Never Too Far Novel

“Seeing that you’ve done me such a huge favor, I don’t see how I can turn down the offer, Elliot. It’s so nice of you to put in a good word for me. Shall I buy you lunch as thanks for the recommendation?” Lorelai asked, sliding the lunch invitation in as naturally as she could.

Elliot wasted no time in rejecting her politely, “No, thank you. I have something else planned for noon. Maybe next time.”

“Well, when exactly is next time?” She was not going to give up on spending time alone with him.

“It depends,” he answered vaguely. He had no plans on accepting her gratitude. “I’ll let you know when I have the time.”

“Really? I’ll hold you to that,” she said cheerily, flirting subtly as she backed off. She knew that pressing him further would only irritate him, or worse, make him suspicious of her. Nevertheless, she did not leave the office after that and merely fanned herself so that the faint fragrance of her perfume would waft over in his direction. “By the way, I’m a little parched from rushing over here. Could I have a cup of tea, please?”

Realizing this, he turned to address Rey, “Go fetch two cups of tea.”

When the assistant left the office, Lorelai rose from the couch and walked insouciantly over to the glass wall, basking herself in the afternoon sunlight that spilled generously into the office. She knew her years of toning her figure in the gym had rendered her completely irresistible to men, especially her cinched waist and her subtle curves which inspired most of their scandalous thoughts.

If Elliot was looking at her, or even daring a glimpse, it would be more than enough for her.

However, when she glanced into the reflection on the sparkling glass wall, she saw that he wasn’t even looking in her direction. In fact, he had his head down as he flipped through work documents.

The only thing that she saw on that glass was her own disappointment. She spun and returned to the couch, then picked up her cup of tea. Taking a sip, she asked, “I’m not bothering you, am I, Elliot?”

“No,” he replied distractedly as he glanced up at her, then signed the document with a flourish. “I’ll be taking my tea in a bit.”

He was just about to reach for his cup when his phone rang. He took a look at the caller ID and smiled warmly. Knowing immediately who was on the other line, Lorelai pointed out hastily, “Is that Anastasia? Don’t let her know I’m here; I don’t want her getting the wrong idea.”

Elliot chuckled. “Anastasia is better than that.” Naturally, he did not plan on telling his wife about Lorelai’s visit either. He picked up his phone and greeted in a voice like velvet, “Hey, sweetheart.”

“So, I just had an informal meeting with Larry, and I told him to get an office ready for me. Guess we’ll be going to work together from now on, honey.”

His eyes positively glimmered when he heard this, and he chortled as he said, “You know what, I’ll get him to set up an office right on my floor so that we can see each other all the time!”

Unfortunately, his suggestion was rejected by his wife, who countered, “No, I don’t want to be on the same stuffy floor as you. I want to have my own space on the same floor as Bourgeois.”

He was admittedly hurt, but he brushed it off and gave an exasperated laugh, “Alright, we’ll do it your way.”

Across from him, Lorelai held her teacup to her lips and glanced at the man who was standing by the glass wall. She took in the sharp lines of his silhouette longingly, and her heart twisted with bitter jealousy when she heard the gentle way he spoke to Anastasia.

She had not seen him for close to a dozen years, but his figure was imprinted in the back of her mind, and she never forgot him even though her father had forced her to stay abroad for years. If it weren’t for her father, she would have returned to Elliot’s side years ago.

Alas, fate had a cruel sense of humor, for her existence got in the way of her father stealing the Presgrave family fortune. She never even got the chance to tell Elliot of her feelings for him, and all this while, she remembered him as the boy-next-door who had sent her heart racing since they were children.

She could still remember how they used to run around the Presgrave Residence gardens together, and how he would take her hand to help her to her feet whenever she fell; he would comfort her when she cried, and stand up for her when she broke a vase or two. He was the only religion she ever knew as a child, the one person she wanted to devote herself to on a daily basis.

But the universe clearly hated her, because by the time she saw him again after all her years abroad, he was already married with a kid, and he had become devastatingly handsome, more so than she remembered.

“Yes, I promise I’ll take a break when I need to and that I won’t be a workaholic,” Elliot murmured into the phone with a lovesick grin on his face. He then went on to ask about her morning, and after reminding her to keep warm during her time of the month as well as exchanging sweet nonsense with her, he hung up reluctantly. He turned around, and he seemed surprised to see that Lorelai was still there. Following, he walked over to the couch and took his seat.

“So, it was Anastasia after all. You’re so lucky to have found a wife like her. She’s wonderful,” Lorelai praised with a smile.

There was a bright gleam in Elliot’s eyes as well as he said, “She’s the best. I’m telling you, I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like her.”

