sorry," she said, apologizing as she picked up the sponge. Astrid lay back, knowing that Claudia's loyalty was 100%.

As Claudia helped Astrid with her bath, Astrid couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She was trapped in this situation, and she didn't know how to escape.

After the bath, Claudia handed Astrid a nightwear, and Astrid put it on. She then had dinner, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

As she sat down to eat, Astrid asked Claudia, "Where are my bags?" Claudia replied, "Mister Thompson sent them, but he threw away your clothes. Why, I don't know."

Astrid's eyes widened in surprise. At least her laptop, important documents, and her mother's picture were still safe. She decided to check on the vacancies available, so she would try her luck tomorrow.

Astrid spent the rest of the evening browsing through her laptop, checking on job vacancies and updating her resume. She finally fell asleep on the dining table, exhausted from the day's events.

The next morning, Astrid woke up to find herself slumped over her laptop. She stretched her arms and yawned, feeling a bit stiff. She checked her email and found out that out of all the available companies she had applied to, only three had approved of her work and asked her to come for an interview.

Astrid's heart skipped a beat as she read through the emails. Luckily, the interviews were scheduled at different times, so she would be able to make it. She felt a sense of hope rising within her. Maybe this was the start of something good.

Astrid rushed to the shower, her heart racing with anxiety. She had an hour and thirty minutes to get to her next interview, and she knew she had to move fast. The warm water cascaded down her body, and she quickly washed off the soap, her mind focused on the task at hand.

As she got dressed, Astrid's eyes scanned the room, taking in her surroundings. She realized that she had a major problem: there was no mode of transportation. She didn't have any money on her, and she couldn't exactly walk to the interview.

She glanced out the window and saw her car parked neatly in the parking lot. But she wasn't with the key, and she didn't even know where exactly the villa was located. Time was already running out, and Astrid felt a sense of panic rising within her.

She took a deep breath and tried to think clearly. She pondered on what to do and finally decided to call her friend Ashley to come and pick her up. As she dialed Ashley's number, her hands trembled slightly with anxiety.

"Where are you?" Ashley asked, answering on the first ring. Astrid hesitated, realizing she didn't know the exact location of the villa. "I don't know... I'm at one of Mister Thompson's mansions," she replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Ashley's voice was laced with curiosity. "What are you doing there?" she asked. Astrid sighed, knowing she didn't have time to explain. "It's a long story; please just hurry. I don't know where that is because I can't go looking for you in every mansion he owns. He owns...," Ashley replied.

Astrid cut her off, feeling a sense of urgency. "I'll send you my exact location. Please hurry up; I'm running late," she said, ending the call.

The silence in the villa was oppressive, and Astrid felt a sense of unease. Claudia and the rest were still sleeping, and the only sound was the distant hum of the guard's murmurs. Astrid checked the time, and it was 8:25 am. She barely had an hour left, and her ride wasn't here yet.

As she waited, Astrid's eyes scanned the empty environment. The guard stood at the entrance, his face grumpy and uninviting. Astrid couldn't imagine talking to him or telling him about her movement, so she decided to wait for Ashley.

The minutes ticked by slowly, and Astrid's anxiety grew. She checked her watch again and again, feeling like time was standing still. Finally, at 8:55, Ashley arrived, and Astrid's frustration boiled over.

"What kept you so long?" Astrid asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

Ashley took a deep breath, her voice laced with frustration. "Number one, I was barely out of bed when you called," she said, her words tumbling out in a rush. "Plus, no one informed me that I had to do an early pickup this morning. Can't you see I'm still in my nightwear?" Ashley gestured to her disheveled appearance, her hair tied up in a messy bun and her feet clad in slippers.

Astrid glanced at Ashley's attire, but her mind was preoccupied with the interview. "Please," Astrid interrupted, her voice curt. She didn't have time for Ashley's complaints.

Ashley continued, undeterred. "Finding this place wasn't easy, and there is tight security outside this gate. It seems as if he bought everywhere..." Ashley's words trailed off as Astrid's attention wandered.

Ashley's eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued. "But I mean, did he buy this whole...?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ashley's expression turned curious. "What exactly are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "I thought Mira was the one who was engaged to him. What are you doing here? What about George and Mira? Do they know this?"

Astrid's defenses rose, and her voice took on a defensive tone. "We're friends, we're best friends, and you're keeping everything away from me," Ashley said, her voice laced with hurt.

Astrid's expression hardened, and her voice turned cold. "This was the exact reason we no longer became best friends. The main reason I became distant. Best friends won't sell you out for likes and comments on Instagram," Astrid said, her words dripping with venom.

The air was thick with tension as the two friends stood there, their words hanging in the air like a challenge. The silence that followed was oppressive, and Astrid knew she had to get going. She had an interview to ace, and she couldn't let her emotions get the better of her.

Ashley's voice was defensive as she continued to explain herself. "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." Ashley's eyes darted towards Astrid, her expression pleading for understanding.

Ashley took a deep breath and continued. "Plus, that post made me gain the attention of the Brooks family. They love me now." Ashley's voice was laced with a mix of pride and desperation.

Astrid's expression remained unimpressed. "They don't love you," she said, her voice firm. "They're using you to get juicy gossip because that's what you're good at." The last part of Astrid's sentence was laced with a hint of venom, and Ashley's eyes widened in offense.

"Excuse me?" Ashley said, her voice rising in annoyance. She felt a surge of anger at Astrid's words, and her hands tightened around the steering wheel.

Astrid knew she had crossed a line. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice softening. She didn't want to escalate the situation, especially since she was dependent on Ashley for a ride.

Ashley's expression remained tense, but she didn't respond. Instead, she focused on driving, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. Astrid sat back in her seat, feeling a sense of unease. She knew she had hurt Ashley's feelings, but she couldn't help feeling that she had told the truth.

The silence between them was oppressive, and Astrid couldn't help but wonder if she had irreparably damaged their friendship. She glanced at Ashley, hoping to gauge her friend's emotions, but Ashley's expression remained unreadable.