《The Girl Bumped to Him Is Pregnant novel (Anastasia)》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    "Anastasia, help! I''ve been molested at the club!"


    The desperate and helpless sound other best friend''s voice was the only thing on Anastasia


    Tillman''s mind as she rushed over to the clubhouse.


    Room 808. Anastasia looked up at the number que on the door of the private room. It was the


    same room number that her best friend, Hayley Seymour, had texted her. Without another thought,


    she barged through the door to save her friend.


    When the door swung open under her hand, she was greeted by the darkness within. Suddenly, a


    strong hand sped around her wrist and dragged her into the dark room, followed by a loud thud


    as the door mmed shut.


    "Hey¡ªwho are you, and what do you want?!" Anastasia shrieked, her eyes darting around wildly as


    she tried to make out her surroundings.


    "Settle down, and I''ll treat you well." A man''s deep and husky voice spoke close to her ear.


    The next second, Anastasia was unceremoniously tossed onto the couch, and before she could


    scramble to her feet, a lean and strong body pinned her down.


    She let out a muffled cry when a pair of lips that tasted like peppermint captured hers.


    The man on top of her felt burning hot to the touch. A sense of hopelessness brought tears to her


    eyes as she tried to struggle against the man, but in the end, she could do nothing but endure the


    man''s ferocity.


    An hourter, Anastasia staggered out of the room, looking disheveled. She had only just been


    through a nightmare, but that didn''t distract her from worrying about her best friend''s safety.


    She was just about to call Hayley''s number when she saw a group of men and women walking out


    the side door. Under the lights, she instantly recognized the two of the women in the group.


    One happened to be Hayley, her best friend who had cried for help on the phone earlier, and the


    other was Anastasia''s stepsister, Erica Tillman. The two girls walked side by side with their arms


    linked, as if they were the closest of friends.


    Shock and rage colored Anastasia''s features when she saw them. "Stop right there, Hayley!" she


    called out loudly over the distance as her fists clenched tightly at her sides.


    Upon hearing this, Hayley and Erica swiveled around to face her. Anastasia glowered at them,


    ashen-faced as she demanded of Hayley, "Why would you lie to me?!"


    Hayley smirked. "It''s not my fault that you''re always so gullible, Anastasia."


    "Did you have a good time with that gigolo back there?" Erica asked in a sing-song voice, smiling


    wickedly.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    It was only then that Anastasia realized that both of them had set her up. The chastity she had held


    dear for the past neen years was now sacrificed for their despicable glee.


    Presently, Hayley''s eyes were frosty as she seethed, "Did you actually think I was your friend,


    Anastasia? I''ve been living in your shadow ever since we met! I hate you, and I want nothing more


    than to ruin that face of yours!"


    Erica, on the other hand, swiftly interjected by mocking, "I have the proof I need to show Dad that


    you''ve been pimping yourself for money at the club. It won''t be long until you''re thrown out of the


    house!"


    "You two¡ª" Anastasia was so furious that she swayed. Her body was in tatters after the ordeal she


    had been through, and the collective weight of her friend''s betrayal and her sister''s cruelty nearly


    knocked her down.


    "Let''s go, Hayley! We don''t want to be seen with trash, do we?" With her arm looped through


    Hayley''s, Erica led her toward the sports car she had parked by the curb.


    Three dayster, at the Tillman Residence, a low male voice yelled out in rage, "You became an


    escort for money just because I wouldn''t let you go abroad for your studies? How can I, Francis


    Tillman, be capable of having such a shameless daughter like -U!


    you?


    "Dad, I didn''t¡ª" "You didn''t? But you did, Anastasia! How could you go to such shameless lengths?


    Did we starve you, or did we deprive you of anything? I can''t believe you would pimp yourself to


    random strangers in a filthy clubhouse! For your sake, I hope you haven''t brought any disease back


    to this house. Who knows what my daughter and I could have caught from you," the woman who


    was dressed in jewels and fine clothes sneered from where she sat on the couch.


    "Dad, I really didn''t do it. I¡ª" Anastasia tried to exin herself.


    However, Francis did not want to hear another word from her. He glowered at her maliciously as he


    snapped, "Still lying to me, I see. Get out of this home right now! I will not stand to have you under


    my roof. No daughter of mine could be so shameless. From now on, you are not my child!"


    Meanwhile, on the staircasending, Erica watched this scene y out as she leaned against the


    banister with her chin propped on her hand. Everything was going exactly the way she had nned.


    In a matter of minutes, Anastasia was going to be cast out of the house and wander around like


    some pathetic stray mutt.


    Downstairs in the living room, Anastasia fell silent when she saw the thunderous and disappointed


    look on her father''s face. She wordlessly rose from her seat and walked up the stairs to pack up her


    things.


    She had only just rounded thending when Erica barricaded her. With her arms crossed haughtily


    in front of her chest, the younger girl sneered, "Get out of here! Don''t linger around like an eyesore.


    This house will never have a ce for you ever again!"


    Anastasia clenched her fists as she glowered at Erica''s pleased expression.


    Seeing the hatred and anger in Anastasia''s eyes, Erica leaned forward. "What, do you want to p


    me or something?" She turned her cheek toward the fuming girl and said smugly, "Go right ahead,


    then!"


    Without holding back, Anastasia brought her hand down across Erica''s face, resulting in a hard


    p.


    "Ah!" Erica let out a shrill cry. "You just hit me! Mom, Dad¡ªAnastasia just hit me!" She howled as


    she bolted down the stairs.


    Naomi Lowell quickly pulled her daughter into her arms and cried up the stairwell, "How dare you


    strike my daughter, Anastasia! What the hell are you ying at?!"


    Francis nced at the red imprints on Erica''s cheek, and he had never been more disappointed in


    his life. When did my oldest daughter be so infuriatingly rebellious?


    "Dad, it hurts..." Erica sobbed as she burrowed into her father''s arms, taking in exaggerated deep


    breaths like she was in great pain.


    "Get out of here, Anastasia!" Francis roared up the stairs.


    Having packed up her things, Anastasia grabbed her passport and went down the stairs. Her heart


    grew stone-cold when she saw how her own father was holding Erica in his arms like she was


    something precious.


    Anastasia knew then that she indeed had no ce in his heart. Francis had only heard Erica''s side


    of the story instead of asking Anastasia about the horrific incident she had enduredst night.


    Ever since her mother had passed, she had spent her years in this home living like an outsider, for


    her father had brought home his mistress and his illegitimate daughter to form a new family.


    Anastasia''s poor mother had never known about her husband''s extra-marital affairs, not even in her


    death.


    I will nevere back to this ce ever again.


    Inside the house, Erica watched as Anastasia dragged her suitcase out the front door, and a wicked


    smile curled on her lips. I finally got rid of that useless eyesore!


    Five yearster, a knock came on the front door of an apartment in Dansbury.


    The woman living in the apartment had been poring over her designs when she heard the knock. A


    little bewildered, she walked up to the door and pulled it open unhappily. When she saw the two


    Asian men in suits, she asked in Chinese, "Who are you looking for?"


    "Are you Miss Anastasia Tillman?" one of the two men asked in English.


    "I am. And you are?" Anastasia pressed.


    "We were asked to look for you. Your mother, Amelia Chapman, saved our young master''s life back


    in the day. The old madam whom we serve wishes to see you."


    She frowned at this. "Who''s the old madam you serve?


    "Old Madam Presgrave," the first man answered respectfully.


    Upon hearing this, Anastasia understood what had brought these men here. Old Madam Presgrave


    was the woman behind the Presgrave Group, the foremost conglomerate in the country. Years ago,


    Anastasia''s mother had sacrificed her life to save Old Madam Presgrave''s oldest grandson.


    It gave Anastasia great pride to have been born to a police officer as capable and


    righteous as Amelia.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t intend to see her," Anastasia said decidedly. She had a feeling that the


    Presgraves wanted to repay Amelia''s great deed, but she had no ns of epting their gesture


    whatsoever.


    Just then, a childish and curious voice sounded from somewhere inside the apartment, asking,


    "Mommy, who is it?"


    "No one," Anastasia replied hastily. Then, she turned to address the men at the door, "Sorry, but I''m


    really not in a mood for guests at the moment."


    With that, she closed the door.


    Meanwhile, back in the country, a man was seated on the couch inside the vi tucked halfway up


    the hill. "Have you tracked her down?"


    "Yes, Young Master Elliot. The girl from the clubhouse five years ago just sold off your watch at the


    second-hand market."


    "Find her," said the man on the couch, his voice deep and authoritative.


    "Yes, sir!"

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    The room was bathed in a warm glow of the lights. The man who sat on the couch had wless


    features, his handsome face the painstaking artwork of the heavens. He wore a finely tailored suit


    that entuated his strong silhouette. At present, Elliot Presgrave''s eyes turned icy as his


    grandmother''s steely voice reverberated in his mind.


    Elliot, you must take Anastasia Tillman for a wife. I will only have her and no one else as my


    granddaughter-inw in the Presgrave Family.


    Right now, however, the only person Elliot was thinking of was the woman whom he had ravished in


    the dark all those years ago. That fateful night, his drink had beenced and rendered him so


    intoxicated that the only thing he remembered was how the woman had hopelessly sobbed while


    she begged for mercy under him.


    When all was done, he had taken off his watch and pressed it into her hand, thereafter passing out


    in the dimness of that room.


    Fast forward to five yearster; he was still looking for her. It was justst week when he learned


    that she had sold off his watch at the secondhand market, but the news came toote, for his


    grandmother insisted that he take some other woman for a wife.


    Just then, his phone rang once more. He picked it up and greeted brusquely, "What?"


    "Young Master Elliot, we have found the girl. Her name is Hayley Seymour, and she was the one


    who personally sold off the watch."


    "Send me her address, and I''ll pay her a visit," Elliot ordered as an ted gleam shed in his eyes.


    The mysterious girl from that night has finally been sighted! I have to find her, no matter what. I


    need to make it up to her for the things I''ve done that night.


    Meanwhile, Hayley was in the women''s boutique. She had taken over the boutique a little over a


    year ago, but the business had been on a steady decline. Struggling to pay rent, she had tried to


    come up with ways to scrape together enough money to tide over. Atst, she decided to try to sell


    the watch she had in her possession, and much to her pleasant surprise, it fetched a whopping


    price of five hundred thousand.


    The watch hadn''t been hers, to begin with. Five years ago, the clubhouse staff had contacted her


    and told her that they had retrieved a watch from the private room, thereafter prompting her to


    collect it from their lost and found department. Upon arriving at the club and seeing that it was a


    designer men''s watch, she imed it as her own without even a second of hesitation.


    Since then, the watch had been nestling in her closet until she decided to sell it off at the


    secondhand marketst week. Leading up to the sale, she hadn''t expected that the watch would be


    worth much, but that was before she was offered an astonishing five hundred thousand for it.


    Hayley was glowing as she stared at the amount of money she had in her ount, and she thought


    happily to herself, I guess I can livefortably for a while longer.


    At that moment, the door to her boutique swung open, and she quickly rose to greet the customer.


    "Wee to..."


    She trailed off then, so stunned that she abandoned the rest of her words.


    The man who had entered her boutique stood tall and straight. He was handsome beyond


    comprehension, and he carried with him an innate nobility.


    It took a while for Hayley to snap out of her daze before she stumbled over her words to ask, "I-Is


    there someone you''re looking for, sir?"


    That was a fair question, considering she was running a women''s boutique. It was impossible that a


    man wearing a refined handmade suit would be here to browse through dresses and the like. He


    looked like he stood at six feet two, and there was no mistaking the domineering edge of his


    presence.


    "Hayley Seymour?" Elliot asked as his narrowed eyes locked onto her. He searched her face,


    desperately trying to find traces of the woman from five years ago.


    "Y-Yes, that''s me. And you are..." She couldn''t quite finish her words; her faculty of speech was


    going haywire under the man''s burning gaze.


    Having heard her reply, the man reached into his pocket and produced a men''s watch before her,


    then asked in a deep, rumbling voice, "Has this watch been in your possession all these years?"


    Hayley nced at the watch and instantly felt the urge to shrink into herself. Blinking guiltily, she


    stammered, "Y-Yes, the watch is... mine."


    "And you were the woman from the Abyss Club five years ago? The one who was in Room 808?"


    Elliot pressed, eyeing the girl in front of him intently as he thought with a start, Could she really be


    the girl from that night?


    The wheels in Hayley''s mind began to turn furiously. Room 808from five years ago...


    Wasn''t that the room where Erica and I set Anastasia up? Why is this man asking me about that


    incident?


    Without dwelling too much on this, she answered straightforwardly, "Of course, that was me."


    "Keep this watch from now on, and don''t try to pawn it off again. I''ll make it up to you for what


    happened that night," he said as he handed the watch to her. "I''m Elliot


    Presgrave. Remember my name, will you?"


    Hayley looked up at him in shock. Elliot Presgrave? As in, the heir to Presgrave Corporation, the


    leading conglomerate? "Y-You''re Elliot Presgrave?" she asked, so overwhelmed she might copse.


    The man next to Elliot handed her a name card and interjected, "Miss Seymour, this is our young


    master''s name card. You may look for him if you need his help in any n way.


    She took the card with one shaky hand, and when she saw the shell-shocking name embossed


    onto the gold stationery, her heart nearly flew out of her chest. So the guy who slept with Anastasia


    five years ago was not the male escort we arranged for her, but this fine specimen who happens to


    be the heir to the Presgraves''family fortune?


    As realization dawned upon her, Hayley reached out and grabbed Elliot''s arm, then forced tears to


    spring to her eyes as she threw a fit. "You have to take responsibility, Elliot. Do you know how hurt


    and traumatized I was after that night?" With that, she looked down and cried crocodile tears,


    sobbing miserably like she was the one who had been vited five years ago.


    There was only one thing on her mind right now: to step into Anastasia''s shoes and assume the role


    of the victim from that fateful night. She was set on having Elliot take responsibility so that she could


    get more benefits out of this. Ultimately, she hoped to marry the man and be Mrs. Presgrave.


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    "Don''t worry, I promise to take responsibility," the man said solemnly, his husky voice steady and


    reassuring.


    "Miss Seymour, Young Master Elliot has arranged a vi for you, and you can move in anytime. He


    will take care of all your needs from now on." Elliot''s personal assistant, Rey Osborne, pointed out


    helpfully.


    Hayley''s eyes lit up at once. She was so ecstatic she could pass out. A world of riches and mor


    will soon be in my hands!


    "There are some things I have to take care of, so I''ll get going," Elliot said, then after casting Hayley


    a brief look, he turned to leave.


    When the door swung shut behind him, Hayley clutched the watch tightly. She was so overwhelmed


    by this unexpected turn of events that she could cry. "I''m going to be rich! Rich!" While she


    celebrated the windfall, she found herself hoping viciously that Anastasia had dropped dead within


    thest five years so that she wouldn''t appear out of nowhere like roadkill.


    In the understated luxury ride, Elliot sat in the backseat with his eyes closed. Is Hayley really the


    woman from five years ago ? Why does she seem different? Or have five years changed her?


    The orange rays of the setting sun spilled through the car window and yed over the man''s


    chiseled features. He looked so handsome that it was hard to believe he wasn''t some valuable


    piece of art that belonged in a museum; there was no one who could replicate such fine looks.


    He was the true sessor to Presgrave Group. He had taken over the reins five years ago and


    launched the conglomerate to new heights, so much so that it was crowned first ce among the


    world''s leadingpanies.


    On that fateful night five years ago, he had experienced his first and only downfall in his lifetime.


    One of his rivals had spiked his drink in hopes of manipting him into ruining his own reputation.


    Elliot had saved himself by darting into the private room, but just as the effect of the drug was at its


    peak, a random woman scurried in and relieved him of his predicament.


    Since then, the fact that he had just ravished and taken away a girl''s innocence had been weighing


    on his conscience.


    He was sure that she had been chaste up to that night, for when he woke up after the deed, he saw


    under the lights of the private room the traces of blood that stained the couch.


    As he thought about the scattered mess in the private room that followed his misdeed, he stopped


    doubting Hayley''s identity and his impression of her. I have to take responsibility for what I''ve done


    to her.


    While this was happening, Anastasia was in her apartment somewhere abroad as she said on the


    phone, "Got it. Give me three days tops to return to the country and prepare for thepetition."


    "Mommy, are we going back?" A small figure wandered over to her side. He wore a blue checkered


    shirt and a pair of denim shorts. His features were delicately chiseled, albeit childish. He was only


    four or so, but there was unmistakable grace and elegance to his movements.


    Anastasia smiled and nodded. "Would you like to go back with me?"

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    "Of course! I''ll go anywhere you go, Mommy!" the little guy beamed, hisrge eyes looking like


    glistening onyxes as they curved into crescent moons.


    Anastasia couldn''t help musing over how beautiful the child was. Every time she looked at his little


    face, she felt a surge offort and gratitude, as though constantly in awe of how she had


    managed to birth such an adorable little one.-


    "Well, then, we best pack our things now. We''re leaving for the airport tomorrow afternoon."


    "Okay!" The little one gave one firm nod, then dashed into his room to pack his things for the trip.


    Anastasia heaved a sigh. She had been living abroad since her father threw her out of the house


    five years ago. It wasn''t so much that she didn''t want to go home as it was that she had no ce in


    it.


    She didn''t even tell her father after she had delivered her child while abroad, and now that she was


    going back to her homnd for her work and career, she had made up her mind to see the old man.


    He was still her father, after all.


    Three dayster, it was evening time at the international airport when Anastasia wheeled the


    baggage cart forward. Her son was seated on top of therge suitcase on the cart, and he gazed


    around in wonder. Everything about Anastasia''s homnd seemed to pique his interest, and there


    was a curious gleam in his sparkly eyes.


    Presently, Anastasia had only just stepped out of the arrival hall when two men in suits walked up to


    her, thereafter greeting politely, "Miss Tillman, we have been sent here by Old Madam Presgrave,


    who has prepared a ride for you just outside the entrance. If you please¡ª"


    She blinked at them and said very courteously, "I appreciate the Presgraves'' kind gesture, but I


    have no need for a ride, thank you."


    "Miss Presgrave, the old madam truly wishes to see you," the middle-aged man said respectfully.


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    Anastasia knew that Old Madam Presgrave bore no ill will, but she really had no ns on epting


    the old madam''s kind favor. "Please tell Old Madam Presgrave that it was my mother''s duty to save


    others, and that there is no need to repay the deed, at least not to me." With that, she made to


    brush past the two men, pushing the cart toward the exit.


    One of the men took out his phone and informed dutifully, "Young Master Elliot, Miss Tillman has


    refused our offer to pick her up."


    Presently, three gleaming ck Rolls-Royce with heavily tinted windows that deterred anyone''s


    efforts of peeking inside were parked by the airport entrance. There was a man seated in the


    backseat of the Rolls-Royce in the middle of the fleet who kept his gaze on the airport doors, and he


    saw a young woman pushing her cart through them just as he set his phone aside.


    The woman wore a white blouse and in jeans. Her hair had been gathered at her nape, revealing


    a delicate and pretty face. Her skin was baster, and her demeanor somewhat leisurely as she


    maneuvered the cart. Without a doubt, her presence among the crowd was a dazzling one.


    Just then, Elliot''s gaze was caught by something, or rather, someone¡ªthe little boy who leaped off


    the woman''s cart. He looked to be around four or five years of age, and he wore a gray sweater with


    joggers, his thick and soft hair flopping over his forehead. He might be young, but his features were


    finely chiseled, making him all the more adorable.


    At that moment, Anastasia crouched down and helped the little one straighten his clothes; there


    was no mistaking the gentle and indulgent look in her eyes.


    Who''s the kid? Is Anastasia married? If so, then I won''t have to marry her just to fulfill Grandma''s


    wishes. With that in mind, Elliot watched as the taxi Anastasia and her supposed child got into


    pulled away. Not long after that, his fleet left as well.


    They had barely covered any distance when his phone rang. He nced at the caller ID and


    greeted, "Hey, Hayley."


    "Elliot, when are youing to see me? I''ve missed you." Hayley''s coy voice whined on the other


    line.


    "I''ve been a little busy recently, but I''ll see you as soon as I''m free," he answered, the bass in his


    voice prominent.


    "Promise?" Hayley asked coquettishly.


    "Yes," he replied with forced patience.


    Meanwhile, over at Presgrave Residence, a silver-haired olddy was sitting on the couch sipping


    her tea when she heard her subordinates¡¯test findings. She looked up in shock as she


    demanded, "What?


    Anastasia has a child? Is she married?"


    "ording to our investigation, the child''s father never showed up, so we''re assuming that she had


    the child out of wedlock."


    "Oh, that poor dear. To be a single mother at such a young age..." Harriet Presgrave,


    otherwise more widely known as Old Madam Presgrave, sighed. Guilt surged through her as she


    thought about the brave female police officer who had died after sustaining eighteen fatal stabs from


    the ruffian who had threatened to hurt Elliot all those years ago.


    She was only justmenting on this when an elegant and towering figure sauntered into the living


    room. It was Elliot, and he had returned from the airport. "Come here, Elliot," Harriet said as she


    beckoned her grandson over.


    Elliot promptly took the seat next to hers and began to say, "Grandma, Anastasia kept refusing our


    offer, so maybe I¡ª"


    "I just found out that Miss Tillman is a single mother who had a child out of wedlock. You must take


    care of the poor mother and son, Elliot. It''s your duty."


    Elliot gaped at the old woman speechlessly, stunned by her suggestion. He had thought that she


    would have given up on the matter, but as it turned out, she grew even more determined to see it


    through instead.


    "Grandma, I don''t have to marry her. We could always use some other way to repay her mother''s


    kind deeds and make it up to her," he countered calmly, hoping that his grandmother would see


    sense.


    However, the moment Harriet heard this, she shot him a frigid look and said, "No, that won''t do. You


    must marry Anastasia and protect her and take care of her for the rest of her life."


    Elliot frowned. He didn''t think any good coulde from a loveless marriage, but he couldn''t even


    reject his grandmother''s suggestion because she was set on repaying the sacrifice Anastasia''s


    mother had made all those years ago.


    "You can''t even imagine how many stabs Officer Amelia Chapman had sustained just to protect


    you. The amount of blood... The gruesome nature of the crime..."Harriet''s eyes were sad as she


    said this. Then, she looked up and cast her grandson a hard look, pointing out, "Taking care of her


    daughter is the least you could do. You won''t ever be able to repay the officer''s selfless deed, even


    if you were to take care of Anastasia for eternity."


    Elliot nodded quietly. "Fine, then I''ll take her for a wife."


    But there was another woman whom he could not let go of, whom he needed topensate as


    well. That said, he had no ns to tell Harriet about this just yet, and he knew that even if he did tell


    her, it wouldn''t dissuade her from forcing him to marry Anastasia.


    "Anastasia has a kid," he said.


    That backfired on him because Harriet seemed delighted by the news. "That''s right! It''s a little boy,


    probably around three or four years old. I can''t believe some scoundrel just left them like that. Listen


    to me, Elliot¡ªdon''t you dare snub that child, is that understood?"