The childhood memories flitted through Lorelai’s mind like scenes from some old movie, emboldening her. Hence, she couldn’t help bringing them up as she asked, “Elliot, do you still remember the time when I broke the vase in your family home? I think I was about eight at the time, and I was so scared I couldn’t stop shaking. You were the one who took the blame for me, and I managed to get off without punishment!”

Elliot was a little taken aback by this as he asked, “I did that? Huh. I totally forgot about it.”

Her lips curled up in a smile. “Well, I still remember, because those are the happiest moments of my childhood. They say that a happy childhood is a soothing balm to the pains of growing up, you know. So, I guess I should thank you for giving me some of the best childhood memories.” She looked up at him after finishing her sentence and her gaze lingered on the features that she so adored.

Hearing what she said, Elliot gave her a perfunctory smile. “Did you have a good time abroad?”

“I suppose I did, though I was a little lonely,” she admitted with a sigh.

“If I ever come across someone suitable, I’d be sure to send them your way.”

She feigned embarrassment as she mumbled, “You don’t even know my type.”

“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “Come on, tell me.” He wanted to know what he should look out for if he wanted to set her up with someone.

She narrowed her eyes as if in thought. A sweet smile broke over her face as she gazed at him and said, “I’m not asking for much. I want someone as handsome and capable as you.”

Elliot’s instincts were sharp to begin with, and he could sense that the admiration she had for him was beyond platonic the moment he saw the smoldering gleam in her eyes. If he were any other man, he might find her love for him a triumph, something to gloat about to his peers. But he was not such a man, and her unsolicited affections only served to push him away.

He eyed her sullenly as he said, “Lorelai, I do not wish to hear such things again. Anastasia is the only woman for me, and nothing will ever change.”

He ended his sentence calmly, but there was no hiding the dangerous warning that belied his words.

At once, Lorelai bristled and quickly explained, “I think you’re getting the wrong idea here, Elliot. I’m not trying to come between you and your wife.”

“You’re like a baby sister to me; always have been, always will be,” he continued while his gaze darkened. At some point, it was like staring into the icy depths of some pitch-black abyss.

A chill ran down her spine when she heard this. More than anything, she was surprised to be rejected by him. “I’m sorry if I cracked a joke and it went too far, Elliot. I guess I thought it was okay for me to say something like that because of how much we used to hang out as children,” she apologized lamely, attempting to salvage the situation.

However, Elliot did not bother letting her continue with her explanation, be it true or false. “I have a meeting to get to, so you should go.”

With that, he picked up the documents he had signed earlier and walked back to his desk.

Lorelai, on the other hand, rose in a daze and said slowly, “I’ll get going now then. Goodbye, Elliot.” When she was out of the office, she clutched the front of her shirt and stared into space helplessly. She never imagined him to be so loyal to his marriage, much less so protective over his wife.

This could become a hurdle to her father’s plans, but she figured this hiccup was only due to the fact that Elliot was newly married. At some point, he would grow weary of Anastasia and begin to resent her for chaining him to a miserable marriage. If Kendra’s advice was anything to go by, he would start feeling that way around the time Anastasia fell pregnant again, and that would be Lorelai’s window of opportunity.

Meanwhile, a fleet of cars was passing through the fields in the countryside, cruising down the road that led into the woods in the distance. Sophia was in the backseat of the second car in the fleet, and after taking a short nap, she woke up only to find that she was surrounded by acres and acres of farmland. As such, she rested her arms on the edge of the car window and peered out of the glass at the idyllic scenery.

Arthur was going to evaluate a place that was famed for its serenity, and he had brought along with him a renowned medium.

It was around noon when they arrived at a restaurant that looked heavily outback-inspired. The four cars of the fleet pulled into the parking lot after Arthur decided that they were going to have to settle for lunch here. They had driven close to fifty miles out of the city, and as things were, it was impossible for them to find a decent restaurant in that area, much less high-end dining establishments.

When the second car rolled to a stop, Sophia happily got down from the vehicle. She was just about to stretch to loosen her joints when suddenly, a large and aggressive dog came rushing out of the doghouse on the premises and began barking ferociously at them.

Being the closest one to the dog, Sophia visibly blanched, and fear made her seek out the person most likely to protect her. Without a word, she instinctively latched herself onto said person and clung to him for dear life.

Just like that, the young, handsome, and muscular bodyguard became Sophia’s shield. She clung to him like an octopus as she yowled, “Ahhh! Save me!”

Her bodyguard carried her into his arms while kicking the dog in the snout as the animal reached her. The pain sent it running back to its den and hiding from them.

