Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 201
After breakfast, Anastasia grabbed her purse and made her way to the door. As she did so she raised a brow and glanced at the man on the couch before saying, “President Presgrave. I’m coing to pick up Jared now. Are you planning 10 stay here?”
Exasperation filled Elliot when he heard this. He wanted to go with her, but the woman clearly had no intention of letting him accompany her.
He rose from the couch and said, “I’ll drop you off at Nigel’s place.” He didn’t sound like he would take ‘no’ for an answer.
“No, it’s fine. I can get a cab.”
“My car is right downstairs.”
“I don’t-”
“I know where Nigel lives!” Elliot shot her a defiant look.
It was then that she realized she had indeed forgotten to ask for Nigel’s address. She looked at the time, and upon seeing that it was only 7.30AM, she didn’t want to call Nigel.
“Well, only if you’re free. I don’t want to impose-“*
“I am.” With that, Elliot turned and walked out the door.
Downstairs was Rey, who had already driven the car over. Elliot slid into the backseat while Anastasia followed suit.
Then, Anastasia addressed Rey out of concern, “Mr. Osbourne, I hope your father’s doing alright!”
He replied with ease, “Thank you for asking, Miss Tillman. The surgery went very well.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” she said with a genuinely happy smile.
Then, she noticed that the man next to her had put on a change of clothes. He was no longer dressed in the white shirt he had worn yesterday, but a gray one. She frowned slightly. Perhaps Rey brought him a change of clothes. Being the clean freak he is, he would never wear something from the night before.
Upon thinking about this, she wondered whether it meant that Elliot had taken a shower in her bathroom. Perhaps he showered last night, but did he sleep in my bed without any clothes?!
It was as if her mind imploded at that moment. She swallowed and while she wanted to ask him about it, she didn’t want to do it in front of Rey.
Instead, she reached for her phone and texted her question to Elliot.
In the silence of the car, Elliot’s phone chimed once with a new message. He picked up his phone and looked at the screen, on which was a text from Anastasia that read, ‘Did you sleep in my bed without clothes last night?’
A smirk curled on his lips as he turned to give her a cryptic look.
Anastasia took that as confirmation and glowered at him angrily. Ugh, who said he could sleep naked in my bed?!
The man replied to her text with a devilish flair, ‘Don’t worry. My personal life is as spotless as it is orderly and I won’t cause you any trouble.’
As she read this, she felt rage well up in her, and she wanted nothing more than to beat him senseless.
The fact that he had history with Hayley irked her to no end, and her face was somber as she replied, ‘Don’t ever do it again.
When he saw her stormy expression, he knew that he couldn’t afford to aggravate her anymore, so he typed, ‘I didn’t shower last night, and all I did was put on a change of clothes. Also, I didn’t sleep naked in your bed.
Anastasia cast Elliot a skeptical look when she saw this.
Meanwhile, Rey couldn’t help feeling awkward when he realized that the both of them were texting each other in the backseat. Do they want to talk about something that I’m not supposed to be privy to? If that were the case, he wouldn’t mind stopping the car somewhere and getting down to give them some privacy.
Elliot emphasized with another message, ‘It’s true. I never lie. With that, he turned to gaze at Anastasia steadily.
She blinked, choosing to believe him in the end.
Nigel’s house was in a very fashionable and prestigious villa neighborhood where all the young scions of the city made their home. The villas featured state-of-the-art facilities, and they faced the quayside where a neat row of luxurious yachts had been docked.
Rey parked the car outside a grand-looking villa. Anastasia looked around and sighed, for she was sure that she would have been lost if she came into the area alone.
“Thank you, President Presgrave. Have a safe journey back,” she said politely. Then, she opened the car door to get down.
However, she had only just stepped out of the vehicle when she saw that Elliot had gotten out as well. She gaped at him as if to silently ask him what he was doing.
He saw the question in her eyes and shrugged. “I haven’t been by Nigel’s place for a while. I think a cup of tea with an old friend would do nicely!” With that, he strode up to the front door like he owned the place.
