Chapter 24


    “Nah. I just wanna be friends with her there’s no way I’m marrying her If you guys force her to marry


    me, fl starve myself!” Afterying down thew, Colton stomped off into the elevator. Elio watched


    Colton’s furious exit, shaking his head That girl sure was slick- not only did she take Colton for all he


    was worth, but she also got him to sort out the engagement party mess Even though she’s not famous


    yet, this whole thing needed to be kept on the downlow If someone with an axe to grind spills the


    beans, she’s in hot water


    But there’s no avoiding the unavoidable As a foster mother, she needed to face the music


    Farrah was taken aback Colton might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he s hell–bent on his


    decisions When he says he won’t eat, he won’t eat! Last time, she promised to take him to Disnend


    and didn’t, he went on a hunger strike that nearly did him in!


    Even though Colton’s not all there, Farrah cant just let him starve So, she whipped out her phone and


    gave Sandra a ring.


    Sandra, who was hobnobbing with other societydies, saw Farrah’s call, and immediately picked up,


    all smiled “Hello, Mrs. Fortner, what can I do for you?”


    Farrah “I’m sorry Sandra, our families marriage alliance is off


    “Off???” Sandia’s smile froze She thought this marriage could be her ticket to the high life, but now.


    Astrid’s already here, but there’s a wrinkle in the n.


    “Mrs Fortner what happened? Did Astrid upset Mr Fortner? I’ll sort her out, I promise!” Sandra blurted


    out.


    “It’s not Astrid’s fault, it’s Colton’s decision, Farrah intervened. “Don’t take it out on Astrid. As for your


    money, I can give you more time to repay.”


    With the money that was practically in her grasp now gone, Sandra waspletely deted. Even if


    she got more time, she still had to pay it back! Where was she supposed to get that kind of dough to


    pay off her gambling debts!


    It had to be Astrid’s doing! She’d underestimated Astrid. She’d had her kidnapped, and yet Astrid was


    still causing trouble!


    Furious, Sandra was about to give Astrid a piece of her mind when her husband, Vernon Irvine, came


    over looking like a thunderstorm and grabbed her hand, using her loudly, “Sandra, will you only be


    happy when you’ve run me into the ground?!”


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    “What What did I do?” Sandra was already livid, and her husband’s usation was thest straw.


    “Why are you yelling at me?”


    Vernon pointed an using finger at Sandra, shaking with rage, “Our secretary Just called. All our


    agreements with the Lampard Group have been scrapped. We’re looking at a loss of about 20 million


    dors.” “20 million dors?” Sandra panicked. That was half a year’s profit!


    Vernon was fuming, “This is all your doing! The Lampard Group said It’s because you offended the


    CEO’s wife, so they’ll never do business with us again!”


    Sandra was puzzled, “How can the CEO of the Lampard Group have a wife? Everyone knows Mr


    Lampard is single!”


    “Until today. I also thought Mr Lampard was single. But he wouldn’t make up a lie just to avoid doing


    business with our smallpany! You’d better reflect on who you might have offended. You’ve really


    screwed us over!” With calls from higher–ups flooding in, Vernon red at Sandra and stormed off.


    Sandra, usually careful not to offend anyone, racked her brain but couldn’t think of who this so–called


    CEO’s wife could be.


    Just then, the usually quiet Lucinda suddenly said, “Mom, could it be Astrid?”


    Sandra burst outughing. “Lucinda, have you lost your marbles? Mr Lampard would be interested in


    someone like Astrid? If Astrid really is the so–called CEO’s wife, I’d dly apologize to her!”