Getting out of the first car, Arthur narrowed his eyes at the sight. As someone well-attuned with his surroundings, the bodyguard soon noticed Arthur and hurriedly lowered Sophia down. “It’s over now, Miss Goodwin. ”

“Thank you, sir.” She grinned at him with gratitude evident in her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he stiffly replied, looking down at his feet in fear.

She shyly glanced at the bodyguard’s face. She had noticed this man for a while now. He was the youngest of Arthur’s men, and despite being of a mixed-race descent, he spoke fluent English. Whenever he was at work with an earpiece on, he looked so very handsome.

When Arthur saw the admiring look in her eyes, he tuned out the fortune teller standing beside him.

Did Sophia have a crush on his bodyguard?

Stepping out of the third car, Emily elegantly sashayed over to Arthur. “Are we having lunch here, Artie?”

It was obvious from her tone that she did not want to dine here since this place was below her station. Furthermore, the ground was so filthy that just standing there had sullied her exquisite shoes.

“I’m so sorry about that. Did it hurt you?” The friendly owner of the shop came rushing over to welcome them. “Are you dining here?”

“Oh, yes!” Sophia answered with a smile.

When she later saw the bodyguards dining outside while Arthur and the others headed into a private room, she said to him, “I’ll be dining outside, Mr. Weiss.”

She wanted to dine with the handsome bodyguard, after all.

“We will dine together,” Arthur replied.

“Artie, she’s just a servant,” Emily protested. “Let her dine outside with the bodyguards!”

“Miss Jennings is right,” Sophia said in agreement. “I’ll take my leave now.”

She then walked over to the table with the handsome bodyguard and sat down by his side.

Emily linked her arm through Arthur’s and led him into the private dining room. As the place was not busy, their food had arrived quickly. Sophia’s head spun when she saw just how fast and quietly the men ate. In around ten minutes, everyone was done eating.

“Take your time, Miss Goodwin,” said the bodyguard sitting beside her.

“Are you guys done?”

“We’re all done eating,” he replied before heading outside with the rest of his coworkers to keep guard.

sigh, she pulled out her phone and began eating while scrolling

field. Arthur solemnly listened to every word being said, but Emily was bored out of her mind as she had no interest at all in

When Sophia saw that the bodyguard she had a

just as they were about to leave, Sophia’s car suddenly halted. The door to the back of the car was opened to allow

meant to share a car with

bodyguard driving immediately sat up straight

into Sophia’s car, was seething. It was too bad that the cars had already started moving. Otherwise, she would

was going to take a nap. The afternoon sun splayed across his

single word, which caused the air inside the car to feel awkward and

giddy joy had fled Sophia’s mind. Why was

of their journey would lead them along dirt paths instead of paved roads, so the

shade and turning the summer heat into a breezy spring

Sophia’s heart was pounding the entire time. When the slope reached nearly 60 degrees, her hand flung out to grasp at

belonged to

fine,” he said when he

beyond herself with fear. Just then, the SUVs pulled

She had been raised in luxury. The ride up the mountains

heart, Sophia handed her some tissues. “Are you okay, Miss

still shot Sophia a glare. Was Sophia laughing

Weiss, we will need to walk for

We still have to walk!” Emily loudly protested. Why did she come along? All she got was

long do we

so,” replied

the car,” Arthur said to Emily. He then glanced at Sophia.

stay behind to be at Emily’s beck and call, she hurriedly nodded. “Yes, I am fine with

Sophia any chance to

had a crush on, “you’ll

replied Alistair with a

going with you too,” Emily spat out through gritted teeth, filled to the brim

a tough climb ahead of us. You should rest here instead.” Arthur then walked away

heart. She was hoping Alistair would be

guard. As Arthur was dressed in a black athletic outfit with a pair of silver sunglasses perched

When they arrived at a slope that was slippery due to the rain, Arthur’s long legs carried him safely upward, while Sophia

to see that it was Arthur who was offering

she placed her hand in his, she was dragged up the slope by

her arms tight around his waist, afraid

she had offended him, she hurriedly stepped back as

a single word. Unwilling to trouble him further, Sophia cautiously followed after him. Slowly, her mind drifted. She rarely had the time to go hiking. The distant mountains, covered by a hazy layer of cloud and light, filled her heart with wonder. It was

Bang!

into Arthur. When she realized

at them in disbelief. No one was ever allowed to be

the courage

the bodyguards were thinking, she would have the urge to bury herself

the peak. Let us keep moving, Mr. Weiss,”

grandfather’s grave. He then turned to glance at Sophia as if he

she hurriedly said when she

to the peak of the mountain. Whenever she needed help, Arthur would always turn around to give her a hand. Even though there were four burly men right behind her, Arthur still

a flat, grassy field with no trees to be seen. The field of grass stretching far into the horizon made it seem like they were closer

fortune teller began rattling off calculations based on the complex formulas of his profession. While Sophia was left confused by his words, Arthur nodded