Anastasia hurried after him and bit out in hushed tones, “President Presgrave, don’t you think you should come by for tea some other day?”
She was going to have a lot of explaining to do if she were to be seen showing up at Nigel’s house with Elliot.
“No,” Elliot answered imperiously before he reached out to ring the doorbell.
Right then, Anastasia wished she could dig a hole in the ground and bury herself in it. She should have known better than to take Elliot up on his offer to drop her here. It was clear to see that he was trying to give Nigel the wrong impression on purpose!

Chapter 202
“I’m coming.” Nigel’s voice came from the video intercom
Anastasia quickly moved to block the camera and crossed her arms as she began to think about how she was going to explain herself to Nigel. It was frustrating that Elliot consistently put her in such sticky situations.
There was a beeping sound that came from the door as it unlocked, and Elliot put his hand on the doorknob. He was just about to go in when he glanced at the woman who had her back turned to him. With a raised brow, he then asked, “Aren’t you coming in?”
WI
“You go ahead. I need to make a phone call,” said Anastasia as she took out her phone to dial a number, but he saw through her act and reached out to snatch her phone away.
“Come in with me,” he said in a commanding tone.
“Give me back my phone, Elliot,” she demanded incredulously.
However, he walked into the house with her phone in hand. She tried to make it look as if they had arrived separately by dawdling on the front step, but seeing as her phone was with him, there was little to no point in putting up pretenses.
As such, she stormed after him and made her way into the exquisite glass-walled villa.
Nigel had only just put on his clothes, and he was making his way downstairs when he saw the man and woman in his living room. Astonished, he thought, Elliot? Anastasia? Why are they both here at the same time?
He recalled only seeing Elliot’s figure in the video intercom just now, though he did see the silhouette of a woman whose back had been turned to the camera. Nigel had believed her to be Elliot’s assistant or something, but as it turned out, it was Anastasia all along. Confusion dawned upon him as he blinked and asked hesitantly, “D-Did you both come here together?”
“Uh… No, we came in separate cars and ran into each other at your front doorstep, so we decided to come in together. This is all pretty coincidental,” Anastasia explained anxiously.
“Is that it?” Nigel bought it.
“Actually, I went to Miss Tillman’s father’s banquet last night and ended up getting drunk, so I slept over at her place. I’m just tagging along while she picks up Jared.” All it took was one sentence for Elliot to reveal the truth, and Anastasia turned a bright shade of red as she quickly shot the man a deadly glare. He didn’t even think how this might affect me!
Nigel, on the other hand, was stunned for a few seconds. Then, he gaped at Anastasia incredulously. “Why didn’t you tell me about your father’s banquet? I should have gone and celebrated, too, shouldn’t I?”
“Well, it was only a small celebration,” she explained as she averted his gaze guiltily.
“Jared is still sleeping, so it might be a while before he wakes up,” Nigel said. Then, he met Elliot’s eyes, and the both of them were suddenly locked in a wordless battle.
Elliot’s gaze was steady as he said, “Thank you for taking care of Jared last night, Nigel.”
“Don’t sweat it,” Nigel said through gritted teeth. He couldn’t believe that Elliot had dropped Jared off last night and secretly attended Francis’ celebration. He even got drunk and slept over at Anastasia’s place. He was starting to look at this cousin of his differently, for only men could understand what other men were thinking. Elliot set this whole thing up right from the beginning!
“Anastasia, why don’t you go upstairs?” Having said that, Nigel gave Elliot a dark look and said as he turned to walk toward the balcony, “Elliot, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Elliot fell in step behind him. Anastasia didn’t think too much of this, believing that they really had something important to discuss.
Over on the balcony, there was a confrontational gleam in Nigel’s eyes as he looked at Elliot. He had never questioned Elliot quite so seriously as he did at that moment. “Are you serious about Anastasia, or is she just a new notch in your belt?” he asked.
