Never Too Far Novel

“What is it?” Elliot asked.

“Five years ago, we… we had a baby together.”

Elliot had one hand in his pocket as he stood in front of the French windows in the study, and when he heard what Hayley said over the phone, his eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

“Our baby didn’t manage to survive, but I was looking through my stuff and I found the sonogram from all those years ago. Our baby…” Hayley let out a heartbreaking sob. “I lost the baby at three months… I’m so sorry for not being able to keep him.”

He was shell-shocked. He never thought that he had hurt Hayley more than she let on five years ago, and he didn’t ever expect her to have gone through a miscarraige.

“I didn’t know that I was pregnant at the time. I was always so overworked and tired, and by the time I found out I was expecting a baby, the fetal heartbeat had stopped.” She was crying even more mournfully now on the other line as she went on to say, “It was all my fault. I didn’t know I was having a baby. If I did, I would have done everything I could to bring the baby into this world.”

“Stop crying,” Elliot urged gently. “That’s enough now. Don’t beat yourself up over this; maybe this is just fate at work.”

“I get really cold whenever winter comes around. The doctor mentioned that it’s a side effect from the miscarriage. Elliot, I want to see you, right now…” Hayley pleaded, “Can you please come over and see me?”

He frowned. “Right now?”

“Yes, right now. I’m really, really unwell, and I want to see you. Please,” she begged.

“Okay, I’ll go over now,” he agreed. He couldn’t believe that Hayley had suffered a miscarriage that left her with such brutal side effects.

Presently, it was evening time, and Anastasia was resting in her bedroom when Elliot pushed the door open to come in. “I need to head out for a while. Mrs. Collins will come by later to make dinner.”

“Oh, okay,” Anastasia replied with a nod.

Elliot’s dilemma was clear in his obsidian eyes as he gazed at her. He didn’t want her to know that he was going over to Hayley’s place because he didn’t want to hurt her.

“What time will you be back?” she pressed.

“A little later than usual.”

“Alright then. Go ahead.” She didn’t want to intrude too much upon his personal life either.

He gave her a long look, then turned and left.

Meanwhile, over at Summit Mansion, Hayley flew into her room and sat down in front of the vanity. She happily grabbed her cosmetic bag and began to put on her make-up so that she looked ready to welcome Elliot.

The swelling and bruises on her face from the plastic surgery had healed over, and having gone through a rigorous skin treatment, she was glowing beautifully under the lights. A delighted smile curled on her lips, and she was entirely happy with how the procedure had turned out even though she bore some semblance to Anastasia now.

She carefully applied her make-up to create an effortless and natural look, then ran toward her wardrobe to pull on a stunning negligee that revealed just the right amount of skin. After that, she grabbed a white fur coat and draped it over herself to add a luxurious touch to her overall appearance.

When she was done, she sat on the couch and waited for Elliot to show up.

As night devoured the land, a black sedan drove into the front yard of the mansion. Elliot’s elegant and towering figure stepped out of the vehicle. He was dressed in all-black, and there was an imposing air of nobility about him as he made his way up the path to the front door.

Hayley was peering at him through the window with unadulterated adoration. She had been wanting to claim this man as her own, in life and in bed, ever since she laid eyes on him. At the same time, she was admittedly flustered and nervous; she wasn’t sure if he would take too kindly to her new face, but at the thought of how men often fell for beauties, her desire to be loved by him overpowered her fear and uncertainty.

Elliot opened the front door, which had been left unlocked, and walked into the house. He was greeted at once by the sight of Hayley lounging on the couch in the living room, the dim lighting overhead casting a warm glow over her skin as the thin blanket slid halfway off her torso. Just then, she looked up slowly, and her eyes lit up when she registered his arrival.

Upon taking a good look at her face, he stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed slightly as he appraised her, and for a moment, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

He could see traces of Anastasia’s delicate features on Hayley’s face. Shock rippled through him as he belatedly realized that she had gone for plastic surgery. Just so she could look like Anastasia, he thought grimly.

“What’s wrong, Elliot? Do you not like the way I look now?” Hayley looked crestfallen. “I know how much you like Anastasia, so I… I did my best to look like her. I did this for you. Please don’t push me away after this!” She sounded like she might cry any time, though she was subtly pleading for his compliments.