    Elliot could hardly believe this. He stared at his grandmother, stumped as he thought, Is this some


    kind of a buy-one-free-one deal?


    The Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier was an old and well-known establishment that had been acquired by


    Anastasia''s superior. In order to grow the brand, Anastasia¡ªbeing the chief designer for the


    Queen''s Rose QR Diamond Global¡ªhad been transferred back to her homnd to work on


    diversifying Bourgeois.


    Through the arrangements made by Bourgeois, Anastasia was put up in an apartment. She went


    about decorating and straightening up her new abode while her son slept, and within two hours, the


    apartment was transformed into the perfect cozy nest for the mother-and-son duo.


    She was exhausted, but she did not feel like turning in for the day as she watched her son''s


    adorable sleeping profile.


    Whatever had happened in this city five years ago still haunted her and made her stomach churn.


    Her best friend''s betrayal, her stepsister''s wickedness, and her father''s ultimatum that resulted in


    her being exiled were like cuts that ran too deep to heal over.


    It was a miracle at all that she had survived the past five years. She had had to bnce raising her


    son as a single mother and picking up design courses, and during theter part of the five years,


    she slowly worked her way up thedder and became chief designer. She had toiled harder than


    anyone else, and the heavens must have granted her the stroke of luck she needed to get to where


    she was today.


    As of now, she had her savings, her son, and a job that allowed her freedom.


    She picked up her phone and stared at her father''s number. There were several times when she


    thought about calling him, but something made her hesitate. It''s been jive years. I wonder if he''s still


    angry with me.


    Then, she heaved a sigh. Forget it.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    At the QR International Group, a mysterious acquisition team was negotiating with the owner Jack


    in the conference room. Thetter finally signed the acquisition contract at a price of 10 billion.


    As of yet, no one knew that the boss of QR International Group had been reced. The middle-


    aged man who walked out of the acquisition meeting room took out his phone and reported to the


    man at the other end, saying, "Young Master Elliot, the acquisition has been sessfully


    completed, and you have now be the president of QR International Jewelry Group."-


    "I got it," the man on the other end responded lightly.


    In order to fulfill his promise to his grandmother of pursuing Anastasia, Elliot spent 10 billion to


    acquire thepany she was working at.


    Only Anastasia could refuse the wedding proposal, so in the process, he had to show his


    grandmother what he had done. Still, it was unknown whether he could marry Anastasia in the end.


    Elliot hoped that Anastasia would reject him. After all, every good marriage needed to be based on


    a foundation of mutual emotional interest. Otherwise, it would be meaningless to live together


    without any love in the rtionship.


    At this point, Anastasia didn''t know that her boss had changed.


    In the next few days, she found a private kindergarten for her son nearby and sent her son there so


    that she was free to work. The little boy was interested in the new school, so with a bag on his back,


    he took the teacher''s hand and skipped into the ssroom.


    "Is that your son? He''s so handsome! I''ve never seen such a good-looking boy," a mother


    commented in amazement.


    Anastasia pursed her lips and smiled; she was naturally happy as a mother when someone praised


    her son''s good looks.


    At Bourgeois, Anastasia came to work on her first day. As a designer sent by the design


    department, she enjoyed many perks. For example, she had a dedicated office and a capable


    assistant herself. Moreover, she only designed custom designs exclusively for a select few and not


    for the masses.


    This was also one of the unique selling points of QR International Group¡ªeach customer would


    have a unique lifetime customization service.


    Anastasia''s assistant was called Grace Ellis. She was a young, energetic, smart, and capable


    woman.


    "Anastasia, your coffee." Grace brought in the coffee.


    "Thank you." Anastasia nodded.


    In less than 2 minutes, Grace knocked on the door again. "Anastasia, the manager said that the


    meeting will be held at 3.00 PM, and the boss himself will be there, so be prepared."


    At 3.00 PM sharp, Anastasia sat in her seat inside the meeting room. There were many important


    members of Bourgeois in the room, so it seemed that this was argepany meeting.


    While Anastasia was checking it out, she inadvertently met a pair of sharp eyes belonging to a sexy


    woman in her 20s. Her name tag read: Chief Designer Alice.


    Anastasia immediately understood. Being a designer sure is verypetitive. Therefore, there


    were no so-called friends in this industry but only rivals inpetition. Since she was transferred


    back from abroad, it was normal for her to be disliked by others.


    At this time, footsteps came from outside the door, as if there were still peopleing. The door of


    the conference room was then pushed open, and the first person who came in was a tall man with a


    straight figure who was dressed in a well-cut suit. He had angr features and exuded a strong


    aura. After he came in, he walked over to the main chair and sat down.


    Without needing to say a word, his majestic aura made his powerful identity known to everyone.


    When everyone saw him, there was an


    instant silence below the stage.


    Why is the big boss different today ?


    The female designers in the audience were all surprised and excited as they felt butterflies in their


    stomachs when they looked at the handsome man.


    As for Anastasia, she was also surprised. Isn''t the boss of Bourgeois someone in his early fifties?


    Why is this man so young?


    At this time, the vice president of thepany, Larry Young, coughed lightly. "Let me introduce all of


    you to Mr. Elliot Presgrave. He is now the CEO and chairman of QR International Group. From now


    on, he will take over all the affairs of Bourgeois. Everyone, please give him a warm wee."


    There was a sudden collective gasp from the audience.


    Elliot PresgravefHe bought QR Jewelry Group?


    While others were gasping in shock and confusion, Anastasia instantly raised her head and stared


    at the man in question, who happened to be looking at her too.


    Elliot had a pair of extremely deep eyes that were as sharp as an eagle''s, so others did not even


    have the courage to look at him. However, Anastasia had the guts, and she had probably guessed


    why this man appeared here.


    Could it be that as long as I don''t ept the Presgrave Family''s repayment, they will continue to


    appear around me? Did I not make myself clear enough?


    "Let''s start the meeting! You will preside over the meeting," Elliot retracted his gaze and said to


    Larry beside him.


    The women present were so excited that their gazes shone. The content of the meeting was not


    important at all, as they just stared at Elliot in fascination.


    This man truly exuded an unparalleled superiority from head to toe, and he was also extremely


    wealthy. Thus, he was the man that every woman in the country dreamed of marrying.


    Anastasia also didn''t listen to the content of the meeting because she was absentminded. When


    she looked up from time to time, she found that the man was looking at


    her, which made her ufortable.


    Soon, all the people in the meeting discovered this. Why did Elliot only stare at Anastasia alone?


    Was it because she was young and beautiful? Instantly, all the women stared jealously at her. It


    seemed that Elliot''s special treatment of her made them angry.


    Anastasia really wanted to shout and stop Elliot from looking at her. Nevertheless, she still endured


    it. She just wanted to finish the meeting and leave, and she didn''t want to stay in thispany


    anymore, but when she remembered she had just signed a 5-year contract, she was lost for words.


    After some time, the meeting was finally over.


    Anastasia was the first to rush out of the conference room. She returned to the office feeling


    agitated. At this moment, there was a knock on her office door. As soon as she turned around, Elliot


    pushed the door open and came in. Immediately, she red at him, feeling annoyed at his


    presence.


    "Is there something you need, President Presgrave?" Anastasia sat down in her chair, seeming a


    little impatient, and did not give him the respect one should give their boss at all.


    Hearing that, Elliot pulled the chair across from her desk and sat down gracefully with an air of


    arrogance and superiority. Then, he said coldly in a maic voice, "Miss Tillman, let''s talk."


    "Are we talking about work?" Anastasia asked with raised eyebrows.


    "You should know that I was kidnapped when I was five years old. It was your mother who gave her


    life to save me, and I survived. For this, the Presgrave Family is forever grateful and wants to repay


    you. Just say the word, and I will try to satisfy your requests." Elliot looked at her calmly while


    expressing his thoughts.


    Sure enough, he is doing this just to repay myte mother.


    "No need. My mother saved you because it was her responsibility as an officer. You don''t need to


    repay me, and I won''t ept it." Anastasia refused firmly.


    "I heard that you have a son. If you want, I can raise him with you and take care of him." Elliot


    proposed with narrowed eyes.


    Anastasia suddenly raised her head to look at the man opposite her, and at this moment, a sudden


    thought shed in her mind.


    Huh?


    She actually thought for a moment that her son looked like this man. Their facial features, eyes,


    temperament, and even their hair were simr.


    How weird.


    "I don''t need someone else to raise my son for me." Anastasia refused again.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    "My grandma wants me to marry you, then take care of you and your children for the rest of your


    life. Are you willing to marry me?" Elliot said bluntly. Although he was talking about marriage, his


    gaze was indifferent; it was like he was simply shouldering a responsibility.


    Feeling suddenly amused, Anastasia fluffed her long hair and looked at the man opposite. "Take a


    good look at me. Do I look like the type who can never get married?"


    She was very beautiful. In fact, it was not an overstatement to say that she was absolutely stunning.


    "Miss Tillman, do you not want to marry me?" Elliot twitched the corner of his mouth and silently


    breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Although you are powerful and handsome, I don''t care for you," Anastasia replied very confidently.


    Elliot''s handsome face revealed a slightly startled expression. It seemed that he was not attractive


    at all to this woman. Oh well, that is exactly the result I wanted, anyway.


    As he wished, they were not attracted to each other.


    "I hope you can visit my grandmother in person, Miss Tillman." After all, only this woman could deny


    his grandmother''s wishes because, in his heart, he was also responsible for another woman.


    Anastasia pondered for a few seconds, then asked with narrowed eyes, "You really have acquired


    QR International Group?"


    "From now on, I''ll be your boss, so don''t worry. I''ll take care of you." Elliot expressed that even


    though he couldn''t marry her, he would take care of her at work.


    Hearing that, Anastasia blinked. "Okay, let''s do that then! Goodbye, President Presgrave."


    Elliot was startled again at her words. Never before had a woman disregarded him so tantly.


    Thus, Elliot got up and left. After he did, Anastasia let out a small sigh. Suddenly,


    Grace knocked on the door and asked, "Anastasia, what are you talking about with President


    Presgrave? Does he like you very much?"


    "Who said that?"


    "Everyone is saying that he has been staring at you in the conference room," Grace informed


    Anastasia with the current juicy gossip.


    When Anastasia heard that, she was annoyed. It seemed that Elliot was causing trouble for her at


    work. As a boss, he should be a good boss. She would just work under him, and he should not


    appear in front of her in the future.


    Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Anastasia picked up the phone and called her father.


    "Hello! May I know who it is?" A familiar voice came from the other end.


    Anastasia''s nose burned as she called out to the other side, "Dad, it''s me. I''m Anastasia."


    "Anastasia? You... Where have you been in the past five years? I couldn''t find you."


    Francis was pleasantly surprised.


    Now that the father and daughter were connected, how could any hatredst? Anastasia''s eyes


    filled with tears as she said, "Dad, I''m sorry. I have lived abroad for all these years, and now I''m


    back to work in the country."


    "Okay, as long as you''re back. When will youe home?"


    "I-I''ll go home in two days."


    "Okay, as long as you are healthy and safe.


    It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have driven you . n


    out.


    "Let''s forget about the past." Anastasiaforted him. She had gone through all the hardships, and


    she didn''t want to think about them anymore.


    "Okay,e back home as soon as possible!" Francis sighed.


    Anastasia hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Actually, she still didn''t want to go home yet.


    It was good enough as long as her father was healthy and safe.


    At this time, Larry knocked on the door and came over with a box in his hands. "Anastasia, I''m here


    to bring you something."


    Anastasia looked at the box he put on the table in surprise. "What is this?"


    "Guess."


    Anastasia looked at the box with the words ''Cloud Residence No. 1'' written on it. It was like the


    name of a building.


    "You better tell me directly!" Anastasia smiled; she didn''t want to guess.


    "Cloud Residence No. 1 is a luxuriousrge condominium unit of 370 square meters that is worth


    120 million. It is a top property unit that isvishly renovated and decorated with luxurious


    decoration, and it is ready for you to stay. You deserve it." Larry finished speaking and opened the


    box. There were six keys and a door card inside.


    Anastasia frowned. "Is this for me?"


    "Anastasia, this is a special perk from President Presgrave. He changed your residence to the


    Cloud Residence No. 1 unit. Aren''t you surprised and excited about it?" "Take it away; I don''t need


    it." Anastasia refused coldly. She didn''t want to ept any favors from the Presgrave Family at all.


    When her mother died, she had gone through a very painful childhood.


    Her mother had died an honorable death, and she had lost her closest loved one.


    Hearing her refusal, Larry was dumbfounded for a few seconds. Did she just refuse such an


    amazing perk ?


    "Anastasia, you''re not joking, are you? This is a perk that is only for you!" Larry was 35 years old


    and single. He also fell in love at first sight with Anastasia, who was young and beautiful, but he


    didn''t expect that Elliot had already gotten ahead first.


    "Tell President Presgrave that I don''t need special treatment in thepany."


    After Anastasia finished speaking, she pushed the box toward Larry and repeated her words. "Take


    it away."


    "Don''t do this to me. How am I supposed to tell him? Just ept it!" Larry could see that Elliot was


    interested in Anastasia.


    However, Anastasia still said firmly, "Send it back. I really don''t need it. Thank you."


    When Larry saw that she was serious, he had to take the box away. At this moment, Elliot did not go


    back to work in hispany Dominion Corporation, but started working in the main office of


    Bourgeois instead.


    "President Presgrave, Anastasia won''t ept this no matter what I said," Larry reported helplessly.


    "Well." Elliot''s dark eyes were cloudy. He had expected this, but it would be best if he could repay


    his debt with material things so that he would not have to bind himself to Anastasia by marriage.


    At the Tillman Residence, Francis had just returned. He looked at his wife watching TV on the sofa,


    then sighed happily and said, "Naomi, I received a call today. Guess who it was?" "Who?" Naomi


    looked at him curiously.


    "It was Anastasia! She had been living abroad for all these years. No wonder I had been unable to


    contact her," Francis said happily.


    He didn''t realize that his wife''s expression had suddenly changed, and the resentment in her eyes


    grew. "Why are you still thinking about her? She embarrassed you in the past, so don''t let here


    back to this house."


    "Naomi, I''ve been thinking for some time, and I feel that she''s not that kind of person. There must


    be a misunderstanding, and anyway, it has been so many years since. Just let it pass!"


    "What misunderstanding? Erica photographed her frequenting that kind of ce in the middle of the


    night. The evidence is solid." Naomi really didn''t expect Anastasia, who had been driven out, to


    come back now.


    Did she notice ourpany''s development ande back topete for the family assets?


    Hmph! It all belongs to my daughter. It will be over my dead body for Anastasia to get her hands on


    it!


    Seeing that his wife was not happy, Francis said no more and went upstairs, a little tired.


    Then, Naomi quickly picked up her phone and dialed her daughter''s number.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Hey! Mom."


    "Erica, guess who''s back?"


    "Who?"


    "That little b*tch Anastasia contacted your dad today. She''s back."


    "What? How can she evene back?"


    "She must have taken a fancy to our family''s assets and wants to return for a piece of the pie. With


    me here, she won''t even get toy a finger on it." Naomi snorted coldly, her face full of bitterness.


    "I was able to drive her away five years ago, so even if shees back, I can still drive her out


    again." Erica was also very confident about it.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    At this moment, Erica, who was at a spa club, immediately contacted Hayley after hanging up her


    mother''s call.


    Back then, they teamed up to make Anastasia lose her virginity and then had her driven out of the


    house. Now she and Hayley had be best friends, but in the past two weeks, Hayley had lost


    contact with her, and Hayley''s store was also closed. Hence, Erica didn''t know what Hayley was


    doing.


    Soon Hayley''s voice came over the phone. "Hello, Erica."


    "Hayley, what have you been doing recently? Why is your store closed?"


    "Oh! 1-I''m traveling! Is anything the matter?"


    "Hayley, let me tell you some bad news. Anastasia has returned to the country."


    In a luxurious vi, Hayley, who was enjoying the service of a servant on the sofa, was so frightened


    that she dropped


    her phone. She quickly picked it up, took a deep breath, then asked nervously, "When did shee


    back? Why did shee back?"


    "Why are you so nervous? You''re still afraid of her!"


    "No, I''m just asking."


    "My dad told me. I don''t know what she''s doing, but I''m quite sure she''sing back to fight over


    the family assets with me now, and she might cause you trouble too."


    A sh of viciousness glimmered in Hayley''s eyes when she heard that. Why didn''t Anastasia die


    abroad? That way, I won''t have to panic.


    Everything Hayley enjoyed now was all thanks to her. She would never let Elliot know the truth as


    long as she was alive.


    I can''t let him know that it was Anastasia back then.


    "Erica, I''m also afraid that she will retaliate against me. Can you tell me everything you know about


    her in the future? I''ll be better prepared," Hayley said to Erica.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Erica replied, "Okay, we will deal with her together in the future."


    After hanging up the phone, Hayley bit her lip. She was now used to being treated like a wealthy


    youngdy, and she had only the best of everything. In order to make it up to her, Elliot gave her


    everything she wanted. Hayley became even greedier; she wanted more than material


    compensation. In fact, she wanted to be Elliot''s wife.


    It must be the happiest thing in the world to be the woman of a man like Elliot. Therefore, she


    would never allow Anastasia to mess up her ns. Even Erica couldn''t know. Otherwise, Erica


    would be jealous of her and expose her. As such, she must have a good grasp of everything about


    Anastasia, and it was best to find a method to make her disappear from this world.


    At 5.00 PM, Anastasia showed up at the kindergarten on time to pick up her son. The little boy


    happily said goodbye to the teacher and ran to her.


    "Mommy!" "How was school?"


    "It was great! The teacher likes me very much, and my ssmates like me too," the little boy


    reported happily.


    "How about we have noodles in the evening?


    "Okay!"


    Anastasia was very lucky to give birth to a child with such an angelic character. Since he was a


    baby, he had never let her worry about him. He was not picky about food, he had a good


    personality, and he was a kind and loving boy.


    After shopping in the supermarket, they went home to cook dinner. The little boy yed with Lego


    while Anastasia cooked dinner for two. At that time, the small apartment was full of warmth and


    coziness.


    "Mommy, did work go well today?" the little boy asked with concern.


    "Yes, it went well." Anastasia curved her lips and smiled. In front of her son, she neverined


    about life or work. Even if life was hard, her son''s smile was sweet and could cure all unhappiness.


    "Jared, is it okay if I take you to see your grandfather in two days?" Anastasia asked her son.


    "Okay. I also really want to see Grandpa." The little boy blinked his eyes in anticipation.


    Hearing that, Anastasia feltplicated because she knew that Naomi and her daughter would


    definitely not wee Jared. She would also not let Erica know that her son was conceived when


    she identally lost her virginity five years ago, and she nned to tell her father she conceived


    the child with a man she loved.


    At night, Anastasia slept with her son in her arms. The moonlight from outside the window shone in,


    and the mother and son fell asleep together.


    Early next morning, after seeing off her son, Anastasia took a cab to thepany. Bourgeois was


    located in an eight-story building in the city center, which was a little inconspicuous due to the even


    taller skyscrapers next to it.


    However, this brand had gained poprity in the country. Now that it had been acquired by QR, its


    market value was enhanced too. As such, one monthter, Bourgeois was invited to participate in a


    local jewelry exhibition. Several series designed by Anastasia were selected to be disyed at the


    exhibition, which was also an effective method for branding purposes.


    Soon, Anastasia got out of the cab. Since she bought breakfast a littlete, she paid for the cab fare


    while nibbling on the bread in her hand, after which she walked quickly toward the hall.


    As Jared went to school at 8.30 AM, she was a little rushed for work at 9.00 AM.


    At the entrance to the elevator, Anastasia tried her best to finish her breakfast before entering the


    office, as it was inappropriate to go in while eating. Thus, she filled her mouth with thest big


    mouthful of bread.


    While she was chewing with her cheeks bulging, the elevator door opened, and a handsome and


    mature figure suddenly appeared in front of her eyes.


    Stiffening for a few seconds, she swallowed the bread with some difficulty and walked in as


    gracefully as possible.


    "Morning," Elliot greeted in a low and maic voice.


    "Morning!" Anastasia replied, and the next second, she was startled by her own sudden hup.


    While hupping, Anastasia felt her face flushed red as she nearly choked on her bread. What was


    even more rming was that the elevator had mirrors all around. Now, she had nowhere to hide her


    embarrassment. She covered her mouth, but her body protested that she ate too fast, and there


    came another not-so-elegant hup.


    Elliot''s deep gaze fell on her face through the mirror as he watched Anastasia''s awkward act.


    Finally, when they arrived at the 6th floor, Anastasia squeezed out of the elevator as soon as the


    doors opened. She felt so ashamed she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself.


    Elliot''s calm expression on his handsome face appeared to crack, and a smile was brewing in his


    dark eyes.


    This girl is inexplicably interesting.


    Anastasia returned to the office and quickly took a few sips of water to cure her hups, but the


    humiliating scene could not be undone. She wouldn''t be this embarrassed if it were another man,


    but it just had to be Elliot.


    He must beughing at me.


    10.30 AM.


    "Anastasia, there is a department meeting n


    now.


    Anastasia responded, "Got it."


    In the meeting room, the department director, Felicia Evans, sat on one side of the conference


    room. She had eight designers under her, including Anastasia.


    "Wait for a while. President Presgrave will be here soon." Felicia took a sip of water and shrugged


    nervously. Who would have thought that a departmental meeting would involve the big boss as


    well? This is so stressful.


    "Anastasia, did you know President Presgrave from before?" Alice looked at


    Anastasia meaningfully.


    Anastasia immediately denied it. "I didn''t."


    "Then why did President Presgrave keep staring at you yesterday?" another female designer asked,


    dissatisfied.


    "You should ask President Presgrave this," Anastasia responded gracefully.


    "Work is work, and thepany is not a ce for you to fall in love, nor a ce to take the back


    door. You all better remember it well." Felicia stared at her subordinates sternly.


    Then, Alice nced at Anastasia. In her eyes, Anastasia was someone who wanted to seduce Elliot


    in order to gain the upper hand.


    At this moment, the door of the office opened, and an imposing figure stepped in.


    Elliot walked in gracefully, then sat down at the head of the table. Anyone who saw this man would


    think that God was unfair.


    God gave him wealth that could rival the government''s wealth, a handsome face that all beings


    adored, a perfect figure like the sun god Apollo, a graceful and princely temperament, and the


    majestic aura of an emperor.


    This man lived for women to worship and adore him.


    Even Felicia hurriedly ruffled her hair while exuding her mellow and womanly temperament.


    Although she was 35 years old, she still had a dream of marrying rich.


    "Let''s start." The low and charming voice sounded cold.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Felicia immediately coughed. "Okay, the subject of today''s meeting is thepetition that we''re


    participating in. First, congrattions to the two shortlisted designers, Alice and Anastasia."


