Chapter 3


    She tried to get the kid to stand on his own, but he just clung to her neck for dear life. Clearly, the little


    one was pretty attached to her.


    She’d had a bit too much to drink tonight and was feeling knackered. She couldn’t hang around here


    forever.-


    Astrid had been patiently trying to persuade him for half an hour, but the kid just wouldn’t let go.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The bouncer tried to make a call but couldn’t get through, leaving him at a loss for what to do next.


    Out of options, Astrid remembered she had her business card with her from her meetings earlier in the


    day. She pulled one out of her pocket, ced it on the reception desk and told the receptionist, “Miss, if


    his parentse looking for him, please give me a ring.”


    The receptionist was frozen by Roman’s icy stare, not even daring to pick up the card.


    Word had spread around the hotel about Roman''s tantrum today. After being mocked by a boy his age


    for not having a mother, he threatened the CEO''s assistant, Carson Fisher, to tweet a message to find


    his mother.


    Mr. Lampard’s Twitter sometimes posts official group info, so Carson was in charge of it. Only when his


    phone blew up with calls, had he realized what had gone down online. And the result was… Carson


    had his wages docked for half a month.


    After being mocked, Roman cried, ran off, and said he was going to find his mom himself. So, was this


    beautiful woman in front of them the mom Roman had found?


    Everyone was looking at each other,pletely clueless about what had just happened.


    Watching Astrid leaving the hotel with Roman in her arms, the bouncer immediately followed them.


    Not long after getting home, Astrid received a text message from the hotel staff saying that the child''s


    parents would be picking him up soon.


    She texted back her address, and then turned on the TV, ying a cartoon to watch with Roman.


    Roman didn''t say a word. He just sat quietly by her side, staring at her, still holding onto the corner of


    her shirt.


    Astrid''s home was small but very cozy. Roman really liked it here, and he was like a little sidekick.


    Wherever Astrid went, he would follow closely, tightly holding onto the corner of her shirt.


    Looking at her little shadow, Astrid felt her heart melting. "Sweetheart, you can''t be stubborn like this


    next time. Your mom and dad will be really worried if you disappear."


    "And you can''t just follow strangers. There are a lot of bad people in this world, okay?"


    Roman pouted and stayed silent.


    "Knock, knock, knock!" came a knock at the door. Astrid thought it might be the kid''s parents, so she


    hurried over to open it.


    But the people standing there were not the kid''s parents. It’s the two people that she least wanted to


    see in her life.


    Her foster mother Sandra and sister Lucinda.


    She had left the Irvine family and returned to her biological father''s side over three years. But seeing


    these two women still made her feel extremely ufortable.


    "Astrid, why did you hide here instead ofing home when you came back?" Sandra looked at Astrid,


    who was frowning, with disgust.


    "Home? Ha." Astrid gave a coldugh, a hint of mockery at the corner of her mouth. "Didn''t you kick me


    out of the house when I was pregnant more than four years ago?"


    Hearing Astrid''s words, Sandra immediately sneered, "If you hadn''t mentioned it, I would have


    Sandra didn’t hesitate to look around the room as she said this. Astrid subtly moved to block the little


    one behind her. As Sandra tried to force her way into the house, Astrid raised her hand and pped


    her,