Chapter 211-220
Chapter 211
The two female staff chatted animatedly, not realizing that the president was right behind the ss
window.
“Is it true that Miss Tillman worked as a hostess five years ago?”
That question made Elliot halt in his steps. He furrowed his brows while listening to their conversation.
“Of course it’s true! Erica from the front desk is Anastasia’s step-sister, and she said so herself! I heard
that Anastasia couldn’t afford to study design overseas, so she went to a club and worked as a
hostess! She was eventually hauled out of the house by her father, though.”
“In that case, where did her sone from?”
“How could you not get pregnant from selling your body? If you’re unlucky and meet any customer who
has a weird kink, it’s easy to get pregnant.”
When he heard those words, Elliot felt as if something had pierced his chest. His eyes darkened, and
the aura around him immediately turned icy cold.
Was that part of Anastasia’s past that she wasn’t willing to talk about? Was that Jared’s birth story?
Every time they talked about her past, she would speak cautiously. It seemed that she wanted to hide
most of her past.
“Which department are you two from? Leave thepany on your own after lunch.” Elliot hated people
who gossiped during working hours. Moreover, thesedies happened to cross him while he was in a
bad mood.
“Ah… President Presgrave!” The two staff quickly covered their mouths, and it seemed like their souls
had flown out of their bodies.
However, before they could regain their senses, Elliot walked away. The two exchanged nces with
each other, and they felt like they were going to faint due to the sudden esction of events. Were they
fired just like that?
Meanwhile, the ss door to Anastasia’s office sessfully blocked all the chaos outside. Immune to
all distractions, Anastasia held her iPad in one hand while holding a pen in the other, and she sketched
several designs ording to her inspiration. Just as she was immersed in her drawings, someone
pushed the door open and disturbed her.
Anastasia hated being interrupted. As she raised her head, she shot daggers at the uninvited man who
was walking in with a long face.
After putting the iPad aside, she then questioned, “Is something up?”
Elliot walked over to her desk and propped both his hands on the table while staring into her eyes. He
demanded, “Tell me the truth about your past, Anastasia. It doesn’t matter what it was like, and I
promise I won’t judge.”
Anastasia thought that he was out of his mind. As she folded her arms in front of her chest, she leaned
back in her chair and asked, “Which part of my past do I have to confess to you?”
Elliot’s expression changed slightly. He wanted her to leave the past behind and walk out of the dark;
only then could she face the future positively, ept him, and be with him. He had to help her out of
her misery.
He didn’t care about her past actions or whether she used to have any rtionships with other men, for
he was willing to brush everything off. To him, all that mattered was their future together.
“I heard that you worked as a hostess five years ago to fund your studies abroad, and you always went
in and out of the club to serve customers. I also heard that you had Jared around that time, am |
correct? You even got kicked out of the house by your father. Are all of these true?” Elliot questioned in
one go.
Anastasia’s mind buzzed continuously. Other than Erica, who else would possibly make up such a
cruel story?
Anastasia’s face darkened before she mmed the desk with both hands. This startled Elliot, and he
looked at her with a shocked expression, not knowing what had gotten into her.
“Erica Tillman, you little b*tch!” Anastasia rarely cursed, but at this moment, she didn’t bother to be
polite anymore. She just wanted to give Erica a good scolding.
Meanwhile, Elliot’s eyes widened as he watched her.
Anastasia got up and left through the door, leaving a puzzled Elliot standing there by himself.
Once the elevator arrived on the first floor, Anastasia made her way to the front desk while exuding an
intimidating aura. Erica was ying with her phone, but when she saw Anastasia walking over, she got
up guiltily. By the time Anastasia was right in front of her, Erica wrapped her arms around her head and
warned, “Go on if you dare to hit me! I’ll tell Dad about it!”
“Erica Tillman, I’m giving you two choices. One, leave thepany and go home. Two, take full
responsibility for your words and let me p you in the face!”
“Are you afraid that I’ll expose you? Isn’t it true that you gotid by a host five years ago?!” Erica
shouted.
Chapter 212
Anastasia’s face instantly turned pale. Then, she picked up a folder on the desk and threw it at Erica’s
face.
“Ah.” It hurt so bad that Erica cried out in pain. The sharp corner of the folder scratched her face,
leaving an obvious scar.
*Ouch! My face! My face…’ Erica cherished her face dearly. Even though blood wasn’t oozing out of
the scratch, she felt devastated.
When Elliot came out of the elevator, he realized he was toote; Anastasia was already teaching Erica
a lesson.
*Stop it, Anastasia,’ ordered Elliot in a low voice. The woman needed to be disciplined sometimes, and
Elliot feared that she would ruin her own reputation by going too far.
The otherdies at the front desk had been watching the fun, but once they saw the president, they
shivered and quickly retreated to the back.
Nheless, Anastasia ignored the man as he came to persuade her. She stared at Erica and said,
“Do you swear that every insult you’ve spread about me is real?”
‘Yes, I swear!” Erica yelled.