    Anastasia raised her head and met Alice''s provocative gaze. If she won this time, thepany


    would give her arge bonus. Hence, they were rivals. Felicia immediately analyzed the situation of


    thispetition. As an experienced designer, she was very confident in her work.


    While Anastasia was staring at the table, she suddenly felt eyes on her. Judging from the direction,


    it was undoubtedly Elliot''s.


    Is this man really so free ? Why is he staring at me all day long?


    Anastasia''s mother sacrificed her life for him. To be honest, Anastasia really didn''t want to see him.


    Although he was only five years old at the time, and she couldn''t me him for anything, she still


    had a kind of resentment in her heart.


    "Anastasia, tell me your opinion." Felicia suddenly cued her.


    Anastasia was daydreaming just now, and now she had no idea what Felicia was talking about. She


    raised her head and looked at Felicia in confusion. "Uh... Which aspect are you referring to?"


    Felicia''s face immediately turned ugly. How dare someone daydream at my meeting?


    "Anastasia, although you are a designer dispatched from the headquarters, you shouldn''t be too


    arrogant and disregard me. You didn''t listen to what I said just now, did you?" Felicia was a harsh


    woman and wanted to teach Anastasia a lesson.


    The other designers looked at Anastasia as if they were watching her make a fool of herself, while


    Anastasia''s face was also a little hot. While she didn''t know what to say, a low male voice sounded.


    "Tell me what the unique selling point of your design is."


    Elliot was giving her a reminder.


    When it came to her work, Anastasia immediately became confident. "My work this time uses


    tinum, which is the most suitable material for iys, with the addition of rhodium and padium.


    Its gloss, hardness, and durability are very good, and it is also a rare material. It holds a superior


    connotation, it''s not easy to depreciate, it''s guaranteed not to change color, it has good stability, and


    it is suitable for collection purposes. My target customers are people who like to collect and buy


    luxury goods."


    After Anastasia finished speaking, she suddenly caught the deep gaze of the man opposite her, and


    she at once avoided it.


    "In short, it''s expensive!" Alice sneered. "I''m not the same as you. I focus on fashion elements.


    Nowadays, trendse and go. I think my work is more suitable for the market."


    Anastasia pursed her lips and smiled. "Each of our work has its own selling point."


    Soon, the meeting finally ended. Elliot only came to listen and did not express his opinion too much.


    "Okay, the meeting is over," Felicia announced.


    "Anastasia, stay here. The others may leave," Elliot said suddenly.


    Anastasia was about to take a sip of water to moisten her throat when she almost choked on


    hearing this. She was instantly surrounded by envious and hateful gazes, especially Alice, who


    red at her resentfully as if she had seduced Elliot by some dirty means.


    Anastasia was also lost for words. Can''t this man see my situation in thepany ? I''m being


    scorned by other people, and he still has to fan the gossip by doing this!


    After everyone left, Anastasia leaned against her chair and said coldly, "Is there something you


    need, President Presgrave?"


    "Why didn''t you ept the house I gave you yesterday?" Elliot narrowed his eyes and stared at her.


    "Why should I? I already said that I will not ept any repayment from the Presgraves." Anastasia


    emphasized again.


    "You should think about your son. The ce I chose has great facilities that can support him. There


    is a much better kindergarten for the elites in themunity. It is also safer and more suitable for


    you to live with your child." Elliot left his status as a superior president and turned into a


    salesperson.


    What he said was very attractive to Anastasia because, as a mother, it was her biggest wish to


    provide her son with the best education and environment.


    "No need. I can give my son the best." Anastasia disagreed. For a businessman like him, he


    couldn''t realize that the most precious thing was not material wealth but emotionalpanionship.


    As long as her son was with her, even if she lived in less than ster conditions, she would be


    happiest.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Frowning, Elliot stared at the ruthless woman and felt troubled.


    "In the future, if it''s not for work purposes, please don''t look for me again." After Anastasia finished


    speaking, she picked up her documents, then got up and left.


    In the afternoon, Anastasia received a call from her father, who asked her to go home for dinner


    tomorrow. He also said he wanted to see her. Thus, she agreed, thinking that she needed to go


    home for a visit.


    At the president''s office, Elliot sat gracefully in his seat, listening to the work report of the assistant


    beside him.


    "Go check the information regarding the father of Anastasia''s son for me."


    Since materialpensation did not impress Anastasia, Elliot could only start in other areas.


    "Very well." Rey immediately went off to investigate.


    At this moment, Elliot''s phone rang, so he picked it up and saw that it was from Hayley.


    "Hello," he answered as gently as possible.


    "Elliot, are you busy with work? Can I have dinner with you tonight?"


    "Okay, I''ll book a restaurant." Elliot agreed.


    "Then I''ll wait for you to pick me up."


    Hayley was excited.


    "Sure." Elliot hung up the phone while Hayley''s face appeared in his mind. For some reason, Hayley


    didn''t feel anything like the woman from that day to him.


    He vaguely remembered the woman that night. Her lips were unbelievably soft, and her body had a


    faint fragrance. Although she cried throughout the whole process, her voice was appealing, while


    Hayley''s voice was a little too sharp.


    Since it had been five years, anyone would undergo significant changes. Thus, Elliot just wanted to


    make up for her. After all, what he did that night caused irreversible damage to her life.


    At a fine dining restaurant, Hayley came in a new Chanel dress, dressing to the nines. Using


    expensive cosmetics and the skill of a makeup artist, she enhanced her rather average looks, but


    she was still not eyecatching enough.


    She belonged to the category of an average pretty girl. She was not ugly, but not stunning either.


    However, tonight, she was the most enviable woman in the entire restaurant. Sitting opposite her


    was a top-level man who was handsome, elegant, charming, and exuded a regal aura.


    "Elliot, cheers." Hayley took the initiative to raise her ss and looked at the man opposite her


    eagerly. Although she had known him for almost three weeks, Elliot had always treated her civilly


    and politely.


    However, what Hayley wanted was far more than that, for she wanted his heart, body, and


    eventually, to be his wife.


    Now, because she had gotten his attention and everything he gave her, she was absolutely terrified


    of losing it all.


    She felt delighted to be wealthy. What she wanted could be delivered to her in the next second. Her


    favorite new Chanel dresses could be delivered directly to her door for her to choose from. If she


    wanted a specific bag, she could get one in every color avable. If she wanted diamond jewelry, all


    she needed to do was pick her favorite.


    This feeling was like floating in the clouds, and Hayley never wanted to fall back to the ground again


    as long as she lived.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    However, Hayley had a bad feeling that Anastasia would suddenly return home and learn the truth


    about what happened that night. If that happened, she would lose everything and be forced to live


    her life like she used to. At the thought of that, she told herself that she would never let something


    like that happen. Thus, when Elliot took her back to the mansion after dinner, Hayley coyly invited


    the man into the house. "Elliot, would you like toe inside and have a cup of tea?"


    "No thanks. I still have things to attend to."


    "But I''m scared of being alone. I want you to keep mepany." Hayley immediately tried to y


    on the man''s sympathy by pretending to be scared.


    "I''ll get Natasha to apany you." Elliot reached for his cell phone.


    "No! Please! I only want yourpany."


    "But I really have something to do at work. Next time, perhaps." Elliot gently looked at her. "Rest


    well. Good night."


    Hayley was disappointed upon hearing the man''s reply, but the man''s meek attitude prompted her


    to stop insisting coyly as she bitterly nodded. "Alright then." Setting her eyes on Elliot''s car, she bit


    her lip while wishing she could be in the man''s embrace. I swear I will make him my man one day!


    I''m going to be thedy that every other woman envies.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Meanwhile, Anastasia decided to spend her wonderful day inspecting some outlets with Felicia. As


    time slipped by quickly, she called it a day and left work earlier than usual, around 4.30 PM, thinking


    she wanted to bring her son back home to see her father.


    On the other hand, Francis had specially informed the cook in the Tillman Residence to prepare


    dinner for Anastasia''s arrival, but Naomi made sure the cook only prepared her daughter''s favorite


    dishes, sparing no thought for Anastasia at all. Soon, the maid came over and asked, "Madam, Old


    Master Tilman said prawns are Young Mistress Anastasia''s favorite, which is why he told me to buy


    them. Are you sure you don''t want me to cook them?" "Of course not. Go ahead and cook the


    prawns, but make sure they taste so spicy that the b*tch wishes she didn''t eat them," Naomi replied.


    As soon as the maid proceeded to do what she was told, Naomi was left angrily dwelling on


    Anastasia''s intentions of returning home. Deep down, she couldn''t help but think that Anastasia was


    back for a piece of the big pie now that Francis and hispany were doing so well that they had


    amassed a fortune over billions. As long as I''m in this family, Anastasia can forget about her share


    of the inheritance.


    "Mom, do you know that Anastasia is going to be back for dinner?" Erica entered through the door


    in frustration.


    Naomi nodded. "Your dad insists she join us for dinner, and I couldn''t say anything about it."


    "It''s been five years. I wonder how she is now." Erica pursed her lips.


    "How well can her life be? She didn''t even finish her university studies when she left at 19. The way


    I see it, she must be back for the inheritance because she''s been struggling to make ends meet."


    Naomi grunted in dissatisfaction.


    "You mustn''t let her take what''s mine away, Mom. I own everything that belongs to Dad," Erica


    audaciously said, as if she was the rightful heir of her father''s inheritance.


    "Of course, she has nothing to do with the inheritance at all," Naomi replied firmly.


    "Alright, I''m going to wear some make-up and put on my new dress." Erica headed upstairs as soon


    as she finished her words, thinking she should show Anastasia that her ce in the Tillman Family


    was irreceable.


    On the other hand, Anastasia took a cab and was on her way to the Tillman Residence with her son


    while teaching thetter what to doter. Thankfully, her son was a smart child who understood


    what Anastasia told him, melting her heart so much that she immediately hugged and kissed him.


    "That''s my darling boy!" Deep down, she sympathized with her own son, thinking he would perhaps


    be treated differently if he was born into a different family. At the same time, she found it ironic for


    his presence to be treated in an unweing manner in her father''s house.


    In the meantime, Francis happened to be at his doorstep. He had left his office earlier than he


    usually would because he couldn''t wait to see his daughter, who had been away from him for five


    years. Soon, he saw a cabing in his direction and walked closer to it just when the car came to


    a stop. Then, ady with a slim figure stepped out of the vehicle, and she turned out to be


    Anastasia. Not long after that, he saw a boy emerging from behind Anastasia and waspletely


    stunned by what he saw. Howe my daughter has a little boy who looks like he is 4 or 5 years


    old with her? Is she... Francis couldn''t help but feel surprised by what he saw.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia looked at her father, realizing how much he had aged after five years.


    Because of that, she began to be understanding about what happened back then while


    ming herself for not having kept in touch with Francis in the past five years.


    "I''m back, Dad." Anastasia seized her son''s hand and walked closer to Francis. Then, she looked at


    her son and said, "Jared, greet your grandfather."


    "Grandpa." Jared looked up and called out to Francis.


    Grandpa? Francis was caught by surprise when he heard the child''s voice, looking at Jared in awe.


    "This is my... grandson? You have a child already?"


    "Yes, Dad. His name is Jared, and he is three and a half years old." Anastasia refused to tell


    Francis her son''s actual age because she didn''t want her father to deduce when she gave birth to


    Jared.


    "Three and a half years old, and he is already this tall." Francis found it unbelievable that he already


    had a handsome grandson.


    "Yeah!" Anastasia smiled.


    "What about your son''s father?" Francis asked.


    "I''ve never lived with him ever since I gave birth to Jared," Anastasia replied.


    "Yeah, I''ve only been living with Mom all the time, Grandpa," the child added.


    Francis'' eyes were filled with tears when he realized he did nothing to help his daughter raise his


    grandson. I''m such a terrible grandfather. Worse, I cast my own daughter away from home five


    years ago. "This is my fault! All my fault, Anastasia! Please forgive me. I''m sure I''ll make it up to


    you." Francis was overwhelmed by his own guilt.


    "No need for that. Jared and I have been managing well by ourselves." Anastasia didn''t want her


    father''s guilt to weigh him down.


    "Come on in! Let me hug you, my darling Jared!" Francis bent over and hugged Jared, thinking the


    child was fed well due to his firm build. Other than that, he was proud of how good-looking his own


    grandson was, as he reckoned Jared was the most handsome child he had ever seen.


    As soon as Anastasia entered the parlor with her father, Naomi saw her husband carrying a child in


    her arms and asked in surprise, "Who''s that child, hubby?"


    "Naomi, this is Anastasia''s son. She gave birth to a child when she was living abroad." Francis


    happily made the announcement, showing his exhration at his grandson''s arrival. After all, his


    biggest regret was not having a son, although he wasn''t particr about having one. Therefore, he


    treated his daughter''s son like his own because Jared was still the descendant of his bloodline.


    "What?!" Naomi was stunned to learn that the child was Anastasia''s son.


    "Mom." Anastasia coldly greeted Naomi.


    "Oh, dear! We didn''t know you were already a mother after five years. Why didn''t you tell us


    anything?" Naomi pretended to show her concern, thinking it was a necessary move to make even


    in front of her husband. "Who is the father? Why isn''t he here?"


    "Naomi, Anastasia is raising the child by herself." Francis quickly reminded her to stop asking


    unnecessary questions.


    At that instant, Naomi immediately thought that Anastasia was going to use her son to im a


    bigger share of the inheritance, deeming both of them a greater threat, when she noticed how


    Francis loved the boy. "Oh! A single mother! How touching and noble!" Naomi said with a sarcastic


    tone.


    Seemingly sensing what Naomi''s tone indicated, the boy looked at thedy and asked, "Who are


    you?"


    Naomi looked askance at the child and said, "Greet your grandmother."


    "My mother said my grandmother passed away long ago, so how are you my grandmother?" the


    boy asked, his innocence and purity indirectly telling Naomi''s ill intentions.


    "Oh gosh, look at this child! How rude he is! Anastasia, if you don''t teach him some manners, how


    do you expect him to live decently when he grows up?" Naomi questioned Anastasia''s upbringing in


    an annoyed manner.


    "How my son behaves is none of your concern." Anastasia stood up for her child.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Knowing the strained history between thedies, Francis red at Naomi and lectured her.


    "Anastasia and her son just arrived, so there is no need for you to be so sarcastic. Get along well


    with her, would you?!"


    "Who is the kid, Mom?" Erica showed up on the stairs and became curious when she saw her father


    with a child in his arms.


    "Watch your mouth! This is your nephew whom your sister gave birth to when she was living


    abroad," Naomi answered unhappily.


    Erica''s eyes were instantly left wide open. "What?!" She then walked down the stairs and closer to


    Anastasia. "Why didn''t you let us know about your child? What''s wrong? He can''t be seen?"


    "How could you say something like that, Erica? Jared is part of our family now, so I want you to take


    back your words." Francis unhappily red at thedy.


    Naomi noticed her husband''s reaction and immediately harbored a greater grudge toward


    Anastasia, finding it hard to believe that his attitude toward Erica changed so much just because of


    Jared.


    "D-Dad, I''m just showing my... concern for her!" Erica bitterly stood up for herself.


    "Come here. I''ll take you to the garden for a walk." Francis wanted to bond with Jared.


    As soon as Francis left with Jared, Erica approached Anastasia with a cial smile. "You had an


    affair with some married man and gave birth to that illegitimate child, didn¡¯t you?!"


    While Anastasia''s eyes were filled with hatred, she could never forget what Erica and Hayley did to


    her back then. For that, she told herself that she would never forgive both of them because of what


    they did to her. "My business is none of yours," Anastasia coldly replied.


    For some reason, Erica started to think that Anastasia had be prettier as thetter gave off a


    more dominating aura now,pared to who she was five years ago. In that instant, she began to


    feel even more jealous of Anastasia''s beauty. She thought there would be no one else in her way


    after the former left the Tillman Family, only to be surprised by her fair skin, curvy figure, and calm


    demeanor when they met again. Man, she doesn ''t even look like she''s given birth before.


    "Anastasia, I don''t know what you''re up toing back here, but I warn you¡ªforget about whatever


    silly idea you have in your mind. This family has nothing to do with you at all." Naomi threatened


    her.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Anastasia cially chuckled and asked, "Why not? When my father first built hispany, my


    grandparents invested in it too, but you both had the cheek to take everything without doing


    anything."


    "You..."


    "Know your ce, Anastasia. I drove you away from the Tillman Family five years ago, and I can


    always do the same thing again." Erica tried to intimidate Anastasia.


    "My father is the only person I ever came back to this family for, which has nothing to do with you


    both at all. Furthermore, my dad can do whatever he wants with his inheritance, which is, again,


    none of your concern." Anastasia refuted Erica and


    Naomi, ridiculing both of them.


    "Speaking of that, don''t you ever think that you''re going to get a bigger share of the inheritance with


    your son." Naomi gritted her teeth.


    "My father is still alive and has a long way to go in his life, but you both won''t stop talking about his


    inheritance. Do you want him gone so badly? If that''s the case, I''m going to make sure he lives a


    long life so that you both can forget about inheriting his fortune." Anastasia gave a cold reply,


    knowing that Erica and Naomi only loved her father''s money instead of the man himself.


    "You..." Naomi was rendered speechless but immediately talked back to save herself from the


    embarrassment. "He is my husband, so of course I want him to live long."


    Erica quickly defended her mother. "What''re you talking about, Anastasia?! My mom loves my


    father."


    Nheless, Anastasia reached for her phone and sat on the couch, refusing to entertain the


    mother and daughter. Soon, the maid proceeded to serve the dishes while Francis told her to


    prepare two more dishes that were not spicy for his grandson. Seeing that, Naomi and Erica were


    steaming because they could tell from Francis'' eyes that Anastasia was beginning to regain his


    favor with her son.


    "What''s your upation, Anastasia?" Francis asked curiously during the meal.


    "I studied jewelry design when I was living abroad, and I''m now a designer at Bourgeois."


    "Not bad. Bourgeois is quite a big name." Francisplimented Anastasia.


    "I''m looking for a job too, Dad! I''m currently interviewing as an auto salon model." Erica desperately


    introduced her job to her father.


    "What kind of job is that? You''d better quit before you embarrass me." Francis shot a gaze at Erica,


    giving her a stern gaze.


    "Hubby, Erica is just having fun while exploring the opportunities around her. I''m sure she''lle to


    yourpany in the future." Naomi immediately stood up for her daughter.


    "Hmph! What can she do in mypany? A receptionist?" Francis grunted coldly.


    On the other hand, Erica harbored a strong grudge toward Anastasia, ming her for indirectly


    exposing her shorings.


    "Grandpa, my mom is an impressive designer. She even took part in the International Jewelry


    Design Competition," Jared happily said.


    The child''s words put a smile on Francis'' face. "Really? That''s awesome! Jared, I''m going to get you


    a presentter in the afternoon, so just tell me what you want. Alright?"


    "Sure, thank you, Grandpa!" The little boy politely expressed his gratitude.


    While Anastasia was d that her father was so fond of Jared despite her surprise, Naomi and


    Erica were growing more and more annoyed with the child''s presence, deeming him a scheming


    little boy they should be wary about, in spite of his young age.


    After dinner, Francis took them to the nearest shopping mall, where he bought his grandson some


    expensive presents, including robot toys and Lego. Although they cost thousands, he didn''t hesitate


    to pay for them at all.


    "That''s enough, Dad. Don''t spoil him." Anastasia quickly tried to stop her father.


    "Alright. Alright, that''s all for today. I''ll buy him something else again in a few more days." Francis


    still felt an urge to show his good faith.


    "It''s okay, Grandpa. I don''t need any more toys because I already have plenty of them." The child


    gave a mature reply, which grew on Francis more as thetter caressed the child''s head.


    When they were done with their shopping, Francis gave his daughter and grandson a ride back to


    their apartment. The moment he saw the building, he began to think that it was time for him to make


    it up to Anastasia since hispany had made him quite a fortune over the past few years.


    After seeing her father off, Anastasia wrapped her arms around Jared. "Jared, your grandfather


    seems to like you a lot." "I like him too." Jared happily said while pouting at the same time. "Mommy,


    can you tell me where Daddy is?"


    Anastasia paused in the face of the inevitable question that she knew Jared would ask. She then


    gazed at him in a serious manner and said, "I don''t know where he is, Jared. In fact, we may never


    see him again, but anyway, I promise I''ll be by your side. I love you, Darling!"


    Jared nodded and held his Lego up in the air. "Alright then, I''m going to y now!"


    "Go ahead!" Anastasia nodded, watching her son unwrapping his new toys while losing herself in


    her thoughts. Deep down, she knew it wasn''t hard to find her son''s father at all because she was


    sure that Erica and Hayley had the answer to that. After all, she believed that they tricked her into


    sleeping with a gigolo, but because of that, she vowed never to let her son know about his father''s


    embarrassing profession.


    It''s alright. I love Jared, and that''s enough for both of us. Now that my dad likes him too, I suppose


    there is nothing else that can make my life even happier than how things are at this point.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    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 womantely.


    "What about your shop? Aren''t you going to be back to business?"


    "Nah. The shop isn''t doing welltely 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 ¡ªshe is now a mother of an illegitimate n


    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 andforted 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 ande after us? Rx, 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 gotid with when she was living abroad," Erica replied


    unhappily.


    Three and a half years old? Hayley carefully calcted 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 timees, I''ll make sure she is gone."


    Erica clenched her fists and swore to herself. Nheless, 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 ne that Hayley was wearing. "Hayley, what''s the brand of


    the ne that you''re wearing? It looks so beautiful!"


    Hayley rubbed her ne 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 herck of ability to


    buy a genuine ne.


    However, the ne that Hayley was wearing was, in fact, a product worth over two million under


    QRJewelry Group. Needless to say, she had no idea who designed the ne. Upon hearing


    Erica''sints 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 stic 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 dayster, 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 currentfort 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 deadAnastasia 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 thetter 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. Nheless, 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 upied by a meeting about thepany''s new productunching,


    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 thepetition, 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 thispetition! After all, thest thing I want is to be a champion in a riggedpetition


    arranged by him.


    While Anastasia returned to her office withplicated emotions, Grace came over with a cup of


    coffee and said, "Miss Tillman, you have a guest."


    "A guest? Who?"


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    "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 cially 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 thedy a p 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.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    ¡°Get out of my face! I¡¯m tired of looking at your face!¡± Anastasia pointed at the door and yelled at


    Hayley. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? The man didn¡¯t please you well because he wasn¡¯t strong and fit enough?


