Chapter 5: Being stranded

Astrid's eyes narrowed, her voice laced with frustration. "Why can't I have conditions towards Party A?" she asked, her words dripping with resentment.

Andrew's expression remained calm, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Because I am at an advantage," he replied, his voice smooth as silk.

Astrid's eyes widened in outrage. "So, that's why you get to do whatever you like?" she asked, her voice trembling with anger.

Andrew nodded, his expression unrepentant. "Yes," he replied, his voice firm.

Astrid's face twisted in disgust. "It's meant to be a mutual benefit," she spat, her words laced with sarcasm.

Andrew's expression turned serious, his eyes locking onto hers. "Then, after a year, if I still want you, then we will have mutual benefits," he said, his voice dripping with condescension.

Astrid felt a surge of revulsion, her skin crawling at the thought of being trapped in this contract. "Understood?" Andrew asked, his voice cold and detached.

Astrid's eyes flashed with anger, her voice barely above a whisper. "You are annoying," she said, her words laced with venom.

Andrew's expression remained calm, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Look, it's either you sign it or go to the streets and search for five million," he said, his voice firm.

Astrid's eyes widened in horror, her mind racing with the consequences of being homeless. She had survived in that house for over twenty years, and the thought of being on the streets was unbearable.

She took a deep breath, her eyes locked onto the contract. She knew she had no choice.

"Fine, I will sign it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, taking the pen and signing the contract.

Andrew's face lit up with a smile, his eyes glinting with triumph. He picked up the contract, his fingers brushing against hers.

Astrid took a deep breath and reminded herself, "There is no use crying over spilled milk," as she made her way to the bathroom to take a bath.

As she entered the room, she was taken aback by the sight of Claudia busily rearranging the space. "What is going on here?" Astrid asked, her voice laced with surprise.

Claudia smiled nervously. "Since Mister Thompson is going to spend the night here, I rearranged the room, and I was instructed that you are meant to take a beauty bath every evening before you go to bed."

Astrid's eyes widened in shock. She had no idea that Andrew had given such instructions. She felt a surge of frustration, knowing that she was no longer in control.

Claudia's voice cut into her thoughts. "You are disturbing and stressing yourself for no reason. He has gone back to where he came from."

But then Claudia's expression changed, and she gasped. "Did you make Mister Thompson angry? You have to appease him when he comes next, or else you will be dead."

Astrid was shocked by Claudia's words. She had never seen Claudia so scared, and she realized that Claudia feared Andrew and the cycle they were trapped in.

"Why are you afraid?" Astrid asked, her voice soft and gentle.

Claudia hesitated, her eyes darting around the room. "Nothing, miss," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Astrid sensed that Claudia was hiding something, but she didn't press the issue. Instead, she asked Claudia to drop the formal behavior and talk to her like a friend.

"Talk to me and drop this formal behavior," Astrid said, her voice warm and inviting.

But Claudia shook her head. "I was instructed to say nothing regarding my past," she replied, her eyes clouding over.

Astrid sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy for Claudia. She realized that Claudia was trapped in a cycle of fear and debt, and she was determined to help her.

"Please remove the petals on the bed. I will like to rest once I am done with my bath," Astrid said, her voice firm but gentle.

As she entered the bathroom, she was shocked to see that the bathtub was filled with petals floating in the water. She couldn't help but laugh aloud, the tension and stress of the day melting away.

"Andrew loves petals this much," she thought, a smile still on her face.

As she soaked in the bath, Astrid felt a sense of relaxation wash over her. She closed her eyes, letting the warm water work its magic on her tired muscles.

But her peace was short-lived, as Claudia came inside, saying, "Sorry I am late."

Astrid opened her eyes, surprised. "Why are you here?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"I am here to help you take your bath," Claudia replied, her eyes shining with a mixture of fear and obedience.

Astrid shook her head. "I can do it myself," she said, her voice firm.

But Claudia insisted. "I am meant to ensure that your personal hygiene is up to one hundred and one percent," she said, her voice robotic.

Astrid sighed, feeling a surge of frustration. "Go away," she said, her voice firm.

But Claudia refused to leave. "Unfortunately, I am under strict orders," she replied, her eyes clouding over.

Astrid realized that Claudia was trapped in a cycle of obedience, and she felt a pang of sympathy for her.

"Let's agree on something," Astrid requested, her voice soft and gentle.

Astrid looked at Claudia, her eyes pleading for understanding. "Okay, I will do some of my work, and I won't tell Mister Thompson that I did them myself. Is that okay?" she asked.

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

After the bath, Claudia gave Astrid a nightwear, and she had dinner. As she ate, Astrid's mind wandered to her bags. "Where are my bags?" she asked Claudia.

"Mister Thompson sent them, but he threw away your clothes. Why, I don't know," Claudia replied, her voice laced with apology.

Astrid's eyes widened in shock, but she was relieved to find that 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.

As she worked on her laptop, Astrid felt her eyelids growing heavy. She rested her head on the dining table, intending to take a short nap. But before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

When she woke up, she was disoriented and confused. 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. But luckily, the interview was scheduled at different times, so she would be able to make it.

Astrid rushed to the shower, her mind racing with excitement and nervousness. She had to get ready quickly, as her next interview was in an hour and thirty minutes. After getting dressed, she faced the biggest problem: there was no mode of transportation. She didn't have any money on her. She saw her car parked neatly in the parking lot, but she wasn't with the key. She didn't even know where exactly the villa was located, so she would know how far she was from her next destination.

Time was already running out. Astrid pondered on what to do, her mind racing with options. She could try to find a way to get the car key, but that would take too long. She could ask Claudia for help, but Claudia was still sleeping. She could try to wake her up, but that would be too much of a risk.

Finally, she decided to call her friend Ashley to come and pick her up. "Where are you?" Ashley asked, her voice groggy from sleep.

"I don't know... I'm at one of Mister Thompson's mansions," Astrid replied, trying to keep her voice down.

"What are you doing there?" Ashley asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"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, her voice trailing off.

"I'll send you my exact location. Please hurry up; I'm running late," Astrid said, ending the call.

Everywhere was quiet; Claudia and the rest were still sleeping. Astrid checked the time, and it was 8:25. She barely had an hour left, and her ride wasn't there yet. The environment was empty; there was no one around aside from the guard, who kept grumpy faces. She couldn't imagine talking to them or telling them her movement, so she decided to wait for Ashley.

As she waited, Astrid's anxiety grew. She checked her watch every minute, her heart racing with anticipation. Where was Ashley? Why was she taking so long?

'Would Ashley arrive early and they catch her interview or would she arrive late and make her miss it?'