Never Too Far Novel

“I’ll hold you to that. Which day are you on?” Elliot began marking time like a hunter who had set the traps, sitting out, waiting for his game to fall into it.

At that, Anastasia hurriedly answered, “The first day…”

She had to lie no matter what.

“First day, huh,” drawled Elliot. “Six days to go then.”

She laughed up her sleeve as she buried herself in his arms, and Elliot lowered his head to kiss her cheek tyrannically yet dotingly.

“Alright, cut it out. Don’t stay up too late.” She left his arms, allowing him to return to his work, and as she left, he gave her a cheeky smack out of the blue, making her blush. Excuse me!

However, Elliot grinned, seemingly enjoying her reaction while she fled upstairs.

When morning came, Wanda hailed a cab to Tillman Constructions after having her breakfast at home, for she had assumed Anastasia would come bright and early.

“Sorry, I was wondering whether Miss Anastasia Tillman has arrived for work?” she asked after arriving at the guardhouse.

“And you are?”

“I’m looking for her.”

“Register, please.”

“I’m Wanda Garner.” Wanda gave her name.

The guard happened to be Erica’s man and he grabbed his phone, entered the guardhouse, and called Erica after learning who he was speaking to. “Miss Erica, Wanda Garner has arrived.”

“Do as I’ve told you and bring her to me,” she ordered.
“I’ll hold you to that. Which day are you on?” Elliot began marking time like a hunter who had set the traps, sitting out, waiting for his game to fall into it.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll bring her right away.”

With that, he went out and said to Wanda, who had been waiting outside. “You’re looking for Miss Anastasia Tillman, you said? Follow me. I’ll take you there.”

Wanda was already so eager to meet up with Anastasia that she boarded the golf cart without hesitation, and it wasn’t until the guard had driven more than a mile that she began panicking. “Sir, where are you taking me?”

“Miss Tillman’s up ahead. We’re almost there.” In the security guard’s defense, he didn’t know he was handing a human life to Erica on a silver platter since he believed that Erica just wanted to see her.

“Is Miss Anastasia’s office in this area?” a curious Wanda asked.

The guard naturally wouldn’t ask why Erica wanted to see this woman. His job was only to deliver, and he wouldn’t want to offend Erica unless he wanted to lose his job.

Erica and Patrick had long arrived and they watched the guard escort Wanda to their building from the second-floor window. “Miss Tillman’s inside. Go on in!” said the guard.

Wanda was bewildered that Anastasia’s office was located in such a place, for it looked obviously abandoned.

After she entered the building, the door suddenly shut behind her, and she turned around in fright only to see a man—Erica’s birth father!

At last, she realized she had fallen into a trap. I’ve been brought to Erica!

Erica descended the stairs while sneering, “You’re one lucky woman, Mrs. Garner. Who’d have thought you could still live after falling into the sea.”

“You’re a monster, Erica Tillman. Do you really think I’ll die so easily?” condemned Wanda as she pointed to Erica. As Wanda’s focus was on Erica, it gave Patrick the perfect opportunity to grab her throat.

Unfortunately for Patrick, Wanda was strong, having gained her strength and muscles from doing house chores for years and she sank her teeth into his arm.

“Ahhhh!” he cried out in pain and kicked her away.

Seeing so, Erica immediately charged toward Wanda, who shoved Erica away in turn, making her way to the second floor. The main door was locked now; there was no way she could escape from there.

She set her sights on the windows straight away after arriving on the second floor.

“Dad, grab her. Don’t let her get away,” Erica shouted.

Patrick instantly pulled out the machete they had been setting aside for this and charged toward Wanda, scaring the wits out of her. Before she could register anything, a sharp pain came to her lower abdomen, and she fell back the next second and out of the window.

Though she had suffered an injury on her lower abdomen and also dropped from the second floor, she was still going strong, running toward Tillman Constructions while pressing on her bleeding abdomen.

“Dad, she’s getting away!” Erica shouted in terror.

As anxious as Patrick was, he still dared not jump out of the window. “She hasn’t gone far, Erica. I’ll run downstairs and chase after her.”

The area was deserted, for the warehouses here were all abandoned. Despite being seriously injured and also having fallen off a building, Wanda had one thing in mind: she couldn’t die; she had to bring Erica’s true parentage to light.

Erica has to pay the price!

“Help! Someone wants to kill me… Help!” Wanda shouted feebly.

Patrick had caught up with his machete, and his desire to kill Wanda had overthrown his reasoning at this point. No one else could know of his daughter’s true parentage; this woman had to die!

Just then, a motorcycle was passing by, and when the man heard Wanda’s cries for help, he immediately turned in. “Help, help…” Wanda called out at once, seeing there was finally someone.

“What’s wrong, ma’am?” the man asked when he saw that she was covered in blood.