‘Alright, go on and swear that every word you’ve said is true. If there’s even one fabricated lie, you’ll be
hit by a car once you exit the building!” Anastasia was so furious that she couldn’t behave rationally
anymore.
*LL’Erica dared not do so. Just like everyone else, she was afraid of karma. What if the heavens
punished her for this?
Upon hearing that, Elliot stared at Erica coldly. When he saw that she stuttered for a long time and
didn’t dare to swear on her life, he realized that she must have made up those stories about Anastasia.
‘You don’t dare to swear on your life, do you?!”
“You ruined my face! I’m going to tell Mom and Dad!” Erica instantly held onto this matter. After all, her
face was still burning from the scratch just now!
“Erica Tillman, just resign on your own and head to the HR department right now. We don’t need
people who talk nonsense in thepany.’ Elliot’s cold gaze swept across Erica.
The woman shuddered in response. She nced at the handsome man in front of her as she couldn’t
believe that he had fired her on the spot.
That bitch, Anastasia Tillman!
Erica scolded in her heart. She was going to seek revenge on her one day!
After grabbing her bag, she stomped out of the lobby while feeling aggrieved. She didn’t even bother
going through her resignation process with the HR department.
Anastasia was like a fiery rose with thorns all over her body. When her gaze swept across the other
ladies at the front desk, they quivered in panic and fear. After all, they were afraid that they would get
involved too. What if Elliot decided to fire them all?
‘Miss Tillman, we didn’t talk bad about you…”
That’s right. Erica was the only one who spread the rumors. We…”
Of course, Anastasia knew that they were also involved in disseminating such rumors. However, since
it was all Erica’s fault, she didn’t want to say anything more. Instead, she turned on her heels and left
the building because she needed some time alone.
Elliot squinted his eyes and immediately followed her out of the building, fearing that she would do
something unthinkable as she wasn’t in her right mind.
Indeed, Anastasia wasn’tpletely herself. She raised her head to look at the green pedestrian light
across her, but just as she stepped onto the pedestrian crossing, the lights instantly turned red.
Fortunately, a strong arm gripped her and pulled her back to the side of the road. A frustrated and
angry voice sounded beside her ears as Elliot yelled, “Are you trying to die?!”
In response, she looked up at the man while mocking herself, “Didn’t you believe their nonsense too? |
worked as a hostess and have entertained many men. I’m a filthy woman, so don’t touch me if you
don’t want to dirty your hands.”
Elliot held both her thin shoulders while narrowing his eyes. Even though he knew that she was just
saying that out of anger, he was enraged upon hearing those words. He then scolded, “You’re not
allowed to give up on yourself!”
All of a sudden, Anastasia was spewing nonsense in front of him. Her clear and round eyes widened as
she uttered seriously, “I am filthy. Other men have touched me, so just go on and judge me however
you want to! …”
Before she could finish her sentence, she felt arge palm holding the back of her head. Another hand
was clutching her waist, and the person’s minty lips covered her own.
Elliot kissed her.
They were currently standing beside the road full of traffic where people came and went. With that,
Elliot forced Anastasia into a kiss.
Chapter 213 Ruin My Daughter
Blood gushed into her brain as a shade of crimson crept up her cheeks, and Anastasia froze because
of his actions.
All she felt was the hot kiss that Elliot left on her lips. In order to show her that he wasn’t going to look
down on her, he dived in for a long and desperate kiss.
Anastasia’s mind went nk as she let him take control of her.
When Elliot let go of her, he pressed his forehead against hers and uttered in a low and hoarse voice,
“Listen up, Anastasia. I don’t despise you, so you can’t despise me too. I don’t care about your past; I
just want to be in your future.”
At that moment, Anastasia was blushing uncontrobly. She shoved him away in anger and red at
him. Was he insane?!
They were at the entrance of thepany. If anyone saw them, she would never be able to clear up
this misunderstanding.
“I’m warning you, Elliot…” Anastasia suddenly threatened.
“You’d better not touch me, or else…”
“You’ll marry me,” Elliot smirked, finishing her sentence on behalf of Anastasia.
The woman stared at him, dumbfounded. She couldn’t think of any words to refute him for a while, so
she turned around and headed toward anothermercial street.
This time, Elliot didn’t chase after her anymore. He had calmed down by then, and he believed that she
wouldn’t have any thoughts of suicide anymore. After all, she loved her son far too much to do that.
On the other hand, Anastasia sat down in a cafe with her face flushed.
No one saw us earlier, right?
She was silently praying that no one had seen them kiss. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to work in
the office anymore.
Elliot always took advantage of her regardless of the asion, and he was a terrible person for that.
When her cup of iced coffee was served, Anastasia took a small sip. They were currently going through
late Autumn in November, so a cup of iced coffee was enough to calm her nerves down. Her sudden
outburst of anger earlier was due to the umtion of resentment she had toward Erica since she
was a child, and she couldn’t take it any longer.
Now that she thought about it, she didn’t have to be upset. After all, she was only hurting herself.
