Astrid's eyes widened as Julian's angry gaze burned into hers. Then she reminded herself, "He doesn't own my life, I shouldn't be scared of him." With restored confidence, she walked past him.
As she strutted down the catwalk, admiration filled the eyes of the audience. She repeated the process several times, showcasing various dresses until the show concluded and Maren spoke with the audience.
Astrid just finished changing out of her dress when Maren rushed over, her voice filled with excitement.
"Yay! You did amazingly well! Everyone can't stop talking about you." Maren praised Astrid who returned a little smile at Maren.
Astrid's mind, however, remained preoccupied with Julian. "I thought you said Julian wouldn't come?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
Maren's smile faltered. "I didn't know he would come. I received the news late and didn't want to scare you."
