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 one

me, Miss Anastasia. I owe you my life.” Wanda knew she

detail. Why were you

that, Wanda recounted the first time she overheard Erica and her birth father’s conversation, to Erica pushing her into the sea, up till what happened earlier in the

and broke so many laws just to keep her true parentage under wraps. All Erica ever thought about was money and living a lavish, comfortable life. In her twenty years

is the truth. Are you

I have lied to you!” Wanda was

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

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

blackmailed her for a million. I’ll be put behind bars too, won’t I?”

the lawyer defend you so that you’ll receive the most lenient sentence. But if you do press charges, Erica and her birth father will have to spend at least ten years in prison,” Anastasia

instantly agreed with little consideration. “Okay, Miss Anastasia. We’ll do as you say. I want to press charges against her. I want the

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

comfort her. “As long as you’re willing to press charges, none of them will be able

daughter along with her 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,

no time, Wanda made a report to the police, who immediately looked into her incident from that morning and also declared Erica and

watched her relate her mishaps. Erica will be paying a heavy

be too late for Naomi to regret her actions. That

which, it had been a long time since Anastasia visited her stepmother. Since she happened to be available, why not let

stunning Anastasia through the bars, she lunged forward agitatedly. “Anastasia, Anastasia,

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

What about Erica? Has she done anything

is charged with attempted

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?!” Naomi

but you’ve fattened up her ambition and courage

no matter what she has done. Please forgive her, seeing that both of you have Francis’ blood running in your veins.” Naomi thought kinship could persuade Anastasia to overlook Erica’s

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

great; I’ve missed him so much!” Naomi instantly

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

my dad doesn’t want to see you, much less forgive you for what you’ve done. Don’t get too excited just yet.” Anastasia crushed her

turned grim in response. “Anastasia, 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 watch me

beginning to sneer.

you’re right to call Erica my

You can hate Erica, but I won’t allow

know who your daughter attempted

filled Naomi’s

by pushing her off a cliff into the sea. But because Mrs. Garner survived, Erica allied with a man to wound her with a machete.

Luckily she held a tight grip

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,

Shrieked dramatically, she seemed to be left with no choice. “Spare my daughter, Anastasia! I’ll kneel. Please,

these years, your daughter was treated with nothing but love and affection while I—there’s nothing any one of you can do to

turned and left, leaving Naomi to hold a death grip on the bars and scream, “Spare my daughter, Anastasia! She’s still so young… Please have mercy on her, please, I beg of

to herself. Spare

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

the prime suspect for attempting to assassinate Madam Wanda Garner twice.

eyes on her. Her mind

threatened me

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

to be discharged,” he spoke excitedly as he looked at his daughter

something to tell you

I’ve faced death in the face, so there

conceived by Naomi with

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

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

used my blood to run the test back then,” Anastasia

at Anastasia with remorse filling in his eyes. “Anastasia, I’m so sorry

it up. Right now, I just hope that you won’t be lenient this time.

What sort of crime?” Francis

heartless enough to commit attempted murder. “She has the exact same personality as her mother. How can they

care and you’re attached to her, but could you leave this matter in my hands? Don’t

then nodded in agreement. “Sure, I won’t interfere in this. Just do what’s best

investigation of Naomi’s case. You would need to be interviewed by the police regarding the matter of how she forced medications on you before you

his feelings and kinship toward Naomi to jeopardize the matter. She had

investigation has been completed. I don’t want such a dangerous person staying by your side,” she suggested

guilt Francis felt toward Anastasia intensified at that point. Right now, he was relieved 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 just leave everything in Anastasia’s

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 left to inherit his

sending a car over to pick her up as today

busy with such complications, she convinced herself to relax and focus on accompanying

that you pay a visit to the gown boutique and

Anastasia smiled and replied, “Sure.”

boutique and looked stunning with a strong resemblance to a dark

rarely see anyone being able to own this color as much as you do!

words,” Anastasia replied politely

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 way and her heart was never more at peace than this moment; it no longer felt heavy and

the sky had just darkened and the illuminated yacht stood out even more in the sea. It was very luxurious yet

the car, her long hair was

cabin when she heard her son’s voice

while radiating the aura of a rich little young man. Furthermore, Anastasia could tell that her son’s outfit was tailor-made for

taken aback because her son actually resembled

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

that true?” Anastasia enjoyed listening to her son’s

and that’s why I’m such an adorable and handsome

think you’re taking this chance to praise

a dark-colored vest as he could withstand

him made Anastasia feel flushed.

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

times, even avoiding him,

you well,” Elliot praised

“Really?”

aren’t that many people around tonight, so I’ll keep my jealousy to myself then,” he spoke up generously, as

he intended to patrol her on, then he would have his hands

romantic time together.” After Jared said that, he ran up the stairs on the other side since he

as Elliot comforted in a low voice, “Don’t you worry. There

was then that she finally relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of being out at sea. The yacht sailed along the sea steadily and they remained close to the shores so that they could see the buildings all beautifully lit up under

frustrations from the past few days were finally released and she felt

dinner for them. The tender and juicy steak was paired perfectly

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

same time, she

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 up within her and she felt as if she could safely depend on him for the rest of her

placed Jared on the bed and Anastasia waited outside the corridor for Elliot to

stepped out of the door silently before he was led to Anastasia to the master bedroom. As soon as they entered the doors, he instantly took

I wanted to do but was too shy earlier to do so,” he

her chin and cupped her tiny face to kiss

feel the dominance and tenderness that he expressed. Finally, he was satiated and released

Elliot spoke softly in her

agreed as she didn’t want to make him wait any

appeared in public for quite some time, turned up at his company. The first thing he wanted to deal with was to

be proof that he had received a bribe of a million in his bank

was taken into custody that morning. He trembled hard out of fear as he never expected that

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

heading, ‘The second daughter of the Tillman Family, Erica Tillman, was involved in the murder

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

when she suddenly saw a piece of news about Erica. At that moment, she sat upright

the news, she cackled loudly and was

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

that several spots on her face required fixing and upkeep. However, she couldn’t afford

been taken into custody, it meant

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 prominent when she looked at

hyperventilated as she racked her brain to find a way to obtain money. Suddenly, she thought of

thing to Harriet, so perhaps he would forgive her by considering their past relationship. Right now, Hayley had no other option but to give it a

9.00AM, so she decided to wait for Elliot at the underground parking lot of

used to turn up there quite often, so the receptionist remembered her and didn’t stop her from entering the

directly to the underground parking lot. She hid close to Elliot’s specific

just trying her luck there, but unexpectedly, in merely ten 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 elated to see

Elliot was here.

check her makeup under the lights. Subsequently, she tugged

bag in her hand. However, the bodyguard, who had just gotten out of the car, stopped her. He warned,

step aside,” Hayley replied

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

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

at Anastasia. “Anastasia, you’ve forced your own sister into prison, so