Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 361

“Don’t tell her that I was the one who recommended her, though. Anastasia and I haven’t exactly been on amicable terms lately,” Aliona said to fortify her cover.

“Very well. I’m going to need the client’s name and the address where you’re scheduled to meet her.”

Aliona immediately called Riley for the address. When Felicia had the name and address in hand, she called the given contact number for confirmation.

The person who answered the call was a girl who made it clear that she wanted a highly personal arrangement wherein the designer would meet her someplace outside the company building. The various kinds of businesses available on the market were locked in grueling competition at the moment, and with the client’s budget being five million, Felicia did not want to let this deal fall through.

As such, she hurried over to Anastasia’s office and found the girl daydreaming after losing her drive to work. Having heard about the client and the budget she was given, Anastasia agreed and stood up behind her desk. She then announced, “I’ll be going, then.”

She figured she could use some fresh air and a change of environment.

Felicia nodded. “I’ve already made arrangements with the girl regarding the time and location. Why don’t you bring Grace with you? Also, be safe on the road!”

“Got it,” Anastasia replied. She had always been the most enthusiastic when it came to her work.

Once Anastasia left the office, Aliona turned back to Felicia’s office and asked if Anastasia had already gone out.

Upon hearing that Anastasia was about to drive out of the parking lot, Aliona quickly and happily gave Riley a call. Meanwhile, Anastasia was unaware of the danger that lay waiting for her. Aliona was sure that she could get rid of the infuriating girl by the end of the day, thereby making room for herself to slide into Elliot’s life to comfort him while he grieved Anastasia’s untimely death, winning him over with her kindness.

While this was happening, Anastasia and Grace headed out of the company building. During the drive, Anastasia called up the supposed client and confirmed that they were meeting up at a cafe to puruse the details of the order.

Along the way, she and Grace kept up a humorous repartee to pass time, and indeed, it wasn’t long before the navigation satellite told them that they were drawing close to the cafe. Anastasia parked her car in the area next to the cafe.

There was only one lot available, and Anastasia had to back into it. As she did so, she did not notice the men in the black vans on either side of her car.

This was all a ploy by Riley; he had arranged for his men to fill up most of the parking lots, leaving only this particular space.

Anastasia and Grace had only just grabbed their purses and went out of the car when the doors to the backseat of the van opened up. Without warning, the girls were each dragged into the black van closest to them. The men who did this moved so quickly that they did not spare either girl the chance to cry for help.

Soon, the kidnappers pulled out of the parking lot with one van leading the other. Two burly men held Anastasia down in the backseat while they hastily worked to bind her wrists and ankles. Following that, they stuffed a rag into her mouth to keep her from struggling or protesting in any way she could think of.

Fear and shock lit up in her eyes. She was supposed to be meeting a client, and she couldn’t understand how she had been ambushed on purpose, thereafter kidnapping her. What about Grace? What will happen to her? At the same time, she thought about her son. If something happens to me, who’s going to take care of Jared?

This made her struggle violently, but at that moment, the man next to her took out a syringe and injected something into her arm. The effects of the drug kicked in and washed over her almost immediately, rendering her weak. Eventually, she felt her conscious mind slipping into the darkness.

When the two vans had driven away, a black SUV tailed after them, and inside were Elliot’s bodyguards. They had been following one of Riley’s subordinates, and never did they think they would come across a kidnapping incident. More to the point, the dashcam in the car had managed to capture a full view of the kidnappers and their victims. Right now, the bodyguard in the passenger seat was reviewing the footage. He paused as he zoomed in on the woman’s face.

“It’s Miss Tillman!” he exclaimed.

“Quick, get President Presgrave on the line.”

Elliot had only just returned to Presgrave Corporation when his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the caller ID and answered the call before greeting perfunctorily, “Hello?”

“President Presgrave, we were following Riley’s subordinates and ran into them kidnapping Miss Tillman and her assistant.”

Having just stepped through the doorway of his office, Elliot’s gut twisted when he heard this. “What?”

“Yes. We are sure that the kidnappers have taken Miss Tillman and her assistant. We are now following one of the two vans.”

“Very well. Keep a close eye on the cars, and if she’s in even the slightest bit of danger, then you must do what you can to save her,” Elliot ordered as his gaze grew frighteningly calm, though he might go berserk with worry at any given moment.