    You¡¯d better treat me with some manners before everyone in thepany knows about your dark


    secret. If word about it gets out, I wonder how you¡¯re going to move on in your career.¡± Soon,


    Anastasia dialed the inte and spoke to Grace. ¡°Pleasee here.¡± As soon as her assistant


    arrived, Anastasia pointed at Hayley, who was sitting on the couch, and coldly said, ¡°She is not my


    guest. Please see her out of this building.¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m not? I came here because I wanted to


    engage your service in jewelry designing.¡± Hayley folded her arms, acting haughtily. However, little


    did she know that the ne she was wearing was beginning to catch Anastasia¡¯s attention as


    thetter squinted and looked closer. Howe Hayley is wearing my masterpiece? Is the


    ne really custom-made, or is it just a counterfeit that looks like a real one? ¡°You¡¯d better get


    out of my face before you piss me off.¡± Anastasia stood up, speaking impolitely to Hayley. However,


    Hayley reacted with a darkened look on her face and gritted her teeth while opening the door. ¡°I¡¯m


    going to speak to your manager about your attitude and make sure you¡¯re fired from the office.¡±


    Meanwhile, Grace was stunned when she saw that, initially thinking Hayley was indeed a guest,


    only to realize she was here to mess with Anastasia. As soon as Grace stepped out of the office,


    Grace anxiously urged her superior to do something. ¡°She mustn¡¯tin about you, Miss


    Tillman. Please stop her!¡± On the verge of losing her temper, Anastasia opened her office door just


    before she was greeted by the sight of Hayley growling in the open workspace. ¡°Tell your boss to


    see me. I want toin about your designer, Anastasia! I engage her as a client, but she rudely


    turns me down and tells me to get out of her face.¡± At that moment, everyone else in the office only


    watched thedy¡¯s madness in silence, as if they were enjoying a show. Soon, Anastasia took a


    deep breath and walked closer to Hayley. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What do I want? I want you out of


    thispany!¡± Hayley clenched her jaw and revealed her sinister nature. Already consumed by her


    anger about the incident that happened five years ago, Anastasia eventually sumbed to her


    emotions. Her impulse prompted her to teach Hayley a lesson, even though that might cost her job.


    Before Hayley could react, Anastasia raised her hand up high in the air and swung it across the


    former¡¯s face, giving her a big p on the cheek. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hayley shouted in pain, copsing onto the


    ground. ¡°I¡¯m your client, Anastasia.¡± At that instant, every bystander in the office took a deep breath


    in a worrying manner when they saw how Anastasia pped her client. Has she lost her mind or


    something? Where did she get the guts to p her client like that? Does her family own this


    company or something? On the other hand, Anastasia fixed her gaze on the ne around


    Hayley¡¯s neck, finding it somewhat an eyesore. Therefore, she spared no thought about the


    ne¡¯s genuineness and went on to ruin Hayley¡¯s fake acting by forcefully tearing it off her neck


    as soon as she crouched down. ¡°Ah!¡± Hayley screamed in fear. When Anastasia tried to pull the


    ne away from her, Hayley, who was piqued by her outburst, quickly got a hold of her hand


    and refused to let her destroy it. This is my favorite ne! It¡¯s worth a few million, so no one can


    destroy it! While the twodies were fighting each other over the ne, a man¡¯s deep voice was


    heard in the elevator. ¡°Stop, Anastasia!¡± Anastasia looked up just when Hayley also heard the


    familiar voice. With her hand on her cheek, Hayley looked up in disbelief before she was stunned by


    who she saw. Howe Elliot is here? Seeing Anastasia¡¯s firm grip on Hayley¡¯s ne, Elliot


    immediately grasped her wrist and pulled her up with a frown on his face that clearly suggested he


    was angry. ¡°Are you done messing around here?¡± As soon as Elliot finished his sentence, he walked


    closer to Hayley, who froze in fear because she didn¡¯t expect him to show up there and had no idea


    that he knew Anastasia. Oh dear, I¡¯m so screwed! Just when she thought her secret was going to


    be exposed, the man suddenly crouched down and asked with a tender voice, ¡°Are you alright,


    Hayley?¡± ¡°Elliot, it hurts¡­¡± Hayley immediately put on a show, tears gushing out of her eyes like a


    waterfall in that instant. Then, she weakly leaned into Elliot¡¯s arms and pretended to cough,


    covering her neck with her palm like she had just been suffocated painfully. In that instant,


    Anastasia was left with her eyes wide open, unable to believe that Hayley and Elliot knew each


    other. Why is Elliot treating her so gently? Who are they to each other? Unknown to Anastasia,


    every other bystander couldn¡¯t help but feel scared for her, thinking it would be the end of her career


    for pping the boss¡¯ lover. On the other hand, Hayley was observing Anastasia and Elliot¡¯s


    interaction under the guise of her tearful face, but as she continued to watch closely, she began to


    feel happier because she was sure that Anastasia had no idea she had spent the night with Elliot.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Therefore, she came to the conclusion that neither of them was aware that they had slept with each


    other that night, feeling grateful that luck was on her side. ¡°Carry me, Elliot¡­¡± Hayley ced her


    arm around Elliot¡¯s shoulders, pitifully begging him. When the man noticed Hayley¡¯s sorry state and


    her swollen cheek, he carried her in his arms and walked toward the elevator. As soon as the


    elevator door closed, Anastasia was still caught in a trance. So, I can¡¯t believe Hayley is able to


    be Elliot¡¯s girlfriend after just five years. ¡°What are you waiting for, Anastasia? Pack your stuff


    and get out of here! I can¡¯t believe you just got on the wrong side of President Presgrave¡¯s lover, as


    if offending a client wasn¡¯t bad enough. That¡¯s pretty gusty of you!¡± Alice came closer and mocked


    Anastasia, thinking the reward was hers to im. Meanwhile, Anastasia took a deep breath and


    decided to take some time to process the news, finding it too strange to believe that Hayley had


    be Elliot¡¯s lover. I don¡¯t see how Hayley is attractive to an outstanding man like Elliot. The only


    exnation is that this man has gone blind. That must be the only answer to it. After all, he


    deserves someone else better than a wickeddy like Hayley. Anastasia returned to her office with


    puzzlement as she closed the door and disconnected herself from the rumors outside her office. In


    the meantime, Elliot was sitting on the couch in his office while Hayley was wiping her tears with


    tissue paper and whining about what happened earlier that day. ¡°Anastasia was my¡­. ssmate.


    She and I have a bitter history, but I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d turn me down when I engaged her, let alone


    humiliate me. When I threatened toin, she came at me and went physical, even strangling


    me with my ne. Look at my neck. It¡¯s all red now.¡± Noticing the red mark around Hayley¡¯s


    neck, Elliot could tell how hard Anastasia went physical with her and began to reframe the way he


    perceived Anastasia¡¯s character. ¡°I sympathized with the loss of her mother at a young age and also


    understood that her father neglected her for most of the time during her childhood, but I didn¡¯t know


    she would go so far as to hit me.¡± Hayley covered her face, shedding tears in silence. ¡°I¡¯ll take care


    of this matter.¡± Elliotforted thedy. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to take you home.¡± ¡°How are you going to


    take care of this matter, Elliot? Are you going toy her off?¡± Hayley looked at Elliot with her tearful


    face, trying to y on the man¡¯s sympathy by showing her vulnerable side. Soon, Elliot dialed the


    inte and told his assistant to take Hayley back home. When she stood up from her seat, she


    seized Elliot¡¯s sleeve and urged him to take action against Anastasia. ¡°Elliot, you mustn¡¯t go easy on


    thatdy. Someone with no manners like her is unfit to be your employee.¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    ¡°Be a good girl, okay?¡± Elliot gently caressed Hayley¡¯s head. In that instant, Hayley was over the


    moon, feeling satisfied that she had gained Elliot¡¯s favor. Unlike Anastasia, Hayley was ttered by


    the sudden entitlement that came to her life. However, she quickly decided to stop pressing on due


    to her fear of the repercussions that might follow her greed. Furthermore, she was hoping to win


    Elliot¡¯s heart with her meek character. She tried to be as gentle as possible since she didn¡¯t have


    good looks that could make an impression on any man. Thinking she had won the battle, she


    believed Anastasia was going to beid off soon and put her mind to ease. As soon as Hayley got


    out of sight, Elliot reached for the phone and dialed the inte. ¡°Hello.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was


    heard. ¡°Come to my office at once,¡± the man responded with a voice that sounded angry. At the


    same time, Anastasia took a deep breath in her office, thinking her fate was sealed while preparing


    for the worst. Well, I¡¯ll just quit and leave Bourgeois if worsees to worst. Then, she took the


    elevator to the 8th floor and made her way to the president¡¯s office, whereupon she knocked on the


    door and entered the room. In the meantime, Elliot was sitting in his chair, giving off an intimidating


    aura that filled the atmosphere around his room. ¡°Exin yourself.¡± The man questioned Anastasia


    about her violent outburst earlier as a boss. Anastasia squinted, thinking there was no point for her


    to exin anyway since she reckoned Elliot would believe everything his girlfriend, Hayley, said


    without question. ¡°Who is Hayley to you?¡± Anastasia knitted her eyebrows and asked. ¡°Have you


    forgotten your ce, Anastasia? You¡¯re my employee, and since you¡¯re in the wrong now, you


    should be the one answering my questions,¡± Elliot replied. Knowing what the man was trying to say,


    Anastasia curled her lips upward. ¡°You saw what happened. I gave her a p in the face, so what


    kind of exnation do you want to hear from me?¡± ¡°Why did you want to hit her? Was it because


    she wanted toin about you?¡± ¡°It was personal, which was the same reason she came to see


    me today. I know it was my fault to get physical with her, but she deserved it.¡± Anastasia stood her


    ground firmly, refusing to back down. Elliot stared at Anastasia with aplicated look, wondering


    whether the reason behind her unreasonable nature was really because of her mother¡¯s death and


    her father¡¯s questionable parenting method. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to admit your mistake, I promise I¡¯ll let


    you off this time, Anastasia.¡± ¡°Admit my mistake? You mean apologize to Hayley?¡± Anastasia


    sniggered sarcastically and clenched her jaw. ¡°There is no way I will ever do that.¡± ¡°Anastasia, this


    is an office, not somece for you to settle your personal scores.¡± Elliot angrily lectured Anastasia,


    finding himself at the end of the rope while trying to reason with his life saver¡¯s daughter. Moreover,


    Hayley was thedy he thought he had been missing and searching for thest five years. ¡°In that


    case, I¡¯ll resign.¡± Anastasia hardened her heart and made up her mind, thinking she should just walk


    away and leave all the problems behind her. Fine, I¡¯ll quit. ¡°Stay right there, Anastasia,¡± the man


    shouted out to her. Anastasia stopped in her tracks without looking back because she didn¡¯t want to


    look at Elliot¡¯s face anymore. Now that she realized he was Hayley¡¯s boyfriend, she couldn¡¯t help but


    feel annoyed to even look at Elliot. What a waste, Elliot! You¡¯re such a handsome man, but sadly,


    you¡¯re blind. ¡°I¡¯m not going to terminate you. You can stay, but I want you to promise me that there


    is no next time. Do you hear me?¡± Elliot tried his best to keep Anastasia in hispany, as he was


    bound by his grandmother¡¯s wish to look after him. Needless to say, Anastasia couldn¡¯t bear to


    leave her current position either because of her keen passion for designing. Moreover, she also


    loved her job at Bourgeois after having worked there for three years. Soon, she looked back and


    fixed her eyes on the man who propped himself with his arms on the table, warning him to be


    careful about Hayley. ¡°Hayley is not as kind-hearted as you think she is. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to


    fall for one of her tricks one day, so keep your eyes open when you¡¯re around her.¡± ¡°Well, you were


    the one who resorted to violence today,¡± Elliot squinted and replied. Unknown to Elliot, Anastasia


    wanted to do more than just beat Hayley up. Deep down, she wished she could just kill Hayley but


    decided to keep the thought to herself, considering how much Elliot was concerned about Hayley.


    Soon, she returned to the office, while Felicia didn¡¯t receive any notice about terminating her, which


    surprised everyone else in thepany. After all, they were all wondering how Anastasia got away


    with it upon hitting their president¡¯s girlfriend. Grace came over with a cup of coffee,forting her


    superior. ¡°Miss Tillman, are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Anastasia was so mad that she


    almost lost all of her inspiration. Thus, she put down the pencil and rubbed her forehead. ¡°What are


    the people gossiping about out there?¡± ¡°Miss Tillman, you should just ignore their gossip,¡± Grace


    said. ¡°Tell me what they¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°They¡¯re saying that you¡¯re backed by someone so


    powerful that even President Presgrave can¡¯t terminate you. Some of them even say you¡¯re hisUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    mistress, which is why thatdy confronted you after finding out about your rtionship with him,¡±


    Grace answered while observing Anastasia¡¯s facial expression. Upon hearing that, Anastasia felt


    amused as she nearly burst intoughter, disgusted with the idea of being with Hayley¡¯s boyfriend,


    no matter how dumb she was. Not long after that, Felicia summoned her to her office and lectured


    her about the proper manners of handling clients. Otherwise, she would be sure to kick Anastasia


    out of thepany, regardless of Elliot¡¯s decision. As speechless as Anastasia felt, she didn¡¯t feel


    like exining the whole story because there was simply too much to talk about between her and


    Hayley. Furthermore, she was too ashamed to mention what happened five years ago to anyone. In


    spite of all the upsetting events, her mood took a turn for the better when her phone rang the


    moment she returned to her office. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Why do you sound so tired?¡± A man¡¯s voice was heard.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m tired indeed. When are youing back?¡± ¡°A few more days, I guess. Anyway, I have


    some good news for you. There is a high-end jewelry fairing up soon, and I¡¯m going to add


    your name to my invitation list. By then, you¡¯ll have a good chance to explore the fair all you want


    because I bet your favorite jewelry will probably be there.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s awesome! When is it?¡±


    Anastasia felt a rush of excitement all over her body. ¡°It¡¯ll be held this Saturday at 7 PM. It¡¯ll


    probably take two hours and end around nine. Is there anyone else who can look after Jared for


    you?¡± the man asked in concern. ¡°Yes, there is. I could tell my assistant or my dad to look after him.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to miss the golden opportunity to explore the jewelry fair, where she could


    witness some quality masterpieces from some of the top-notch designers. ¡°Sure. Have fun. When I


    get back, I¡¯ll treat you to a nice meal.¡± ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll be waiting!¡± Anastasia hung up the call just


    when an attractive figure shed across her mind. It turned out that the caller was her good friend,


    Nigel Manson. While the man was raised in a wealthy family, both of them came to know each other


    before Anastasia returned to the country. Thinking everyone would encounter someone who would


    help them at some point in their life, she believed hers was Nigel. Saturday night? That¡¯s two nights


    from now, isn¡¯t it? Anastasia began to look forward to the asion. On the other hand, Hayley was


    rubbing her swollen cheek with some ice in the luxurious mansion. Deep down, she couldn¡¯t


    suppress her grudge against Anastasia, whom she med for causing her a swollen cheek. My


    face is what matters the most to me, yet Anastasia went for it straight. Damn her! ¡°I¡¯ll never let this


    slide so easily, Anastasia!¡± Hayley then reached for her iPad and started browsing through the news


    just when she saw a female celebrity shing her invitation card at a high-ss jewelry fair. At that


    instant, Hayley became tempted to attend the function, believing it could help heighten her status


    since she had been trying hard to fit in amidst the upper ss of the society. Although she knew an


    event like that was no ce for someone like her, she wondered whether she could use the


    Presgrave Family as her ticket to attend the function.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    At the thought of that, Hayley reached for her phone and dialed Elliot¡¯s number. ¡°Hello, does it still


    hurt?¡± ¡°Elliot, I want to attend a jewelry fair. Can you take me there?¡± Hayley implored. ¡°What


    jewelry fair?¡± ¡°Let me show you a video.¡± Hayley hung up the call and forwarded the video to Elliot


    shortly before she received a text message that briefly read, ¡®Alright, I¡¯ll take you there.¡¯ Hayley


    eximed in excitement but identally hurt her swollen cheek in the process. As she hissed in


    pain, she began to curse Anastasia once again. ¡°You¡¯re a b*tch, Anastasia! You¡¯re a jewelry


    designer, yet you can¡¯t even attend a high-ss jewelry fair like this one.¡± On the other hand,


    Anastasia stumbled across the same video about the jewelry fair in her office and learned from the


    others who were invited that there were formal dress codes required for the asion; otherwise,


    ess would be denied. Due to that, she became worried, not knowing what she should do


    because she couldn¡¯t afford to rent a decent-looking banquet dress. Just when Anastasia was


    worrying about her dress code for the jewelry fair, her train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a


    phone call, which turned out to be an unidentified number. Nheless, she answered the phone


    and asked, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello, may I speak to Miss Tillman? I¡¯m calling from FH Clothing Store to inform


    you that our customer has just reserved a banquet dress for you. Would you be free to drop by and


    try itter in the afternoon?¡± ¡°A banquet dress for me?¡± Anastasia was stunned but quickly knew


    that it was Nigel who did it for her. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll drop byter.¡± How thoughtful of that guy! Anastasia


    reached for her phone and sent the man a text message with a grateful emoji. ¡®Thank you so much,


    Nigel.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t mention it. I hope you love it!¡¯ Nigel replied with a big smiley emoji. Soon, Anastasia


    applied for a one-hour leaveter that afternoon because she realized the clothing store was just a


    stone¡¯s throw away from her office. Since FH Clothing Store was an international brand, its outlet


    often became the ce where many socialites visited and shopped. As soon as Anastasia entered


    the shop, she was greeted by the shop owner herself. ¡°Pleasee with me, Miss Tillman.¡± After


    that, Anastasia was taken to the VIP room on the second floor, where she came face to face with


    the dress on the mannequin, as if it was silently waiting for her arrival. Oh my gosh! This is


    gorgeous! Anastasiaplimented the dress just when the shop owner pointed at the dress on the


    mannequin. ¡°This is the gown that Mr. Manson prepared for you, Miss Tillman. Do you like it?¡±


    Anastasia widened her eyes a little, wondering how rich Nigel actually was. Is he a billionaire or


    something? I can¡¯t believe he prepared such an expensive banquet dress for me. Soon, she heard


    the shop owner exining more about the dress with a smile. ¡°This banquet dress is a masterpiece


    from our top designers. The fabric was sewn with approximately eight thousand diamond beads,


    and the dress is sold for eight million in our store.¡± Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard


    what the shop owner said. Is Nigel trying to give me a heart attack or something? This dress is


    certainly not cheap at all! A few diamond beads are more than enough to make me go bankrupt, so


    just imagine if I lose them by ident. ¡°Is there any other dress that you could rmend,


    perhaps?¡± Anastasia reckoned the dress was too expensive for her. ¡°But Mr. Manson has already


    paid for the dress on your behalf, Miss Tillman. Furthermore, I think it suits you pretty well.¡± The


    shop owner showed her approval by praising Anastasia¡¯s beauty despite her current ordinary outfit.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was deeply in love with the dress as she loved everything about it besides


    the price. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll try it on.¡± She decided to stop being coy, thinking she could repay Nigel


    by treating him to some fancy meals throughout the year. After all, she didn¡¯t want to miss the


    opportunity to attend the uing jewelry fair. Thus, Anastasia went ahead and tried on the


    banquet dress, realizing how fitting it was for her. Soon, she was told toe to the clothing store


    again the next day around 4 PM as the make-up artists and hairdressers would be there to help her


    dress up with the jewelry. Later that night, she told Jared that she would be attending a jewelry fair


    and asked him whether he preferred Francis or Grace to look after him. While the boy wanted his


    grandfather toe over, she called Francis and arranged the n with him. Needless to say,


    Francis agreed to take care of Jared while Anastasia was away, telling her that he would take the


    child with him for some fancy meal and spend the night together with him. It was only after the


    arrangement was made that Anastasia could finally put her mind to ease about her son. When


    Saturday rolled around, Anastasia took her son to the shopping mall early in the morning to buy


    some vegetables and snacks for him. Then, she went back home to continue her design work while


    Jared yed with his Lego. At the same time, they were apanied by the windy breeze that


    wafted through the window as the white curtains billowed with it. The peaceful and tranquil vibe


    lasted until it was 3.30 PM when Francis swung by with some fruits and milk. Then, Anastasia leftCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    her son with her father and went out right away while Francis sat on the couch and looked at Jared


    lovingly. Oh gosh! I¡¯m going to love this cute little boy so much! Not long after that, Anastasia


    hurriedly arrived at the clothing store where the shop owner had prepared everything for her. Then,


    one of the make-up artists sized her up andmented on her appearance in a surprised manner.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, you have perfect skin, like there are no pores on it at all. How do you maintain such


    good health for your skin? What kind of premium skincare products do you use?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just the


    moisturizer that I usually apply on my son¡¯s skin.¡± Anastasia pursed her lips and smiled while the


    two make-up artists instantly understood that she was born with such a perfect skin tone. Oh dear,


    how I wish I could have her skin. Soon, Anastasia closed her eyes just as the make-up artists


    started to apply some foundation to her face. After that, they kept her naturally thick eyebrows and


    proceeded to draw her eyeliner. Then, they went on to put the lipstick on her lips just as her beauty


    instantly stunned them like a ring diamond. Upon lifting Anastasia¡¯s hair, the artists permed the


    hair that hung around her ears and helped her put on a pair of diamond earrings to match the


    ne she was wearing. ¡°Let us help you change your banquet dress, Miss Tillman.¡± Anastasia


    nodded in response, changing into the white luna dress as she saw how gorgeous the dress made


    her look in the mirror. ¡°Miss Tillman, we have also arranged a driver to take you to where you need


    to be. Your ride awaits at the exit.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Anastasia smiled gratefully. ¡°Enjoy your evening.¡±


    The shop owner saw Anastasia out of the clothing store while thetter looked at the Benz in front


    of her in a ponderous manner. I guess I didn¡¯t really know Nigel as well as I thought I did. He told


    me his family was running a hotel business when we met each other abroad. On the other hand,


    Hayley was also working hard on making herself look as pretty as possible. For that, she hired a


    crew of professional make-up artists who had served some celebrities before, determined to cover


    her ordinary looks with the make-up so that she would look like a socialite. At that moment, a


    mysterious ck Rolls-Royce pulled up outside the mansion, whereupon Elliot opened the car door


    and stepped out of the vehicle. As the setting sun shone on him, his manly aura made him seem


    especially charming and attractive. In the meantime, Hayley stood in the parlor while fixing her eyes


    on the man who was walking closer to her, her heart pounding rapidly like a jackhammer. Oh my


    gosh! He is so handsome. ¡°How do I look, Elliot?¡± Hayley bashfully blinked, wanting to hear his<ppliment. ¡°You look great!¡± Elliot nodded, although he reckoned his feelings for Hayley were


    more than just about her good looks. After all, he was under the impression that she sacrificed her


    own virginity for him five years ago and suffered from a trauma that would follow her forever.