“Plastic surgery comes with its risks, and there isn’t a need for you to go to such lengths,” Elliot pointed out as he sat down on the couch across from Hayley. He couldn’t help finding it unsettling to see her looking like this.

“All I ever want is for you to love and notice me like how you do to Anastasia,” Hayley muttered demurely as she bit down on her lower lip.

He frowned at this. “You really didn’t have to get so much work done on your face just to suit my preferences.”

She felt gutted. He wasn’t behaving the way she thought he would at all, and he was still treating her with the same indifference as he did before she went for plastic surgery.

Without another word, she picked up a docket from the table and handed it to him, saying, “All the information about our baby is in there, Elliot. Take a look for yourself. I know it’s been five years, but I… I still haven’t moved past it.”

He rose to take the docket, then opened it to pull out the sonogram. It had Hayley’s name and the date written on it, and the timestamp showed that it was taken about three months after the incident at Abyss Club.

“Take care of yourself and rest up,” Elliot said as he set the documents aside. When he looked up at Hayley again, it was with compassion and apology. “I’m sorry for putting you through the pain and the heartache. I’ll hire a nutritionist to come by tomorrow to curate a special diet for you while you’re recuperating.”

At that moment, Hayley let out a low hiss of pain and doubled down as her hand pressed down on her abdomen. “It hurts…”

He stood up immediately and crossed over to her, urging, “Would you like to see a doctor?”

She clutched his arm and pulled him down on the couch, and he did as he was prompted. Then, she nuzzled into his embrace while he was distracted and snaked her arms around his waist, hugging him tight as she mumbled, “I’m cold, Elliot. Can you hold me, please?”

Elliot’s gaze darkened as he reached for the blanket and draped it over her shoulders. He then offered flatly, “I’ll go and turn up the thermostat.”

“No! I just need your warmth,” she insisted, still clinging onto him as her eyes fluttered closed. She wanted nothing but to breathe in more of his scent.

He stiffened before patting her shoulder awkwardly. Being touched by any woman other than Anastasia irked him to no end.

Suddenly, Hayley grabbed her phone from the coffee table and clicked into the camera. Then, she took a picture of herself snuggled up in Elliot’s arms. She gazed up at him and explained, “Just so I can take a look at you whenever I miss you and you aren’t around.”

“I’ll go and turn up the thermostat,” he bit out coldly as he shoved her firmly aside. He marched over to the control panel on the wall where the thermostat was and turned up the heat in the living room.

Hayley stood up from the couch and let her fur coat slide down her shoulders deliberately, revealing the red negligee that she wore underneath. It revealed her skin in all the right places, and it was so short that she might as well be naked. She gave Elliot a helpless look, seemingly flustered by the loss of her fur coat.

At present, the sheer amount of skin she was revealing would have prompted any other man to abandon all sense of reason and rush up to her to devour every bit of her stunning, fragile beauty.

“Elliot, I’m cold…” She was like a child who couldn’t even bend down to pick up her own coat. All she did was stand there and stare at Elliot imploringly, silently willing him to save her from distress.

However, he was focused on turning up the thermostat, and when he finally turned to look at her, it was with an impassive expression that matched the frosty gleam in his eyes.

She dispensed with subtlety as she begged, “Elliot, hold me! Please!”

Having turned up the thermostat, he returned to her side and picked up the coat before handing it to her, swiftly blocking out the ample amount of decolletage that she was showing. In a cold and crisp voice, he said, “Don’t bother using such tricks on me. A woman is only ever desirable and lovable when she loves and values herself first, got it?” He did not fall for her seductive charms and decided to lecture her instead.

It seemed as if the novelty of romance was lost on him.

Hayley was stunned by his rejection, and when she saw him grab his phone off the coffee table, she demanded, “Are you leaving?”

Needless to say, Elliot had already figured out the true reason she asked him to come over, and if seduction was all she had planned for tonight, he didn’t think he had to stay here a moment longer. “If you’re lonely and dying for company, you’re welcome to bring home any man you want,” he pointed out sardonically before he turned to head for the door.

