Never Too Far Novel

“Next question. What does Connor have to do with Kevin?”

“After Kevin’s parents passed away, Connor—his uncle—and his wife Olivia became his guardians.”

Something invisible squeezed Jared’s heart and he placed his hand on his chest. “Do you know that Kevin had a younger sister called Ellen?”

“I think he did, but she was very young back then. We didn’t look into much of that family.”

“Are you aware that Connor hogged all that compensation money and consigned his niece to an old lady? He did not look after her for the past sixteen years.” Jared could not smother the pain in his chest.

He realized that Ellen’s brother was the one who donated his heart to him, and Ellen did not know a thing about the donation. Otherwise, she would’ve told him when they were at the cemetery.

Darn it! He slammed his hand on the steering wheel, making Benjamin flinch. Benjamin hurriedly comforted, “Mr. Presgrave, calm down. You mustn’t be too emotional!”

“You had one job and yet, Ellen did not get her due at all. Connor and his family took all the credit. She has had a hard time since young. You guys are partly responsible for that.” Jared’s expression turned grim. His fist could’ve landed on Benjamin’s face if he did not rein in his temper.

Benjamin was so frightened that he let off the steam by criticizing Connor. “How can they not look after the donor’s sister and enjoy the money by themselves? They’re ridiculous!”

Benjamin suddenly thought of the rumor that had been circulating in the company. I think the rumored girl is Ellen too. Are they the same person? Gosh… He’s gonna tell me off for sure.

“Find out how Connor spent that money. I’ll ask Ellen to get ’em back.”

“What about this time? Are you still going to give him money?”

“I will, but not to them.” Jared snorted coldly. For the past few years, Jared had already repaid Connor enough for signing the contract back then. Now, it was time for Ellen to reclaim what was rightfully hers. Jared would make it happen.

Then, he requested Benjamin to get out of the car so that he could go to Ellen, whom he missed so much. Strong guilt was fettering him. I have her brother’s heart, yet she is clueless about it. How am I supposed to tell her the truth so that she won’t get hurt?

Connor left the cafe when he happened to see Benjamin entering a car. “Mr. Stark, could you give me a lift?”

Benjamin could not bother to straighten up his attitude. During the past sixteen years, he was in charge of handling Connor’s matters and requests. Connor was so shameless that he could send his daughter abroad to pursue her studies by using the Presgrave Family’s name. Yet, the donor’s sister did not benefit from anything.

“Sorry, but I have a meeting to rush to,” Benjamin replied as his visage grim.

The sensitive Connor noticed the change in Benjamin’s attitude, so he bent over. “What’s the matter, Mr. Stark? Did I say something wrong?”

“Mr. Aguirre, I think you should figure things out on your own. There are certain principles that we must abide by as humans. How could you cross the line?” Benjamin wanted to teach him a lesson.

Connor’s neck turned crimson. “I can’t follow. What did I do?”

“Say, does the donor have a sister? Did she benefit anything from the deal? Do you know how angry President Presgrave is?”

Connor’s mind went blank, and he was jittery. “Mr. Presgrave already found out about it?”

“He’s not an idiot. Just who are you trying to fool?”

Did Mr. Presgrave see through my lies? Is he aware of Kevin’s identity?

Connor’s countenance turned pale for embarrassing himself. He resented Olivia for coming up with this horrible idea. Forget about the money, I bet Jared would not even wish to see me anymore.

Benjamin drove his car away, leaving Connor standing all alone in the same spot. It took him a while before he called Olivia.

“Honey, how did it go?”

“Your idea is literally stupid. Mr. Presgrave has found out that Ellen’s brother is Kevin, and you told me to blabber all those nonsense to him? Do you think he’ll give us the money now?”

“What? He knows that Kevin is Ellen’s brother? Honey, did you actually do as I say? How can you be this silly? I was just thinking out loud. You shouldn’t have taken it seriously.” She refused to take the blame.

“You! I-If we don’t get the money, you’re gonna get it from me.” His ineptitude made him vent his anger on his wife.

Meanwhile, Olivia was an irresponsible person who never acknowledged her wrongdoings. The money received from Jared was the reason Connor and Olivia could put up with each other this long. Otherwise, they would’ve separated ways eons ago.

Connor’s face was burning in embarrassment.

We’re done for. We’re not getting another penny, and now Ellen’s gonna come after us.

On the other hand, Olivia was equally livid after the phone call. She dialed Selena right away.

“What? Mr. Presgrave found out that Kevin is Ellen’s brother? We’re doomed, Mom. If Ellen knows that we didn’t give her a share of the money, she’s gonna take her revenge!”