    Therefore, he told himself that he would do his best to make it up to Hayley. ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± Hayley


    seized Elliot¡¯s arm, looking forward to the jewelry fairter that night. At the same time, she was


    d to have Elliot by her side, thinking she would be thedy whom every other woman envied


    wherever they went.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    While the jewelry fair was held in a private exhibition hall with tight security, the alleys and streets


    around the ce were sealed with security guards carefully verifying every guest who was invited to


    the event. Meanwhile, Anastasia heaved a sigh of relief as soon as she went through the security


    check with her pearl-beaded purse. After that, she was ready to enjoy the privilege a VIP guest


    should have in the event, as she was ushered by a female concierge to the banquet hall. Soon,


    Anastasia found herself in a grand-looking hall where she could see rows of ss cabs, but


    since the event hadn¡¯t begun, the guests were invited to enjoy a buffet before they went on to take


    their seats. It turned out that Anastasia¡¯s seat was in the sixth row, which was a ce that everyone


    wished they had. However, little did they know Anastasia considered herself lucky because her seat


    was initially meant for Nigel. While the other guests slowly filled the empty seats, Anastasia found


    herself seated next to a man who seemed to be in his thirties. With his shiny hair and branded outfit,


    it would suggest that he was no ordinary man. At that moment, he fixed his eyes on Anastasia,


    finding her different from the others, even though there were many other prettydies around. ¡°Nice


    to meet you,dy. My name is John Curtis. Here is my name card.¡± John gave Anastasia his name


    card that read, ¡®president from Deluxe Incorporated¡¯. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Anastasia Tillman.¡± Anastasia


    introduced herself with a polite smile. Meanwhile, there were two guests who arrivedte at the


    exhibition hall. Noticing two silhouettes of a man and ady entering the ce with their hands held


    together, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but wonder who camete, but when she looked up, she was


    instantly stunned to find out that they were Elliot and Hayley. Oh, boy! We¡¯re living in such a small


    world. Anastasia stared at Hayley, who was dressed like an angel, tightening her grip around her


    waist as she could barely hide her hatred for thetter. On the other hand, Elliot was wearing an


    expensive ck suit and a pair of delicate cks, which entuated his strong and intimidating


    aura. At the same time, every otherdy, who had their eyes on the man, was all stunned to see the


    president from Presgrave Corporation, but when they noticed thedy who was apanying him,


    they began to frown at her ordinary appearance and wondered whether she was his girlfriend.


    Nheless, they couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous of Hayley, wishing they could be in her ce


    instead. Anastasia pretended as if she wasn¡¯t aware of their presence and raised her ss, sipping


    the red wine in it. Nheless, Hayley observantly noticed Anastasia¡¯s presence, instantly feeling


    stunned because she didn¡¯t expect that she would show up at such a high-ss event. Who is she


    to attend this jewelry fair? Is she even qualified enough to be here? Not long after that, Elliot also


    noticed Anastasia¡¯s presence and was coincidentally arranged to be seated opposite her. Thus,


    Anastasia had no choice but to reluctantly face him, no matter how much she didn¡¯t want to. The


    moment she looked up, she met a pair of charming eyes in the illuminating candlelight just when the


    man¡¯s chiseled face and good looks came into view. With his thick and natural eyebrows, his


    attractive gaze and high nose bridge became even more noticeable, making him look even


    hotter. Oh god! How can someone ever be so handsome like him? Anastasia blinked and stared at


    the man who was also looking back at her at the same time while they locked eyes with each other


    for a few seconds. Soon, she sensed a pair of hateful eyes looking at her shortly before she


    realized Hayley was ring at her. ¡°Let¡¯s have a toast, Miss Tillman.¡± John tried to strike up a


    conversation with Anastasia. Anastasia raised her ss and toasted John, smiling at him as she


    would rather look at John than Elliot. Hmph! Since Hayley is my enemy, that makes her boyfriend


    my enemy as well. ¡°Miss Tillman, you have to try this. Trust me. You¡¯re going to love the taste.¡±


    John was able to sense Anastasia¡¯s enthusiasm, having a good feeling that he could win thedy¡¯s


    heart over. ¡°Thank you.¡± Anastasia picked up the pastry the man gave her and took a bite of it while


    revealing a sweet smile. In the meantime, Hayley seized Elliot¡¯s arm and coyly pointed at the


    desserts far away from her. ¡°Elliot, I want that one.¡± The man then stretched out his long arm and


    brought the pastry to her, whereupon she proceeded to enjoy it. At the same time, she asionally


    gawked at Anastasia with glee to gloat at thetter. Meanwhile, Anastasia rolled her eyes upward at


    Hayley, wondering how she managed to win Elliot¡¯s heart while making sure he obeyed her every


    wish. What¡¯s wrong with Elliot? I can¡¯t believe he is treating thatdy like the apple of his


    eye. ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯d like to use the washroom.¡± Anastasia felt an urge to answer nature¡¯s call as


    she stood up and revealed her glimmering dress that entuated her slim waist, which would take


    any man¡¯s breath away. On the other hand, John had his eyes glued to Anastasia, who was walking


    away, just when Elliot raised his ss and happened to notice thedy¡¯s presence. Oh my, it is


    indeed a surprise to see her here. ¡°Elliot, I¡¯ll be right back. I need to use the washroom.¡± HayleyContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    rose from her seat as well and followed right behind Anastasia. While Anastasia was washing her


    hands alone in the magnificent-looking restroom, Hayley soon walked in and approached her. ¡°Don¡¯t


    tell me you got in here with the help of some man you¡¯re dating.¡± Hayley looked at Anastasia in the


    mirror and taunted her. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern!¡± Anastasia shot a cold gaze back at the


    hostiledy¡¯s reflection in the mirror. ¡°I heard they were strict with the selection of their guests


    tonight. After all, no ordinary person stood a chance to be here, and you¡¯re one of them, so how


    come you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°What about you? You¡¯re not much better than I am, after all.¡± Anastasia


    mocked Hayley. ¡°I¡¯m Elliot¡¯s girlfriend, and that puts me ahead of you,¡± Hayley repliedcently.


    Anastasia grunted and said, ¡°Would you believe if I said I could make myself his wife with just a


    word? What would that make you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hayley¡¯s face changed. Does she


    remember what happened that night?

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Anastasia smiled cially. ¡°Do you really want to know? I¡¯ll tell you then. The person that my mom


    saved back then was actually Elliot.¡± Hayley was stunned and overwhelmed by horror, wondering


    whether it was truly Anastasia¡¯s mother who saved Elliot. No way! That was too much of a


    coincidence! If it was true, Anastasia could probably make the Presgrave Family repay her even


    though she wasn¡¯t aware of what happened that night. ¡°Therefore, I¡¯m warning you not to piss me


    off; otherwise, I¡¯m going to be the one who¡¯ll end up as the young mistress of the Presgrave Family,¡±


    Anastasia warned Hayley. Hayley shivered in horror at that moment, clenching her fists as her fear


    took over her rational mind. ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m sorry for what happened back then. Would you please


    forgive me?¡± Hayley guiltily begged for forgiveness. ¡°You want my forgiveness?¡± Anastasia sprinkled


    the water droplets at Hayley on her hands by flickering with her fingers. ¡°You wish!¡± Although Hayley


    blocked the sprinkle with her hand, her face still ended up getting inevitably wet. Having her eyes


    glued to Anastasia as she walked away, she was taken over by the rage and grudge. While


    Anastasia¡¯s appearance was especially eye-catching to many men in the fair, Hayley was reminded


    of her popr good looks during their childhood. Anastasia, I will never let you marry Elliot! He is


    mine and only mine! Hayley clenched her fists at the thought of that. When Anastasia returned to


    the table, she sexily flickered her hair around her ear. Then, she looked up once again, only to meet


    the man¡¯s eyes once more when the illuminating candlelight shone on them and made them look


    like ck obsidians. On the other hand, it seemed to Elliot that thedy was like a shining pearl that


    glowed in the dark as her beauty and elegance drew the attention of every other man whoid eyes


    on her. However, little did Anastasia know that she was one of the most beautiful socialites


    attending the jewelry fair. Not long after that, Hayley returned from the washroom as well,


    pretending to look sympathetic as she made her way to her seat next to Elliot. Unlike her insolent


    and haughty attitude in the washroom earlier, she now appeared to be an innocentdy who


    needed a man to protect her, which disgusted Anastasia and killed her appetite. Thus, she quickly


    grabbed herself a ss of water to keep herself together. ¡°Miss Tillman, this is the beef steak with


    truffle that has just been served. Would you like to taste one?¡± John got her a ss of water.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Anastasia smiled gratefully in response. When they were done with dinner, the ensuingN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    session was used to introduce the banquet¡¯s theme. However, Anastasia made her way to the


    balcony alone with her ss of red wine, probably because she was the only person without


    company that night. ncing at the city view that looked like a golden paddy field that shone in the


    night, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sad about the fact that people tended to lose themselves in the


    process of pursuing wealth in modern society. ¡°Why are you here?¡± A deep voice from a man was


    heard. Without even looking back, Anastasia knew who was talking and sluggishly sniggered.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I had to report to you before I attended this jewelry fair?¡± ¡°Who is Nigel Manson to


    you?¡± Anastasia turned around in surprise, gazing at the attractive man who was holding a ss of


    red wine in his hand with a frown. ¡°You know Nigel?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Elliot calmly answered, to which


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t surprised at all. After all, she believed the reason Nigel was invited to a jewelry fair


    like this one was probably because of his wealthy and influential family. For that, she didn¡¯t think it


    was surprising for both men, who were a part of the upper-ss society, to know each other. ¡°You


    haven¡¯t answered my question. Who is Nigel to you?¡± The man behind Anastasia refused to give up


    asking his question. Anastasia sipped her red wine. ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± She then walked away


    without bothering to wait for a response from him, feeling disgusted about his position as Hayley¡¯s


    boyfriend. While thedy was walking away, Elliot was left behind, squinting with a darkened


    expression on his face. Meanwhile, Hayley was chatting with a socialite among the crowd when she


    noticed Anastasia leaving the balcony. Knowing that Elliot was also there, she couldn¡¯t help but feel


    jealous of thedy. Was Anastasia trying to seduce Elliot? Then, she caught a glimpse of Elliot


    leaving the balcony as well, just when an idea sprang to her mind and prompted her to approach


    Anastasia with her ss of wine in her hand.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    At that moment, Anastasia was busy toasting with the other men who were approaching shortly


    before she bumped into Hayley the moment she turned around.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a toast, Anastasia. I¡¯d like to apologize for what I did to you in the office back then.¡±


    Hayley apologized, but in response, Anastasia chuckled coldly, knowing clearly that Hayley was


    putting on a show under the guise of her hypocrisy. Therefore, she decided to ignore her and walk


    away, but Hayley suddenly seized her hand, which was holding the ss of red wine, and poured it


    all over her own dress before Anastasia could react.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Hayley screamed in horror.


    As Elliot quickly came closer to investigate themotion, Hayley took two steps back and fell into


    his embrace. ¡°How could you do this to me, Anastasia?¡± she


    questioned Anastasia and med her for ruining her banquet dress with the red wine.


    On the other hand, Anastasia was left standing in a trance while watching Hayley feign innocence.


    This b*tch really deserves an Oscar award for her acting.


    ¡°Anastasia, I know it¡¯s my fault that I wanted toin about you, but you can¡¯t do this to me


    either¡­¡± Hayley tearfully and bitterly said, trying to make herself look as pitiful as possible. At the


    same time, every other socialite from the upper-ss society in the banquet instantly looked at


    Hayley with sympathy before they gave Anastasia a contemptuous look for her despicable actions.


    ¡°Apologize, Miss Tillman.¡± Elliot¡¯s voice was cold, and his cial look suggested that he was


    exasperated.


    Anastasia gawked at Elliot unhappily, thinking he was jumping to conclusions without understanding


    what the situation was. After all, it was Hayley who caught her hand and made her pour the red


    wine on her dress. Therefore, Anastasia found it uneptable for her to apologize when she didn¡¯t


    do anything wrong. ¡°Why should I apologize?¡± She jutted her chin stubbornly, looking at the man


    with her firm gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Elliot. I¡¯m fine. I can just get changed.¡± Hayley shook her head, seemingly trying to


    endure her bitterness while pretending to take the moral high ground. ¡°Tll. forgive her.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Anastasia clenched her fists. ¡°I don¡¯t need your forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, apologize to her at once!¡± Elliot spoke angrily, his eyes filled with coldness as his


    forehead was covered in veins.


    Anastasia gazed at Elliot with her beautiful eyes and chuckled coldly. ¡°I could apologize, but only if


    she is willing to hear it on her knees.¡±


    On the other hand, Hayley felt especially gleeful on the inside that her n had sessfully


    worked, thanks to her understanding of Anastasia¡¯s character ever since they were in primary


    school. Knowing that Anastasia was headstrong and unyielding, Hayley was trying to piss her off in


    front of Elliot, in order to make her look like someone who was unreasonable.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Elliot¡¯s eyes were filled with rage when they fell upon Anastasia.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t me her, Elliot. It was my fault. I was just too clumsy, so don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be


    fine. Please don¡¯te down hard on Anastasia.¡± Hayley bit her lip, seizing Elliot¡¯s sleeve while


    acting like she was swallowing her grievance.


    Upon hearing what Hayley said, Anastasia felt a strong urge to raise her hand to the former. Soon,


    the female manager came closer and said, ¡°Miss Seymour, we have prepared a new dress for you.


    Pleasee with me.¡± Hayley nodded and followed behind the manager.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was able to sense the unpleasant attention around her but decided to bite


    her lip and put up with it. After all, she still hadn¡¯t gotten to see her favorite jewelry and had no ns


    to leave the ce yet.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± The next second, Anastasia felt her wrist mped by Elliot¡¯s firm grip, whereupon


    she was forcefully taken to a private lounge.


    ¡°Let me go, Elliot.¡± Anastasia wanted to free herself but was no match for the man¡¯s superior


    physical strength.


    As soon as they entered the lounge room, Elliot immediately let go of Anastasia, who folded her


    arms and red at him. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?!¡±


    Nheless, Anastasia only red at the man angrily, standing her ground firmly without showing


    any signs of backing down. ¡°What¡¯re you going to do if I don¡¯t apologize?¡± Thinking Hayley was


    Elliot¡¯s girlfriend, Anastasia believed he would do everything he must to protect her. Thus, she


    reckoned it was pointless for her to exin herself.


    ¡°Anastasia, I know your mom passed away when you were young, but can¡¯t you just behave


    yourself and treat people nicely? Why must you always be so mean and


    unreasonable?¡± Elliot was somehow annoyed, wondering why Anastasia couldn¡¯t just stay away


    from trouble.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Anastasia stared at the man that was worried about her. ¡°Does my character matter to you that


    much, Elliot? I¡¯m not married to you, so it shouldn¡¯t matter to you even if I screw myself up.¡±


    Then, she turned around and wanted to leave, but her arms were grabbed by the man before he


    pushed her against the wall within the next second while his handsome face met hers in proximity.


    There was anger in the man¡¯s eyes as he sneered, ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve overestimated your capability,


    Anastasia.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me, Elliot. You a*shole!¡± Besides what happened that night five years ago, Anastasia had


    never been in such close proximity to a man.


    She moved away in disgust when the man¡¯s scent entered her nose. No matter how handsome


    Elliot was, Anastasia was disgusted by any men who had ever touched Hayley


    On the other hand, Elliot was stunned for a few seconds when he got closer to Anastasia as her


    scent reminded him of that night five years ago.


    It was the simr faint floral scent that seduced him, and he couldn¡¯t help but imagine how soft


    Anastasia¡¯s red and full lips would feel if he kissed her.


    When Elliot realized what he was thinking about, he quickly let go of Anastasia, while her arms were


    already red due to his forceful grip.


    ¡°Stay away from me, Elliot,¡± Anastasia warned as she was about to leave after opening the door.


    After she came out, Hayley had already changed into her gown and was receiving constions


    from other youngdies.


    At the same time, everyone entered the exhibition in the hall when it was time for the exhibition to


    start. As Anastasia entered along with the crowd, she started observing the pieces of jewelry as if


    she was a jewelry master.


    ¡°I heard that girl managed toe in using the name of the young master of the Manson Family.


    You really run into all sorts of people here, huh?¡±


    ¡°I bet she used some sort of dirty tricks! If you know, you know.¡±


    ¡°She is merely an insignificant designer! I bet she can¡¯t even afford a small piece of diamond here!¡±


    Anastasia could hear the conversation between the two youngdies behind her that was obviously


    taunting her.


    As Elliot¡¯s partner, all of the youngdies would definitely befriend Hayley, so all of them knew about


    Anastasia being a nameless jewelry designer.


    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t be bothered by them as she leaned down to observe one of her works


    before a soft woman¡¯s voice rang out behind her. ¡°Elliot, I heard that we can purchase the pieces of


    jewelry that are exhibited tonight, and I really like this jewelry, so can you get it for me? It¡¯s just that


    it¡¯s a little expensive as it costs around 10 million!¡± Hayley pointed at that jewelry that cost around


    eight digits and asked while holding onto Elliot¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll talk to the manager about itter,¡± Elliot replied in a deep voice.


    ¡°Alright. Thank you, Elliot!¡± Hayley held Elliot¡¯s arm tighter before she gave Anastasia a taunting


    look.


    Still, Anastasia acted as if she didn¡¯t hear Hayley and continued moving forward. She had initially


    come to enjoy the exhibition, but the other youngdies were making her feel ufortable, so she


    was nning to leave after she was done looking at the pieces of jewelry.


    At the same time, Elliot¡¯s gazended on the figure who was standing in front of the jewelry counter.


    Under the light¡¯s illumination, Anastasia¡¯s beautiful facial features and quiet demeanor made her


    look as beautiful as the diamond that was being exhibited.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, why don¡¯t we move on from the bad experience just now? Do you have your eyes on


    anything currently?¡± John walked over to Anastasia with a ss of wine in his hand before asking.


    He was unable to stop thinking about Anastasia¡¯s beauty, and her untamed stubbornness really


    mesmerized him. I bet she would behave the same in bed.


    After John overheard from the other youngdies that Anastasia was just a small jewelry designer,


    he figured it would be easier to get her, considering her ordinary


    status.


    ¡°I¡¯m just here to enjoy the exhibition.¡± Anastasia pursed her lips and smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can buy it for you if you like it.¡± John generously promised the youngdy.


    Nevertheless, Anastasia knew that she shouldn¡¯t ept his offer, so she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine,


    thank you. I¡¯m just looking around.¡±


    However, John continued following Anastasia and trailed after her wherever she went. He wasn¡¯t


    paying attention to any of the jewelry pieces, as he was only focused on Anastasia.


    Upon seeing that, Elliot felt somewhat annoyed.


    As a man, he could definitely tell that John had a hidden motive for being nice to Anastasia, and he


    couldn¡¯t help but feel angry when Anastasia interacted with John without any sense of danger.


    Can¡¯t she tell what John is thinking about? This woman seriously doesn¡¯t know how to protect


    herself.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    When Anastasia checked the time and noticed that it was already 9.00PM, she realized that she


    needed to leave to return her gown, so she turned toward John and said, ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯ll be leaving


    now.¡±


    ¡°Let me take you home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Anastasia turned to reject him before she ran into a youngdy by surprise. Angered, the


    youngdy reached out to push her. ¡°Are you blind?¡±


    Anastasia staggered backward before she looked up to see the socialite¡¯s arrogant face and


    apologized, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that saying sorry solves everything? You better start kneeling down and


    cleaning my shoes after you step on my feet!¡± The youngdy obviously wasn¡¯t going to let


    Anastasia off the hook and even wanted to humiliate her.


    Right then, Anastasia pursed her lips. ¡°I did not step on your feet.¡±


    ¡°How dare you deny stepping on my feet when my feet are already hurting?!¡± the youngdy


    snapped in anger.


    When Anastasia came to the realization that the youngdy purposely stood in front of her so that


    she would run into her, she decided not to bother anymore. ¡°Excuse me, please move away. I need


    to leave now.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that you can leave just like that?¡± Then, the youngdy reached out to pull on


    Anastasia¡¯s gown before the sound of something tearing rang out. The satin fabric on Anastasia¡¯s


    gown was torn, and one side of her shoulder was revealed. Immediately, she reached out to cover


    her bare shoulder.


    While John wanted to remove his zer for Anastasia, someone else was faster than him as they


    quickly ced their zer on her shoulder to cover her chest.


    At this moment, Anastasia turned around gratefully to realize that the person who helped her out


    was Elliot.


    Immediately, she swallowed her thanks. In fact, she didn¡¯t even want the man¡¯s zer.


    ¡°Take your zer away.¡± Although Anastasia knew that she was going to attract other people¡¯s


    attention, she really didn¡¯t want to ept Elliot¡¯s kindness.


    ¡°Stop messing around,¡± Elliot instructed. Why is she still stubborn in a situation like this?


    On the other hand, Hayley, who was standing at the side, red at Anastasia because she


    witnessed how quickly Elliot removed his zer to cover Anastasia up,


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hayley, I¡¯ll pick you upter,¡± Elliot said before he pulled Anastasia out of the hall while Anastasia


    struggled against his forceful grip.


    ¡°Elliot¡­¡± Hayley felt like she was about to go mad from jealousy. How dare he leave me here to


    send Anastasia back?!


    Meanwhile, Anastasia finally managed to remove Elliot¡¯s zer. In that instance, her maroon bra


    was revealed from the torn gown. The sight of Anastasia right then was


    enough to make any man lust over her.


    At this moment, Elliot¡¯s gaze darkened before he looked at her stubborn expressions and asked in


    annoyance, ¡°Are you seriously leaving like that?¡±


    ¡°So what if I do? Even if I were to run outside naked, it would be none of your business.¡± Anastasia


    didn¡¯t know why, but she really wanted to argue against Elliot and piss him off.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mother to a son, and you should really think about him.¡± Elliot had never met a woman


    that could easily piss him off with just a few words, and it seemed like


    this woman was really capable of achieving that.


    ¡°Stop messing around, Anastasia. Can¡¯t you just listen for once?¡± Elliot pleaded before he ced


    his zer around her shoulders again when he noticed that the elevator had stopped.


    There were a few foreign men in a discussion outside of the elevator, and Anastasia quickly headed


    to the entrance without removing Elliot¡¯s zer this time.


    When she noticed a cab dropping off its passengers at the side of the road, she quickly headed to


    the cab while wearing Elliot¡¯s zer, and Elliot could only watch as she closed the car door and left.


    Right then, Anastasia¡¯s mind was a mess.


    I¡¯ve really managed to destroy a gown that costs seven digits! How am I supposed to pay for this?!


    Sh*t!

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    After Anastasia returned to the shop and exined everything that had happened, the owner of the


    shop nced at the torn gown before consoling her with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Miss Tillman. I¡¯ve


    already bought insurance for this dress, and they¡¯ll settle it for me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Anastasia felt even more guilty.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright as long as you had fun,¡± the owner of the shop assured.


    Although Anastasia still felt guilty when she took the cab to go back home, she was extremely tired


    as well. All she wanted to do right now was to go home and hug her son until she fell asleep.


    Anastasia finally reached home around 10.00PM. When she saw that Francis was still ying with


    Jared, she said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m back. You can have some rest now.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, Jared is a really bright kid, and I can¡¯t even tell that he¡¯s just four years old! You really


    did a great job educating him,¡± Francis eximed.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly as Jared learned everything by himself


    without needing her to educate him, and all she did was apany him. After Francis went back to


    his room, she showered before hugging Jared tiredly and nting a kiss on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep


    now, Jared.¡±


    Since Jared had been ying for the entire day and was tired as well, he fell asleep in the blink of


    an eye. Nevertheless, Anasthasia couldn¡¯t fall asleep as she lowered her head to look at Jared


    before getting shocked.