“You’re the only one I like, Elliot! Can’t you just stay with me for a night? I’ll give you anything you want!” Hayley cried as she shamelessly and desperately chased after him.

However, Elliot had already slid into his car and closed the door. Hayley hurtled toward him, but just as she was about to reach the door, he backed out of the driveway smoothly and sped off into the night, leaving her shivering in the cold breeze.

The fur coat on her kept her warm, but there was no thawing of the icicles that pierced her heart following his harsh rejection.

The courage she had summoned just to go through with the plastic surgery was all for naught; Elliot wasn’t impressed by her new face at all, nor did he glance at it for even longer than a few seconds.

She couldn’t understand why this was happening. He likes the way Anastasia looks, doesn’t he? I’ve had all this work done just to look like her, so why am I still not good enough?

Gritting her teeth, she fished out her phone with a malicious gleam in her eyes and selected the picture she had taken earlier before sending it to Anastasia.

With her chest rising and falling rapidly, she screamed into the night, “If I can’t have you, Elliot, then neither can Anastasia!” She stormed back into the house and plopped down on the couch, grabbing the bottle of wine she had been drinking before Elliot’s arrival, and threw her head back as she gulped down the contents. However, at that moment, her eyes widened when she realized that the wine had lost its familiar tangy fragrance, and it seemed like it had been diluted with water.

Hayley stared at the wine in astonishment. Have I left it exposed to the air for too long? She filled half a glass with the wine and drank it, only to find that it was as tasteless as tap water.

Her hand flew to her throat as her mind scrambled for an answer. What’s happening? Why can’t I taste the wine?

As panic seized her, she hurried to the fridge and rummaged the drawer for a handful of cherries. She didn’t bother washing them as she shoved them into her mouth. The sweetness of the cherries, which she was sure she had tasted just the day before, had been severely diluted, barely coating her tongue. It was as if her taste buds were degenerating.

She started to grow anxious as she ran into the kitchen. She had never cooked here, but the servants had stocked up the salt and sugar. Having found a bag of salt, she tore it open and shoveled a handful of it into her mouth. The saltiness ought to make her cringe and shudder, but she could not taste it at all, and she only became incredibly thirsty afterward.

“My taste buds!” She let out a frantic shriek. Then, she crouched down on the floor and clutched her throat. She couldn’t believe that the plastic surgery had caused her to lose her sense of taste.

Without wasting another second, she dashed out of the house and into the garage, driving over to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Anastasia was curled up in bed with a good book, and she had spent the better part of the last few hours without her phone. Now that she wanted to check the time, she began to search for her phone.

Elliot’s villa was huge, and it would take a while for her to find the phone she had so casually set aside somewhere.

It was only after she ventured down into the living room that she found her phone on the table next to the couch. She sat down to check the time, only to see that she had received a new message.

She clicked into it, and the contents made her eyes widen in shock. The text was sent from an unfamiliar number, and the picture that came with it was one of a woman, who bore a striking resemblance to her, snuggled up in Elliot’s arms.

Anastasia did not miss the fact that Elliot was wearing the same clothes he had when he left the house earlier. When he said he was heading out, did he really mean he was going to some other woman’s place?

She glanced at the woman in the picture again. Aside from the strong resemblance they shared, she was a little stunned to see that there was something unnervingly familiar about the woman.

Anastasia had no idea that Hayley had gone under the knife. More importantly, it had been a major procedure. It was only normal that Anastasia could not recognize her underneath all that make-up and raunchy outfit.

How did this woman get my number anyway? She even sent me this picture to rile me up!

She tossed her phone aside as frustration and anger welled up in her. Just then, she heard the sound of a car, specifically Elliot’s, pulling up outside.

She fixed her murderous gaze on the door, and sure enough, it wasn’t long before Elliot walked past the threshold with his car keys in hand.

Anastasia narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as she stared at him like he was the guilty cat that ate the canary.