Her phone rang at that moment, notifying Anastasia of a call from her father. She never expected to
hurt Erica with the folder she had thrown at her.
“Hi, Dad.” Anastasia picked up the call.
“What happened to you and Erica, Anastasia? Did you two fight?” Francis inquired in an using tone.
“Yes, and I identally injured her,” Anastasia apologized.
At that moment, Naomi’s angry voice sounded from the other end as she spoke. “Anastasia Tillman!
Are you trying to ruin my daughter? Are you happy now that her face is scratched?!”
When she heard that, Anastasia furrowed her brows. Was her dad at home?
“You’ve always bullied my daughter, Erica! Why does she have such a hard life? She hasn’t even been
at work for two days, yet you’ve already hurt her! Don’t cross the line, Anastasia.” Naomi sounded
exasperated.
A speechless Anastasia rolled her eyes. Naomi was acting like the guilty party who was filing the suit
and pretending to be pitiful.
“You should ask your daughter how she ndered me at work first,” Anastasia retorted without backing
down.
“It isn’t like you don’t know Erica’s temper. She’s just straightforward and likes to be nosy sometimes.
That doesn’t give you the right to dismiss her from her job and hurt her. If the scratch leaves a scar on
her face, I’m never going to forgive you,” said Naomi as she huffed, not forgetting to justify her
daughter’s actions.
“Alright, that’s enough. Their fight isn’t that serious,” Francis reassured Naomi as the woman sobbed.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be hanging up. Goodbye, Dad.” Anastasia had had enough of Naomi. She
was pretending to be pitiful in front of her dad, and she wanted to let Anastasia know her ce in
Francis’ heart.
Back at the office, Elliot suppressed the gossip about Anastasia and fired three employees. In just one
day, he had fired Anastasia’s step-sister as well as two other female staff. His actions made the other
staff panic, and no one dared to talk bad about Anastasia anymore.
When the woman returned to the office, no one dared to utter a word in front of her, but curious eyes
were still locked on her behind Anastasia’s back.
Seeing how President Presgrave had defended her, was she really in a rtionship with him?
After today’s incident, that rumor seemed to have be reality.
Chapter 214 Be Careful, Hayley
How nice would it be to sleep with President Presgrave? This was the inner voice of most female staff.
I’m so envious that Elliot Presgrave gets to have Anastasia Tillman! Meanwhile, this was the inner
voice of most male staff.
Anastasia sat in her office with a headache, and all of her inspiration had dissipated by then. Even
more so, her mind was filled with the kiss that happened on the streets earlier. Was Elliot just repaying
her kindness, or did he really like her?
Back at Tillman Residence, Erica was staring at her swollen face in the mirror as she gnashed her
teeth in anger. Anastasia merely wanted to ruin her face! If it weren’t for her luck, Erica might have
suffered a huge cut on her face.
“I won’t let you off so easily, Anastasia! I will make you pay back double for today’s humiliation,” hissed
Erica. Once she was done scolding Anastasia, she picked up her phone and dialed Hayley’s number.
“Hello, Erica.” Hayley was as friendly as ever.
“Do you know what I went through today, Hayley? My face was almost ruined by Anastasia.”
Hayley was extremely surprised when she heard that. She hurriedly asked, “What happened between
the both of you?”
“Let’s not mention it.” While Erica said not to mention it, she proceeded to exin the entire incident.
However, she didn’t mention that she only went to work at Bourgeois because of Elliot. Instead, she
simply said that she needed a job.
“What? You went to Bourgeois to work for two days?” Hayley was shocked, but she was even more
relieved that she hadn’t gone to the atelier for the past two days.
“I just wanted to gain some experience there, but I didn’t expect Anastasia to treat me like an eyesore.
Not only did she ruin my face, she even took the chance to fire me,” said Erica as she huffed in
exasperation. At the same time, she smiled proudly while uttering, “Of course, I didn’t let her have it all.
I told the wholepany that she worked as a hostess and entertained customers in a club, and she
even gotid by a host five years ago. The wholepany is treating her like a joke now!”
However, Hayley was anxious to hear that, so she inquired tentatively, “Do you remember what the
host looked like? What about his stage name?”
“Weren’t you the one who arranged it? How would I know? Anyway, you should have selected an ugly
host for her in the first ce. That way, she’d be disgusted to death. Why did you even get her a host?
What a waste of money.” Erica had been partying like a wild animal that night, and it was Hayley’s idea
all along. She was just watching the fun.
Hayley heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that. She figured that the heavens had helped Anastasia
out that fateful night five years ago. She assumed that the host had run away with the 2,000 he
received from Hayley when he saw another man in the private room. As for why Elliot had shown up in
the private room she booked, she guessed he had probably been drunk and entered the wrong room.
What a bummer! Anastasia slept with Elliot and even gave birth to his son. Hayley desperately wished
that she had been in Anastasia’s position that night.
“Hayley, what have you been up to these days? We haven’t gone shopping in a long time,” Erica
comined.
“When your face heals, I’ll treat you to a nice meal.” Hayley had to maintain her rtionship with Erica.