    Why are Jared¡¯s facial features starting to resemble Elliot¡¯s? I guess that¡¯s probably because he¡¯s


    good-looking, and every good-looking person looks simr to each other. This proves that Jared is


    going to be very handsome when he grows up. Although Elliot is a terrible person, it is undeniable


    that he¡¯s handsome.


    The next day, Anastasia told Nigel everything that happened during the jewelry exhibition while


    Nigel kept asking if she was injured.


    ¡°I¡¯m returning to the country within a few days, and I¡¯ll protect you,¡± Nigel said earnestly.


    ¡°I shall treat you to a meal when you return.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I miss Jared too, by the way,¡± Nigelughed before replying.


    ¡°He misses you, too.¡± Anastasiaughed as well.


    On Monday, she headed to theundromat early in the morning to collect Elliot¡¯s zer so that she


    could return it to him at thepany.


    After finishing a cup of coffee and replying to all her work emails, Anastasia nced at the time


    before calling Elliot¡¯sndline.


    ¡°Hello?¡± A maic voice rang out.


    ¡°It¡¯s Anastasia. I¡¯ming up now to return your zer.¡± Then, Anastasia hung up before Elliot


    could say anything.


    When she reached the entrance of Elliot¡¯s office, she knocked before entering the office while the


    man sitting in the office gave her a sharp look.


    After cing the zer that was in a garment bag on the couch, she remarked, ¡°I sent your zer


    to theundromat to have it cleaned already.¡±


    ¡°Are you really not going to thank me?¡± Elliot narrowed his eyes as he raised his chin to look at


    Anastasia.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Anastasia replied hastily before leaving.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    While staring at the woman who left as soon as she came, Elliot¡¯s gaze darkened


    slightly. Is this really the woman Grandma wants me to marry?


    On the other hand, when Anastasia returned to her office, Grace suddenly entered along with a


    person before she reported, ¡°Miss Tillman, you have a guest.¡±


    When Anastasia looked up, she was taken aback. Isn¡¯t this John from yesterday?


    ¡°Miss Tillman, you¡¯re really here!¡± John was surprised that he hade to the right ce. After


    returning home from the exhibition yesterday, all he could think about was Anastasia, and he


    decided that he wouldn¡¯t give up pursuing her until he won her heart.


    ¡°President Curtis¡­ Why are you here?¡± Anastasia greeted merrily as he was a guest, after all.


    At the same time, John was shocked when he saw Anastasia. While Anastasia looked like a


    goddess when she was in her gown, she looked extremely charismatic in her


    office wear. A white blouse and a pencil skirt were enough to make her look sexy.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I¡¯m here to customize jewelry for my mother¡¯s birthday next month, and I was thinking


    of ordering a set of jewelry for her.¡± John wasn¡¯t in need of money, and he wanted more excitement,


    so he didn¡¯t mind forking money out for Anastasia.


    Anastasia naturally wouldn¡¯t reject a business opportunity given to her, so she instructed, ¡°Grace,


    please get us coffee and a fruit tter.¡±


    After Grace left, John¡¯s gaze quicklynded on Anastasia again.


    ¡°President Curtis, may I know if your mother has any particr interest in the shape or color of the


    jewelry? Does she prefer jade or crystal other than a diamond?¡±


    ¡°Diamonds will do. It¡¯s better if it¡¯s bigger and more expensive,¡± John answered in a straightforward


    manner while Anastasia pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Sure. I¡¯lle up with a draft for your design


    and send it over to your mother¡¯s house three dayster. What do you think about that?¡±


    ¡°Since this is a present from me for my mother, it¡¯s better to keep things secretive. Why don¡¯t you


    come to me after you¡¯re done with the draft?¡± A cunning look shed past John¡¯s eyes while


    Anastasia was checking a document with her head lowered. ¡°Sure, President Curtis. I¡¯ll contact you


    once I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m fine with that. Are you freeter at noon? Why don¡¯t we go have lunch together?¡±


    Nevertheless, Anastasia wasn¡¯t a fool and knew that John was trying to hit on her. Still, there was


    no way that she¡¯d reject a business opportunity, so she nodded and uttered, ¡°Sure. I know a nice


    restaurant just in front of mypany. I shall make a reservation for two.¡±


    John nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Miss Tillman, I¡¯ll be waiting for your break, then!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait in the lounge? It¡¯s much quieter there.¡± Anastasia gave the man a suggestion


    before sending him off.


    After dealing with John, she made a report to Felicia while Felicia made sure to tell Anastasia to


    secure the deal with John, seeing how they¡¯d profit a lot from the set of


    When Anastasia went to get lunch with John during the afternoon, John took the opportunity to brag


    about his finance and assets as well as hispany, while


    Anastasia acted as if she was shocked and awed.


    After the meal, she made an excuse, saying that she had a meeting and wanted to leave, cutting


    John short and leaving him with no choice but to send her back to Bourgeois.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    When Anastasia went back, she sighed in relief before returning to her office to continue working


    On the other hand, Elliot took his phone and contacted someone in his president¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hey, Elliot! Why are you contacting me?¡± A man¡¯s chirpy voice rang out.


    ¡°Do you know Anastasia Tillman?¡± Elliot went straight to the point.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Nigel asked in a surprised manner.


    ¡°She¡¯s an employee at mypany. I ran into her yesterday at the jewelry exhibition and noticed


    that she came in using your name.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Looks like you¡¯ve really acquired QR Jewelry Group! Anyway, it¡¯s true that Anastasia and I are


    close friends with each other.¡± Nigel admitted truthfully before he chuckled and asked, ¡°How was


    she? She¡¯s really pretty, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to pursue her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not an easy one to pursue, though. I¡¯ve been trying to go after her for three years already,


    but I still haven¡¯t seeded, so I can only remain as her close friend!¡± Nigel answered helplessly.


    Despite that, Elliot¡¯s facial expression was still dark. ¡°How did you get to know her?¡±


    ¡°Remember the ident when my car flipped three years ago? She was the person who saved me.


    If she hadn¡¯t dragged me out of my car, I would have died along with the car explosion.¡±


    Of course, Elliot could still remember the terrifying car ident that Nigel had back then. Nigel had


    brushed path with the grim reaper briefly as the car that he was in exploded right after he left.


    Nevertheless, Elliot didn¡¯t expect Anastasia to be the person that saved Nigel back then. Is this


    fated? This would mean that the Presgraves owe the Tillmans a favor.


    ¡°Elliot, I¡¯ll be returning soon. By that time, I¡¯ll work at Bourgeois as well so that I can apany


    her.¡±


    ¡°Stop messing around. You¡¯reing back to inherit your family¡¯s business, not to pursue after


    girls,¡± Elliot reprimanded.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to help me out to take care of her in thepany, then.¡± Nigel could only reply to


    him this way.


    When Elliot ced his phone down, he had a conflicted look on his handsome face. Looks like


    Nigel, Grandma¡¯s favorite grandson, is pursuing Anastasia too.


    Three dayster, Anastasia¡¯s draft was given the green light by Felicia, and it was ready to be given


    to John.


    ¡°Good day, President Curtis. I¡¯vee out with a draft already. May I know when you¡¯ll be free so


    that I can deliver them to you?¡± Anastasia asked John.


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m still rushing back from my business trip right now, and I¡¯ll only reach around


    7.00PM. What about this? Why don¡¯t you send the draft over to my ce around 8.00PM at night?¡±


    ¡°Um ¡­ At night?¡± Anastasia immediately got alerted.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you wary of me? Don¡¯t worry. Miss Tillman, I¡¯m not an evil person. It¡¯s just that


    I¡¯m usually really busy during the day, and I can only make time at night.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia had no choice but to agree. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll send the draft to your ce at


    8.00PM tonight.¡±


    ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t like strangersing into my house, so it¡¯s better if youe over on your own,


    Miss Tillman,¡± John added on while Anastasia tensed up. Is he trying to get me to go over to his


    ce alone?


    Nevertheless, she could only nod and go along with John¡¯s requests because he was her customer.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be there at 8.00PM sharp.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you the address now.¡± Then, John hung up.


    After the call, Anastasia headed to Felicia¡¯s office and told her about the call before Felicia


    pondered for a moment. ¡°From what I know, John Curtis is a well-known CEO without any bad


    rumors, so he probably won¡¯t do anything that would cross the line.¡±


    Anastasia could only hope that things go smoothly tonight.


    During the afternoon meeting, Elliot, who hadn¡¯t shown up for three days, finally came. He looked


    even younger with his hair styled and his dark gray suit, while his facial features were cold as usual.


    Anastasia had her head lowered as she read the document while Alice, seated facing Anastasia,


    kept fidgeting around and hoping that it would attract Elliot¡¯s attraction.


    ¡°Anastasia Tillman, focus on the meeting and stop doodling,¡± Felicia suddenly called out.


    As Anastasia was indeed doodling in her notebook without paying attention to the meeting, she


    quickly straightened her posture and nodded with a flushed face. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After cing her pencil down obediently, her gaze met an upset pair of eyes, as if they were trying


    to tell her how disappointed they were by her actions.


    To Elliot, Anastasia was behaving like a stubborn kid who wouldn¡¯t listen in ss right now.


    ¡°Anastasia, I hope that you¡¯ll be able to learn how to respect other people in mypany,¡± he


    suddenly demanded out of nowhere.


    Immediately, a few snickers could be heard in the meeting room, as some of them were pleased


    that Anastasia got lectured by the boss.


    However, Anastasia blinked before she propped her chin on her hand and smiled at Elliot. ¡°Thanks


    for teaching me the right way to act, but I just want to be myself. President Presgrave, you can


    always fire me if you don¡¯t like me.¡±


    Right then, only the sound of people gasping could be heard in the meeting room. Isn¡¯t Anastasia


    being a bit too courageous? How dare she speak to President Presgrave in that manner?


    Elliot wasn¡¯t just the president of QR Jewelry Group. In fact, he was also supported by Presgrave


    Corporation, making him a rich and powerful man. Hence, it would be dumb for anyone to try to


    cross Elliot.


    Has Anastasia gone mad?!


    Felicia got anxious as well. Then, she turned to Anastasia and eximed, ¡°Anastasia, how could


    you speak to President Presgrave like that?!¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Nevertheless, a yful glint shed past Anastasia¡¯s gaze as she stared at Elliot intently. ¡°President


    Presgrave, would you like me to hand in my letter of resignation?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you can¡¯t just resign when you still have to meet President Curtis tonight!¡± Immediately,


    Felicia tried to stop Anastasia from angering Elliot any further.


    Still, Elliot¡¯s face darkened as he frowned before he turned to Felicia. ¡°Why is she meeting clients at


    night?¡±


    Yet, the fact that Elliot asked her that question instead of getting angry made her confused before


    she quickly cleared her throat and replied, ¡°One of our clients customized a set of jewelry, but he¡¯s


    very busy and can only meet up at night, so Anastasia will have to go over to the client¡¯s ce on


    her own tonight.¡±


    ¡°Tell that client that none of our employees work overtime. There won¡¯t be any business dealings


    outside of working hours,¡± Elliot instructed coldly. From what he heard, President Curtis was


    definitely a man, and an ill-intentioned one at that.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Well, we have already set the timing to meet up with the client,¡± Felicia tried to exin


    again.


    On the other hand, although Anastasia could tell that Elliot was trying to help her out, she was still


    feeling rebellious and refused to listen to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Felicia. I¡¯ll surely meet up with President Curtis tonight without any dy.¡± She


    assured Felicia about her outlook on this matter.


    ¡°I forbid you to go, Anastasia,¡± Elliot suddenly instructed sternly.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Despite that, Anastasia returned his gaze before replying with determination, ¡°No one can stop me if


    I want to go.¡±


    Right then, everyone was shocked by Anastasia¡¯s attitude to challenge Elliot¡¯s bottom line. She


    refused to go along with any of Elliot¡¯s demands, and no one else in the entirepany would have


    dared to do so.


    ¡°Alright, well, the meeting¡¯s over now!¡± Even Felicia was terrified that Elliot might be angered and


    didn¡¯t want to give Anastasia more opportunity to piss him off.


    At this moment, Anastasia left her seat with her documents while Alice red at her with jealousy.


    Who gave Anastasia the audacity to do what she did? How dare she treat Elliot like that?


    When Anastasia returned to her office and wanted to take a sip of water, her office door was


    opened harshly before an angered figure entered the office.


    When is this going to stop? She narrowed her eyes and looked at the man with a dark face in front


    of her before she ced her cup down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, President Presgrave?¡±


    ¡°Show me President Curtis¡¯s details.¡± Elliot reached out for the document from Anastasia.


    ¡°You saw him at the jewelry exhibitionst night. His name is John Curtis,¡± Anastasia answered


    truthfully.


    Upon hearing that, the man had his facial expression darkened even more. Why won¡¯t she refuse to


    meet that guy at 8.00PM tonight when she already knows that he has ill intentions?


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that he has ill intentions?¡±


    ¡°All I know is that my draft is worth seven digits.¡± All Anastasia wanted was to get hermission.


    ¡°Get someone else to go meet him, then,¡± Elliot suggested.


    ¡°No. I have to do it myself because this is my order. I don¡¯t need you to worry about me.¡± Then,


    Anastasia opened the door to her office and motioned for Elliot to leave. ¡°You should leave! I have


    to resume working now.¡±


    However, Elliot gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯ll regret this.¡±


    Still, Anastasia raised her eyebrows before smiling. ¡°That¡¯s still none of your business, President


    Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Elliot¡¯s face darkened.


    Ever since he met Anastasia, he had lost control of his anger and kept getting annoyed by her


    behavior.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia exhaled while watching as the man left angrily. Somehow, she felt a hint of


    thrill because Elliot was Hayley¡¯s boyfriend. She would still dismiss him even if he was really worried


    for her.


    Since Anastasia was going to work overtime, she could only get Francis toe over to look after


    Jared. Nevertheless, Francis agreed to pick Jared up at school, as he had been missing Jared after


    not seeing him for days and wanted to take him out for a nice meal at night.


    Knowing that her father would take care of her kid, Anastasia could finally work overtime without


    worry, as she still hadn¡¯tpleted the regr draft submissions that she needed to submit by the


    end of every month.


    Around 6.30PM, she ordered takeout and ate at thepany¡¯s pantry while staring at the beautiful


    sunset view outside of the window in awe.


    At the same time, Elliot, who was still in the president¡¯s office, massaged his temple and asked Rey,


    ¡°Is she still in thepany?¡±


    ¡°Miss Tillman ordered takeout just now, and she¡¯s eating in the pantry currently. I¡¯m guessing that


    she wants to work overtime until 7.00PM and go to John Curtister


    on.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Continue watching after her.¡± Elliot was still worried. Since he promised Harriet to take care


    of Anastasia along with the favor that he owed Anastasia¡¯s mother, he couldn¡¯t let anything happen


    to her.


    After finishing her meal, Anastasia rested for a while before leaving at 7.10PM.


    While she left in a cab at thepany¡¯s entrance, a ck car quickly followed behind the cab and


    trailed after them.


    On the other hand, Anastasia was anxious as she looked at the night view from the window of the


    car. She was hoping that she could leave immediately after settling the


    deal and even thought of an idea to let John know her colleague was waiting outside.


    Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t attempt anything with that in mind!


    Then, the cab entered the rich housing area before stopping in front of a luxurious vi. After the


    cab left, another car stopped in the street behind Anastasia. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t notice it.


    On the other hand, Elliot was trying his best to suppress his urge to dash out of the car as he


    watched Anastasia press the doorbell. In a while, he¡¯d get Rey to enter the vi to check on her.


    When the door in front of Anastasia opened, John¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Come on in, Miss Tillman! I¡¯m


    waiting for you in the living room.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia quickly entered the house. As expected from a rich person, the vi


    was extremely luxurious. When she entered the living room, John, who was sitting on the couch in


    his ck robe along with a ss of wine in his hand, came into view. At that moment, the rich man


    seemed somewhat carefree.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    Nevertheless, Anastasia tensed up when she saw John. Still, she had no right to interfere in her


    client¡¯s clothing preference, even though they were discussing business. Then, Anastasia quickly


    sat down on the couch before giving John her draft. ¡°You can take a look at the draft that I¡¯ve


    designed for you, President Curtis. Do let me know if I should make any changes.¡±


    After going through the draft papers, Johnplimented with a pleased manner, ¡°These are great!


    As expected from a capable designer. I really like your designs, Miss Tillman.¡±


    Then, he poured a cup of tea for Anastasia. ¡°Do have some tea, and let¡¯s start discussing our


    contract after this.¡±


    ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m not thirsty since I just had dinner with my colleagues just now.¡± Anastasia rejected


    politely.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to see yourself as an outsider, Miss Tillman. How can you refuse a cup of tea when


    you¡¯re already at my house? Isn¡¯t that disrespectful?¡± John made it clear that he was upset.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia stared at the cup of tea and made a decision before she took the tea and


    drank it. ¡°President Curtis, it¡¯s alreadyte now, so why don¡¯t we sign the contract now? My


    colleague is still waiting for me outside.¡±


    ¡°Your colleague?¡± John¡¯s gaze wavered slightly.


    ¡°Yes. My colleague sent me over because I wasn¡¯t driving. Since it¡¯s hard to get a cab here, I still


    need his help to send me hometer on,¡± Anastasia exined with a smile as she tried to imply that


    someone was waiting for her and would definitely lodge a police report if she couldn¡¯t get out.


    ¡°Well, I still have to check the draft again since I didn¡¯t do so just now. Please wait for a moment,¡±


    John said before he started looking at the draft again. Nevertheless, he was observing Anastasia¡¯s


    reaction from the corners of his eyes. So what if your colleague is waiting for you when you¡¯ve


    already drank the tea? I can still buy his silence after everything is over.


    The tea that Anastasia drank just now was specially prepared by John, as he must get her by


    tonight. After that, he would use some money to buy her silence, and everything would be over. This


    was the tactic that John used every time, and all of thedies ended up wrapped around his finger


    after that, so he hoped that Anastasia


    would be obedient as well.


    While waiting for John to look through the draft, Anastasia suddenly felt cold sweat forming around


    her neck as well as a warm feeling around her chest before she wondered if the air conditioner in


    the living room wasn¡¯t strong enough.


    Upon noticing that, John quickly poured another cup of tea for her. ¡°Miss Tillman, you look like you


    are hot. Here, have another cup of tea!¡±


    Not noticing anything odd, Anastasia took the cup of tea and drank it. Although the cool tea soothed


    her momentarily, she didn¡¯t know that she had just consumed more of the drug


    ¡°Is there something wrong with the draft?¡± Anastasia asked worriedly as she really wanted to leave


    already.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it, and I believe in your ability as well. Hold on. I need to go to the


    washroom for a while.¡±


    At this moment, John was trying to drag the time because the drugs needed some time to be


    activated. By the time that Anastasia was in her most afflictive, she would surely agree to whatever


    demands he had.


    On the other hand, Anastasia still thought that the air conditioner wasn¡¯t powerful enough because


    she was starting to feel really hot, and her face was flushed. It wasn¡¯t until a sudden strong


    sensation from the lower part of her body hit her that she realized that something was wrong.


    Why is my body starting to feel numb? It¡¯s like¡­ It¡¯s like there¡¯s a fire burning within my body and


    chipping away at my consciousness and rationality. Could it be that ¡­


    Anastasia turned toward her cup before she stared at the pot of tea. Suddenly, something hit her,


    and she immediately got up and ran out of the living room.


    When John returned to the living room and noticed that Anastasia wasn¡¯t there, he quickly ran after


    her and saw her staggering out of the yard.


    ¡°Where are you going, Miss Tillman?¡± John¡¯s devilish voice rang out.


    ¡°What did you put in my drinks?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia Tillman, you¡¯ve managed to capture my eyes. You¡¯re too beautiful, and there¡¯s no way


    that I wouldn¡¯t like you. Why don¡¯t you stay for the night? I¡¯ll be sure to be nice to you.¡± Right then,


    John¡¯s true colors were revealed as he exposed his true


    intentions.


    ¡°G-Get away from me. I do not provide any other services other than draft designing. Get away from


    me!¡± Anastasia roared.


    ¡°You got drugged. If you don¡¯t get a man to help you out, you¡¯ll feel very ufortable pretty soon.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    John chuckled coldly. To him, Anastasia was like a bird trapped in his cage,pletely under his


    control. At the same time, Anastasia was starting to feel a wave of dizziness ovee her. Right


    when John was about to grab her, a cold voice rang out. ¡°Let go of Miss Tillman.¡±


    Then, someone jumped over the wall andnded in front of Anastasia, blocking John¡¯s way. Staring


    at the man, who got in his way, John snapped, ¡°How dare you trespass into my private housing


    area? Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Please leave, Miss Tillman,¡± Rey turned around and said to Anastasia.


    ¡°Mr. Osborne?¡± Anastasia gasped in shock. However, she could only continue making her way


    toward the door while her body continued heating up ufortably. Right after she opened the


    door, she ran into a warm embrace before a strong pair of arms reached out to steady her, causing


    her to groan before her head snapped up abruptly. When she saw the man, who was one head


    taller than her, her eyes widened. Why is it him? Why is Elliot here?


    ¡°You¡¯re as stubborn as a mule.¡± Elliot had no intention of sounding nice, telling her off as soon as


    she came into view.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia was rendered speechless, and she couldn¡¯t deny that Elliot was way


    more reliable than John. Then, she reached out to grab Elliot¡¯s shoulder to steady herself. ¡°Help


    me¡­ Take me out of this ce.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Elliot instructed Rey, ¡°Teach him a lesson.¡±


    After that, he carried Anastasia, who curled up immediately, and headed to his car.


    On the other hand, Rey, who was initially blocking John¡¯s way, mercilesslynded a jab on John¡¯s


    face, following a roundhouse on his body. Instantly, the tycoon fell to the ground in pain. ¡°Who are


    you? Who is the man outside? I won¡¯t let you guys off the hook for this!¡±


    ¡°Who gave you the audacity to hit on President Presgrave¡¯s woman?¡±


    ¡°What?! Is the man outside¡­ Elliot Presgrave?¡± John eximed in shock before he pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry¡­ I made a mistake. Please let Young Master Elliot know that I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    After Rey left, John hunched down to the ground. He was in so much pain that he


    couldn¡¯t say anything as cold sweat started forming.


    Anastasia actually became Elliot¡¯s woman? Although John had already noticed that Elliot seemed to


    have his eyes on Anastasia as well, he didn¡¯t expect the n to fall through.


    On the other hand, Anastasia felt her body burning up even more in the backseat of the car, and


    she felt even more ufortable in her half-lying posture. Suddenly, she clung to Elliot¡¯s neck as if


    grinding against him would make her feel better.


