Nine months too late: After divorce

"What do you mean it's gone? Are you joking!?" Scarlett snapped

"Will I seriously make a joke about this, mum? On a day like this?" Astrid asked with frustration. "I'm telling you - I had it kept in the safe! I used the safe for a purpose because I was sure nobody could get in without my code. I don't-I don't understand." A knock came on the door again, interrupting them. Scarlett answered the door and found a maid.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but it's Mr. Cheng. He's growing impatient and needs ma'am Astrid downstairs immediately," The maid reported.

It was the third time a maid was coming to get Astrid, and Astrid knew that if her grandfather had to call for her again, it would no longer be funny.

"Tell him she's on her way." Scarlett shut the door.

Astrid's face was pale with worry. "Mum, what do I do? I was supposed to start working on those designs already, and since I didn't sketch them myself, I can't remember a thing!"

"Why didn't you try taking pictures of them?"

"Well, I wasn't expecting the sketchbook to mysteriously vanish from my safe!"

Astrid restlessly paced the room. "Someone must've found their way in," she mumbled. "I'm sure it was hacked. Because there is no way that book can just mysteriously vanish. I spent the whole night checking every corner of the room, but I couldn't find it! Someone must've taken it!"

"Do you think it's Sylvie?"

"I don't know." She dug her fingers into her hair. "I don't think she's capable of doing something like that. I don't even know what to think right now, mum."

Šilence fell between them with Astrid still pacing the room.

She was losing her mind. This was not good.

She finally went downstairs to meet her grandfather who was fuming. If there was one thing Galen hated, it was having to wait for too long, especially on important matters.

He scolded Astrid for arriving late and remained angry despite her apology.

"Why aren't you dressed? Are you forgetting we're supposed to leave together?" He raked his eyes over her, taking in her home wear.

"I um... There's actually been a little problem, Grandpa," she fiddled with her nails..

"What problem are you talking about?"

"It's the sketchbook It's missing."

Galen's eyes

darkened. Astrid quickly lowered her eyes to the floor, dreading that he was about to release a storm on her.

"Have you lost your mind!?" He sprang to his feet, his voice ringing out like a slap of thunder. "Is this a lame prank or what? What nonsense are you saying!?"

Astrid kept her eyes shut, feeling the weight of his rage press down on her. If she wasn't brave, she'd have ran away in tears. But her grandfather hated weakness.

Her eyes remained closed, taking in all the harsh words he rained on her, and she only opened them when he stopped talking.

"I'm sorry," her voice was heavy with shame. "I suspect someone must've taken it from my room to get me in trouble."

"Really? That's your excuse?" If his eyes had to get any redder, they could ignite flames. "Every member of this family is interested in our progress, Astrid. You misplaced the damn book!"

He pointed a finger at her. "You have until nightfall to recover those designs. I don't care if you have to re-sketch them or do whatever. Afterall, they're your designs. It shouldn't be so difficult remembering what they look like." Astrid's heart sank. Oh, God. This was not good. It couldn't be good.

Galen turned around, storming towards the door. He paused at the doorway and turned to her, his eyes still fierce.

"We finally got Timeless Tale, and this is how you chose to handle it? Are you aware they can terminate the contract if they learn of this? And do you know how embarrassing it will be if word of this gets out? Do you know how incompetent it'll make us look?" He pointed a warning finger at her again. "You cannot bring shame to me, Astrid. I'll make you regret it."

Then, he was gone, but his words stayed behind, choking the air out of Astrid's lungs.

She was doomed. What was she going to do?

*****

As much as Sylvie hated it, she found herself sitting in front of Lancelot at a poolside lounge.

She kept her eyes trained on the undisturbed blue water in the pool, the air feeling suffocating around her.

"Why wouldn't you want to take anything?" Lancelot complained. "Seriously, Sylvie, we could-"

"I'm not tasty or hungry," there was a little anger in her voice, even though she didn't meet his gaze. "Even if I was, I'd never take anything from you."

Lancelot smiled, but it looked bitter enough.

"Okay. I won't force you." He lifted his glass of Chapman, sipping

"You know why I'm here. I want to know the truth." Sylvie said.

After his call the previous day, she'd given it a deep thought and concluded that she wanted to know how the recording had gotten to Kage. She wanted to satisfy that curiosity so she could focus on the others.

Lancelot's face turned sour. "I know that's the reason you came. But before I tell you, there's something I need to say first.

"I'm sorry, Sylvie, for everything."

Sylvie looked at him

"I know I apologized already, but a thousand apologies would never be enough. I was... foolish, inconsiderate, and in the end, it cost you a lot. I don't know what happened with the kids yet, but clearly, life hasn't been exactly rosy for you. And didn't realize how much you were ruined until I saw you at Oasis."

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Sylvie lowered her eyes again, his words morphing into images in her head.

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5. 5.

"For four years, I've hated myself and kept taking the blame for everything that's happened. I never should've made that recording. Heck, I never should've misled you in highschool! The truth is, I was also mad at Kage back then and wanted to get back at him. In truth, Nuxine would've only hurt him, not kill him. But like you, I had no idea Marilyn would take his drink that night.

"Yes, I should've regretted my actions. Instead, I went ahead to blackmail you with it and eventually led to the end of your relationship. I'm a dick. I'm a sick bastard. I'll never stop hating myself for it."

'It didn't just lead to the end of my relationship, Sylvie thought painfully. 'It led to the end of my twins, my dreams, my happiness, and the old Sylvie who was vibrant and didn't let anyone talk down on her.'

But she kept the words to herself. She might end up spilling tears before she got every syllable out of her mouth.

"As for the recording," he continued. "You were betrayed by Cindy."

The words struck Sylvie like lightening. She dragged her gaze swiftly to meet his, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"What're you-

"Remember I'd sent it to your email. It turned out there was a time you had logged into your email on her laptop and never logged out. So, when you got the recording, she also did and had it forwarded to Kage."

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