Who knew she might be of use to Hayley one day?
“Okay! I’ll wait for your call.” Erica was a simple-minded person. Since she had her mother’s protection,
she wasn’t a schemeful woman. However, just like her mother, she was not a kind person either.
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Hayley, who was in her luxurious mansion, put down her phone. At that moment, her mind was already
full of schemes. How much would Elliot despise Anastasia after knowing that she worked as a hostess
before?
She couldn’t help but call May in hopes of knowing how much Anastasia would be judged, but she
didn’t expect to hear that Elliot fired three employees because of that woman! All of a sudden, she
nearly choked on her anger.
“What?! Elliot fired Erica on the spot?!” Hayley couldn’t believe that Erica met Elliot without telling her
about it.
“That’s right! Two nosy staff who gossiped about Anastasia were also fired on the same day. You’d
better be careful, Hayley. Anastasia is a cunning woman! She managed to enchant President
Presgrave with her tactics!”
Although Hayley knew that May cared for her sincerely, her words sounded extremely harsh to the
former.
Chapter 215 Elliot’s Girlfriend Is Here
“President Presgrave just left my cest night! I’m the only woman sleeping with him every night, so
don’t worry about it!” Hayley couldn’t help but lie and create a false impression that she and Elliot were
very much in love with each other.
Fortunately, May believed every word she said. Thetter thought that she was Elliot’s real girlfriend
while Anastasia was just a shameless mistress.
After hanging up the phone, Hayley was so enraged that she threw her pillow away. “Anastasia
Tillman… Why are you still haunting me? Why do you have to circle around Elliot all the time? I must
ruin your reputation and make your life miserable!”
Meanwhile, in the office of Presgrave Group, Elliot came back to settle some work. As he sat in front of
his desk, there was a pile of documents waiting to be signed. Yet, he was daydreaming.
At that moment, he was extremely eager to find out what had happened to Anastasia back then. He
wanted to know the b*stard who slept with her so that he could figure out how to help her in any way
possible.
As long as Anastasia opened her mouth, he would definitely find that jerk and make him pay for his
actions.
Suddenly, Elliot thought of someone—Hayley knew exactly what happened to Anastasia back then, so
he could perhaps fish some information out of her.
Elliot also realized that after he met Anastasia, he no longer thought about Hayley anymore. He had
only given Hayley materialpensation, but it still struck him how Hayley didn’t appear as much in his
thoughts anymore.
He used to recall the night five years ago when poor Hayley was bawling in front of him. When he
thought about how bad of a scar he had left on her, he med himself for it. Now that Hayley epted
his materialpensation while he did everything in his power to satisfy her current situation, he could
finally put down the stone in his heart.
With that, Elliot made a call to Hayley.
“Hello, Elliot! Is that you?” Hayley sounded enthusiastic on the other end.
“Yes, it’s me. Are you free tonight? I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Sure! I’m free. Should Ie and meet you?”
“I’ll give you a callter.”
“Okay. I’ve missed you so much, Elliot.” Hayley grabbed the opportunity to confess her feelings.
“Okay, see you tonight.” With that, Elliot hung up the phone. He was aware of Hayley’s admiration for
him, but he couldn’t ept her feelings. All he felt for her was guilt, and there was nothing more.
Then, Elliot made a call to Anastasia. It took her a while to pick up the phone. “Hello, do you need help
with anything?”
Anastasia sounded as cold as ice. Although she knew that Elliot was calling her, she still sounded
business-like.
Meanwhile, the man furrowed his sharp brows upon hearing her answer. Indeed, Anastasia knew how
to grab every chance to provoke him with her words.
“I have something going on tonight, so I won’t be eating at your ce,” uttered Elliot in a low voice.
This time, Anastasia sounded a little happier. “Okay, sure.”
“Can’t you talk to me in a friendlier way?” asked Elliot in frustration.
“Don’t you know that it ismon courtesy to respect others first for them to respect you?” Anastasia
mocked. After all, someone who forcefully kissed and took advantage of her wasn’t worthy of her
respect.
After staying silent for a few seconds, Elliot replied, “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Anastasia hung up the phone after that, leaving Elliot stunned. He had always been the first one to end
their calls, so he didn’t expect her to hang up first.
At 2.00PM, Hayley booked a whole team of professional makeup artists and stylists to prepare her for
dinner. Although it was just a meal with Elliot, she had to make sure she looked presentable. She
wanted to wear the prettiest makeup and the most beautiful dress, and every detail had to be perfectly
refined.
Not only that, Hayley wanted to brag in front of Anastasia and let her know that she was having dinner
with Elliot!
Since there were not many chances for Hayley to show off, she wanted to grab this opportunity.
At around 4.00PM, Hayley arrived at Bourgeois. She purposely went to Anastasia’s office, attracting all
the eyes of the other staff in the process.
Goodness! Isn’t that President Presgrave’s real girlfriend?
Is she here for Anastasia? Is this a meeting between love rivals? Will they start a fight?