    ¡°Please save me¡­ Bring me to the hospital¡­¡± Anastasia stared at Elliot with teary eyes as if she


    was a pitiful rabbit.


    At this moment, Rey entered the car before he turned to the man in the backseat of the car and


    asked, ¡°Where are we heading, Young Master Elliot?¡±


    ¡°To the hospital,¡± Elliot replied.


    Then, Rey started the car engine and drove away.


    Nevertheless, Anastasia felt extremely ufortable. Under the streetlight¡¯s illumination, Elliot¡¯s


    handsome face wasn¡¯t as despicable anymore. Suddenly, she pulled herself up to hisp and


    wrapped her hands around his neck before nting a kiss on his seductive, thin lips.


    Immediately, Elliot stiffened up. How dare she kiss me forcefully?


    While he was shocked by Anastasia¡¯s amateur kissing skills, he still responded to Anastasia¡¯s soft


    body pressing against him. Suddenly, he pulled on the partition dividing the front area and the rear


    area of the car before he grabbed onto Anastasia¡¯s head and regained the dominance of the kiss.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Anastasia felt an electrifying sensation coursing through her bodyfortably before her


    arms ventured around the man¡¯s back while enjoying his electrifying kiss.


    At the same time, Anastasia¡¯s hands moving around Elliot¡¯s back caused him to tense up before his


    breathing became heavy, and he narrowed his eyes.


    Does this woman even know what she¡¯s doing?


    Nevertheless, the woman in his arms was surprisingly submissive. She had lost her stubbornness


    during the day, allowing Elliot to explore her lips, while he had lost his self-control and rationale as


    he kept kissing her instinctively.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Suddenly, Anastasia came back to her senses and pushed Elliot away. ¡°Elliot Presgrave,


    you a*shole! Get away¡­¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Immediately, Elliot¡¯s face darkened. Why is she flirting with me and making me leave in one hand?


    How contradicting can she be?


    Despite that, the fiery sensation that Anastasia was feeling rushed up again when Elliot let go of


    her. At the same time, the car suddenly jerked, causing her to nt her face into Elliot¡¯s neck. Right


    when Anastasia came into contact with his skin, shetched her mouth onto it and started nibbling


    as if she was a leech and refused to let go.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Yet Elliot allowed Anastasia to do as she liked. It was as if he was equally affected by whatever that


    she had ingested, and he felt like he was about to explode as well.


    Looks like this woman is good at seducing men other than causing trouble for others.


    ¡°Are we reaching the hospital yet?¡± Elliot asked Rey, who was driving.


    ¡°We are almost there,¡± Rey replied before the car took a turn and reached the entrance of the


    hospital.


    Then, he quickly got out of the car and opened the door to the back of the car for his boss. Elliot got


    out and straightened his shirt before pulling the woman in the car out and carrying her into the


    hospital.


    Ten minutester, Anastasia ended up in the VIP ward of the hospital. After getting sedatives and


    an IV drip, she finally quietened down, and her eyes were closed while her face was flushed.


    Right then, Rey gave Elliot tissue paper. ¡°Young Master Elliot, there¡¯s a bloodstain around your


    neck. You should wipe it off.¡±


    Elliot wiped his neck with the tissue paper before seeing a light bloodstain on it. This woman¡¯s teeth


    are as sharp as a vampire!


    After Rey left, Elliot continued staying guard in the ward. A whileter, Anastasia, who was lying in


    bed, slowly regained her consciousness and blinked. However, she was shocked when she turned


    around and saw the man next to her.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s face went pale as she still remembered everything that had happened in the


    car just now.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°This is the consequence of not listening,¡± Elliot remarked snarkily.


    Anastasia had really underestimated John¡¯s character. She initially thought that he wouldn¡¯t attempt


    anything at her after telling him that her colleague was waiting for her outside, but she didn¡¯t expect


    him to disregard her words.


    ¡°Thank you. Can I know the time?¡± Anastasia looked up and asked.


    ¡°9.30PM.¡±


    ¡°I should be going home now.¡± She suddenly didn¡¯t feel like staying in the hospital any longer as she


    nced at the IV drip that was still half full.


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about your son, I can get Rey to take care of him until you finish your IV drip.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯m fine now.¡± Anastasia insisted in a stubborn manner.


    ¡°You better think about the consequences of not finishing the IV drip. What if the drugs start working


    again?¡± Elliot gritted his teeth and questioned.


    After contemting for a moment, Anastasia nced at her bag. ¡°Can you please hand me my


    bag?¡±


    After Elliot handed her the bag, she took her phone out and contacted Francis, trying to sound as


    natural as possible. ¡°Dad, I might be back around 10.00PM, orter, so I¡¯ll need you to help me get


    Jared to sleep tonight.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t worry and focus on your work!¡± Francis enjoyed looking after his grandson.


    ¡°Alright. Sure.¡± Anastasia hung up before she looked up to see the man, whose face was


    illuminated under the light. She noticed that the top of his white shirt was unbuttoned, and there was


    a red mark on his corbone.


    Immediately, she was mind blown. That mark wouldn¡¯t have been caused by me biting him, no?


    Besides, what we did in the car¡­ Oh God, I want to disappear right now. If I recall correctly, I took


    the initiative to kiss him before he reciprocated it¡­ I can still remember how his lips felt against


    mine¡­ Oh my God! I need to stop thinking about it! Anastasia held her head between her hands


    before she felt the drugs kicking in again.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling ufortable?¡± Elliot quickly asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Anastasia huffed before she buried her head in her chest. ¡°I lost my consciousness, and I


    can¡¯t remember what happened just now, so you don¡¯t have to remind me about it. I don¡¯t want to


    recall anything that happened anymore.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Elliot smirked. Is she trying to deny what happened just now?


    ¡°What are you going to do topensate me after you kiss me forcefully?¡± He refused to let things


    go and chose to make Anastasia recall what happened.


    ¡°1¡­ Just decide on your own!¡± Anastasia snapped in an embarrassed manner.


    When Elliot noticed that she was really embarrassed, he stopped trying to bother her any longer.


    ¡°You owe me a favor.¡± He harrumphed before taking a seat on the couch.


    Anastasia was speechless.


    Although she had heard of people owing favors because of money, this was her first time owing


    someone else a favor because of a kiss. Fine! This is a way to settle things as well, I guess. I bet he


    will forget about this sooner orter.


    Then, Anastasia sat through her IV drip. Immediately, she got the nurse to remove the needle from


    her hand while Elliot was scrolling his phone the entire time. After that, he stood up to apany


    Anastasia out.


    When they reached the entrance of the hospital, Anastasia decided that she should stop bothering


    Elliot anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll take a cab home.¡±


    ¡°Let me fetch you home.¡± Elliot refused to let Anastasia go home on her own because it was too


    dangerous for someone with her looks.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Anastasia insisted.


    Despite that, the man grabbed her arm forcefully and dragged her toward Rey¡¯s car.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    ¡°Hey! How can you boss me around like that?!¡± Although Anastasia kept shouting behind Elliot, he


    refused to let go, and she was pushed into the car just like that.


    Fine! Drop me off, then! At least I can save up from the cab fare.


    Once Anastasia got into the car, she told Rey her address and proceeded to act as if she had fallen


    asleep since she didn¡¯t want to talk to Elliot.


    Fortunately, Elliot wasn¡¯t nning to start a conversation as well, so the two of them sat by the


    opposite sides of the car in silence while staring at the night view outside of the window


    About an hourter, they finally reached Anastasia¡¯s ce, and she quickly thanked Rey, saying,


    ¡°Thanks, Mr. Osborne.¡±


    Before getting out of the car, Anastasia took a deep breath before she turned toward the man in the


    car, thanking him as well. ¡°Thank you for tonight.¡±


    Right then, Elliot¡¯s gaze met hers before he nodded slightly, indicating that he had heard her.


    Then, Anastasia closed the car door and left while the car slowly drove away after making sure that


    Anastasia had entered her apartmentplex.


    When she got home, Jared was already asleep, while Francis stayed by the side of his bed to


    apany him. When Francis saw Anastasiaing home sote at night, he took a card out of


    his wallet and gave it to her. ¡°Anastasia, there¡¯s 2 million in this card, and I think that you should


    have it. You shouldn¡¯t overwork yourself. If you¡¯re tired, just resign and take care of Jared with this


    money!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia was taken aback as she could feel Francis worrying for her.


    Nevertheless, she pursed her lips andmented, ¡°Naomi would surely get mad if she finds out


    about this.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m the one who earned this money, and no one can stop me from giving it to you.¡± Francis


    ced the card in Anastasia¡¯s hand. ¡°Take it.¡±


    Fathers often expressed their love in a silent manner. After doing so, Francis didnt say anything and


    left with his briefcase while Anastasia sighed. She knew that Naomi was the one who climbed into


    Francis¡¯s bed back then and forced him to marry her once she got pregnant. That was the only


    reason why Francis married Naomi after


    her biological mother¡¯s death. Although she hated Francis for doing so back then, she had already


    let go of the past.


    After showering, Anastasiay down by Jared¡¯s side before she leaned forward to nt a kiss on


    Jared¡¯s pale forehead. Then, she got tired and fell asleep as well.


    The next morning, Anastasia vaguely heard Jared¡¯s voice calling out for her. ¡°Wake up, Mommy. I¡¯m


    going to bete.¡±


    When she woke up, she quickly jumped out of bed as it was already 8.20AM, and Jared¡¯s ss was


    going to start in ten minutes. The sedatives from yesterday had shut down her biological clock.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you to school right now.¡±


    Anastasia quickly brought Jared to his kindergarten and sighed in relief. Then, she hurried to stop a


    cab to rush to work when she nced at her watch and realized that


    it was already 8.50AM.


    When Anastasia reached thepany, it was already 9.40AM as she entered her office with a sour


    look on her face. Looks like my attendance bonus for the month will be gone now. Besides, the deal


    with John is definitely off now. I can¡¯t believe I wasted so much effort on getting tricked by that man


    instead. Looks like I¡¯ll have to be smarter about things like this next time.


    At this moment, Felicia knocked on the door and came in. Before Anastasia could say anything,


    Felicia grinned and said, ¡°Anastasia, good job for sessfully negotiating the contract yesterday!¡±


    ¡°What? Is the deal on? Did John pay yet?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°He transferred a hundred thousand over this morning as a deposit since the jewelry set that he


    customized is around 2 million, and everything will be ready for him by the end of the month.¡±


    Anastasia narrowed her eyes. What is John trying to do? Is he trying topensate me because he


    couldn¡¯t get what he wantedst night?


    She felt disgusted at the thought of John¡¯s face before she told Felicia, ¡°You should get someone


    else to follow up on his case. I¡¯m not interested in dealing with him anymore.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already finished your draft, I¡¯ve already gotten someone to do the follow-up. By the


    way, you don¡¯t look well. Did you not sleep wellst night?¡± Felicia


    asked in a worried manner.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it. Something upsetting happened yesterday.¡± In addition to what John did to


    herst night, she really regretted taking the initiative to kiss Elliot since he was Hayley¡¯s boyfriend,


    and Hayley was the person she hated the most in her entire life.


    Around 11.00AM, Anastasia went into the washroom, and she heard footsteps entering the


    washroom once she went into one of the toilets before the loud voice of a girl rang out. ¡°Guess what


    I saw just now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was lucky enough to take the same elevator as President Presgrave just now, and I saw a love


    bite on his neck! Oh my God! I can¡¯t help but wonder which woman would be so fortunate enough to


    give him such a huge hickey!¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Another woman chimed in with a jealous tone,menting, ¡°Wow, they really went all in! I bet it¡¯s


    his girlfriend! You know, the one who came to thepany and got pped by Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder about Anastasia¡¯s background, since she managed to get out unscathed


    after hitting President Presgrave¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°I guess President Presgrave was unwilling to fire her because of how pretty she is.¡±


    ¡°Do you guys think that President Presgrave likes her?¡±


    ¡°It is possible. Maybe her position in thepany will change once she gets into his bed.¡±


    ¡°Damn! I want to have her beauty, too! President Presgrave won¡¯t even spare any nces on


    ordinary employees like us.¡±


    Right then, Anastasia, who was still in the toilet, knew well that she was the person who left a


    hickey on Elliot¡¯s neck.


    As for her possibly getting into his bed, she could give them a definite answer. Never! Never in a


    thousand years!


    After the group of gossip girls left, Anastasia came out of the toilet and returned to her office before


    herndline rang.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Come to my office for a while.¡± Elliot¡¯s unique maic voice rang out.


    Before Anastasia could say anything, he hung up, causing her to sigh as he was the person that


    she didn¡¯t want to face the most today.


    Maybe he has something to discuss with me regarding work. At the thought of that, she started


    heading to the elevator.


    When Anastasia reached the entrance of the president¡¯s office, she knocked before entering the


    office to see Elliot reading through a document on the couch. He nced at her before he continued


    reading the document.


    ¡°Why did you look for me?¡± Anastasia asked.


    ¡°Is vour body alright now?¡± Elliot started scanning her up and down while Anastasia replied in a


    tense manner, ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Thanks for asking.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so stubborn next time.¡±


    She frowned. Did he ask me toe up here just to say these to me?


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, President Presgrave. I¡¯ll head back to resume my work now.¡±


    Then, Anastasia wanted to turn around and leave.


    Suddenly, Elliot asked, ¡°Do you like Nigel?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia turned around abruptly. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Nigel?¡±


    Despite that, Elliot refused to answer her and asked again, ¡°Do you like him?¡±


    Without any hesitation, Anastasia answered, ¡°Of course I like him.¡±


    Nigel had been a great help to her and Jared, so she had already thought of him as her closest best


    friend. Nheless, she didn¡¯t notice that, because of her answer, the facial expression of the man


    sitting on the couch behind her darkened. Slowly, a thoughtful look appeared on his emotionless


    face.


    ¡°Then, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t mention what happenedst night to him,¡± Elliot gritted his teeth before


    reminding her.


    On the other hand, Anastasia was stunned. Why would I tell Nigel about something as private as


    this? Still, I can now assume that Nigel and this man know each other.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t mention this to anyone for the rest of my life.¡±


    Then, her gazended on the visible hickey on the man¡¯s neck, right beneath his white shirt.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Leave now then!¡± Elliot instructed coldly, as if he was trying to kick her out while she turned around


    and left.


    After the door was closed, the man on the couch closed his eyes and frowned.


    During the meeting, Felicia praised Anastasia for being able to seal a deal worth two million while all


    the other designers cheered on her despite being secretly jealous.


    Meanwhile, at the Tillman Residence, Erica was eliminated from the modelingpetition due to


    her height. The youngdy didn¡¯t have enough money to fuel her living expenses. As she was used


    to living luxuriously, she had to rely on Naomi to support her financially, as Francis only gave her ten


    thousand every month for her allowance.


    ¡°Mom, can you find an excuse to get Dad to give me more allowance for the month? I got my eyes


    on a Louis Vuitton bag, and I really want to have it for myself.¡± Erica pulled on Naomi¡¯s hand and


    whined.


    Unable to resist Erica¡¯s whining, Naomi stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go look around to see if your father


    left any cash at home.¡±


    After entering the master bedroom, she opened the safe where Francis usually kept his cash to see


    a stack of cash in it, unsurprisingly. However, there was also a document file next to the stack of


    cash. Curious, Naomi reached out for the file and skimmed through it before a shocked look


    appeared on her face.


    Hubby actually bought amercial housing with two rooms and two living rooms in a high end


    residence located in the city center that cost about 8 million without telling me about it? Could it be


    that it¡¯s for someone else other than us?


    As expected, Naomi immediately got pissed off when she saw the ownership of the household.


    The house was actually bought under Anastasia¡¯s name.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    That damned Anastasia! Persuading Francis to buy a house for her as soon as she returns, even


    buying it without my knowledge! Ridiculous!


    Naomi gritted her teeth in anger before she took out her phone and dialed her husband¡¯s number.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Francis picked up.


    ¡°Francis, you bought Anastasia a house, but you didn¡¯t even tell me about it. What are you trying to


    imply?¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯re allowed to rummage my safe to give Erica pocket money?¡± Francis seemed to have


    guessed what she was doing instead.


    ¡°If you can fork out 8 million to buy a house for Anastasia, a mere ten or twenty thousand for my


    daughter won¡¯t hurt, now will it?¡± Naomi used.


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe for Anastasia to live in a rented apartment with a child. Also, Erica is staying at home


    with us. It¡¯s pretty nice.¡±


    ¡°So only Anastasia is pitiful to you? My daughter can¡¯t even afford a bag, but she¡¯s not pitiful at all to


    you? Francis, that¡¯s favoritism!¡±


    ¡°All right, quit yapping. I¡¯ve already bought the house, anyway. I actually wanted to tell you, but I


    feared you¡¯d make a fuss about it.¡±


    Naomi was so furious that she could emit smoke at any moment. What tactics did Anastasia use to


    trick Francis into liking her so well? 8 million to buy a house for her just like that! And the house


    would be Anastasia¡¯s private property, too!I haven¡¯t even confronted Anastasia about Francis


    babysitting her child yet!


    On the other end of the line, Francis had already hung up. Naomi took all the money from the safe,


    along with the contract. Then, she went downstairs and asked Erica, ¡°Tell me, where is Anastasia


    working? I want to see her right now.¡±


    ¡°Mom, why are you looking for her?¡± Erica asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Your dad bought her a house for 8 million behind our backs. I¡¯m now going to talk some sense into


    her.¡± Naomi couldn¡¯t find a ce to vent the fury inside her anymore.


    th


    ¡°What? Did Dad spend 8 million on her? What about me? I have nothing!¡± Erica was also pissed.


    She was his daughter too, so she wanted to have everything Anastasia had.


    Erica immediately got in the car and drove toward Bourgeois with her mother. At around 3 pm,


    Anastasia was working on her draft. She was on a roll nowadays, and the drafts and projects she


    held were progressing smoothly.


    ¡°Grace, fetch me another cup of coffee.¡± Anastasia made an internal call to her assistant so that the


    latter could get her some coffee to perk her up a bit.


    Not long after, Grace came in with a cup of freshly brewed coffee with ice, and the silky texture and


    cream topping only served to make the cuppa look ever so pleasing. Anastasia reached out and


    picked it up, proceeding to take a sip. ¡°Mm, not bad. It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, can you give me some tips to lose weight? How do you maintain such a good figure?¡±


    Grace was a cute girl slightly on the plump side, and she was constantly concerned about weight


    loss.


    Anastasia thought for a bit, then shook her head and smiled. ¡°I overwork my brain every day, so I


    slimmed down without meaning to.¡±


    In truth, she wouldn¡¯t gain weight, no matter how much she ate. Also, she had to take care of her


    son and go to work as well, so it was simply impossible for her to gain weight.


    Meanwhile, Naomi and Erica had arrived at the parking lot downstairs. They went


    straight to the elevator and headed right for the design department.


    As soon as she got out of the elevator, Naomi caught hold of a female assistant. ¡°Do you know


    where Anastasia¡¯s office is?¡±


    The female assistant quickly pointed in a direction. ¡°Thest office over there.¡±


    Naomi walked over with the real estate contract, while Anastasia was absorbed in her drawing


    when the door was suddenly thrown open. She immediately looked up to see Naomi and Erica


    walking in furiously.


    The look in Anastasia¡¯s eyes went cold as she asked harshly, ¡°What?¡±


    Naomi flung the contract she was holding onto the desk. ¡°Spill it, Anastasia. What tactics did you


    use to convince your dad to buy this house for you?¡±

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Anastasia was stunned, after which she reached out and took the contract, opening it to read. She


    was also shocked that her father bought a house for her, as he didn¡¯t even discuss it with her before


    making the purchase.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know, Anastasia. The contract is right here; you can¡¯t deny it!¡± Erica


    pointed the finger at her and shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not! Yes, Dad bought it for me, so what? You have a problem with that?¡± Anastasia raised her


    eyebrow and asked.


    ¡°Your father¡¯s money belongs to the whole family, and he also has to get permission from me and


    Erica before buying you a house. Half of this house will belong to Erica.¡± Naomi immediately fought


    for some privilege for her daughter.


    Anastasia found it ridiculous as she looked at Naomi. ¡°This property is under my name, so how can


    I give half of it to your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Dad to buy a house for me too, or give me 8 million,¡± Erica said haughtily.


    ¡°Go ahead and ask him, then! Whye to my office?¡± Anastasia put on a haughty expression as


    she spoke.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m here to give you a warning. If you keep asking your dad to buy stuff and give you


    money behind my back, I¡¯ll break off with him. You¡¯ll be responsible for our divorce when that


    happens,¡± Naomi threatened.


    Anastasia smiled wryly. ¡°If that¡¯s so, remember to notify me when you get divorced. I¡¯ll know when to


    find another woman for Dad, and I guarantee she¡¯ll be better than you.¡±


    ¡°You,¡± Naomi was so mad she could blow up.


    Erica also had a sunken expression. ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ll make you lose your job right now.¡±


    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Anastasia narrowed her eyes and asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell everyone that you have an illegitimate child, a son you had from being someone¡¯s mistress!¡±


    Erica shouted, threatening to ruin her reputation.


    Anastasia snorted. ¡°Should I get a mic for you? So that you can say it louder?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m too scared to do that?¡± With that, Erica turned around and opened the door, leaving.


    Naomi was satisfied with her daughter¡¯s boldness, and she also wanted Anastasia to lose this job.


    In the main office, Erica shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°I have some news for everyone! Anastasia


    Tillman is a mistress! She destroyed someone else¡¯s family and gave birth to a love child overseas!


    Be careful of her because she¡¯s a shameless and cunning woman!¡±


    Instantly, the employees in the office stood up and looked toward Erica, who was shouting. One of


    them immediately asked, ¡°Really? Miss Tillman is someone¡¯s mistress?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s real. Why would I lie? Also, she had been messing around five years ago, working at


    a club and selling herself for money¡­ That was why my dad chased her out.¡± Erica proceeded to


    bring up the events five years ago.


    While Erica talked animatedly, someone appeared behind her. In the next second, someone


    grabbed the youngdy¡¯s shoulder andnded a loud p on her face. It was none other than


    Anastasia because she had had enough of her sister¡¯s nonsense for the past five years. Now, she


    couldn¡¯t endure it anymore, especially when she heard Erica calling her son an illegitimate child,


    and that was when Anastasia lost all rationality.


    ¡°Ah=¡± Erica screamed and tried to hit her back, but Anastasia dodged it just in time. She gripped


    Erica¡¯s long hair and pinned it to the ground. When Naomi emerged from the office, the first thing


    she saw was her daughter getting hit, so she immediately blew up.


    ¡°Anastasia, you b*tch! How dare you hit my daughter! Let go of her!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s hair was instantly grabbed as Naomi pulled all the stops to save her daughter. However,


    Anastasia¡¯s grip on Erica¡¯s hair increased along with the pain she herself felt.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ah! It hurts! Let go, Anastasia-¡± Erica let out a shriek of pain because Anastasia¡¯s hand grabbed


    her hair in a death grip.


