Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Hayley’s Probe

Angry and annoyed, Erica immediately thought of Hayley, whom she reckoned was the only person who could help her plot against Anastasia. Therefore, she contacted her to meet her at a cafe. When Hayley arrived, she appeared to be in an inconspicuous outfit. Just like what she usually did, she walked toward Erica and sat down opposite her.

“You said you went away for a trip. Where did you go?” Erica curiously asked.

“Erm… It was just a short trip around the city for a few days. After all, I needed a break,” Hayley answered in a panicky manner because she didn’t want Erica to know that she had been living like a rich woman lately. Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.

“What about your shop? Aren’t you going to be back to business?”

“Nah. The shop isn’t doing well lately anyway, so I’ve decided to take a break.” Hayley appeared unconcerned despite the worrying situation in her business.

Erica responded in a huff. “Did you know? Anastasia got on my mom’s and my nerves today. She is back, but that’s not all because—she is now a mother of an illegitimate son.”

Hayley was stunned when she heard that, holding Erica’s hand while anxiously asking, “What did you say?! She has a child?!”

Noticing her friend’s dramatic reaction, Erica paused for a few seconds and comforted the former. “That child is her illegitimate son. Are you worried that she’ll bring the man whom we put up to a one-night stand with her and come after us? Relax, nothing is going to happen!”

“What does the kid look like? How old is he?” Hayley became especially sensitive, thinking that it was necessary for her to be aware of everything about Anastasia. Deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder

whether Anastasia’s child belonged to Elliot.

“I heard from my dad that the kid is three and a half years old, and the father is probably someone she got laid with when she was living abroad,” Erica replied unhappily.

Three and a half years old? Hayley carefully calculated the time and deduced that the child didn’t belong to Elliot, instantly heaving a sigh of relief. She only had a one-night stand with Elliot. Nah, it wasn’t possible for her to be pregnant so easily in just one night. At the thought of that, Hayley gave in to her curiosity and probingly asked Erica more about Anastasia. “How is she now? Where is she working?”

“She is now a designer at Bourgeois, but what’s the big deal with that? She is just an ordinary designer?” Erica was apparently unhappy.

At the same time, Hayley shared the contempt and disdain that Erica had for Anastasia, expressing exactly what was on her mind. “Well, I must admit that she was always talented at drawing, but she didn’t even graduate from a university, so how far can she go in her career as a designer?”

“Exactly! She is just a phony who is trying to act smart, yet she manages to gain my father’s favor. Besides that, even her idiotic son knows how to make my father happy. Bullsh*t!” Erica no longer cared about her decency as she acted like her feisty mother.

Meanwhile, Hayley, who was more cunning and shrewd, offered her a word of advice. “You know what, Erica? You should drive her away from home and probably even out of this country since you don’t like her so much! You need to get rid of your eyesore, after all.”

“That’s precisely what’s on my mind as well. When the time comes, I’ll make sure she is gone.” Erica clenched her fists and swore to herself. Nonetheless, little did Erica know that Hayley wanted nothing more than Anastasia to be gone forever because that was the only way for her to continue enjoying her wealthy life and Elliot’s favor.

Suddenly, Erica was drawn to the necklace that Hayley was wearing. “Hayley, what’s the brand of the necklace that you’re wearing? It looks so beautiful!”

Hayley rubbed her necklace with a smile. “Oh, it’s just a fake that I bought from a second-hand seller.”

Knowing Hayley’s financial background, Erica didn’t find anything wrong with her lack of ability to buy a genuine necklace. However, the necklace that Hayley was wearing was, in fact, a product worth over two million under QR Jewelry Group. Needless to say, she had no idea who designed the necklace. Upon hearing Erica’s complaints and grumbles, Hayley couldn’t stop looking at the time because of her facial appointment. After all, she was so obsessed with winning Elliot’s heart that she even wanted to undergo plastic surgery to make herself look prettier. Tired of being overshadowed by Anastasia since they were kids, Hayley desperately wanted to kiss her ordinary appearance goodbye.