Just as Anastasia packed her bag and was about to pick up her son, Grace suddenly barged in and
stammered, “A-Anastasia… P-President Presgrave’s girlfriend is here.”
Anastasia looked up to find Hayley walking up behind Grace with a cold face. Just then, Hayley shot a
re at the assistant and unted her status. “Get out,” she said with a in snort.
Grace stuck her tongue out in response and left. Meanwhile, Anastasia sneered to herself as she
watched their interaction unfold. Who did Hayley think she was to order her assistant around?
“Please remember who you are, Hayley. This is Bourgeois, and the employees here are not maids you
can order around as you please,” Anastasia warned with a quirked brow.
However, Hayley simply dismissed her as she sat down on the couch and crossed her legs. “Anastasia,
why did you hit Erica?”
“This is between me and my family. You have no part in this.” Anastasia nced coldly at her.
“What do you mean I have no part in this? Erica is my best friend, and it’s only right that I defend her.
Just because your mother saved Elliot, don’t assume that you can use this debt to behave unruly,
Anastasia. Served your mother’s cheap life right to die for Elliot.” Hayley attacked mercilessly.
Anastasia’s pupils shook with rage, for Hayley had crossed the line. Anybody could talk sh*t about her,
but nobody was allowed to do that to her loved ones.
“You’d better shut your mouth, Hayley. Otherwise, I’ll skin you alive.” Anastasia shot right up, beyond
furious.
It was a pity that Hayley had indeede to anger Anastasia. After all, she knew that Amelia was
Anastasia’s taboo. “Some people are destined to live a short life, and your mother was one of them.”
Hayley was practically digging her heart out! With that, Anastasia came out from behind her desk.
Sometimes, a hand was more useful than words.
“Get out. Get the hell out!” Anastasia roared as she threw the cup on her table at Hayley, who dodged
reflexively. “How dare you throw things at me, Anastasia!” Hayley yelled, evidently pissed off by this.
“If you stay a second longer, I will even kill you,” said Anastasia as she growled.
However, Hayley blurted, “If you dare kill me, who’s going to look after your son? His gigolo of a
father?”
Hayley’s words took Anastasia aback, and she red daggers at Hayley. She was so livid that she
choked on her words.
On the other hand, Hayley sneered as though she suddenly had leverage over Anastasia. “Oh, that
reminds me! I think I still remember his name and face. Why don’t I help your son find his father? The
guy should know that he has a son after that night, don’t you think so?!”
Hayley’s words were like a vortex that sucked out all of Anastasia’s strength in one second. “I dare you,
Hayley.” Anastasia looked at the woman while gritting her teeth.
“What? Are you scared now, Anastasia? Are you afraid that your baby boy will be taken away from
you? In that case, you’d better not give me your attitude. I have a date with Elliot tonight, and I will give
you a piece of my mind if you pour water on me.”
Anastasia suddenly felt a pang in her heart. She then looked at Hayley, who was all dolled up. She’s
seeing Elliot tonight, huh?
No wonder he said he isn’t avable. He has a date with Hayley.
“We’ll stay out of each other’s business from now on, Hayley. I can overlook what you did to me back
then, but don’t cause me any more trouble. Otherwise, I swear I’ll fight you to the death,” Anastasia
warned.
“Oh, have you forgiven me? You’d better thank me too; how would you have had your son if it weren’t
for me?”
Hayley’s shameless behavior made Anastasia close her eyes and suppress her desire to kill this
woman. A momentter, she looked coldly at Hayley. “Stop bugging me, or I won’t y nice anymore.”
Hayley suddenly turned cold as well. “Alright. As long as you leave Elliot, I promise I won’t ask that
gigolo toe to you. However, if you continue to pester Elliot, I’ll make sure your son meets his gigolo
of a father. When that timees, you’d better pray that he doesn’t take your son away.”
“I’ll call the police right away if he dares to show himself. Have you forgotten that you’re also
responsible for what happened back then?” Anastasia wasn’t going down with a fight either, and she
didn’t want Hayley to think she was an easy target.
After all, people like Hayley would only continue to bully if they knew their victim was a weakling.
Anastasia’s threat worked, for Hayley began panicking. After all, she was only intimidating Anastasia,
and there wasn’t any gigolo at all—the real father of her child was Elliot!
Chapter 217 I Hope You Can Tell Me the Truth
“Alright, it’s a deal. You stay away from Elliot, and I won’t tell anyone what happened back then.
Otherwise, your son will know how he came to be. Even if you call the police and have the gigolo
arrested, he is still your son’s father, and he’ll have a gigolo of a father who even served time in prison.
Haha…” Hayley couldn’t help cackling as she spoke. “What a joke!”
“Get the hell out of here!” Anastasia roared.
“Fine. It’s almost time for my date with Elliot anyway. You’d better not bother us tonight, and I dare you
to ruin our night with work. We will be very busy the entire night, after all. I’m sure you know just how
good of a stamina Elliot has.” Hayley deliberately lied to disgust Anastasia, and she seeded. With
that, she headed out with a smug face.