Why did Riley kidnap Anastasia? Is it because she’s the woman I’m in love with?

He didn’t have time to dwell on whatever twisted reasoning Riley might have behind such an operation. Without another word, he rallied Rey and eight of his bodyguards before they hurriedly followed the direction in which the kidnappers were moving.

Chapter 362

While they were on their way, Elliot and his men would continuously tune into the information and directions given by the bodyguards who were tracking Anastasia and her kidnappers. Right now, all Elliot could do was pray for her safe return. The thought of what those kidnappers might do to her while she lay helpless in the car brought an ominous gleam to his eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to catch up to that van and kill those kidnappers with his bare hands.

Even though they were accelerating at full speed, he still felt like they were going too slow for comfort. If Riley so much as touched a single hair on Anastasia’s head, he vowed that he would blast them all to kingdom come.

Presently, Anastasia was slowly coming to her senses as she lay on the ground in an abandoned house somewhere. A sack had been pulled over her head, and she could see nothing but darkness, though she did pick up the sounds of footsteps and people talking around her.

She struggled to break free of her restraints as she let out muffled cries. “Mmph!”

“Stop struggling. Miss Tillman. There’s no way you’re getting out of here alive,” said a weathered male voice.

For some reason, she found the voice extremely familiar, but she couldn’t match a face to it.

“You’re just like your mother, scrambling to die by my hands,” drawled a cold voice close to her ear.

Upon hearing this, Anastasia froze. My mother? Why did this man bring up my mother all of a sudden? Who is he? Judging by his words, he could very well have been my mother’s killer all those years ago. Who is he? Who the hell is he?

These thoughts clamored in her headspace, but just as panic and adrenaline filled her, the man spoke up once more. “Would you like to know more about your mother before you die, Miss Tillman? She could have actually escaped death all those years ago.” There was mock sympathy in his tone as he added, “Do you know who really killed your mother?”

Anastasia was still trembling with fear, but when she heard this, her fear was intermingled with curiosity. She was desperate, she realized, to learn the truth of her mother’s death.

“The actual person who killed your mother is none other than Old Madam Presgrave!” the man said insidiously, his voice loud and clear.

Although she had a sack over her head, she still struggled and moved around after hearing this, indicating that she refused to believe him.

“Skeptical, are we? Hah! Well, let me tell you exactly what she did when she found out that her precious grandson had been kidnapped!” The man elaborated icily and acerbically, “Old Madam Presgrave personally called up the mayor and told him that if he did not save her grandson and left him for dead, she would cripple the entire stock market. Given Presgrave Corporation’s power, she could have easily crippled the entire nation’s economy if she wanted to. Hence, she threatened the mayor and demanded that he bring her grandson back alive. As expected, the mayor took her threats seriously and quickly called the police headquarters.

“Not daring to dawdle on this, the station dispatched all their available uniformed officers and ordered them to bring Elliot back alive no matter what. Your mother happened to be one of those unfortunate souls who were sent out on the rescue mission. As far as Old Madam Presgrave was concerned, her grandson’s life was the only one that mattered, and she couldn’t care less about what happened to your mother.”

Shock rippled through Anastasia as she listened to the story. She could understand Harriet’s fear of losing her grandson, but she didn’t think that the old lady had so forcefully threatened the mayor.

“As such, your mother got a call from the top brass and went on duty. She could have been spared, but she dashed out to shield the little boy and took the stabbing in his place. She was determined to protect him even though she had taken thirteen stabs to the back and practically bled to death. She sacrificed herself for the little young master, all because of one phone call from the old lady.”

Anastasia felt like her heart might burst from the grief and pain. Hot tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over. Is that truly the reason why Mom died while on duty all those years ago?

“Can you imagine how much pain and reluctance your mother must have been in during her time of death? She was going to leave behind an adorable daughter who was barely even two years of age! I even heard her whisper, “I’m sorry, Anya…” while her life seeped out of her!”

Anastasia shook her head furiously, not wanting to hear any more of this as torrential anguish seized her.

“Yet, here you are now, in love with the boy who had been the reason for your mother’s death all those years ago. Do you think your mother is going to rest in peace in the great beyond?”

The man was crouching right in front of her and rubbing a liberal amount of salt in her wounds. The fear in Anastasia was now gone, and it was replaced by a surge of strong hatred. She knew that the man was her mother’s killer.