Catching sight of this, Elliot felt a chill run down his spine as he asked, “What’s wrong?”

was waiting on the couch for him, but when he caught

smiled, but it did not reach her

countered,

came down for a drink,” she said humorlessly

want a drink too.

are broken, do it yourself!” Anastasia snapped as she took the glass of water she had poured for herself and

gaped after Anastasia

was being abandoned. Women were perpetually unsolvable mysteries, and not

a glass of water and followed Anastasia up the stairs instead. When he got to her bedroom doorway, he saw that she

answered coolly, deliberately avoiding his gaze

to take it. However,

as he had already begun to drink from the glass, he gulped down a mouthful of water. He then narrowed

a sip, she shrugged and said, “Fine, drink the whole glass of water. I’ll just

it sound like he carried some infectious disease. We’ve already kissed multiple times, and all of a sudden she doesn’t want me drinking from her glass? He was baffled as he sat down across from her. His piercing gaze was inquisitive as he asked, “I drank your water. Why should that stop

moment he came home,

don’t want to talk about it,” she muttered in annoyance, not

it in business deals or conversations. He would much rather have an open discussion when it came to solving problems, and he wanted to have a solution as soon as

and disgusting, but it wasn’t as if you would be at a loss, right? You’d only have to put in

Elliot more puzzled. However, before he could say anything, she went on to ask in all seriousness,

just have a problem; they were having a crisis. Otherwise, she wouldn’t

must have happened in between that made her lash out

phone and pulled up the picture she had received from the unfamiliar number earlier, showing it to him as she snapped, “Next

the picture. I can’t believe Hayley

a grave tone, he asked, “Anastasia, do

I seen her before or something?” Anastasia was admittedly astonished by his question. She didn’t think that

“That’s Hayley.”

gasped.

done just to look

was done with your looks in mind,” Elliot elaborated,

up real close to

the wrong idea. I’ve never felt anything but guilt toward her, and I don’t intend to let that progress into anything else,” he explained in a low voice as

just to spite her. Besides, if she were to look really closely, she could tell that Hayley was the only

isn’t someone I should be jealous of! Anastasia flushed as she pursed her lips. Then, she grew a little embarrassed as she offered sheepishly, “President Presgrave, would you like a glass of water? I’ll go and pour you one right

seeing the sudden shift in her demeanor, Elliot knew that her anger had waned. He had to admit that the furious side of

plastic surgery had been a success. After all, procedures like these often required a severe alteration of one’s bones, muscles, and nerves. There was no telling if there would be any long-lasting damages that came

upset with me anymore, are you?” Elliot got up and sat beside her with a

but don’t take it to heart!”

wanted to go back to the room and

strong arm grabbed her wrist and yanked her down. In an instant, Anastasia fell onto Elliot’s

Anastasia squinted her eyes, wondering what he was

you still

hate you!” Anastasia lied

of water,” reminded

I hate

unless

to you?” She felt that there was nothing to

Elliot in a low voice as he clasped the back of her head and

mind instantly went blank. How could he kiss her whenever

she did not despise him. Only then did he let

entered the room. She

should think about the consequences first before

call from Felicia while she was still in a

has been

immediately shot open, and she was now wide awake. “Five

own grave. She didn’t just ruin her own future but was even sentenced to five years in prison. She deserves it, though. Besides her, Jacqueline has also been sentenced to three years of imprisonment.” Anastasia

woman, while Jacqueline didn’t know how to draw a line. As if it wasn’t enough for

have been difficult for Anastasia to find proof of Alice’s theft, not to mention the fact that Savill Jewelry Atelier had been supporting Alice in secret. Anastasia faced the risk of getting kicked out of the design industry and becoming a joke among the public.

I think Alice is too ambitious and is always finding ways to replace you. There’s no need to pity her,” Anastasia

the kind acts of those who treated her well,

Alice deserves to be punished. Those who have spoken ill of you

warmth filling her chest.

and I’m grateful for what

father’s company, I’ll welcome you back. Besides, all the works that have plagiarized yours have been taken off the shelves, and your works

“Thank you, Felicia.”

because of this incident, they’ve become bankrupt. I heard that the president

“Is that so?”