Inside the office, Anastasia slumped back on her chair weakly. Her body trembled involuntarily as all
sorts of emotions stirred within her, and she felt absolutely awful.
Hayley knew her best, and that woman knew precisely where to strike. After all, her mother and son
were the people she loved most. Elliot, on the other hand, wasn’t somebody to her, yet it still did some
damage.
She thought he was a b*stard for dating Hayley while kissing her with the same pair of lips that he had
used to kiss the other woman.
She could even picture what this man and Hayley would be doing in bed; just imagining it had already
suffocated her.
With that, Anastasia decided she would stay far away from Elliot; she would never allow him to make a
move on her ever again.
Meanwhile, just as Hayley returned home in a rush, she got a call from Daniel. s, she had her hopes
up for nothing, for she thought Elliot would pick her up himself!
After picking Hayley up, Daniel snuck a few peeks at her, not daring to look her straight in the eye. It
was only reasonable that he was somewhat fearful of her after what had happenedst time. Then
again, he felt truly bad for the woman after making out with her.
He felt bad that she couldn’t do anything but only hope that President Presgrave would visit her in this
lavish mansion like she was a caged bird unwilling to be free, waiting for its owner to show it some
love.
“Daniel, am I pretty?” Hayley asked out of the blue.
Daniel was somewhat jumpy within, for he was genuinely afraid whenever she called him ‘Daniel’ in
such a coquettish tone.
“You look stunning, Miss Seymour,” he praised.
“Do you think President Presgrave will like me?”
“Yeah… he definitely will.” Daniel knew he had to lie. He worked closely with Elliot, and he could tell
that the president fancied the designer working in Bourgeois and not Hayley.
Though it was a lie, it brightened up Hayley’s mood. With that, she took herpact mirror out to
retouch her makeup, pleased with how she looked that night. In fact, she hoped Elliot that would take
her back to his ce so that she could be the woman who drove his loneliness away.
Meanwhile, the car continued its journey to the high-end restaurant.
By the time Hayley arrived, Elliot was already waiting inside the private room. The moment she opened
the door, her heart pounded wildly, for he’d be able to capture all of her attention and have her lose
herself whenever she saw him.
“Elliot,” Hayley called out affectionately as she sat across from him.
Elliot dipped his head in response. Then, he asked a server toe in to take their order. Since he
was a gentleman, he let Hayley decide what they were going to eat that night, and like a fish craving for
water, she viewed Elliot’s every bit of gentlemanliness as his love for her.
She believed Elliot surely had feelings for her. Unfortunately, the vamp named Anastasia had lured him
away.
“I’ve finished ordering our dishes, Elliot. Why don’t you see if there’s anything you’d like to order?”
“I’m good. Just bring the dishes over!” Elliot hadn’te to eat. Instead, he was here to find out what
he could about Anastasia from Hayley.
The air grew silent for a while, and Hayley fidgeted around nervously for some time. She tried to get
Elliot’s attention, but he would either look out the window or stare at the table, looking preupied.
Atst, she had no choice but to speak up in a coquettish voice. “Elliot, let’s talk about something!” she
said.
“I do have something to ask you, Hayley,” said Elliot as he looked up at her. “I hope you can tell me the
truth.”
Chapter 218 Anastasia Is Selfish
Hayley nodded immediately, feeling joyful. “Sure, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
“Hayley, you were friends with Anastasia growing up. I want to know how she lost her chastity and who
was the guy who defiled her,” Elliot asked as he stared gravely at her.
Hayley’s smile frozen upon hearing his question. With that, she pursed her lips and let out a murky
breath. “That’s… what you want to know?”
“Please tell me about it, Hayley.” It was evident Elliot wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
Hayley didn’t know what to do. The man sitting across from her had no clue that he was the one who
defiled Anastasia back then. Of course, she wouldn’t let Elliot shoulder such an offense. She took a
deep breath at that, for she had long been mentally prepared for this day toe.
“Poor Anastasia. That night traumatized me as well since it only happened because she came to save
me. If I hadn’t phoned her, she wouldn’t have gone into that room, and she wouldn’t have encountered
that psycho. Even when Anastasia wrongly used me of what happened, I still admitted that
everything was my fault.”
“What did she wrongly use you of?” Elliot frowned.
When Hayley looked up, her eyes were red-rimmed and filled with remorse. Then, she drew a deep
breath. “I know no one can ept such an experience happening to them. Anastasia is a strong
woman, but still, she has lost her virginity. She hates me. She said I had purposely arranged for that
man to be in there, and I created the tragedy that befell her. I ept all her usations since I do
deserve to be d*mned. In fact, I shouldn’t have asked her toe at all. I was with some clients at that
time, and they were being handsy, so I asked Anastasia toe and save me. However, I didn’t expect
her to go to the wrong room and fall into that man’s…” Hayley closed her eyes at that, and beads of
tears fell the next second.
Elliot’s heart grew incredibly heavy as well. Was this how everything went down for Anastasia?
