Unrequited Passion

Chapter 10 He’s Not Letting Her Get Away That Easily

“Astrid Noelle? Mr. Ledger gave us orders to take good care of you!”

“F*ck you, Astrid Noelle! You’re not a Noelle heiress anymore. Your father disowned you, and you have nothing left in this world. You’re nothing but a convicted murderer!”

“Astrid Noelle? Mr. Ledger says it’s best for everyone if you’re dead. Your existence is an eyesore.”

Strange voices echoed deafeningly as Astrid found herself enduring a series of heavy beating. She scrambled to escape but no matter how hard she tried, there just wasn’t any escape. Fear crept up her spine and clutched the depths of her beaten-down heart. She looked hardly recognizable. After what felt like an eternity, she finally collapsed next to a disgustingly dirty toilet bowl, covered in blood from head to toe.

The faces staring down at her were so distorted and ugly. Astrid couldn’t seem to get rid of them, no matter how much she tried.

“HUH!” Astrid jolted awake from her nightmare. She sat upright on her bed; her forehead was drenched in sweat. She was clearly shaken from the nightmare as she gasped for air, and her eyes were filled with terror.

She had seen it in the news, one month ago — her father had welcomed Mikayla Harlem into the Noelle family and named her his heir. The Ledger family had also announced Mikayla’s marriage to Blake.

‘Pfft. What am I, then?’ Astrid wondered bitterly.

It had been five years. Her legs and hands were useless now from the countless fights she was dragged into in prison. She thought she would never run into Blake ever again, now that she had left Bronzewood. Unfortunately, God had other plans.

Astrid hung her head and shut her eyes. A small tear trickled down her cheek.

Just then, she felt a soft, chubby little hand wipe her tear away. Carina wiggled out from underneath the covers and wrapped her arms around her.

“Don’t cry, mommy. Here, I’ll hug you so you won’t have any more nightmares!” She said, trying her best to comfort her.

Astrid smiled at her chubby little face and pulled her into her arms. “Thank you, Carrie. I’m all right now.”

“Mommy, Rhonda told me the story of Snow White today!” Carina quietly said as she lay in Astrid’s arms.

“Oh? Really?” Astrid asked with a smile.

“Mmhmm! Snow White lived happily ever after with the prince. I hope I’ll find my prince someday. He’ll protect me!”

Astrid forced a smile as she listened to Carina’s innocent wish. Fairytales were just that — fairytales. Reality was far crueler. Ten years of her wasted youth and her time in prison proved it. Love, however powerful, didn’t matter.

“Mommy, the other kids are allowed to run around, so why can’t I?” Carina pouted at Astrid as she asked.

Astrid was taken aback by her question. She pulled Carina closer into her arms and gently kissed her forehead.

“Your body is just a little weak right now,” she explained. “I’ll make sure you get better, so you can run around like all the other kids soon!”

“Really?” Carina’s eyes shone when she heard this.

“Yes!” Astrid held Carina in her arms with a tight smile on her face.

‘I don’t care what it takes, I will make enough money for Carina’s surgery. She needs a new heart! But… I know Blake. He’s not going to leave me alone that easily. What should I do? What should I do?’

…

Waldorf Astoria, Presidential Suite, Cloud Coast.

Blake stood in front of the magnificent French windows in his suite with a dark look on his face. He couldn’t seem to get Astrid out of his mind.

‘That woman who willingly pawned herself off so easily couldn’t have been her. How could it be?’

Felix pushed the door open to find Blake standing as still as a statue. He actually looked rather lonely. Felix sighed and approached him.

“Blake, I did a little digging on Astrid for you,” he said.