and he even went to stop his car several times. I heard that

the owner of Savill had done

Anastasia got out of bed. She glanced at her son and saw that

It was a foggy morning, and in the far distance, mountains could be

warm coffee at that moment, that would

elegant figure while he was cooking breakfast. He was wearing an off-white sweater and khaki-colored pants. This was the

dark-colored clothing, but today, he decided to go with a light and mellow-toned outfit. It was

Elliot was wearing an apron, giving off the vibes of a

laid out on the table. Elliot,

soon.” As

in mind, she walked over on a whim, extended her arms, and gave him

just a pleasant surprise to him. His eyes curved into crescent shapes, and

that, Anastasia hugged him for a while, indulging in his warmth early in

for everything you have done for me.” Anastasia pressed against his firm back and

and reached out to hold her hand. He turned around, as if afraid that she

on his waist while his hands were placed lightly on her shoulder. After the two made eye contact,

you,” Elliot uttered in a baritone voice while

threw herself into his arms. His tender gaze overwhelmed

side. Are you still afraid that you don’t have enough chances to spoil me?” Anastasia raised her

a minute. I’ll make breakfast for

glad that Jared and I can have breakfast that you’ve

coffee, she sat in front of the

minutes later, Elliot came over with two plates of big breakfast. It was a nutritiously-balanced meal, and

With him here,

will be holding a banquet tomorrow to host some guests, do you want to

was a little worried

for a while, she

inaudible sigh of relief. Thank goodness she was willing

thinking about her following plans. After being interrupted by Anastasia last time, her good impression in

that Elliot was furious now, and he didn’t want to see

was the culprit. If she hadn’t appeared, Aliona would have succeeded that

saw the news. Because of her plagiarism, Elliot made a jewelry company bankrupt for Anastasia’s sake and even sent two designers

impression in front of Elliot so that when she gave birth to his child,

now? She couldn’t

hurriedly entered from the outside

this from jail. Hurry up and

check the letter, only to read several words that contained a vague

plan as soon as possible. Regarding the plan we discussed before,

pregnant with Elliot’s child and kill Elliot

their heir, and Elliot was the family’s only direct son. Since he had

letter and clutched it tightly with her beautiful nails. Was her godfather in

a child, and Anastasia’s mother had also been killed in the very same incident.

her godfather meant by the situation wasn’t in his favor. He was worried that Elliot might harm him in prison, or if Elliot found out what happened in the past, he would definitely make Riley rot in prison for the rest of his

listen to your commands.” The subordinate had a premonition that Riley was at a dead end now, and Aliona was the one who held

definitely reap the benefits by following

and ordered, “You

making sure that she didn’t abuse her power. Lucas’ son was still kidnapped overseas under the watch of Riley’s

it wouldn’t

to do was to give birth to his son and kill him to enjoy the billions of assets

execute his plan.”

able to work alongside a conspirator like Riley proved that Aliona didn’t

Mansion, Rey had sent some men over to carry out investigations and monitoring works. Eventually, they managed to retrieve footage near the communication tracking address. It was a footage of a woman in a call, and

it was her who had ordered the security guard to burn the Abyss

fit

have any other footage? I want something

in on one of the shots.

the woman in

me this video,”

to the car with this

“Hello?”

the GPS location, I just discovered that the person who ordered the security to set fire to the server room

“What? Are you sure?”

her. I’ll send the information to you in a

sent by Rey. The woman on the screen was

Rey’s sources, and their tracking system under Presgrave

security guard to burn down the server

Anastasia would know better about

laptop and got up to find Anastasia. Currently, she was on the second floor reading a pile of material reports sent by her father. It took her a long time to digest a few

since she

have something to ask you.”

Anastasia looked at the woman on the screen,

investigating the incident five years ago without

baffled. “Why do you want to investigate this

that b*stard and make him rot in prison.”

the host who slept with her before. She knew that he was a time

then, her reputation and her son’s background would be heavily

the only way to end it

was Hayley who arranged for the host to sleep with me?”

that, Elliot was completely stunned. It was the first time

you five years ago?” Elliot instantly widened his

before, so she nodded. “Back then, Hayley and my sister teamed up to trick me into going to

the new piece of information, Elliot clenched his fists. What he heard from Hayley was that Anastasia had entered the wrong private room and was violated