Chapter 4

My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove home, my mind racing. The scratches on my face stung, but they were nothing compared to the chaos raging inside me. I couldn't stop replaying the scene at the Caldwell estate—the screaming, the accusations, and the letter that changed everything.

As I pulled into the driveway, I killed the engine and fumbled for my phone, my hands trembling. I dialed Chloe's number and pressed the phone to my ear. She picked up after the third ring, her voice groggy.

"You better have a good reason for disturbing me at work," Chloe grumbled.

"Come home. It's an emergency," I said, my voice shaking.

"Emergency? What's wrong?"

"Just come home, Chloe. Please."

There was a pause before Chloe replied, "Fine. I'm on my way."

---

By the time Chloe came stomping through the front door, I had already gathered Mum in the living room. Mum sat in her usual spot, pale and tired, knitting as though her hands moved on autopilot. Chloe barged in, her hair a mess and her irritation obvious, I barely looked up.

"What's going on?" Chloe demanded, tossing her bag aside.

I gestured for her to sit down. Once Chloe flopped onto the couch, I handed over the letter, my fingers trembling. "Read this. Both of you."

Chloe snatched it out of my hand, scanning the words with lightning speed. Mum leaned over her shoulder, her knitting falling to the floor as she read.

As the words sank in, Mum gasped and covered her mouth, her face stricken. Chloe, on the other hand, sprang to her feet like she'd been hit with a bolt of electricity.

"We're rich! Holy shit, Astrid, we're rich!"

I didn't react to Chloe's excitement. Instead, I stood still, my stomach churned as I forced myself to speak. "I'm not keeping the money."

My words were quiet but firm, and they hit like a bomb.

"What?" Chloe's jaw dropped, and she stared at me like I'd grown a second head.

"I'm not keeping it," I repeated, my voice cracking. "It's his family's money. No matter how much I try to justify it, it doesn't feel right."

Chloe's expression morphed into one of fury, and she took a step toward me, practically trembling with disbelief. "Are you fucking kidding me? He left it all to you because you deserved it!"

"Well, I don't feel like I do!" I shot back, the words bursting out of me. My eyes burned with tears I couldn't hold back. "I didn't do anything special to earn this. I cared for him, yes, but does that mean I deserve billions of dollars? It doesn't make sense, Chloe!"

Chloe's hands clenched into fists, her whole body shaking with barely contained frustration. "Mum, please back me up here!" she snapped, whirling around to face her.

Mum sighed heavily, her tired eyes locking onto mine. "Astrid can do whatever she wants. We can only support her."

"Support her?" Chloe's voice shot up, shrill with anger. "We've been working our asses off for years! Struggling every single day! And now, a miracle lands in her lap, and she wants to throw it all away? Are you damn serious?"

She stormed out, the door slamming so hard the walls shook. My instinct was to follow her, to try and explain, but Mum's hand gently caught my arm.

"Let her cool off," she murmured, her voice soft and steady.

I collapsed onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. "I'll make sure you get the money for your surgery, Mum. I promise. But the rest…I can't keep it. It doesn't feel right."

Mum studied me for a long moment before reaching out to take my hand. Her touch was warm, steadying. "Whatever you want to do, darling. The choice is yours. Just know that I'll stand by you no matter what."

I nodded, but the weight on my chest didn't lighten.

That night.....

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep no matter how hard I tried. The house was quiet, but my mind wasn't. Mr. Caldwell's death weighed heavily on me, his kind face haunting my memory. I couldn't believe he was gone.

The day's events replayed in my mind—the letter, Mr. Caldwell's family, Chloe's anger. And then there was the money, the vast, incomprehensible amount that now sat in my hands. I didn't want it. I didn't deserve it. But no matter how I tried to rationalize my decision, Chloe's words echoed in my head, accusing me of throwing away a miracle.

I sighed and turned onto my side, staring at the faint outline of the window in the dark. *It's late. You need to sleep,* I told myself, but my restless thoughts had other plans.

Just as I started to drift off, a faint creak made my eyes snap open. At first, I thought it was the house settling, a normal nighttime noise. But then I heard it again—closer this time. My heart began to race.

I sat up slowly, squinting into the darkness. A shadow moved across the room, and my blood turned cold. Someone was here.

Before I could react, the figure lunged toward me. A gloved hand wrapped around my throat, cutting off my scream before it could escape.

I thrashed and clawed at the intruder, panic surging through me as I tried to breathe. My nails scraped against the leather of their gloves, but their grip only tightened. The room started to spin, my vision darkening at the edges.

*This can't be happening. I'm going to die.*

Suddenly, my bedroom door burst open with a crash. Another figure stormed into the room, and the intruder was ripped away from me.

I collapsed onto the bed, gasping for air. My throat burned, and I could barely focus through the haze of fear. All I could hear was the sound of fists colliding and furniture crashing as the two figures fought.

I pressed myself against the headboard, my hands trembling as I tried to make sense of what was happening.

Who… who were these men?

The first man swung wildly, but the second man dodged with precision, countering with a brutal punch that sent the attacker crashing into my desk.

I flinched as the desk tipped over, scattering papers and books across the floor. The second man grabbed the intruder by the collar and slammed him against the wall, pinning him there.

"Stay down," the second man growled, his voice cold and commanding.

The commotion must have woken the house, because moments later, Chloe and Mum burst into the room.

"What the hell is happening!" Chloe screamed, her eyes darting between the two strangers.

Mum stood frozen in the doorway, her face pale.

"I—I don't know," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. I clutched my throat, the sting of the attack still fresh as my heart thundered in my chest.