Coldness zed his eyes as he asked, “In that case, do you remember where it all happened?”
“That’s the one thing I don’t want living in my head. I only know that it was in a small nightclub, and I
can’t remember the name anymore. I’ve been trying to forget about this, but… I can never forget how
Anastasia looked when she came out disheveled.” She wouldn’t stop emphasizing how horribly
Anastasia had been defiled back then, for she believed Elliot would definitely mind it. Surely, someone
as outstanding and noble as him must have some sort of OCD. Hence, he wouldn’t touch Anastasia
ever again!
However, she bit her lower lip in anger when she saw the popping veins on his clenched fists that were
on the table. Was Elliot feeling furious for Anastasia?
Nevertheless, she continued to let her tears fall, acting like she was a victim as much as Anastasia
was. “I also think I deserve to be d*mned for letting her suffer such a traumatic experience. However,
what I don’t understand is why Anastasia still gave birth to his child when she loathed that night so
much.”
bbergasted, Elliot eximed without thinking, “Are you saying that the man back then is Jared’s
father?!”
Hayley nodded at that. “I guess so. Do you think Anastasia is able to ept other men when
something like that has happened to her? I’m sure she finds all men repulsive.”
With that, Elliot fell into deep thought. It seems like Jared is that b*stard’s son…
“Elliot, I know you care about Anastasia because her mother sacrificed her life to save you. It’s only
right that you look after her.”
Elliot didn’t recall telling Hayley about this, but then again, seeing how close she and Anastasia used to
be when growing up, it wouldn’t be surprising for her to learn about it.
“I am indeed racked with guilt for her family. In that case, do you know why Anastasia still conceived
the child?” Elliot couldn’t figure out Anastasia’s reason for doing so as well. Nheless, given how
adorable the boy was, he was happy that Jared hade into this world.
“I don’t know. Knowing Anastasia, she’s a headstrong woman. Her father even chased her out back
then because of this. He thought she had brought disgrace to their family and had shown him up. As for
why she conceived the child, she probably had no other choice. I worry about how the child should face
a father who defiled his mother, though. Poor kid! Anastasia shouldn’t have kept him.” All in all, Hayley
was trying to hint that Anastasia was nothing but selfish.
Chapter 219 Keep Me Company
Elliot’s heart tightened when he heard Hayley’s words. So, she really was kicked out of her house,
huh? Is that why she was abroad for five years.
But he believed the reason Anastasia conceived Jared was that the child’s adorableness could heal her
pain. Jared was like a cure for Anastasia, liberating her from that horrific experience. This little one, on
the other hand, needed love and care, and it would be his duty from now on.
Just then, the dishes were served. Hayley was looking forward to dinner when she made the orders,
but now she felt as though she was chewing wax. Who’d have thought Elliot invited her to dinner only
to learn about Anastasia’s past? At the end of the day, all he had in mind was Anastasia.
“Elliot, Anastasia’s a sweet girl. If it weren’t for that encounter, she would be living a happy life.” Hayley
continued to put on her saint fa?ade in front of Elliot.
Elliot, however, was still deep in his thoughts. After hearing Hayley’s words, he nodded in agreement,
for the rest of Anastasia’s life had everything to do with him now. He would give her the happily ever
after she deserved.
Then, Hayley thought of something, and she shyly asked, “Say, Elliot, has Anastasia ever asked you
about us?”
However, Elliot’s gaze at her was clear and collected. “Hayley, what happened between us was a
mistake. I’ve hurt you unconsciously that night, and I’ll make it up to you in my own way.”
“I don’t me you, Elliot. Really. Maybe I’ve suffered for five years, but after knowing you, those
sufferings became sweet experiences.” Hayley tried her best to confess her love for him.
Too bad Elliot didn’t feel the same for her. “It’s best that you don’t dwell on that night. It’ll do nothing but
harm to you, after all.”
“No, I’m happy as long as it’s you.” Hayley shook her head like a rattle. She was beyond willing to
experience such happiness again. “Elliot, I… Anytime you want, I’m willing to—”
Just then, Elliot’s phone rang, and she looked exasperatedly at the caller ID, only to find it was
Anastasia.
Immediately, a fire raged beneath her eyes. Oh, how she wanted to kill this b*tch! She swore Anastasia
had deliberately called to meddle at this time.
On the other hand, Elliot hurriedly grabbed his phone and stood up. “Let me take this call.”
“Okay.” Hayley beamed, suppressing her raging fire.
With that, he went to the empty private room next door and answered the call with a gentle voice.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Presgrave, you’ve promised to y with me downstairs. Why haven’t youe?!” The little one’s
voice traveled from the other end of the line.
“Can you wait for me, Jared? I’ll go over once I’m done with dinner.”
“Really? You’ll stille over, Mr. Presgrave?”
“I will. I never go back on my words,” Elliot promised. He adored the child immensely, even if they
weren’t rted by blood.
“Okay. I’ll be waiting for you!”
“Alright, I’ll get there soon,” Elliot promised again.
