Chapter 2 The Morning After

Astrid looked back toward the bathroom where the light was on and the sound of running water indicated Silas was showering.

Outside, Oliver's knocking showed no sign of stopping.

In Astrid's mind, Oliver had been the first to betray her. He had eliminated himself from her affections.

However, she couldn't allow herself to be manipulated by him, to become the object of countless men's vulgar fantasies.

Astrid calculated silently. It wasn't yet time to confront Oliver.

She would only be satisfied when she could make him fall from grace in Cypress Bay society!

At that moment, more urgent than revenge was her escape from this situation.

Her dress had been ravaged by Silas and was unwearable.

She couldn't go through the main door either—Oliver would catch her immediately.

While considering her options, Astrid spotted Silas's suit jacket on the sofa. An idea formed in her mind.

Minutes later, a slender figure wearing an oversized suit emerged from the balcony's sliding door.

She assessed the distance to the ground, then climbed onto the adjacent balcony.

Astrid carefully pushed open the neighboring balcony door, discovering the room was unoccupied. Her anxious heart finally relaxed.

Behind her, the knocking suddenly stopped.

Fearing Oliver might discover her, Astrid quickened her pace, too focused on escape to wonder what was happening.

Outside the room, Oliver froze as the door opened from inside.

Seeing Silas, his voice trembled with shock. "Silas?"

"Yes, it's me." Silas's response was brief and impatient.

He was already irritated by Astrid's disappearance, making his tone particularly curt. "What's the matter? I hope you're here for something important."

Oliver stammered, "I, I'm looking for my girlfriend."

Silas's expression immediately darkened. "You need me to help find your missing girlfriend? Look at how incompetent you are! For tomorrow's gala, you'd better find her yourself and bring her along."

"Of course!" Oliver nodded hastily. "Absolutely! I won't disturb you any longer!"

While Oliver departed quickly, Astrid had already returned home, showered, and changed into a high-necked formal dress that concealed the marks Silas had left on her neck.

She then threw Silas's suit jacket into the outside garbage bin.

A passing encounter, with no possibility of meeting again.

Astrid frowned slightly, contemplating how to cancel the arranged marriage between the Prescott and Montgomery families.

Before she could formulate a plan, she heard the door lock turning.

Oliver entered to find Astrid wearing a formal dress that accentuated her slender waist and perfect figure, standing with elegant poise.

Her body exuded a grace that he had never noticed before.

He silently cursed his friend who had given him false information.

Astrid was clearly at home, safe and sound.

He was thankful he hadn't rashly barged into Silas's room searching for her.

Recalling how he had been drinking and indulging with a call girl last night, standing up Astrid on her birthday, he felt somewhat guilty.

"Astrid, the traffic was terrible last night." Oliver's face wore an apologetic expression as he approached, attempting to encircle her slender waist.

"Traffic all night long?" Astrid moved aside, deliberately keeping a distance between them.

Her expressionless face appeared cold and proud.

"Of course not." Oliver continued to smile, reaching into his pocket to produce a velvet jewelry box, presenting it before her.

"I was delayed while getting your gift. Would you like to see it?"

Astrid didn't even glance at it.

Oliver didn't mind and opened the box himself, revealing the sparkling gift inside.

"I remember you love pink diamonds. I went to great lengths to find this necklace. Let me help you try it on."

As he spoke, Oliver took out the necklace, moving to place it against her chest.

In Astrid's mind flashed the contents of her phone screen from the previous night.

Her body instantly stiffened, nearly unable to bear Oliver's proximity.

Each step he took toward her made her feel nauseated.

But she couldn't alarm him yet.

What she wanted had always been a decisive strike that would ensure he could never recover.

So Astrid delicately took the necklace from his hand, feigning anger as she warned, "Next time you miss my birthday party, you'll regret it!"

Astrid's expression was a warning mixed with coyness.

Oliver, assuming she was merely upset about his tardiness and noting she had accepted his gift, didn't think further.

"There's an important gala at the Montgomery estate tomorrow night. Come with me," Oliver said, leaning forward and closing his eyes to breathe in her scent greedily.

Astrid remained seated without responding.

When they first started dating, Oliver had suggested keeping their relationship private.

Given the size and complexity of both families, with their abundance of scandals and gossip, Astrid believed he was protecting her from being drawn into unnecessary conflicts.

She had agreed.

So for three years of their relationship, only their closest friends knew about their status.

His sudden invitation to the gala—was he planning to introduce her to his family?

"Astrid, I feel like you're different today compared to before," Oliver remarked when he received no answer, though he didn't press the issue.

With an enraptured expression, he continued, "You seem even more captivating than before."

Astrid straightened her back, her smile appearing somewhat unnatural. "I've always told you drinking is bad for your health. Were you drinking last night?"

If Astrid discovered he had been drinking with friends, causing him to miss her birthday celebration, who knew how upset she would become.

Oliver cleared his throat, his face feigning innocence. "Of course not."

He then reached out to grasp Astrid's hand, but she evaded his touch imperceptibly.

Oliver was confident that Astrid's heart belonged only to him.

He believed that she was more temperamental with those she truly cared about.

Therefore, Oliver patiently continued to appease her.

"Come on, don't be angry anymore. At tomorrow's gala, I'll officially acknowledge your status. Haven't you always wanted everyone in Cypress Bay to know you're my woman?"

His tone suggested that being his girlfriend was somehow a remarkable achievement.

In retrospect, it seemed laughable.

Astrid was about to expose his facade, finding his current behavior increasingly irritating.

She was about to mention feeling unwell and possibly not attending tomorrow when Oliver's phone rang.

He picked up the call, glanced at the screen, and walked toward the door, mentioning he had an urgent matter to attend to.

He added that he would send a car to pick her up for the gala tomorrow.

Before he could finish, Oliver had vanished through the doorway.

After Oliver left, Astrid felt an intense pain in her private area.

Upon checking in the bathroom, she discovered she was bleeding.

She froze momentarily, cursing Silas's roughness while quickly driving herself to the hospital.

After a series of examinations, the doctor looked at the results and earnestly advised, "You need to practice moderation in your intimate life."

Noticing Astrid was alone, the doctor appeared displeased. "Where's your boyfriend? He didn't accompany you? That's truly inconsiderate. You should reprimand him when you get home. He needs to control his desires and not just take without considering your well-being."

Despite Astrid's usual composure, she was now embarrassed enough to want to flee the examination room.

She hastily fabricated, "It's my new husband. It was our first time, we'd been anticipating it for a while."

Her voice grew increasingly faint as she continued, "We understand our mistake. I'll tell him when I get back."

With that, Astrid quickly opened the door, eager to escape.

However, just outside the examination room stood someone she hadn't noticed.

In her haste, Astrid collided directly with the person's chest!