“I doubt she dares! She was way too young back then. What did she even know at that age? Even if we had given some money to her, would she have been able to use it?” Olivia acted like an elderly person with a conventional mindset.

“Mom, it’s possible, if Mr. Presgrave helps her. With his backing, she might be able to take away half of the assets we own right now.” Selena, who had been to college, knew the laws better.

“What? Is it that serious? What are we gonna do?” Olivia was surprised because Selena had a point.

“We mustn’t sit still doing anything. It’s possible that Ellen will hate Mr. Presgrave if she knows that he has Kevin’s heart. Let’s hope that she’ll hate him.”

“Ellen is head over heels for him, though. Why will she hate him?”

“Tell her that the Presgrave Family set Kevin up when he hadn’t passed away. That way, she’ll resent the Presgraves to the bone.”

“Will it work?” Olivia was at her wit’s ends.

“Trust me. Mom, just sit back and watch. I’m sure this will drive a wedge between her and Mr. Presgrave. Alright. I think I should give her a call right now.” Selena had to be one step ahead of Jared before he revealed the truth to Ellen.

Selena, who was at a hotel, dialed Ellen’s number. Meanwhile, Ellen was patting the cat on the balcony. Life was peaceful and wonderful at that moment.

Suddenly, her phone rang. Her brows knitted when she realized that it was a call from Selena.

Why is she calling me?

Ellen decided to ignore it, but Selena did not stop calling her.

Did something happen to Uncle Connor? His affair is a time bomb after all.

She answered the call at long last, albeit with an unfriendly tone. “Hello.”

“Thank God you answered the call. You know what? I overheard something shocking and I must tell you this.” Selena sounded urgent.

What is it?”

“It’s about Kevin. I overheard my parents talking. It is shocking.”

Ellen frowned. “Just tell me.”

“Listen, you better break up with Mr. Presgrave. Don’t hesitate or you’ll feel sorry for your brother,” emphasized Selena on purpose.

“Why?” Ellen could not understand the situation.

“Just do as I say, or you’ll regret it.”

“I’m done talking to you.” Ellen knew that favorable words would never come out of Selena’s lips.

“Wait, hold on! I’ll tell you. Back then, someone wanted Kevin’s heart, and my parents didn’t

Even the cat in

know who the donee was? Jared Presgrave. He was in dire need of a healthy heart, and his parents found us. They threatened Dad and Mom and offered a deal, so they had no choice but to sign the contract to protect us. Ellen, I apologize on behalf of

the looming dizziness. It

heart? Why was it Jared? Why did it have to be the

in her eyes. “Are

sake. Don’t be fooled by his looks, money, and gentle side. Think about

Jared treated Ellen well not because of love, but to repay

just because he’s nice to you. He’s waiting for the perfect timing

be true. You’re lying!” Ellen closed her eyes, not wanting to accept

all from the Presgraves. My parents didn’t give you a single penny because you were young

Tears began streaming down her cheeks. Ellen had previously made a few speculations regarding the reason behind her uncle’s sudden wealth; even the other relatives gushed about it furtively during family gatherings. Now, the mystery was finally

the price for Kevin’s

could they take Kev’s heart

them? A sheer little threat is enough to force my parents to sign the agreement. Otherwise, both of us wouldn’t be able to be here right now. They didn’t have a choice, Ellen.” Selena fanned the

she raised her voice. “What did they do to take Kev’s heart

that the doctor told my parents to be ready to give up on him. They were about to remove the machine from Kevin when the Presgraves came.” Selena made an

that I didn’t know about this all those years.” Daggers pierced Ellen’s heart. It pained her to know that her poor

is on the way to see you.

the strong ones just because we’re poor and powerless? I will never step back from this!” Ire had long prevailed over Ellen’s rationality. Now,

Ellen decided not to marry Jared and dwelled in the painful lie, she

an infuriated Ellen was

just found out about it not long ago.

this moment, both of them heard the doorbell ring, so Selena quickly wrapped it up. “It must be Mr. Presgrave! Don’t open the door, Ellen! Honestly, I still

and Selena pouted. Alas. Only if I could witness what’s going on there

yet her heart was blazing in grief, hatred, and anger. They stirred her heart into turmoil, urging her to

stop ringing. Next,

front of him had a

her teeth, she pointed at his chest. “Does

to tell you. The donor was your

here, the guiltier he felt. However, he was grateful to God for bestowing such a

suddenly burst into tears. Her body teetered, and

her waist to pull her into his arms. The dizzy Ellen shoved him away due to the

me!” she screamed. She’d rather prop herself against

squeezed. “Do you

you feel accepting his heart is a matter of a

all the way here to

for taking his heart by force,

serious accident when I was ten. I was barely hanging onto my life when my parents sent me to the hospital. We contacted your uncle, and he agreed. I cannot be any more grateful to your brother. I was able to survive, thanks to him, and my family is eternally grateful to yours. It is only today that I found out you didn’t get your due from the agreement. I’m hurt and angry at your uncle’s family. Ellen, please give me another chance to make it up to you.” Tears welled

she mired into a self-destructive predicament. She raised her head, revealing her hatred-filled eyes. “You done?

that you won’t do

more, Jared Presgrave. I’ll get out of here and the company, and I won’t touch any of

of losing her spurred Jared’s anxiety, but he tried to soften his voice. “Ellen, we can work this out.

