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?”

on the couch for him, but when he caught the murderous look in her eyes, he began to

reach her eyes as

countered, “Did you wait up for me on

came down for a drink,” she said humorlessly as she

too. Pour one

she took the glass of

gaped after Anastasia

he was being abandoned. Women were perpetually unsolvable mysteries, and not even Elliot, with his businessman brilliance and intelligence, could figure

stairs instead. When he got to her bedroom doorway, he saw that she

she answered coolly, deliberately avoiding his gaze

out to take it. However, just as he brought it up to his lips,

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

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

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

had sensed her hostility from the moment he came home, and

want to talk about it,” she muttered in annoyance, not wanting to say

not?” he pressed. He was never one to beat around the bush be 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

be at a loss, right? You’d only have to put in some physical labor, but that’s about it! She’s the one who

only made Elliot more puzzled. However, before he could say anything, she went on to ask in all seriousness, “Did you think I was butting into your personal affairs last night and you secretly blame me

problem; they were having a crisis. Otherwise, she wouldn’t take such a feisty tone with him at

in between that made her lash out at him like this.

unfamiliar number earlier, showing it to him as she snapped, “Next time you

slightly when he saw the picture.

tone, he asked, “Anastasia, do you know who

or something?” Anastasia was admittedly astonished by his question. She didn’t think that the person he

“That’s Hayley.”

Anastasia gasped. “That’s

familiar yet so strange at the same time. She never expected Hayley to have gone under the knife and gotten all this work done just to look like her. The

procedure was done with your looks in

close

I don’t intend to let that progress into anything else,” he explained

look really closely, she could tell that Hayley

getting jealous here? She 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

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

procedures like these often required a

up and sat beside

not upset! I did say some harsh words just now, but don’t take it to heart!” Anastasia turned around and realized that she had no right to treat him

wanted to go back to the room and

soon as she got up, a strong arm grabbed her wrist and yanked her down. In an instant, Anastasia fell

eyes, wondering what he was up

you still hate

hate you!” Anastasia lied through her

glass of

doesn’t mean I hate

unless you

it to you?” She felt that there

have a way,” said Elliot in a low voice as he clasped

he kiss her whenever he wanted to? Could he at least

not despise him. Only then did he let go

phone and entered the

consequences first before messing with him next

next morning, Anastasia received a call from Felicia while she was still

you seen the news? Alice has been

Anastasia’s eyes immediately shot open, and she was now

five years in prison. She deserves it, though. Besides her, Jacqueline has

applied to Anastasia, she didn’t find them innocent at all. Alice was a vicious woman, while Jacqueline didn’t know how to draw a line. As if it wasn’t enough for her to steal

of Alice’s theft, not to mention the fact that Savill Jewelry Atelier had been supporting

too ambitious and is always finding ways to replace you. There’s no need to pity

acts of those who treated her well, but she would not pity those who treated her

you in the company are now terrified. They’ve underestimated President Presgrave’s love for

chest. Only those involved were

for what he

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

“Thank you, Felicia.”

Sadly, because of this incident, they’ve become bankrupt. I heard that the president even went to beg President Presgrave to let them go, but

“Is that so?”

He begged President Presgrave through various connections, and he even went to stop his car several times. I

of Savill had done all those

Anastasia got out of bed. She glanced at her son and saw that he was still fast asleep, probably from the excitement last

cold outside since winter had arrived. It was a foggy morning, and in the far distance, mountains could be vaguely seen spiking in the

a cup of warm coffee at that moment, that would be even more

stood an elegant figure while he

go with a light and mellow-toned outfit. It was simply

an apron, giving off the vibes of

breakfast had been laid out on the table. Elliot, on the other hand,

will be ready soon.” As he spoke, Elliot

back, Anastasia suddenly had the urge to hug him. With that thought in mind, she walked over on a whim, extended her arms, and gave him a back

he wasn’t stiff. It was just a pleasant surprise to him. His eyes curved into crescent

him for a while, indulging in his warmth early

for me.” Anastasia pressed against his firm back

her hand. He turned around, as if afraid that she would

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

as you give me a chance, I can do more for you,” Elliot uttered in a baritone voice while he reached out and stroked her hair. “Will you give me

threw herself into his arms. His tender

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

kissed her hair and responded, “Wait a minute. I’ll

so glad that Jared and I can

front

breakfast. It was a nutritiously-balanced meal, and it smelled

him here, she had nothing to

tomorrow to host some guests, do you want to

incident with Riley last time, he was a little worried

pondering for a while, she

sigh of relief. Thank goodness she

with a sullen face, thinking about her following plans. After being interrupted by Anastasia last time,

was furious now, and

was the culprit. If she hadn’t appeared, Aliona

plagiarism, Elliot

had to rebuild her good impression in front of Elliot so that when

now? She couldn’t even contact

then, a subordinate hurriedly entered from the outside to hand her a

sent this from jail. Hurry up and take

immediately tore it open to check the letter, only to read several words that contained a vague

final plan as soon as possible. Regarding the plan we discussed before, just do it boldly

was for her to get pregnant with Elliot’s child and kill Elliot before the child was born. That way, the child would be sent to the Presgrave Family and

quickest way to acquire the assets of the Presgrave Family. The Presgraves had only a few candidates for their heir, and Elliot was the family’s only direct son. Since he had no children yet,

beautiful nails. Was her

once told her that Elliot was investigating his kidnapping case back when he was a child, and Anastasia’s mother had also been killed in the very

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

that Master Riley isn’t here, we will listen to your commands.” The subordinate had a premonition that Riley was at a dead end now, and

reap the

and ordered, “You

Lucas’ son was still kidnapped overseas under the watch of Riley’s subordinates, and she

she opted out now, it wouldn’t be beneficial for

give birth to

that I will execute his plan.” Aliona bit

to work alongside a conspirator like Riley proved that

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

Rey was pretty certain that it was her who had ordered the security guard to burn

person who fit the

you have any other footage? I

surveillance screens and zoomed in on one of the shots. In that specific footage,

woman in

this video,”

with this information, Rey dialed Elliot’s

“Hello?”

discovered that the person who ordered the security to set fire to the server room is

“What? Are you sure?”

it’s her. I’ll send the

received the footage sent by Rey. The woman on the screen was indeed Hayley, and she was on

be a problem with Rey’s sources, and their tracking system under Presgrave Group was even bound to the satellite positioning system

burn down the server room? What secret was she hiding? Elliot’s

Anastasia would know

second floor reading a

already feeling a headache since she wasn’t fit to manage

you have some time to spare? I have something to ask you.” Elliot sat opposite her and

at the woman

me for investigating the incident five years ago without your consent,”

Anastasia was baffled. “Why do you want to

b*stard and make him rot in prison.”

with her before. She knew that he was a time bomb that would explode

then, her reputation and her son’s background

be the only way to end

for the host to sleep with me?” Anastasia raised

was the first time he

five years ago?” Elliot instantly widened his eyes

told him about it before, so she nodded. “Back then, Hayley and my sister teamed up to trick me into going to the club. Once I entered the private room, there was already a man who

Elliot clenched his fists. What he heard from Hayley was that Anastasia had entered the wrong private room and