Accidental Marriage With Mr Billioniare
Chapter 140: BACK TO THE CITY

Chapter 140: BACK TO THE CITY

A YEAR LATER

A lady with a slender figure could be seen moving with effortless ease as she sprinted on the treadmill, her earbuds firmly in place.

Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and she wore a crisp white singlet and matching pants that accentuated her toned physique.

Beads of sweat trickled down her face, glistening in the soft light of the room.

As she ran, her assistant, Mr. Jenkins stood patiently beside her, a warm smile on his face.

He had been Astrid’s grandfather’s loyal man for many years and had taken on a mentorship role with Astrid since she moved to the new city.

"Young miss, I have some excellent news," Mr. Jenkins said, his voice clear and enthusiastic.

"The sketch you submitted to JLine has been accepted. They are eager to collaborate with you," he announced.

Astrid’s face lit up with a bright smile as she continued to run. "That’s amazing!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I knew he would come through for me." she let out recalling Mr Logan’s words.

Mr. Jenkins chuckled. "Indeed, he did. However, there’s a condition for signing the contract." Astrid slowed to a stop, her curiosity piqued.

"What is it?" she asked, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"He requires a physical meeting with you," Mr. Jenkins explained. "He wants to discuss the details of the collaboration in person."

Astrid’s smile never wavered. "I expected as much," she said, reaching for her water bottle. She took a refreshing sip, feeling invigorated.

"Guess I will have to head back to the city sooner rather than later."

Mr. Jenkins nodded in agreement. "Indeed, young miss. It seems fate is calling you back to the city." he let out a proud look seeing the great change she had made in months.

Astrid’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she handed the water bottle back to Mr. Jenkins.

"I suppose it’s time for me to face whatever awaits me there," she said, a hint of determination in her voice.

"But for now, let’s just focus on getting everything ready for my return."

The past year had been a rough journey for her. The loss of her mother had left an unfillable void in her life, and she had struggled to cope with the grief.

There were times when she felt like she was losing her grip on her sanity, but fortunately, her grandfather had been a steady source of support and guidance for her.

With his help, she had slowly begun to rebuild her life in the new city. However, she still found it challenging to connect with others and had become somewhat reserved.

She rarely goes outdoors, preferring the comfort and solitude of her own home.

The only times she did go out were when necessary. Her grandfather would send her to meetings and parties on his behalf. She would do so great and their client would be so proud of her but she still refused to make friends.

Despite her struggles with social interactions, she has been diligent about maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

She had always been particular about her diet and exercise routine, and she continued to prioritize these aspects of her life.

She had been working hard to overcome her struggles with obesity, and her efforts had paid off.

Another way she could cope with her mother’s death was by spending time with the architectural blueprint her mother had left behind.

She made sure to follow every simple step her mother had given her and this made it easier and faster for her to learn. Even though she isn’t by her side it felt like her mum was the one teaching her.

On the other hand, she had made a conscious decision to distance herself from Julian.

Even though they had been separated for over a year, they were still technically married.

She had sent him divorce papers, but he had not responded. She considered reaching out to him to inquire about the status of their divorce, but she had decided against it.

The pain and hurt he had caused her were still too raw, and she didn’t feel ready to open herself up to the possibility of getting hurt again.

As a result, she had chosen to focus on her healing and growth, rather than investing time and energy into a relationship that had run its course.

It was a difficult but necessary decision, one that would ultimately allow her to move forward and build a brighter future for herself.

"Chairman would be happy to hear this news, he has been anticipating your return for months," she smirked at this.

She was done with her workout now, Astrid let out a satisfied sigh.

"Expect my arrival soon," she said to her assistant, who nodded in response.

Astrid tossed her water bottle into the dustbin and made her way to the mirror.

She smiled, admiring her new physique and hairstyle. These past months had been a transformative journey for her, and she was proud of the progress she had made.

"It’s time to reach out to her," Astrid whispered to herself, recalling Maren she picked up her phone.

She never for once forgot her but she had needed to do this for desperate measures.

She had kept her phone turned off since leaving the city, only sharing her new contact details with her grandfather and assistant.

She knew that Julian was a powerful man with far-reaching connections, and she had taken steps to protect herself from his potential interference.

As she turned on her phone, a flurry of messages popped up on the screen. Astrid wasn’t expecting any of them, having deliberately avoided staying in touch with anyone from her old life.

She had focused on rebuilding her life in the new city, pouring her energy into her health, her new project with the airline, and her upcoming collaboration with the hairline company since she didn’t want to disappoint Desmond.

Desmond had also deliberately postponed the launch of the airline, waiting for Astrid to be ready to be the face of the brand.

He had always believed in her potential, and he was confident that she would excel in this new role.

As she scrolled through her messages, Astrid’s eyes widened in surprise. There were messages from people she had thought she would never hear from again, including some who had been close to her in the past.

She felt a pang of guilt for having cut them off so abruptly.

Astrid took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead. She clicked on Maren’s message and was thrilled with the series of loving and caring messages Maren had sent to her.

"Hey! Girl! It’s been a long I have a lot to share with you,"

"I miss you so much!"

"It’s the day of the show I wish you were among the models who are shortlisted,"

"I decided to choose your step-sister because she is good, was I wrong for doing that?"

"At least fuvking reply to a damn message, I know you hardly used your phone but don’t just shut us out of your life,"

"I miss you so much.." Astrid kept going on and on with her message and felt a bit emotional.

She wasn’t the type that was good with friends since she didn’t have one. It was easy to shut everyone out of her life.

As she reached the last message, her eyes welled up with tears, and it had been sent the previous night.

"I know you are mourning, and I don’t want to disturb you," the message read. "But I want you to know that I am here for you, whenever you need someone to talk to. I promise to wait for the day you return."

Astrid’s heart swelled with emotion as she read the message. She felt a pang of guilt for having ignored Maren for so long. She quickly typed out a response, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "Hi, dearie... I will be back tomorrow."

As she sent the message, Astrid felt a sense of relief wash over her. She had been feeling so alone, but now she knew that she had someone who cared about her.

She continued to scroll through her messages, and her eyes widened in surprise as she saw the number of messages from Julian.

She had expected him to have forgotten about her, but it seemed that he had been trying to reach her all along.

Astrid’s heart skipped a beat as she read through Julian’s messages. They were full of love and concern, and he had even apologized for his past mistakes.

Astrid felt a pang of emotion, but she quickly pushed it aside. She didn’t want to have anything to do with Julian anymore.

Just then, her assistant’s voice interrupted her thoughts. "Young miss, your flight is ready. Get ready to fly back to the country tonight."

Astrid’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she smiled. Who would have thought that she would be returning to the country so soon? She felt a sense of trepidation, but she was also excited to see what the future held.