Elliot’s expression grew somber as he looked at the younger man darkly and said, “Of course, I’m dead serious about her.”
“Is that so? All of this isn’t just stemming from the gratitude you have toward her mother after she sacrificed her life to save yours?”
There had been a time when Elliot thought whatever affection and fondness he had for Anastasia was born out of his gratitude, but after spending all this time with her, he realized that he had a special place for her in his heart that had nothing to do with her mother’s sacrifice.
“Nigel, I really like her. You have to believe me,” Elliot said softly, but there was no mistaking the steely edge to his voice.
“In that case, would you be able to accept Jared even though he isn’t your kid? Will you treat him as your own?” Nigel pressed further as his gaze burned into Elliot’s. He knew he didn’t stand a chance with Anastasia, but that wouldn’t stop him from being her gatekeeper and evaluating the man who would eventually spend forever with her.

Chapter 203
“I will,” Elliot promised solemnly with a nod. He understood where Nigel was coming from, and the reverse was also true.
“What if you marry her tonight and she tells you that she doesn’t want any more kids? Will you choose to respect her decision?” Nigel went on to ask, wishing desperately that Elliot could do all the things for Anastasia that he couldn’t.
Once again, Elliot nodded and said, “I will respect every single one of her thoughts and decisions.”
Nigel’s gaze was piercing as he eyed his cousin somberly. “Also, do you promise that you’ll protect her, take care of her, and love her forever?”
Elliot could tell how much Nigel loved Anastasia. As his heart sank, he clapped a hand on Nigel’s shoulder. “Nigel, you’ve known me since we were kids, and you know what I’m like as a person.” An apologetic look flashed in his eyes as he added quietly, “I’m sorry, Nigel.”
They had been as close as brothers since they were little, and now that they were in love with the same woman, it couldn’t be easy for Nigel to let go.
Nigel, on the other hand, leaned against the balcony rail behind him as a bitter smile played on his lips. “You don’t have to apologize. I know Anastasia has always seen me as nothing more than a friend, and there are far worse things than to see you treat her right and love her in all the ways I can’t.”
Upon hearing this, Elliot reached out to pat his shoulder, but he couldn’t find the words to comfort him.
At that moment, they fixed their gazes on the woman who was seated on the living room couch. While these two men were talking about their feelings for her, Anastasia was entirely oblivious as she admired the interesting and somewhat whimsical painting on the wall. She looked dazzling and alluring in the morning light, and she looked like she could make anywhere her own space.
Nigel was reluctant to give up his feelings for her, but at the same time, he was incredibly relieved. He glanced at Elliot and said, “I’ll leave her to you, Elliot.”
Elliot’s smoldering gaze was still on Anastasia, and there was no mistaking the possessiveness that burned in his obsidian orbs. He acknowledged what Nigel said. She can only be mine, and I won’t allow any other man to get close to her.
Presently, Anastasia watched as the two men walked up to her, their silhouettes backlit under the morning sun. She found herself staring at them like how one might be captivated by stunning works of art. The Presgraves have such outrageous genes. she mused.