The steady heartbeat rendered it impossible to fight back the tears in her eyes; he

the cat. After settling it into the box, she

and if he forgot about it instead, the cat might starve to death. He held the box as she closed the door loudly, failing to bring himself to leave the place out

kept the seven-year-old girl in the dark, so how could Ellen not hate herself

I will protect her and love her forever in

began packing her stuff behind the door while anything

home only to be pulled over by Olivia. “I found a way

It was a

the beginning. She’s all puffed up because of Mr. Presgrave. What happens to her if they break up? Plus, we’ve gone bust. If she insists on getting the money from us, we’ll have no choice but to

the chase!” He glared at

can’t even bear the

momentarily. “Are we not gonna take

she can seriously pull something on us? Even if that happens, we

gone out of the window, and I have two families to feed. I won’t be able to choke up the money for Ellen. It’s not

about them. The Presgrave Family was no longer their backup, and all they had left was the assets in their possession right now. As an afterthought, he became petty. Right, we mustn’t give Ellen our money.

at her phone, which was a present from him, and felt relieved

the phone, she wanted to know the details of what happened that year to validate Selena’s words. In the end, she contacted Connor, whom she believed would be

on the second floor when the dialer’s name gave him a bag of nerves, but he picked up the phone

to

be about your brother’s donation to the

you to sign the agreement? Did they force us to

a cold sweat, but he figured it was fine to lie to make her hate the Presgrave Family. “Yeah, they did. If I didn’t sign it, they

would they have

us go against a rich family? Even if they didn’t tell us what they’d do to us, we wouldn’t be able to survive after getting

be honest. Is this

surgery, they even stopped by to thank us and stuffed us with money. Ellie, I was useless.

memory. On the day Kevin passed away, a few men in suits came to Connor’s place and gave a credit card right in front of her eyes! So, that was

sat upon her chest and stifled her breath, whereas tears wet

and the tad of guilt in him remained only for a fleeting second, though. “Ellie, listen. You must not be at odds with the Presgrave Family. They’re

I be afraid?” She bit her lip. “They can just come right at

life is our blessing. At least that’s how it is for normal people like us. Don’t ever gamble your

pain?” A sharp pang pricked Ellen’s chest,

enter

been in so much pain. They dug his

SIM card to insert it into her old phone. Next, she pulled out her luggage and opened the door.

Jared approached her. “Ellen,

as tears streamed down her cheeks. The

entered the elevator with her while holding the

the man with her reaction. In actuality, he wished that she would yell or vent her emotions at him as long as it was not a cold

the elevator and walked straight to the entrance of the neighborhood. She was pulling her luggage as he trailed behind her. She hailed a cab, and it pulled over when he finally grabbed her wrist. “Ellen, don’t

don’t wanna see you.” She turned around with resentful

when will you want to see me?” he

in this lifetime.”

I return Kevin’s heart?” He patted his chest. “If you hate the idea of me using his heart, I can remove

at him with frantic eyes, fearing that he

the concern in her gaze and added, “I can wait for another

back then. The poor boy was bedridden, waiting to be saved, so who was she to despise him for that?

It’s just hard for me to

the road. Jared’s knees were on the ground, prompting her to pop her head out of the window to check on him. At

was going to reprimand the driver when he pre-empted her. “You’re welcome, miss. You should stay away from a scumbag like him. A handsome man with a slick

she averted her gaze back to the neighborhood, which shrank into a tiny dot. I wonder if he’s

the other hand, the bodyguards

go to the

“Sir, are you alright?”

his head before something occurred to him. “Follow

to stay, it would be difficult to

two bodyguards drove off while Jared heaved a sigh, her final words easing his heart

went wrong. Ellen shouldn’t be that emotional upon knowing the truth.

the other party before proceeding with the transplant, so it was not a forceful deal. Therefore, he wondered why the permissible deal sounded like a deception

received the news from the Aguirre Family. Perhaps they

made sense if he put it that way. The Aguirre Family feared the notion of Ellen coming after their money under Jared’s support. Thus, they decided to seize the chance

how the Aguirres told her the story. If they lied that it was