Just then, he let out a bark of ominous laughter, and it was such a familiar sound that her mind felt as if it had imploded with the recollection. The man was none other than Elliot’s uncle, Riley. It had to be him.

He was the one who killed my mother all those years ago! The sudden realization filled her with anger as she struggled violently. Although she knew she couldn’t do anything, her instincts were urging her to unleash vengeance on this man.

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“I heard that the Presgraves have been trying to repay your mother’s noble sacrifice all these years. I’m sure Old Madam Presgrave sorely regrets threatening the mayor back then; if she hadn’t done that, your mother would have been spared. The young master’s life is worth more than gold, but that doesn’t mean your mother deserved to have hers taken away. Sadly, this world will never be fair; the rich simply buy their way out of death, and common folk like your mother would simply have to surrender to fate.”

Anastasia wanted to make Riley shut up and get him to stop talking about all these. She didn’t want to hear about them at all.

However, Riley was a twisted man who thought his gloriously wicked deeds demanded an audience, and Anastasia made for an excellent listener. More to the point, the sadistic side of him would never allow him to let slip the chance to torture someone. The sight of Anastasia’s obvious anguish and discomfort filled him with satisfaction that he thought he had long forgotten.

“If I were your mother, I would hate that I’d given birth to an ingrate and a traitorous daughter like you. You could have had any man you wished, but you chose to love Young Master Elliot, who lived only because your mother died so gruesomely!”

Stop it! Shut up! Anastasia wanted to scream at him. She knew what Riley was trying to do; he wanted her to hate the Presgraves.

“Boss, we’re running out of time. Let’s send her on her merry way,” one of Riley’s subordinates piped up from somewhere.

“I’m sorry, Miss Tillman, but I suppose you share your mother’s ill fortune and will have to die by my hands. Don’t worry, though. You’ll be reunited with her soon!” Riley chuckled.

Fear and rage coursed through Anastasia like a potent cocktail as she realized that he was planning to kill her, though she didn’t know why. What good will my death do for him? Is this his way of getting back at the Presgraves and challenging them? Or does this have something to do with my relationship with Elliot? Does he want to take my life so that he can break Elliot’s heart and destroy him emotionally?

While this was happening, half a dozen vehicles manned by bodyguards were speeding over to the location, driving through the muddy and mountainous terrain as they appeared like ghouls.

Riley’s henchman who was stationed outside the abandoned house as a lookout couldn’t respond in time, and he quickly cried out, “Boss!” However, when the leading car drove forward and made to knock him down, he quickly dodged and leaped into the drain that ran along the side of the house. In the next second, a loud bang filled the air as the car rammed into the front door of the house, causing the entire wall to cave and topple down.

The man in the driver’s seat was immediately greeted by a scene that made his blood boil.

Anastasia was curled up on the ground with a sack pulled over her head and her wrists bound.

At the sight of the car and the fallen wall, Riley jumped in shock. He knew that Elliot had sent people to keep tabs on him, but he didn’t think they would arrive so soon. With lightning speed, he grabbed hold of Anastasia and hauled her up from the ground, pressing a blade to her neck as he sneered. “My darling nephew, have you come for a visit?” he said.

“Let her go,” Elliot thundered with the rage of a hellish creature, his gaze obsidian and mutinous.

“Tsk, tsk. Do you truly love the girl so much? You’ve gone soft, Elliot. I didn’t think the Presgraves were capable of producing a romantic like you. There goes our family honor,” Riley mocked insouciantly. Without warning, he ran the blade along the alabaster skin of Anastasia’s neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

“Let her go, Riley!” Elliot yelled, his voice quivering with rage and panic.

Riley found that this situation was turning out very much in his favor. He scoffed and said, “I’ll let her go, but on the condition that you immediately transfer fifty percent of the shares in Presgrave Corporation to me. Otherwise, if I’m going down, then I’m taking her with me.”

Just then, he pulled the sack off Anastasia’s head to reveal her pale and anguished expression. There was a rag stuffed in her mouth to muffle her cries, but her eyes glistened with tears as she stared at the man in front of her—the man who would do anything to save her.

“Fine. I’ll give you whatever you want, but let her go first,” Elliot announced firmly with a nod of his head.

“Have a copy of the agreement sent to me, and I want it to be legally enforceable,” Riley demanded, seizing this chance to take the portion of the company that was rightfully his.