Three days later, around 5 AM, Hayley had a bad dream in which she saw Elliot recognizing Anastasia when she confronted her. Because of that, she was harshly cast away from the mansion and forgotten as she watched Anastasia take everything she had away from her. “No! Please! No!” Hayley sat up straight in horror with her face covered in sweat while frantically looking at her surroundings until she realized it was just a dream.

Frightened by the surreal nightmare, Hayley came to understand that she could never get her hands on what Elliot gave her again once she lost all of them. As her greed for wealth got the better of her, her obsession with the current comfort of her life unknowingly took over her mind. No, I mustn’t lose what I have now! I mustn’t! Soon, she tossed her pillow onto the ground, as if it was Anastasia. “Why aren’t you dead, Anastasia? Why aren’t you dead?!” Anastasia will only prove to be a threat to me as long as she is still breathing.

Suddenly, Hayley squinted and realized it was necessary for her to meet up with Anastasia because she wanted to know whether the latter was aware of what was going on back then. More importantly,

she wanted to find out whether Anastasia knew she spent the night sleeping with Elliot. If Anastasia knows what is going on, I guess I must do something to prevent the worst from happening.

Despite the thought of that, Hayley was sure that Elliot couldn’t remember who he slept with that night because the watch was all the clue he had before he decided Hayley was the one he had been looking for. Nonetheless, she was quickly worried by another possibility when she wondered what would happen if Anastasia was able to recognize Elliot.

She wasn’t aware of what was going on that night, but there was no telling that any word they said during their conversation could just jog their memory and help them recognize each other. Overwhelmed by her fear and anxiety, Hayley decided to creep from her bed and get herself dressed up because she wanted to meet Anastasia at Bourgeois to find out how much she knew.

In the meantime, Anastasia was heading toward her office after dropping her son off at school early in the morning. Then, she was occupied by a meeting about the company’s new product launching, in which Felicia wanted everyone to submit more than ten proposals by the end of the month. When everyone left the meeting room, Alice intentionally bumped into Anastasia and provoked her. “I heard that President Presgrave has raised the reward to a million, so you should know that I won’t be defeated by you, Anastasia.”

In that instant, Anastasia was stunned by Alice’s sudden provocation, which left her wondering what Elliot was up to with the one-million reward. Somehow, she had a feeling that Elliot was trying to interfere with the competition, considering his power and status.

Is this guy trying to give me one million like that? No way! Fairness is the most important thing about this competition! After all, the last thing I want is to be a champion in a rigged competition arranged by him.

While Anastasia returned to her office with complicated emotions, Grace came over with a cup of coffee and said, “Miss Tillman, you have a guest.”

“A guest? Who?”

“She is now in the lounge. Perhaps I should usher her here,” Grace replied.

“Sure.” Anastasia had no idea who the visitor was, so she decided to wait and find out. Not long after that, a knock on the door was heard shortly before Grace opened the door with a silhouette that emerged from behind her. Although it had been five years since that upsetting incident, Anastasia was instantly filled with hatred and grudge. As soon as Grace closed the door behind her and left, Anastasia glacially asked, “That’s audacious of you to swing by.”

Hayley curled her lips upward. “I heard you’re working in this area, and since I happened to be somewhere nearby, I figured I should drop by to pay a visit.”

“You disgust me.” Anastasia clenched her jaw, suppressing her angry urge to give the lady a slap in the face.

“I disgust you? What’s wrong? Weren’t you satisfied with the gigolo whom you slept with that night? I picked the most handsome one for you.” Hayley smiled sinisterly. “Don’t tell me you still remember the man’s face.”

“Shut up!” Anastasia shivered from head to toe in anger.

“Would you be able to recognize the man if he was standing in front of you?” Hayley continued to ask probingly.