“Someone wants to kill me. Please take me to Tillman Constructions’ front gate…”

Coincidentally, the man was an employee of Tillman Constructions. Without another word, he helped Wanda to his motorcycle and sped away.

Meanwhile, Patrick had hidden away, and cold sweat gathered on his forehead when he saw that Wanda had been taken away. Alas, he had failed his daughter.

Not minutes after Wanda had been taken to the front gates that a black Rolls-Royce pulled over, for a crowd was blocking the path.

“Dad, she’s getting away!” Erica shouted in terror.

As anxious as Patrick was, he still dared not jump out of the window. “She hasn’t gone far, Erica. I’ll run downstairs and chase after her.”
“Miss Tillman, something seems to be going on in front,” the bodyguard notified Anastasia, who was seated at the back.

Worried about the commotion, Anastasia got out of the car and hurriedly squeezed into the crowd. Just then, someone shouted, “Miss Tillman’s here!”

Anastasia discovered the weak woman lying on the ground was none other than Mrs. Garner, who had been working in Tillman Residence for the longest time.

“Mrs. Garner?” She squatted down and couldn’t help being taken aback when she saw her bloody lower abdomen.

“Miss Tillman… I want to tell you a secret… Erica isn’t your father’s daughter…” The next second, Wanda’s eyes rolled upward, out cold.

It took Anastasia a few seconds to recover from the shocking revelation, and she hurriedly turned to her bodyguard behind. “Take her to the hospital.”

With that, the bodyguard dashed to the nearest hospital. While Wanda was taken to the emergency room, Anastasia waited right outside, mulling over what Wanda had just said.

Erica isn’t Dad’s daughter… Does that mean Naomi had her with some other guy? Dad definitely wouldn’t be stupid enough not to do a DNA test before accepting Erica into the family. So Naomi tricked Dad, didn’t she?

Anastasia was too little to remember anything at that time. So if Naomi really did do something, it would’ve been using Anastasia’s blood in replace of Erica’s to successfully pass her father’s test.

Anger flashed across Anastasia’s eyes as the thought crossed her mind. Even her father had been deceived for twenty-over years. This despicable woman, who had no blood relations with her family, drove her out of her own home and even seized her father’s love for years!

Anastasia was so livid that her body started shaking. Also, why had Wanda suffered such a serious injury? Who did it to her?

Anastasia stayed outside of the emergency room alone. She had wanted to tell Francis about it but decided against it in the end, for she worried something would happen to him if he couldn’t take the news since he had just woken up.

Meanwhile, Erica drove back downtown with Patrick in nothing but fear and worry. Wanda had once again slipped from her fingers, so it was only a matter of time before Anastasia discovered the truth of her parentage.

And now, the one thing she had to do was to return to Tillman Residence, take all her mother’s precious jewelry and bank cards, and hide them somewhere.

She had Patrick lie low in the meantime, asking him not to find anyone lately and steer clear of the police lest he dragged her down.

Never had Patrick imagined in all his life he would kill someone for his daughter. Worst of all, he had bloodied his hand without finishing the job. He would definitely be doomed if Wanda ever regained consciousness.

In the Tillman Residence, Erica charged into Francis’ bedroom and ransacked the place, searching for anything she could immediately exchange for money.

However, it never occurred to her if she would ever have the chance to spend them after seizing them.

All Erica ever thought about was money and living a lavish, comfortable life. In her twenty years of living in Tillman Residence, she only ever learned one thing—spending.

Life would be a living hell for her if she didn’t have money. All credit to Naomi as well for successfully producing an incompetent daughter.

Lastly, Erica opened Francis’ watch case and took everything in there away without hesitation.

She decided that she would leave Averna and hide in a different town. For all she knew, Wanda might not actually hold her liable.

Back in the hospital, the doctors managed to revive Wanda. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t on her vital organs, or she actually might not have survived.

Wanda had also woken up in no time, finding Anastasia standing by her bed. Because of Naomi, Wanda also snubbed Anastasia in many ways.

thought Anastasia would

Miss Anastasia. I owe you my life.” Wanda knew she would’ve bled to death if she

me in detail. Why

the first time she overheard Erica and her birth father’s conversation, to Erica pushing her

laws just to keep her true parentage under wraps. All Erica ever thought about was money and living a lavish,

Garner, you swear everything you’ve told me is

hell if I have lied to you!” Wanda was so agitated that she

Wanda’s sincere gaze. In that case, you shouldn’t

want to press charges against Erica?” she asked Wanda. “I’ll

I’ll be put behind bars too, won’t I?” asked

receive a single penny from her. I can have the lawyer defend you so that you’ll receive the most lenient sentence. But if you do press charges, Erica