Meanwhile, Anastasia was not afraid of death, even now. She hated her mother’s killer with a passion, and she wanted him to pay for Amelia’s death in blood. Not only that, she didn’t want Elliot to give up half the ownership of Presgrave Corporation to this devil just to save her.

As such, she stared at him unrelentingly and shook her head ever so slightly, indicating for him to refuse the bargain.

“I’ll let her go only after I’ve seen the agreement,” replied Riley. With his henchmen surrounding him and Anastasia, there was no way for any of the bodyguards to advance to save the hostage. Worse still was that Riley had a blade pressed against Anastasia’s neck, and any movement on her part could mean her certain death by his hand.

Chapter 364

“Do it, Rey!” ordered Elliot.

“President Presgrave…” Rey couldn’t help but mutter. Fifty percent of Presgrave Corporation’s shares were an enormous amount of assets, after all.

After transferring that exact amount, he was certain how much trouble his president would be in.

Suddenly, Elliot turned around with red eyes while enunciating, “I told you to do it!”

percent of Presgrave Corporation’s shares was nothing

Elliot’s orders, Rey quickly returned to the car, grabbed the laptop, and

Elliot, she saw the nervousness and worry in his eyes. He didn’t even care about handing over half of Presgrave Corporation’s shares to

parents’ death, but in order to

a self-defense move that she had learned before. Though she hadn’t practiced them before, she thought

Elliot transfer

face as she shut her eyes. He let down his guard when he saw how weak and

see the legal document of the transfer of shares immediately since he never expected Anastasia to be worth that

had underestimated the weight of Anastasia

Rey tapped the keyboard and raised his

clutched Riley’s hand harshly before hitting his arm with her elbow the moment she sensed the knife on her neck loosening up. Once the knife was

when he saw what she had just done. At lightning speed, he stretched out his arm and

time, he growled in a low voice, “Are

Anastasia held her ear with her hand. She was lucky that her ear had only suffered a light cut, and it

a sudden, the people around them seemed to move at the same time. Elliot’s bodyguards

contract!” Like a madman, Riley rushed toward Rey. All he cared about was the transfer of shares contract, and he intended to

with both arms. Upon seeing that, Riley screamed like a lunatic, “Give me the laptop! G-Give

he brought Anastasia out of the scene. He grabbed a

he couldn’t help but utter while

warning; it

from a heart attack when he

Anastasia seemed to look fragile yet strong as she sat in the

but her gaze and her mentality showed

a sudden thought entered her mind. She wasn’t

let him transfer fifty percent of Presgrave Corporation’s shares, she would never be able to repay such a huge debt in this

uncle is the one who kidnapped you, and my mother was also killed in his hands, so you cannot let him escape.” Anastasia looked at Elliot and grabbed his arms. Tears

him back then, but since he was young at that time, he couldn’t find the real culprit even after

regarding your mother’s death.” Elliot nodded. He thought that she would be

Chapter 365

expectations, even though Anastasia looked pale, she only held on to his arm for support. At that moment, Elliot desperately wanted

retreated instinctively, so he retracted his arm

handle the rest here,” said

stay back and catch Riley instead.” After saying that, she closed the door.

could feel his heart throb in pain. Why did he feel like she

did Riley tell

Anastasia back home while he stayed back to settle

case to cause him so much trouble. All of his subordinates had collapsed, and he was being pressed to the ground

resembled a young king on the throne, looking down at the man below

go of me, Elliot! I’m your uncle! I’m your senior!” Riley huffed, intending to

Are you the culprit who killed her mother

snickered while saying, “Find the evidence and sue me if you’re capable of it! I won’t admit a

“In that case, be prepared to rot

it, Riley could be sentenced to a few years of jail for the kidnapping

if he went

to her son. Sooner

told Anastasia that she was found thrown into a ditch by the roadside and was

so shocked that she nearly cried. She

had done and told her that she would talk to

sitting in the backseat, Anastasia’s mind was filled with Riley’s words. She felt conflicted. Was she going to

mother to save a life

life in exchange for an opportunity for Elliot to

as her daughter, Anastasia developed feelings for

her house, he reminded, “Have

Anastasia entered the house and shut the

didn’t leave after that, for he had to protect Anastasia until Elliot came

for kidnapping, whereas Elliot’s bodyguard handed over all

time, Elliot also applied for a re-investigation of his kidnapping case back then with Riley as the primary suspect. He also called for another investigation into Amelia’s case, the policewoman who

