Astrid strode down the road back to her house. After the announcement of their not being able to get a divorce after one year, Julian stormed out and his parents went along with him.
His best friend apologized to Astrid for the mix-up once again before leaving, and then her dad also left with his family.
They also like others leaving her to find herself back to where she wanted.
The shame she had faced from the press on her way back was more than enough.
She is so dead inside, that she keeps regretting what she has caused herself.
Having no other choice she walked to her mum's hospital she felt she would get solace when she got to her.
It was pretty hard for her but she was able to get there, not checking the time she strolled into the hospital finding her way to her mum's room but weirdly for her she couldn't find her mum in her room.
She then rushed to the nurse in charge asking for her mum's whereabouts.
"Hi… I am Astrid Daniel. I can't find my mum.." she managed to tell the nurse.
But all she got from her was a stink eye, "You broke my crush's heart by destroying his marriage, and you want me to show you where your mum is?" the nurse replied.
"It was an honest mistake, can we please…" Astrid was in no time to talk about her downfall but only wanted her mum.
"Your mum is no longer here in the hospital, we can't afford to be on Logan's family blacklist," she announced and Astrid felt her heart break into pieces.
"But, why now?"
"I don't know how but one thing for sure, your dad had gained custody of her."
"What? My dad… she isn't even his wife," the nurse rolled her eyes and then brought out her phone.
"A call and the whole press would be here, not just that but the securities would drag you out like a trash bag, while they capture you." Astrid was too lost to speak.
"Do you want that?" the nurse asked and then was about to tap the phone.
Astrid sighed and then leaned back, seeing how serious she was she thought the best was going home tonight to talk with her father.
She tried hailing a cab and noticed she wasn't with her wallet or even a phone to make a transaction.
She turned to the road still in her white gown trying her best to walk fast in it, heading home.
She is used to using her leg anyway she doesn't care about it, she pulled off her shoes sprinting.
She couldn't tell the hours she had used but by the time she got home it was night, she weakly stride into her dad's mansion.
Her feet bloody and swollen, she stepped inside their mansion only to see her dad pacing around with his phone in his ear.
What she heard broke her heart. "My daughter has gotten married to the richest man in the city, paying you back isn't going to be that hard anymore." he boasted with a small smile.
The daughter and mother sat on the couch and saw her and then a smile appeared on their face.
"See who is back?" Nadine Sanger out and this caught Josh's attention as he glanced at her, he hung up immediately giving her the death stare.
"Why are you here?" She scoffed at this.
"You sold me twice," she said, forcing her tears back in.
"What? You should be happy I didn't offer Nadine to him and just let you be," He fired back now leaving her at a loss for words.
She might be currently frustrated but the thought that she is currently the wife of her crush makes her pleased.
"Mum, where is she?" he sighed now, rolling his eyes at Astrid
"Mr Damon took her," Astrid felt life tumbling right there in her eyes.
"Why? How?"
"You forgot how you made a late fifty-year-old man stand for hours waiting for you, and then he found out you married someone else."
"What?"
Leila walks up to Astried now patting her shoulder, "But you can get her back if you get the money to pay him back from the Logan's."
Astrid squinted, her gaze shocked at the people before her, "I can't believe this, you already want me to be with Julian?"
Leila shrugged her shoulders, giving the expression asking what was wrong with the decision.
"What, we just gave you the best gift any lady could ask for, so what is bad in advising you to make Julian fall for you," Astrid pulled her hands off her shoulder.
"You are nothing but the worst parent one could ever ask for," Leila smiled and bobbed her head.
"You are not my daughter so you can't say that to me," she replied and pierced straight into her heart.
"I won't do it, I can't destroy someone else's love because of my greed…" A pain hit her at the back of her leg making her fall to the ground.
She glanced back to see her dad but her with a wand, she groaned in pain as she touched the part the wand had made the impact with.
"You won't say no to our words," he grumbled as another hit her leg, "Are you accepting or not?"
Astrid cried out trying to hold the pain but it was too much. Nadine and her mum watch in satisfaction like they always did, watching her like a soap opera.
"Agreed or not?" Josh yelled again, she was too weak to bear the pain and in frustration, she shouted 'Yes I will do it, I will make him fall for me." she cried out and Josh stopped all at once.
"So get out of this mansion and do the needful," He let out, she couldn't even stand up.
"I said up!" Josh exclaimed as she struggled to rise, pushed forward by his forceful kick towards the door.
Unable to resist, she found herself thrown from the mansion into the chilling night air.
"Your mum's life is in danger, so do the needful," he stated before closing the door, leaving her standing there, feeling demoralized, weak, hungry, and in pain.
Her leg too feeble to support her, she sat on the porch, still in her bloodied gown, the cold seeping into her bones.
Not quite long after, the gates opened, revealing a line of expensive cars pulling into the premises. One could tell just at a glance who it belonged to.
"The Logans," she murmured, puzzled by the unexpected visit.
Guards rushed out to the middle car and aligned while one of them opened the door.
Just then, Julian alighted the car. Despite her growing dizziness, she forced her eyes to concentrate.
"Welcome, sir Logan, why are you here?" she managed to inquire, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and weariness.
"To take in my wife. Shouldn't you be with your husband on the night of your wedding?"
Julian questioned, his words cutting through the tense night air, adding to the whirlwind of emotions engulfing her.