worriedly on the other line. “My friends shouldn’t have forced him to drink all that liquor.” “Don’t worry, Dad. He’s fine,” she reassured. “By the way, I was wondering if Bourgeois is still hiring at the moment. Erica is thinking about going to work at your company.” Anastasia resisted the urge to snort at this. Yeah, right, as if Erica wants to work! She just wants to get close to Elliot, and the only way to do that is by working in the company. “Sorry, Dad, but I don’t think Erica is a suitable candidate for the company.” “I know she’s no designer, but she could be a clerk or an assistant or something. It’s not every day she claims that she wants to be a working girl, after all. I’d appreciate it if you could help me ask President Presgrave about this; perhaps he can make some arrangements for her.” “Dad, I can’t just ask him about these things. He’s not even the one in charge of recruitment,” Anastasia argued. After all, she did not want to see Erica loitering around her workplace. Francis sighed. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to call him myself. He gave me his name card last night.” She faltered, and it looked like her father was dead set on having Erica work in Bourgeois. Guess he’s getting tired of bankrolling for her. “Fine, I’ll ask him about it! Don’t go calling him on your own, Dad,” she said tiredly, knowing that Francis wouldn’t take no for an answer at this point. “Great. Give me a call and tell me how the discussion went. Erica’s finally taking life seriously, and we have to help her get a good head start, right?” “Sure,” Anastasia replied emotionlessly. After she hung up the call, she looked up at the man who was currently bringing her son from one exhibit to the next. She let out a sigh and brisk-walked up to them. a Elliot had brought Jared to his favorite part of the museum, which was the dinosaur exhibit. While Anastasia had brought him here before, Jared was still excited, and he was having a whale of a time. She watched as he trotted alongside Elliot’s towering frame, and she thought they looked like father and son. Elliot would occasionally pick him up, and there were moments when he would let Jared pull him around the museum. Jared would also tilt his head to one side curiously while he asked questions about the artifacts. Elliot, on the other hand, played the role of the ever-patient father who elaborated on the history and the scientific evolution of the dinosaurs, and Jared was all ears. “Miss Tillman, isn’t it wonderful how President Presgrave and Jared get along so well?” Rey asked as he came over to where Anastasia was standing, She smiled and nodded. “It is! Jared really likes him.” “I think President Presgrave would make an excellent father,” Rey added meaningfully. The implication behind his words did not escape Anastasia, but she knew that she and Elliot could never work out, and Jared’s affections for him were only temporary. When they left the dinosaur exhibit, they ventured into other exhibits that Jared liked. Eventually, they found themselves on the third floor of the museum. When Rey walked up to her, Anastasia said, “Could you help me look after Jared for a bit? I need to speak with President Presgrave alone.” “Very well,” Rey said with a polite smile. Anastasia then sauntered over to Elliot. “President Presgrave, there’s something I need to talk to you about. Rey can keep an eye on Jared for a while.” Elliot glanced over at Rey and instructed coolly, “Don’t let him out of your sight.” When all was settled, Anastasia led him over to the more quiet end of the gallery where there were hardly any visitors. As Elliot drew closer to her, she pursed her lips and thought about how she was going to phrase things. She didn’t want to owe him any more favors, but it seemed unavoidable right now. “What is it?” he asked softly as he fixed his dark gaze on her. “Here’s the thing-my dad wants to know if Bourgeois is still hiring. He wants my sister, Erica, to find work there,” Anastasia explained and looked up at Elliot. Even in the dim lighting, she could still see the chiseled planes

Erica had just gotten off the phone with Francis. Then, she flew down the staircase gleefully and found her mother. “Mom! Mom, I’m going to start working at Bourgeois on Monday! President Presgrave was the one who personally hired me!” Naomi was elated to hear this. Does this mean Erica has a chance to get close to Elliot now? “Dad told me that President Presgrave himself agreed to this. Do you think it’s because I made a really good impression last night?” Erica asked happily and somewhat delusionally. Naomi thought the same thing. Erica had sat next to Elliot during the banquet last night, and there was no denying how gorgeous she had looked in her evening dress! “Erica,” she began. “Make sure to seize every opportunity there is while you’re at Bourgeois.” “I’m sure that if I get a chance to run into President Presgrave often enough, I could make him fall for me,” Erica said confidently. She vowed to use every last trick in the book to see this plan through. She couldn’t care less about making an honest living by working at Bourgeois; instead, she wanted to seduce Elliot so that she could one day marry rich and have a jet-setting lifestyle. At that moment, Naomi clutched her daughter’s arm and said, “Erica, there’s something I have to tell