Anastasia’s housing area immediately. He called Nigel, told him what happened today, and ordered

line, Nigel was taken aback by the information. With that, he hurriedly sent someone to the kindergarten to pick Jared up. He was going to

kidnapped had dissipated, but she felt complicated emotions. She stood in Old Madam Presgrave’s shoes; if her only grandson had been kidnapped back then, she would also be willing to do anything to save him no matter how crazy

Chapter 366

Old Madam Presgrave had threatened to crash the stock market in

best to save the young Elliot. After all, it

alive? Would Anastasia

much, and her mother had been an imaginary figure as far as she could remember. She didn’t even have a single memory of her mother, for she

her mother looking at her tenderly, and that triggered

anyone, but she didn’t want to

thought the only thing she could do was to cut her ties with the Presgrave Family and never involve herself in

then, there was a knock on the door, and she could guess

get up, let

It’s me. Can you open

door stopped for a while, but they quickly resumed. It seemed that Elliot was determined to

wiping off her tears and composing herself, Anastasia washed up

was standing outside. Instead, she uttered indifferently,

what Riley had told her, but it

you want to

him, saying, “I just don’t want to see you. Don’t come and

something, what came

was perplexed. Anastasia’s words were like needles piercing his heart, making him struggle to

of resentment in her eyes. What

her hate

reality, that wasn’t the case. Anastasia didn’t hate the Presgrave Family; she just couldn’t accept what the

that, would her

that Elliot would have been dead

came into mind, she felt a pain in

was greedy, for she wanted Elliot and her mother to both be

bring her son home, draw lines with the Presgrave

could hear the determination in her voice through the phone, so he

from the car

getting off the car just then. She said, “Thank you for taking

Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

sharp eyes immediately

worry,” Anastasia

was laced with concern as he looked at her.

now!” After saying that, Anastasia held

to their house, they saw two people who

response, Anastasia denied while saying, “No. They

already left, his two subordinates were guarding downstairs while Anastasia brought Jared

to apply for an extended holiday and not return to the office for the time

did not approve her

Chapter 367

off for her son and called Felicia. When Felicia heard

felt that it wasn’t in her power to approve Anastasia’s

discuss it with him, but if he doesn’t agree, I will resign from the

ask

“President Presgrave has approved your request and will offer you three months of paid leave, but

thought she would miss Felicia a

“Let’s keep in touch!”

of me all this while, Felicia,”

that he sees the growth potential in us; he only did it

“Do you know who

kidnapper seemed to expect her to be there, and it felt like she had stepped

kidnapping incident, so she didn’t think much about it as she answered, “Aliona was the one who negotiated with the client. She was supposed to go and meet them, but the client specified that they wanted to see

Aliona?

anyhow related to the kidnapping case? Anastasia furrowed her brows and fell into deep

to Riley or the client, but why was

Felicia. Let’s meet

Felicia replied with a

Anastasia glanced at the time. It was time to prepare lunch for her

she turned

exclaimed

weather outside was already at 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so she had to make

the bodyguards from yesterday were still standing in

and Jared entered

picking some vegetables, she

head, she saw Elliot in a black trench coat walking toward her among the crowd. His tall and straight figure moved in an imposing manner. He

chaotic. She had thought it through for the past two days and made

moment, however, he messed

buy extra ingredients! Mr. Presgrave will be

throat, but she quickly retorted, “He’s busy. He can’t come

Presgrave, are you really not coming over

picking the vegetables, and asked tentatively, “Are you going to cook for me

head. She was holding two bags of vegetables as if comparing them both, but in reality, she couldn’t

attention wasn’t on the vegetables

a sullen face, he turned to Jared and said, “Your mom is right. I’m busy, so I can’t come

really want you to come,

come too!” Elliot

didn’t

to pick other ingredients. At the same time, she looked far away, intending

and realized that Anastasia was crying, so

saw his tall figure

Chapter 368

a lot of groceries so that she could stay home with her son for

bag of groceries out the door, one of the bodyguards came up

a grateful smile. She didn’t have to treat them indifferently,

lobby of the housing block,

she could hear

the lift. Bring Jared over!”

hint of a