Arthur learned how to tell fortunes just from reading books on the

how strong

I have selected for your grandfather. It is surrounded by mountains, which means he would

on all sides by mountains. There was nothing that loomed over it, which meant there was no weird imbalance. It was certainly

as his grandfather’s eternal resting place if he could find a

came up to their knees. It was an incredible sight to behold. Standing beside him, Sophia

fortune teller began walking in excitement with Arthur following behind him.

came to a stop. Suddenly, something near her began wriggling, startling her. It was a sunbathing snake that was currently licking the air in her direction while rearing up as if to

When she saw the snake, she hurriedly darted to the side. However, a greater danger awaited her, for she had lost her balance and was

to catch her. In doing so, he lost his balance as

bodyguards charged

It was too late.

and Sophia rolled across the grass

Sophia knew was that she was being held in a tight embrace while her face was pressed hard against Arthur’s muscular chest. Despite rolling down the hill, he did not let her go at all. Thankfully, they soon arrived at a flat piece

were filled with his cedar-scented cologne and the smell of grass. She looked up to find that he was bleeding from a cut on his

got off of Arthur.

leaped down to them, and two of them helped Arthur up to his feet.

had been caused by a sharp tree branch and the various scrapes

before turning to look at her. “Did the snake bite

Her face was still

gaze remained fixed on him. Her heart was pounding. When they rolled down the side of the hill, he had wrapped

that meant he was unable

high and mighty young master had actually risked himself to

tightly he had wrapped himself around her, would he

then cleaned and dressed the bleeding cut

fortune teller was scared out of his wits by the dangerous situation Arthur had placed himself

alright, Young

said with a wave of his

area for any signs of snakes. Even Sophia was starting to feel afraid

take photos of the area instead of making a decision right then and there. He would

always easier than hiking down a

their descent was harder. One

branch, only to grab a long leaf instead. Suddenly,

a sharp hiss, pulling her hand back to inspect it. It

He frowned and said,

said as he inspected her hand. “Avoid touching leaves similar

response. He then moved to walk in front of her. When they reached a tough

the wounds on

me from danger next

He turned around and stared

want you to get hurt because of me.” She solemnly stared

her way down, he suddenly lifted her

back to her senses when she was finally put

on the dirt path they had initially followed and had safely made

they did, the sun was

stopped when she saw the

accidentally cut

in bits of grass, as if he had been

hurt your hands?” Emily let out a painful shriek when

Sophia lowered her head. After all, he was only hurt because

it when we get back.” Arthur then led Emily back to the car. As she got in, she said, “Artie, I want to ride in the same car as

with dirt,” he merely replied before closing the door

then watched as he turned to the second car of the group and joined Sophia in her car. Her eyes were

started on the journey

frightful than their ride up. She clutched tightly

utmost faith in his bodyguards’ driving skills. Once the cars were finally back on smooth, paved roads, they sped off toward the city like

now. After an eventful day, Sophia was exhausted. Even though

leaned against his shoulder. Instead of pushing her away,

they arrived back

patted her cheeks. “We’re

her eyes and blinked away her drowsiness. When she realized she had been sleeping against

the entire journey

to greet them as

to his room for a shower. Sophia was about to do the same when Emily called out for her to stop. Her sharp gaze scanned her. With the help of the room’s lights, she could see the dirt and grass

Sophia stared back, stunned.

merciful if you lie to

bitten by a snake when we were at the peak, and I lost my balance. Young Master Weiss fell down the side of the mountain with me as he wanted

intentionally lose your balance so that Artie would hold you in his arms and roll

about to speak, Emily slapped her across the face and shouted, “The nerve of you to assume you deserve Artie risking his life over. Take the slap as

the force of the slap. There was a loud humming

to hear a

when he heard the commotion. He moved to

It was just a lesson.” Emily did not think she did anything wrong. In her mind, Sophia had

did not deserve to be

said. He then turned around to look at Sophia.

was ordered. “Artie, do you know how worried I

well. Get some rest,” he

by herself. You did not need

ice pack,” Arthur said to the nearby maids, ignoring

you cannot.” Hate flashed across Emily’s

were. “Do your job,” Arthur commanded as his

against a direct order from him. After all, they knew who the true person in charge

pack and a clean hand

was gnashing her teeth. She was certain this was all just one

was her. No one could steal the title

gingerly touched her swollen cheek.

heard footsteps coming toward her room. When she looked up to find Arthur entering her room, she