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.

would

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

Why

father’s conversation, to Erica pushing her into the sea, up till what happened earlier in the

parentage under wraps. All Erica ever thought about was money and living a lavish, comfortable life. In her twenty years of living in

Garner, you swear everything you’ve told me is the truth. Are you hiding

I? I shall be d*mned to hell if I have lied to you!” Wanda was so agitated that she nearly passed

In that case, you

do you want to press charges against Erica?” she asked Wanda. “I’ll pay for all your legal fees

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

may have indeed blackmailed her, but you didn’t 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

“Okay, Miss Anastasia. We’ll do as you say. I want to press charges

spared,” Wanda said with red-rimmed eyes. Poor Mrs. Garner, having

“As long as you’re willing to press charges, none of them will

her and taken over her home, but the love that was supposedly

looked into her incident from

Wanda’s ward and watched her relate her mishaps. Erica will be paying a heavy price for her misdeeds, she thought, and all of this was due to

it’d be too late for Naomi to regret

stepmother. Since she happened to be available, why not let Naomi know of

the visiting room, and when she saw the classy, stunning Anastasia through the bars, she lunged forward agitatedly. “Anastasia, Anastasia, are

while sneering, exuding apathy. “I’ve

about Erica? Has she done anything wrong?” Naomi

is charged

kill an animal? Don’t slander my daughter, Anastasia Tillman. You’re bullying her behind my

she didn’t dare to murder in the past, but you’ve fattened up her ambition and courage so much that she can do anything for money

no matter what she has done. Please forgive her, seeing that both of you have Francis’

beneath Anastasia’s eyes only thickened after she heard Naomi’s plea. “I do have good news for you, though. My

regained consciousness?! That’s great; I’ve missed him

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

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

but terrible things about me to your father, haven’t you? But don’t go thinking you can drive a wedge between us. Besides,

beginning to sneer. How could Naomi continue to act so

to call Erica my

dare you, Anastasia. You can hate Erica, but

who your

filled

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

fell over. Luckily she

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

dramatically, she seemed to be left with no choice. “Spare my daughter,

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 you pay

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

sneered to herself.

enjoying a plate of perfectly cooked steak like she was still a socialite until

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

on her. Her mind was a complete blank and she shivered uncontrollably.

who threatened me first! I didn’t

recovery as he could now get out of bed and move about; he had even gone to the gym once! He

he spoke excitedly as he looked

I’ve got something to tell you

so

conceived by Naomi with

he swore he would be calm, Francis’ expression was full of shock

a paternity test with Erica if you would like more confirmation.” Anastasia was sure about this as she knew that Mrs.

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

my blood to run the test back then,” Anastasia

disappointed in Naomi’s conduct. He turned to look at

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 police custody

of crime?” Francis asked in

repeated the incident regarding Mrs. Garner to Francis, who could not believe his ears 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

grew up under your care and you’re attached to her, but could you leave this matter in my

interfere in this.

of Naomi’s case. You would need to be interviewed by

reminded her father as she did not want any of his feelings and kinship toward Naomi to jeopardize the matter.

has been completed. I

was relieved that she was able to handle everything on her own. As such, he

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 one person

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

to relax and

Tillman, before we leave for the port, President Presgrave asked that you pay a visit to the

smiled and replied, “Sure.” He’s arranged

a purple gown at the boutique and looked stunning with a strong resemblance to a

to own this color as much as you do!

words,” Anastasia replied politely

one by one, as if it was commanded by the dusk, as the night approached. She admired the scenic views along the way and her heart was never more at peace

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

black car headed in the direction of the yacht and as Anastasia alighted from the car, her long hair was blowing in the wind. Her figure was mesmerizing under the

just entered the cabin when she

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

because her son actually resembled Elliot a

beautiful today!” Jared tilted his head slightly as he realized

enjoyed

mommy’s beautiful and that’s why I’m such an adorable and handsome child!”

compliment. “I think you’re taking this chance to praise yourself more than for

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

made Anastasia feel flushed. Wow, not many people

to be engaged soon, she suddenly felt worried that she might not be able to withstand his

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 since he fell in

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

you well,”

“Really?”

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

than this! If this was something that he intended to patrol her on, then he would have his hands full as she was not conservative when

keep my mommy company. You guys can have some romantic time together.” After Jared

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

yacht sailed along the sea steadily and they remained close to the shores so that they could see the

days were finally released and she felt

arranged for a highly-ranked top chef to prepare dinner for them. The tender and juicy steak was paired perfectly with some fine wine. Jared, on the other hand, had an exceptionally great meal course too; Anastasia had always prided herself on being a great cook and satisfying his

his stay at Presgrave Residence for the past month. Perhaps,

same

at the mansion with Jared sound asleep in Elliot’s arms. Anastasia trailed along behind and stared at Elliot’s broad and strong back. At that moment, there was a sense of security that welled

the bed and Anastasia waited outside the corridor for

Anastasia to the master bedroom. As soon as they entered

were too many people present tonight. Finally, I can do what I wanted to do but was too shy earlier to

react, he had already raised her chin and cupped her tiny face to

he expressed. Finally, he was satiated and released her as

engagement party,” Elliot spoke softly in her

she didn’t want to

next morning, Francis, who hadn’t appeared in public for quite some time, turned up at his company. The first thing he wanted to deal with was to sue his lawyer for amending his will without seeking

would be proof that he

morning. He trembled hard out of fear as he never expected that he would have to pay such a huge price

that was left in her was fear for her future and regret for her actions. They placed Jared on the bed and Anastasia waited outside the

to the press. Soon after it was revealed, the news with the heading, ‘The second daughter of the Tillman Family, Erica Tillman,

was worried that he would reveal something incriminating about her. After all, she had been

when she suddenly saw a piece of news

murdered someone?” After she finished reading the news, she cackled loudly and was delighted

up in this state!” Hayley couldn’t stop cackling, and just then, she felt

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

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

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 applied to it. It was even more

of Elliot and wondered if she could blackmail him into giving her money for that night five

despicable thing to Harriet, so perhaps he would forgive her by

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 to the parking

used to turn up there quite often, so

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

just trying her luck there, but unexpectedly, in merely ten minutes, she saw the lights of a familiar car turning in this direction.

Elliot was here.

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

bag in her hand. However, the bodyguard, who had

friend, so step aside,” Hayley replied

the car elegantly wasn’t Elliot. In fact, it was Anastasia who

there was a mocking voice that rang out from behind, “How can you be so shameless, huh? I can’t believe you

deep breath and turned around to glare at Anastasia. “Anastasia, you’ve forced your own sister into prison, so you’re definitely the