Therefore, she instantly agreed with little consideration. “Okay, Miss Anastasia. We’ll do as you say. I want to press

accomplice. No one should be spared,” Wanda said with red-rimmed eyes. Poor

guard. Don’t you worry,” uttered Anastasia to comfort her. “As long as you’re willing to press charges, none

and taken over her home, but the love that was supposedly hers was also taken away from her, leaving her childhood and adolescent years helpless, alone, and aggrieved.

police, who immediately looked into her incident from that morning and also declared Erica and

will be paying a heavy price for her misdeeds, she thought, and all of this was due to her mother’s failed

to regret her

she happened to be available, why not let Naomi know of her precious baby girl’s

house, Naomi had been brought to the visiting room, and when she saw the classy, stunning Anastasia through the bars, she lunged forward agitatedly. “Anastasia, Anastasia, are you here to bail me out? I’m sorry, Anastasia. I’ve learned my

while sneering, exuding apathy. “I’ve come bearing

about Erica? Has she done anything wrong?”

charged

when she can’t even kill an animal? Don’t slander my daughter, Anastasia Tillman. You’re bullying her behind my back, aren’t you?!”

up her ambition and courage so

that both of

Naomi’s plea. “I

has regained consciousness?! That’s great; I’ve missed him so much!” Naomi

regained consciousness, he would definitely forgive her for even manipulating his will, seeing that they shared a daughter, or at least she thought

you’ve done. Don’t get too excited just yet.” Anastasia crushed

you’ve said nothing but terrible things about me to your father, haven’t you? But don’t go thinking you can drive a wedge between us. Besides, Erica is Francis’ daughter too! He won’t sit back and

she was beginning to

to call Erica my father’s daughter?” Anastasia decided to drop the bomb on

panicked in response and shrieked, “How dare you, Anastasia. You can hate Erica, but I won’t allow

who your

Panic filled Naomi’s

allied with a man to wound her with a machete. Wanna guess his name? Newman. Patrick Newman. I’m sure you’re familiar with it.” Anastasia

Luckily she held a tight grip on the table. “I

discovered his identity when he went to Tillman Residence a month ago, and Erica, worried that her parentage would be exposed, lured Mrs. Garner to the coast and mercilessly pushed her down. After Mrs. Garner was saved, Erica then sought help from her birth father, Patrick. They lured Mrs. Garner to an abandoned warehouse this time and made another murder attempt. Mrs. Garner has already pressed

heaving upon hearing Anastasia’s words. Shrieked dramatically, she seemed to be left with no choice. “Spare my daughter, Anastasia! I’ll kneel. Please, spare

descendent of the Tillman Family. All these years, your daughter was treated with nothing but love and affection while I—there’s nothing any one of you can do to salvage all that I’ve lost. I want to see

Naomi to hold a death grip on the bars and scream, “Spare my daughter, Anastasia! She’s still so young… Please have mercy

herself. Spare

to a high-end restaurant. She was enjoying a plate of perfectly cooked steak like she was still a socialite

for attempting to assassinate Madam Wanda Garner twice. We’re gonna have to take you into custody for

face turned as pale as a sheet and everyone in the room had their eyes on her. Her mind was a complete blank

threatened me first! I didn’t mean to kill her…” she yelled out

Presgrave Hospital, Francis had made significant recovery as he could now get out of bed and move about;

be discharged,” he spoke excitedly as he

something to tell

the face, so there is

daughter. She was conceived by Naomi

calm, Francis’ expression was full of

sure. You can conduct a paternity test with Erica if you would like more confirmation.” Anastasia was sure about this as she knew that Mrs. Garner’ words were definitely

in Francis’ eyes. “I can’t believe that she’s lied to me for the past twenty years! She showed me a paternity test report back then. Was that a falsified report then?” “Miss Erica Tillman, you’re now the prime suspect for attempting to assassinate

run the test

disappointed in Naomi’s conduct. He turned to look at Anastasia with remorse filling in his eyes. “Anastasia,

this is all in the past, so there is no point in bringing it up. Right now, I just hope that you won’t be lenient this time. Naomi has to face the consequences of her actions. Erica has also committed a crime and she’s been taken into

Erica… What sort of

that Erica was actually heartless enough to commit attempted murder. “She has the exact same personality as her mother. How can they be so heartless? I can’t believe that she killed Mrs. Garner in order to

but could you leave this matter in my hands? Don’t interfere in this.” She did not wish for such a dilemma

I won’t interfere in this. Just do what’s best

would need to be interviewed by the police

did not want any of his feelings and kinship toward Naomi to jeopardize

completed. I don’t want such a dangerous person staying

that she was able to handle everything on her own. As such, he decided not to bother about the matter with Naomi and Erica. He would