you.” Erica blinked. “What is it, Mom?” “You see, Elliot actually owes our family a huge favor. I’ve never told you this, but Anastasia’s mother only died because she sacrificed herself to save Elliot. Without her, he would have died when he was a toddler!” “What?” Erica’s eyes widened in surprise. She knew that Anastasia’s mother was a cop who had died while on duty, but she didn’t think that the reason for her death was a great sacrifice to save Elliot’s life. “Given that the Presgraves owe Anastasia big time, you’ll have to watch your back at Bourgeois. It might only be child’s play for her to snag Young Master Elliot.” A vicious look flashed in Erica’s eyes as she seethed, “I ought to tell President Presgrave about the time Anastasia got screwed over at Abyss Club. No man in their right mind would think of her so

like for us to do?” Elliot scanned the executives in the meeting and loosened up in his seat to assume a more casual stance. Then, he said in a low and grave tone, “I need all your help with something.” The audience immediately stiffened at this. All this while, they had only ever heard disparaging remarks from him for their incompetence, but never a request for their help. “What is it, President Presgrave? We’ll be sure to help you in whatever ways we can.” “I have a friend who works in a jewelry store, and she’s running a little low on sales this month. I need each of you to drop by her shop once, and your expenditure must not be less than a million.” Upon hearing this, the executives in the room let out a collective sigh of relief. This was the first time they had heard the president make such a strange request, but given their annual income, it was easy enough for them to do as he said. “If you know anyone interested in buying jewelry, it would be great if you could get them to drop by the shop as well,” Elliot added. “That’s no problem at all, President Presgrave. We’ll drop by your friend’s store and give her sales a boost.” “Don’t go all at once, though,” Elliot interjected. “Rey, draw up a schedule for Lance; we want those sales to look credible.” “Yes, President Presgrave,” Rey replied as he tried to keep himself from laughing. There were several moments where he had to clap a hand over his mouth and look down to hide his amusement. President Presgrave is pulling out all the stops just to rally support for Miss Tillman! All she wants to do is compete for the position of associate director, and President Presgrave already has all the executives in the corporation on board to boost her sales. While this was happening, Anastasia dropped by the shop and spoke to the manager about the sales for the past two days. Due to the less-than-strategic location of the shop, their sales weren’t looking so good. “Is there no other way we can gain more sales, Miss Chastain?” she asked the manager. “Miss Tillman, if you’re suggesting that we advertise, then we’re going to need a much more flexible budget. That said, if your company is willing to fork out the money, you can consider getting one of those socialites or influencers to market the jewelry, but you’ll have to be able to pay them for it.” Anastasia fell into deep thought. She knew this would be a gamble since there were plenty of examples where hiring influencers to market the products ended up as a failed venture. Besides,

the manager’s office and browsed through various marketing strategies, only to conclude that most of them would not work out for her. Presently, six cars had pulled up outside the Bourgeois store, and men and women dressed in different styles came walking through the doors. The sales assistants who were chatting among themselves broke apart and sauntered over to greet the customers. What surprised them the most was that these customers had chosen jewelry pieces from high-end collections. Not even ten minutes later, two of these customers left with millions worth of jewelry, and within half an hour, the sales for the store shot up to a staggering eight million. “Miss Tillman, great news! There was a group of customers who came by the shop earlier, and they took an interest in the items from the main collection. Our sales broke through to eight million just now! We’ll have to get more inventory from headquarters, pronto.” “What?” Anastasia was so stunned that she stood up. No way. Am I really that lucky? That afternoon, she and the manager worked out two separate strategies in light of the sudden spike in sales. Given that the shop still had gift items in stock, they put up a sign outside the door to promote a giveaway activity. The second plan they came up with was for Anastasia to pay 30,000 out of her own pocket for a one-month advertisement in all the major shopping malls. At 4.00PM, Anastasia left work to pick Jared up from school. The moment she got off the car, she instinctively turned to sweep her gaze across the parking lot next to the kindergarten. She immediately noticed a familiar Rolls-Royce parked at the side, and the license plate was just as unique as the vehicle itself. The only person who could own this car was Elliot. Much to her frustration, the man had come to pick Jared up from school again, and she began to wonder what he was trying to prove. She was still simmering in disgruntlement when she saw Jared skipping out of the school gates in her direction while holding onto