?Chapter 1124:


    Hadley blinked, caught off guard by the venom in Astrid’s words. She had expected Noreen to be hostile, but her daughter? Spoiled, foolish, and now—clearly cruel.


    With a soft chuckle and a shake of her head, Hadley replied, “Let’s wait for Brady.”


    She had no interest in arguing. It wasn’t worth it.


    “Wait for him?! Why?” Astrid gawked, eyes wide with disbelief. “You’re refusing me? Do you think you have a choice?”


    Hadley’s tone was calm but biting. “And what makes you think I owe you a yes?”


    She chuckled. “Astrid, your mother at least pretends to be noble while she takes what isn’t hers. You don’t bother, it seems. You just grab.”


    Astrid’s face twisted. “What’s my mom got to do with this? She never took anything from you! Stop ndering her!”


    Hadley arched an eyebrow. “You really don’t know?” Her voice dropped, measured,posed. “Your mother stole her own sister’s man. And her so-called sessful business? Built on someone else’s ruin as well.” Then she added, cool as ever, “If Brady gave me the whole Jenkins family, I’d take it without blinking.”


    “You—!” Astrid’s hand shot up to point at Hadley, trembling with rage. “A car’s not enough for you? You want everything my family owns? You really are shameless!”


    Hadley frowned in disbelief.


    Astrid was just like her mother—only somehow worse.


    There was no point in continuing. Hadley nced at her phone. Brady was calling. She answered immediately. “Hello, Brady.”


    “Hadley! Are you okay?” His voice was rushed, anxious. “Astrid didn’t touch you, did she?”


    “No.”


    “Put me on speaker.”


    “Okay.” She tapped the screen and held the phone up.


    Brady’s voice rang out clearly. “Astrid, what the hell are you doing? I’ll be there in ten. If you cause even one more problem, I’ll cut off your allowance!”


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    His tone sharpened. “Right now—get out of her ce and wait for me. No arguing.”


    “Brady!” Astrid stomped forward, trying to protest.


    Hadley simply lowered the phone. “He already hung up.”


    Astrid’s face went crimson, boiling with fury. “Don’t look so smug!”


    Hadley turned to leave. “You’d better hurry. If you’rete, no more allowance for you.”


    “Hadley! You—ah!” A sharp cry rang out.


    Shocked, Hadley whipped around.


    Astrid, who’d been just two steps behind her, somehow lost her footing—and tumbled down the stairs.


    “Astrid!” Hadley instinctively lunged forward.


    Her fingertips brushed Astrid’s arm—but couldn’t catch her.


    Astrid rolled down with a scream, hitting thending hard.


    Hadley raced after her, kneeling beside her motionless form. “Did you hit your head?”


    “It hurts…” Astrid’s voice was faint before her eyes fluttered shut.


    “Astrid!”


    Her phone rang again. Hadley answered immediately. “Brady! It’s bad—Astrid fell down the stairs!”


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