Chapter 5 GET INTO MISCHIEF

Chapter 5: Get into Mischief

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Astrid had lingering fears, but she was relieved when someone saved her. She soon realized, however, that a strange man was intimately hugging her.

“Ah…” Astrid became terrified. Except for her brother, she had never been so intimately hugged by a man... including him.

Fred Clayton’s face darkened. He quickly reached out his other hand and covered Astrid’s mouth. “Be quiet. You’re a strange woman. If a normal person falls, they will instinctively cry out in shock. You didn’t scream when you were about to fall, but now you do?”

“You... you... let me go first.”

Fred had an idea after noticing her stammering and suspicious appearance. “Hey, did you scream because I hugged you?” For a brief moment, Fred noticed Astrid’s expression was unusual. He couldn’t help but twitch the corners of his mouth.

“I…”

Fred smiled strangely as Astrid’s eyes rolled. “Have you ever been hugged like this by a man?”

Fred thought the woman’s reaction was fascinating. Looking at the woman in his arms’ red ears, he wanted to do something nefarious. His grip on Astrid’s waist was purposefully tightened. He looked at the woman’s blushing face as if he had discovered something interesting. There were still women who blushed when hugged around the waist these days. So amusing! He appears to become animated.

He deliberately pinched Astrid’s waist while hugging her. He was unconcerned about the gentleman’s demeanor. He reached his fingers to Astrid’s hem and quickly reached into it, causing Astrid’s body to tremble.

“What are you doing?” she inquired.

Astrid worked hard to push Fred away.

With a stunned expression, Fred looked at Astrid. “Your waist...” he couldn’t think of anything else to say. He was a people person. He’d had so many relationships with women. There were many international supermodels and celebrities among them, but the waist he was touching was thinner than the thinnest waist among the women he had been with. He could encircle the majority of her waist with one hand!

“You… It turns out that you wear so many clothes,” he moved his lips several times.

Astrid’s eyes were filled with pain, but she pretended to be calm. He couldn’t understand how a person’s eyes could be exquisite and humble, combining two opposed emotions.

What had she been through to be able to express these emotions?

Astrid pushed Fred away and fled. She couldn’t run fast enough and fell after only a few steps. She didn’t give a damn. She propped herself up, supported the wall, and moved away from Fred as quickly as she could. Her thoughts were jumbled... as if the most heinous thing had been discovered.

She wanted to live a peaceful life after being released from prison, have a full meal, a place to sleep, and be self-sufficient. She hoped to save enough money to travel to Errel Lake. She hoped to see the clarity and blueness she could never see in prison.

Fred wanted to help her, but as he walked quickly, the woman walked even faster. In a panic, she clung to the wall, half-dragging her body.

Fred was forced to slow down.

ROOM 606.

Astrid walked in after knocking on the door. She noticed the strange atmosphere in the private room as soon as she walked in. Several guests were sitting on the sofa in the dim light when they noticed a girl in front of the crystal table.

She recognized the girl, a new waitress named Rosie Harper. Rosie lived in the same dorm as her and attended AB University.

“Astrid…” Rosie abruptly called out to her, crying.

Astrid was taken aback. For a brief moment, her entire body tensed.

All seven or eight pairs of eyes in the room were drawn to Astrid. She was forced to inform them. “I am the cleaner,” she stated flatly.

Several people in the room frowned in displeasure.

Astrid had been employed at the Royal Club for three months. She realized she needed to speak less and do more. She was just a maid. Even if someone were unhappy with her voice, no one would make things difficult for her. But Astrid didn’t understand what happened to Rosie. Her meddling may not be acceptable.

She made her way to the bathroom in the room.

Astrid appeared, holding a mop in one hand and a bucket in the other. She swept the floor. However, Rosie’s eyes, seeking assistance, projected on her from time to time.

Three years in prison taught her not to act rashly but to remember who she was. Otherwise, if these men become enraged, she will die. She was not Rosie. Despite her poor family circumstances, Rosie had parents and was a student. Astrid was now merely a woman who had been released from prison.

She was insignificant. She couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t possibly be capable of assisting others.

“Sing the song, and you’re free,” A man told Rosie.

Astrid raised her head quietly.

Rosie bit her lower lip as if humiliated. “I don’t….”

Astrid’s mop became unsteady. The mop swept through Rosie’s shoes, startling her. She forgot what she was about to say and looked at her.

Astrid apologized and raised her head. “I apologize.”

This seemingly unintentional movement drew notice.

Astrid overheard Rosie yell angrily, “I am not a barmaid. I’m not a singer. I’m just a waitress who serves customers.”

Astrid was sorry for what she had done. She should assist Rosie.

Astrid had no idea what would happen next, but if she were Rosie, she would never offend those men. Their position in the RC VIP room was significant. How could they let a little waitress defy them?

These men had seen a wide range of women. They wanted Rosie to sing a song because she was pure and beautiful. If Rosie sang the song correctly, she would be able to leave the room in peace.

‘Clean up quickly and get out. I’d get in trouble if I offended the other guests in the room by helping Rosie. It’s best to get out of here as soon as possible,’ Astrid thought.

“Are you going to sing or not? Unwilling?” said a cynical voice this time. “Okay, you can leave after you finish the bottle of wine on the table.”

“I’m not a drinker. I am not a barmaid!” Rosie yelped.

“A-huh? Working at the Royal Club, whether you are the waitress or the cleaner, as long as the guests ask you to do it, you must do it obediently.”

Astrid felt terrible when she heard the phrase “the cleaner.” Her hunch was correct in the next split second.