Since the situation had arrived to such a stage, there would be no point in him drafting a will anymore because there would be only

received a phone call from Elliot. He mentioned that he was sending a car over to pick her up as today was the day he received his latest yacht, hence he

she convinced herself to relax and focus on

Presgrave asked that you pay a visit to the gown boutique and change into a gown,” the bodyguard

Anastasia smiled and replied, “Sure.”

boutique and looked stunning with a strong resemblance to a dark

color as much as you do! It looks perfect on

kind words,” Anastasia replied

way, she enjoyed watching the lights lit up one by one, as if it was commanded by the dusk, as the night approached. She admired the scenic views along the

had just darkened and the illuminated yacht stood out even more in the

from the car, her long hair was blowing in the wind. Her figure was mesmerizing under the shadows

cabin when

also dressed exceptionally handsome tonight with a fitted tuxedo while radiating the aura of a rich little young man. Furthermore, Anastasia could tell that

the same time, she was quite taken aback because her son actually resembled Elliot a

so beautiful today!” Jared tilted his head slightly

Anastasia enjoyed listening to her son’s

course! My mommy’s beautiful and that’s why I’m such an

you’re taking this chance to praise yourself more than for

out from behind a door looking tall and mesmerizing. Although it was early spring, he was merely dressed in a white shirt paired with a dark-colored vest as he could withstand the cold. The tapered pants that he wore accentuated his long legs perfectly and the tautness of his legs was extremely charming. “Thank you for

feel flushed. Wow, not many people

soon, she suddenly felt

intently with a smile on his face. She fulfilled all his criterias for a beautiful woman. Her imperfections naturally become perfections to him and ever

closer to him—or at times, even avoiding him, these traits had become the reasons why

suits you well,” Elliot praised

“Really?”

so I’ll keep my jealousy to myself then,” he spoke up generously, as if she needed his permission on what to

much more revealing than this! If this was something that he intended to patrol her on, then he would have his hands full as she

can have some romantic time together.” After Jared said that, he ran up the stairs on the other side since he was already

comforted in a low voice, “Don’t you worry. There are bodyguards upstairs, so they will

sea steadily and they remained close to the shores so that they

she felt

perfectly with some fine wine. Jared, on the other hand, had an exceptionally great meal course too; Anastasia had

much taller and well-built from his stay at Presgrave Residence for the past

Jared so well. At the same time, she also realized that Jared was a huge

back. At that moment, there

Jared on the bed and Anastasia waited outside

master bedroom. As soon as they entered the doors, he

many people present tonight. Finally, I can do what I wanted to do but was too shy earlier to do so,” he mentioned

already raised her chin and cupped her tiny face to kiss

Finally, he was satiated and released her as she

our engagement party,” Elliot spoke softly

agreed as she didn’t want to

The first thing he wanted to deal with was to sue his lawyer for amending his

be able to regain consciousness and that there would be proof that he had received

a residential area before he was taken into custody that morning. He trembled hard out of fear as he never expected that he would have to

police station, Erica’s face was as pale as a sheet, and her eyes were lifeless. In just one day, she had lost her arrogance, and all that was left in her was fear for her future and regret for

after it was revealed, the news with the heading, ‘The second daughter of the Tillman Family, Erica Tillman, was involved in the

and she didn’t dare to appear in public as she was worried that he would reveal something incriminating about her. After all, she

scrolling on her phone when she suddenly saw a piece of

the news, she

then, she felt a dull pain on her cheekbones from laughing too much. Instantly, she clutched

face required fixing and upkeep. However, she couldn’t afford that, so she had

been taken into custody, it meant that she had wasted her efforts

a look at her face in the mirror, which was still quite beautiful. However, she panicked as she studied her face intently. The bulge on her forehead was too prominent and couldn’t be covered up despite the amount of foundation she

money. Suddenly, she thought of Elliot and wondered if she could

since she did that despicable thing to Harriet, so perhaps he would forgive her by considering their past relationship. Right now, Hayley had no other

time and it was only 9.00AM, so she decided to wait for Elliot at the underground parking lot of Presgrave Group. She had been

Presgrave Group. She used to turn up there quite often,

she took the elevators and went directly to the underground parking lot. She hid close

minutes, she saw the lights of a familiar car turning in this direction. That was a distinct, elegant feeling exuded by a Rolls-Royce and she was

Elliot was here.

a vanity mirror to check her makeup under the lights. Subsequently, she tugged at her neckline to lower it since she

Hayley rushed forward with a bag in her hand. However, the bodyguard, who had just gotten

friend, so step aside,” Hayley replied quite

door was opened, and the person who stepped out of the car elegantly wasn’t Elliot. In fact, it was Anastasia who got

voice that rang out from behind, “How can you be so shameless, huh? I can’t

“Anastasia, you’ve forced your own sister