After hanging up, he checked the time and returned to the private room. When he saw that Hayley had
barely eaten, he couldn’t help asking, “Hayley, are you done eating?”
“Are you leaving?” She couldn’t help panicking. Must he go as soon as Anastasia called?
“Yeah, I still have something I have to get to first. I’ll have Daniel send you home.”
“But Elliot… I… I hope you can finish this dinner with me.” Hayley wished he could stay, but when he
looked over with his suit jacket in his hand under the light, she lost all courage and bit her lip
aggrievedly. “Y-You go ahead then! I’ll be fine.”
“I’m sorry, Hayley. I’ll treat you to another meal,” Elliot apologized, standing on ceremony, before
striding out.
Now that he was gone, Hayley could throw her fa?ade away and bear her bitter, resentful face.
Anastasia, of all people, it has to be Anastasia! That b*tch shrouded her like a nightmare she couldn’t
drive away no matter how.
With that, she picked up her phone and called Daniel. “Daniel,e up here and keep mepany.”
Chapter 220 She Hates Him Because She Hates Hayley
Daniel came up in two shakes, and when he saw Hayley chugging liquor, he snatched the ss from
her. “Don’t drink like this, Miss Seymour. You’ll get sick.”
“Daniel.” Hayley got up and hugged him. She seriously needed a man and she didn’t want to give
herself a hard time, even if she couldn’t have Elliot to herself.
His body stiffened at her contact. He tried to push her away, but she had a tight grip around his neck.
“Don’t leave me too, Daniel. Hug me.”
Daniel obliged half-heartedly. Though Hayley knew she was leaning against Daniel, she couldn’t stop
thinking about Elliot. With that, she closed her eyes and consoled herself by thinking she was hugging
Elliot.
Meanwhile, at Anastasia’s home. Jared waited in his room for Elliot to arrive after making a sneaky call
to him. Meanwhile, Anastasia was busy with house chores and it was already around 8.00PM by the
time she was done with theirundry.
Just as she was about to return to her room to continue working, the doorbell rang.
Hmm? Who could it be at this hour?
With that, she walked to the door and found Elliot standing outside through the peephole.
She was surprised he would stille. Isn’t he supposed to be on a date with Hayley? What the hell is
he doing here?!
The doorbell rang again, and she knew he wasn’t going to leave anytime soon. Hence, she opened the
door with frustration and pulled a grim face. “It’s alreadyte at night. What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to y with Jared.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll y with my son. Please leave,” Anastasia said indifferently.
However, the little one ran out from behind her at that moment. “You’re here, Mr. Presgrave. Let’s y
downstairs.”
Anastasia stared at her son as she watched him dashing out the door to hold Elliot’s hand and say, “I
didn’t expect you toe so soon, Mr. Presgrave!”
She was once again rendered speechless. Had her son called Elliot toe over?
“Mommy, please don’t be mad at Mr. Presgrave. I called and asked him toe to y with me.” Jared
looked back at his mother.
Apart from speechlessness, she was now troubled as well. With that, she reprimanded, “Jared, who
said you could bother him as you please? I’ve told you before that he’s a very busy man. He doesn’t
have the time to y with you. Why can’t you listen?”
It was rare for Anastasia to get upset over her son, but right then, she was truly pissed. She thought
her son was being inconsiderate by calling Elliot over when he was on a date with Hayley.
“I’m sorry, Mommy.” Jared drooped his head and apologized when he realized he had angered his
mother.
It was Elliot’s first time seeing Anastasia reprimanding the little one, and with that, he carried Jared up
and looked at the little fellow with distress before turning to Anastasia. “I have the time. I’m more than
happy to y with Jared, so please don’t scold him anymore.”
Anastasia didn’t want to scold her son either, but she was in a bad mood that day, and she didn’t want
to have any more to do with Elliot either. So, she wished Jared would stop being attached to Elliot and
stay away from him even more so.
“Jared,e back inside and let Mr. Presgrave go home.” With that, she came out and reached out
with her hands to carry Jared, who immediately leaned toward her.
On the other hand, Elliot was actually afraid of Anastasia at this moment. He was worried that he had
hurt her with his words or disturb her, and she’d even hate him.
He just learned from Hayley how Anastasia got hurt, how she conceived and birthed the child of the
man who defiled her, and how she was chased out of her own home. It was only normal for Anastasia
to repulse men when she had been through all she had.
With that, he tried to exin, saying, “Anastasia, I mean no harm. I—”
“No need to exin, President Presgrave. I know you have a date with Hayley. I’m sorry that my son
has bothered you guys.” Anastasia looked inly at Elliot as she carried her son in her arms.
Elliot’s breathing stopped for a split second after she finished speaking and he frowned. “How did you
know I was having dinner with Hayley?”
However, Anastasia didn’t want to talk. Just the thought of him exhibiting his excellence on top of
Hayley and fulfilling his biological imperative had Anastasia thinking the air around him was suffocating.
As she hated Hayley, she hated him as well. She wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything rted
to Hayley.