    ¡°Let go, you b*tch!¡± Naomi¡¯s heart ached for her daughter, so mad that she raised her arm and


    delivered a p across Anastasia¡¯s face.


    Anastasia endured the pain and ryed the p onto Erica¡¯s face. Erica was pinned to the ground,


    kneeling, and she couldn¡¯t get up or break free, putting her in a convenient position for Anastasia to


    p.


    ¡°Hit me once, and I¡¯ll hit her thrice. Try me.¡± Anastasia might look terrible, but her fearsome


    boldness made up for it.


    Immediately, Naomi let go of Anastasia, and thetter also saw Felicia bringing people over, so she


    let go of Erica as well. She held a fistful of broken hair in her hands, and Erica¡¯s swollen face was


    already pale in pain. Naomi pulled her daughter to her feet, ready for another brawl.


    Felicia shouted, ¡°Who are you people?! And why are you causing a ruckus in ourpany?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Anastasia tidied her messy hair, the red shape of a palm obvious on her pretty face. ¡°Chase them


    out!¡± she said to Felicia.


    ¡°I am Anastasia¡¯s stepmother, and I have a private business to settle with her,¡± Naomi barked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are. This is apany, not the backyard of your house. If you refuse to leave,


    I¡¯m calling the police.¡± Felicia had no regard for Naomi.


    Naomi thought she couldn¡¯t involve the police in this matter, so she pulled her daughter along as


    she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Erica. We¡¯ll continue thister.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia bit her red lip and let out a sigh as she watched the duo leave. As for the onlookers in the


    office, most of them couldn¡¯t help but see Anastasia in a new light. Despite her slender frame, she


    could actually put up a fight against the duo.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Anastasia? How are peopleing over so often to pick on you?¡± Felicia


    and Anastasia were equally exasperated by the recent events, and thetter made a promise to her


    superior. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best not to bring personal matters to thepany.¡±


    Anastasia returned to her office, and she was about to tie her hair up when herndline rang. She


    reached out and picked it up. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Got into a fight again?¡± A man¡¯s deep and upset voice came from over the phone.


    Anastasia was speechless. How did this news travel to him so fast? But then she remembered that


    there were many busybodies in thispany.


    ¡°Good news. I won,¡± Anastasia replied cheekily.


    ¡°And you still have the courage to brag. You¡¯re a mother now; it¡¯s unbing to fight all the time,¡±


    Elliot said in exasperation.


    Anastasia grinned, but the movement affected the wound on her face, causing her to hiss. ¡°I¡¯ll hang


    up now. My face hurts.¡±


    She ended the call right away. Soon, Rey arrived at Anastasia¡¯s office, bringing an ice pack for her.


    ¡°President Presgrave asked me to deliver this. Please be more careful next time, Miss Tillman.¡±


    Anastasia gave Rey a look but epted the ice pack anyway. ¡°Thank you, Rey.¡±


    ¡°You should thank President Presgrave.¡± Rey smiled a little before leaving.


    Anastasia held the ice pack to her face, and the pain subsided when she realized that the contract


    was still with her. She sighed, for she couldn¡¯t believe that her father actually bought her a house.


    Therefore, she took her phone and dialed her father¡¯s number.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°Dad, why didn¡¯t you tell me you bought a house for me?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Naomi herself took the contract to my office. Dad, please don¡¯t do this next time, in case she gets


    upset again.¡± Anastasia still threw in a word of advice for her father.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling guilty about the past five years, so this is mypensation to you. You can move


    in next month.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡±


    ¡°I also want to give you and Jared a stable home,¡± Francis said.


    In the president¡¯s office, Rey pulled up a recording of the CCTV in the main office and yed it for


    Elliot. He stared at the girl rushing out on the screen, and as he heard her words, his eyebrows


    scrunched up tightly.


    Anastasia was a mistress, and her kid was a love child? She even sold herself for money at a club


    five years ago? What?


    In the recording, Anastasia stormed furiously and gave Erica a p. Then, she grabbed thetter by


    the hair and pinned Erica to the ground. Immediately after that, another woman rushed out and


    grabbed Anastasia¡¯s hair, pping her. Then Anastasia pped the girl on the ground a few more


    times before Felicia appeared and resolved the incident.


    He had to admit that this woman was a fierce fighter.


    ¡°Can you find out who fathered Anastasia¡¯s son?¡± Elliot asked Rey.


    ¡°Our people overseas could only find hospital information about Miss Tillman giving birth to her son.


    There wasn¡¯t any info on the child¡¯s father,¡± Rey reported.


    Elliot¡¯s gaze darkened. Could it be that this woman was really someone¡¯s mistress, and she had


    escaped overseas to give birth to a child she had to bring up on her own?And what of her selling


    herself at a club five years ago? Was she in dire need of money?

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Elliot closed hisputer. Only Anastasia had the answers to those questions, whether she really


    was once someone¡¯s shameless mistress who had destroyed the man¡¯s family in the end.


    ¡°Keep investigating,¡± Elliot ordered in a low voice.


    Rey voiced his affirmation and left, after which Elliot¡¯s dark gaze fell on a corner. She even gave


    birth to the child, so what exactly was he expecting?


    When Erica returned home, she ran back to her room where she dialed Hayley¡¯s number, for she


    could only vent her anger to Hayley.


    ¡°You caused trouble at Anastasia¡¯spany?¡± Hayley asked in shock.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°My dad bought her a house worth 8 million behind me and my mom¡¯s back. Why wouldn¡¯t I be


    pissed?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Anastasia could do that! Erica, you have to be careful. You mustn¡¯t let her snatch all


    of your father¡¯s property in the end,¡± Hayley reminded.


    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ll never let her off the hook and I won¡¯t let her live in peace either,¡± Erica seethed. ¡°Are you


    at home, Hayley? Let¡¯s go out for drinks tonight!¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not feeling too well these days, so I can¡¯t drink for now,¡± Hayley declined. ¡°You should get


    someone else to apany you.¡±


    Erica sensed that Hayley was being exceptionally secretive these days because they used to hang


    out rather often in the past.


    Over in the luxurious vi, Hayley ended her call with Erica as her gaze darkened. Anastasia¡¯s


    mother had saved Elliot, which meant that Anastasia could exploit that fact to request anything of


    him. She could even ask to marry him and it would most probably be done.


    As for the reason why Anastasia hadn¡¯t made this request yet, it had to be due to her personality.


    She was a stubborn person and definitely not one to lose her sense of self over riches. In short, she


    lived quite the sober life.


    Hence, she wouldn¡¯t marry someone just because she wanted to repay some kindness. She had


    said in high school that she hated the person who caused her mother¡¯s death, so could it be that


    Anastasia still hated Elliot for that?


    No matter what might happen, Hayley had to stop Anastasia from making that request and the best


    way to achieve that was to show Anastasia how intimate she herself was with Elliot. Then,


    Anastasia would hate both herself and Elliot even more.


    Hayley took a nce at the time. It was almost time for people to get off work, so she should also


    head off and pay Bourgeois a visit.


    She enjoyed the treatment that was fit for a rich youngdy when she drove in the sports car Elliot


    gave her. Whenever she was on the road before this, she could only admire the rich, beautiful


    daughters of wealthy families. Now, she herself had be the object of admiration too.


    All eyes would be on her whenever she stopped on the road. The young men would gape in awe


    and her vain heart would be immensely satisfied.


    Hayley got on the elevator and headed right for the design department at Bourgeois. Her


    appearance had brought about the looks of admiration and respect from all the female employees in


    the office because she was the wife of their boss.


    She immediately walked to the door of Anastasia¡¯s office and proceeded to open the door without


    so much as a greeting.


    Anastasia was gathering her things and ready to go home when she saw Hayley barging in. Her


    expression darkened as she asked, ¡°What are you here for?¡±


    Hayley was wearing a V-neck dress with a set of jewelry that shone brilliantly on her chest. It was


    the exact jewelry that was on disy that day. She touched it and said to Anastasia, ¡°Elliot gave me


    this. Does it look good on me?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking to show off, you have approached the wrong person.¡± Anastasia stared at Hayley


    coldly since she knew the woman well enough.


    Hayley didn¡¯te from a rich family, but her vanity was second to none. As soon as she received


    something nice, she would show it off to everyone whom she knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to invite Elliot to dinner. We still have a romantic date waiting for us


    tonight, so I won¡¯t hold you up.¡± She was actually here to unt her rtionship with Elliot


    ¡°Although I have no idea how blind he had to be to see something in you, anyone with eyes would


    know that he deserves better,¡± Anastasia retorted mercilessly.


    Hayley¡¯s expression sank and she snorted. ¡°Anastasia, you don¡¯t know how he sees me at all. What


    right do you have to say that?¡±


    ¡°Then, tell me, how did you reel him in?¡±

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. Whatever that needs to happen between us has already happened.


    You don¡¯t know how much he loves me. He gives me everything I ask of him.¡± Hayley raised her


    eyebrow gleefully.


    Anastasia was stunned for a few seconds. Looks like they have already slept together? Looks like I


    have underestimated Hayley¡¯s abilities.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t tell me you have fallen for him too?¡± Hayley asked tentatively.


    ¡°What? Are you scared that I¡¯ll snatch him from you?¡± Anastasia wasn¡¯t stupid. Of course Hayley


    was scared of her and wouldn¡¯t let her live in peace.


    ¡°Y-You won¡¯t be able to take him away.¡± Hatred shed across Hayley¡¯s eyes.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia felt ufortable as she recalled the kissing incident in the carst night. If Elliot really


    slept with Hayley, Anastasia really didn¡¯t want to do anything intimate with him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything you¡¯ve used before is dirty to me,¡± she responded coldly.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll tell Elliot every word you said then.¡± Hayley sneered, assuming that Anastasia would be


    scared because she had said something wrong.


    On the contrary, Anastasia was quite generous about it. ¡°Then, make sure you don¡¯t miss even a


    syble. Try mimicking my tone so that you can be more convincing as well.¡±


    Shock was evident in Hayley¡¯s eyes. Anastasia was exuding confidence from head to toe, which


    was exactly what Hayley was envious about.


    Hayley still left in the end, after which Anastasia let out a sigh. If Hayley came looking to show off,


    she wouldn¡¯t be getting what she came for.


    In the president¡¯s office.


    Hayley knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± a man¡¯s deep and alluring voice responded.


    She opened the door to see a handsome figure seated on the couch before she called in a sickly


    sweet voice, ¡°Elliot.¡±


    Elliot narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I got too bored, so I wanted to go for a walk.¡± With that, Hayley bit her red lips in a pitiful manner,


    then took a seat beside him and stayed silent.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did someone bully you?¡± He could sense that she was upset.


    ¡°I went to see Anastasia just now. I wanted to apologize for what happenedst time, but she¡­ But


    she refused to ept my apology and chased me out. She even said¡­¡±


    Elliot frowned. ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°She asked about our rtionship, so I told her that we have the most intimate rtionship. Then,


    she suddenly said that everything I¡¯ve used is dirty to her.¡± Hayley¡¯s eyes were filled with


    displeasure.


    Elliot immediately understood that he was the dirty one that the woman mentioned.


    He couldn¡¯t help but snort in secret. Me? Dirty? Then, why did she initiate that kissst night? Now


    she¡¯s saying that I¡¯m dirty? What an ungrateful woman.


    Hayley was secretly observing the expressions of the man beside her. However, she found him


    spacing out and lost in his thoughts with no intention offorting her. Doesn¡¯t Elliot know that


    Anastasia was insulting him?


    ¡°All right, don¡¯te to thepany anymore if there¡¯s nothing important. There¡¯s so much anger


    in this ce that you might get upset again.¡± Elliot quietlyforted her with the intention to instruct


    her as well.


    ¡°What if I miss you, though?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit you when I have the time. Otherwise, you can just give me a call, message me, or get me


    on a video call.¡± Elliot looked at Hayley. Even though she now gave him apletely different


    impression from 5 years ago, he still wouldn¡¯t mistreat her.


    As Hayley gazed at the man¡¯s perfect profile, she suddenly caught sight of a red mark on his neck.


    She gasped and hastily leaned closer to him to have a look. ¡°Elliot, what happened to your neck?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just an allergic reaction.¡± Elliot adjusted his cor to hide the mark.


    ¡°How did you get it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m allergic to seafood,¡± he exined in a low voice as he got up. ¡°Please wait while I deal with


    some emails.¡±


    Elliot walked over to his desk while Hayley went to the washroom to fix her makeup.


    She rose to her full height and walked to the washroom, after which she opened the door and


    entered a cubicle. As soon as she went in, a few female employees also entered


    ¡°Girls, I saw it clearly when I went to deliver the documents earlier. That mark on President


    Presgrave¡¯s neck is a hickey.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    ¡°Really? Then, is his girlfriend showing off their rtionship on purpose? That would exin why


    she would leave a mark on a spot as obvious as his neck.¡±


    ¡°Yes! This means that President Presgrave is a man as hot as fire. I wonder how it feels like to stir


    things up on the bed with him.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wait, who in ourpany has the ability to get on his bed?¡±


    ¡°I think Anastasia has a good chance. She¡¯s beautiful, of course, but she has also dodged getting


    fired despite all the trouble she caused. I won¡¯t believe it if she isn¡¯t involved with President


    Presgrave in that sense. You do know that he fired Mr. Lawrence the other day, right? And Mr.


    Lawrence onlymitted a tiny mistake.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that the hickey wasn¡¯t from his girlfriend but Anastasia instead? And she ced it there


    as a challenge to President Presgrave¡¯s girlfriend?¡±


    The three female employees allowed their imagination to run wild, as if they were actually writers of


    detective novels.


    In the cubicle, Hayley¡¯s expression kept shifting. She had already suspected that the mark on


    Elliot¡¯s neck wasn¡¯t due to an allergy, but she never expected it to be a hickey.


    The girlfriend they were referring to must be Hayley herself, but the hickey had nothing to do with


    her. If it wasn¡¯t her, then some other woman must have done it.


    Who was with himst night? Was it really Anastasia?


    Hayley was green with so much jealousy that it seemed to overwhelm her. If not Anastasia, then


    who? Was there any other woman by Elliot¡¯s side that he would willingly get so intimate with?


    No matter who it was, Hayley wanted her gone. Elliot could only be hers and hers alone.


    She returned to the office to see Rey sitting on the couch, but Elliot was nowhere in sight.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Elliot?¡±


    ¡°Apologies, Miss Seymour. President Presgrave had matters to take care of at the


    main office, so he asked me to take you home instead,¡± said Rey courteously.


    Immense disappointment welled up in Hayley¡¯s heart. Although Elliot had fulfilled her material needs


    generously, he had never been intimate with her before. She felt like they were both close and


    distant at the same time.


    Moreover, she had helplessly fallen for him. She would think about him every day to the point where


    she wished to offer herself to him as soon as possible.


    She didn¡¯t want some materialpensation; she wanted his everything, to be his Mrs. Presgrave.


    ¡°I drove here myself. Rey, was Elliot working overtimest night?¡± Hayley asked curiously.


    Rey nodded. ¡°Yes! President Presgrave has been working overtime in thepany these days.¡±


    Hayley pursed her lips. ¡°Then, tell him to rest more often, and don¡¯t overwork himself.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Rey smiled.


    Then, Hayley took her bag and left. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder who was the woman


    apanying Elliotst night.


    At this moment, Hayley¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from Erica.


    ¡°Hayley, I¡¯m sad! Drink with me, please!¡±


    Hayley herself wasn¡¯t in a good mood either, so she responded, ¡°Sure, where are you? I¡¯lle and


    get you.¡±


    An hourter, she had removed all the jewelry she was wearing and tied up her hair to meet Erica.


    When Erica saw Hayley, she felt that Hayley was much prettier with a clearer skin.


    ¡°What are you up to these days?¡± Erica asked as she sat with Hayley in a music bar.


    ¡°I¡¯m frequenting a beauty salon these days.¡± Hayley also knew that she had be much prettier.


    ¡°Oh, hey, are you wearing thattest outfit from Chanel? I saw it online before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a high quality replica. It was difficult for me to purchase it,¡± Hayley immediately lied.


    Erica hastily scooted over to touch the fabric. ¡°This fabric is excellent; it¡¯s like the real deal! Where


    did you get it? I want one too.¡±


    ¡°It was the only one in stock.¡± With that, Hayley changed the topic. ¡°How are you these days?¡±


    ¡°That b*tch Anastasia ruined my family. My dad is spending less time at home now as he¡¯s choosing


    to head to her ce whenever he has the time. He was even at her cest night until around 10


    something and it was almost early morning when he came back.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± a curious Hayley asked.


    ¡°Anastasia said that she had to work overtime, so she asked my dad to babysit her son. I think she¡¯s


    just ordering my dad around so that she can have fun outside.¡±


    Hayley could feel her mind buzzing. Rey had said that Elliot was working overtime in thepany


    last night and Anastasia was also working overtime-at the same ce and time? Do such


    coincidences exist?

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Could it be that they had done something unspeakable in the office? Was Anastasia lying when she


    said that she didn¡¯t like Elliot? Was she already entangled with Elliot a long time ago?


    So, Anastasia had intentionally nted the hickey on Elliot¡¯s neck for Hayley to see. Hatred and


    jealousy burned brightly in Hayley¡¯s eyes as she thought, Anastasia is really wretched.


    Anastasia said she didn¡¯t like him, but she was secretly seducing him. How did she be so


    cunning in 5 years?


    Hayley decided she could not underestimate Anastasia after all.


    ¡°How shameless,¡± Hayley growled through gritted teeth.


    Erica immediately agreed. ¡°I know, right? She has no shame! She grabbed a bunch of my hair today


    and caused my face to be swollen. I won¡¯t let her off the hook so easily.¡±


    Hayley¡¯s words weren¡¯t only said on Erica¡¯s behalf, but it was also expressed for her own sake.


    ¡°How old is Anastasia¡¯s son?¡± Hayley asked curiously.


    Erica immediately took out her phone and flipped through her album before she stopped at a few


    photos. ¡°Here. I secretly took a few photos at home. I wonder who this mutt¡¯s dad is.¡±


    When Hayley took the phone and saw the boy¡¯s face in the photo, her pupils immediately wavered.


    She was so shocked that her mind wentpletely nk in an instant.


    How can this be? How can Anastasia¡¯s son resemble Elliot so much? She continued to look through


    the photos, and the more she did so, the more terrified she became. Her suspicions were even


    turning into confirmation.


    Anastasia¡¯s son wasn¡¯t any mutt from a random man. He was conceived from a seed nted by


    Elliot himself 5 years ago and she had quietly delivered the child abroad.


    ¡°How old is he?¡±


    ¡°That wretched Anastasia imed that he¡¯s 3, but I don¡¯t believe it. No 3-year-old would be this tall,¡±


    Erica answered, thinking that Anastasia was full of lies.


    As Hayley looked at the child on the phone screen, she could only feel a hand close around her


    heart and was close to gasping.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know that Elliot was the man from 5 years ago, so she naturally didn¡¯t know that


    her son was Elliot¡¯s child.


    Now, Anastasia¡¯s rtionship with Elliot had turned far moreplicated than her mother¡¯s sacrifice


    in exchange for Elliot¡¯s safety. Now, the most important thing was that her son had the blood of the


    Presgrave Family running in his veins.


    Hayley was on the verge of despair. How was Anastasia so lucky? Just one night 5 years ago and


    she already has Elliot¡¯s child?


    She decided that she had to be together with Elliot as soon as possible. It was only through having


    Elliot¡¯s child that she would gain the necessary power to fight Anastasia.


    Then, Anastasia¡¯s son would mean nothing whereas it would be her own son being the heir of the


    Presgrave Family¡¯s empire.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    With that in mind, Hayley seemed to have revived herself.


    ¡°Hayley, why are you zoning out? Is everything okay these days?¡± Erica noticed that Hayley had a


    dark expression.


    11 TL


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just too busy, so I couldn¡¯t think straight,¡± Hayley lied while wearing an exhausted


    front.


    Erica didn¡¯t doubt her. If she had known that Hayley was living the luxurious life and consuming only


    the finest goods possible, she would probably be mad with jealousy.


    It was because in Erica¡¯s eyes, Hayley was always following her.


    Hence, this was Hayley¡¯s deepest hatred. She had lived like a dog before, where no one


    acknowledged her. She swore that she would someday be the Young Mistress of the


    Presgrave Family, so that she could finally be proud and respected by everyone else.


    After getting off from work that day, Anastasia went to pick up her son. When they arrived at their


    little home at night, she cooked some dishes, one of which was her son¡¯s favorite chicken


    casserole. The boy could wolf down the entire thing.


    ¡°Mommy, Grandpa said that you¡¯re not young anymore and he wants you to find a life partner,¡± the


    little guy suddenly piped up.


    She couldn¡¯t help bursting intoughter. ¡°I have you with me and we¡¯re best partners, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, Grandpa also asked me who my daddy is. Can you ask him toe back?¡± the little boy


    asked.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Anastasia stoppedughing and looked at her son earnestly. ¡°Jared, let¡¯s not look for Daddy, okay?


    Mommy can raise you all by herself.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa said that it¡¯s not right of my daddy to avoid taking responsibility, though. He has to be


    responsible toward you and me,¡± the little boy said with an adult-like expression.


    Anastasia was speechless. Why did her father talk about such things with her son?


    ¡°Grandpa said that he will grow old and one day won¡¯t be able to take care of us anymore.¡±


    She could now feel the tearsing. Her father was worried that he would grow old and frail, hence


    unable to take care of her and her son. She tried to suppress the tears as she responded, ¡°Be good,


    Jared. I¡¯ll be strong and take care of both you and Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll also grow up quickly and be very tall, so I can take care of Mommy and Grandpa.¡± With


    that, the little guy returned to scarfing down his dinner.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart softened at his words. Her son was everything to her, so she absolutely must


    build a protective environment for him.


    The next day was a Saturday.


    It was early in the morning and she thought she wouldn¡¯t have to go to work, but then she received


    a call from Felicia.


    ¡°Anastasia, why aren¡¯t you here for overtime?¡±


    ¡°I have to?¡± Anastasia sat up and ced her hand to her forehead as she asked. Why was it


    necessary to work overtime when they were the local branch?


    ¡°Because we¡¯re putting out the newest release soon. It¡¯s customary to work overtime during these


    few weeks. Come on over now!¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­ Can I bring my son to the office?¡± Anastasia hastily asked.


    ¡°All right, sure.¡± Felicia agreed, for she knew Anastasia was a single mother.


    Anastasia immediately woke her son up with kisses and told him, ¡°Jared, let¡¯s go.


    Come with me to the office for overtime.¡±


    The little guy seemed to be still half-asleep, but he nodded anyway.


    She led her son downstairs and hailed a cab to the office. She had bought some bread on the way


    for breakfast and it was already 9:50AM when she arrived at thepany


    Grace was bringing in coffee when she saw the cute boy on the couch, which immediately stunned


    her.


    ¡°Wow! Oh my goodness! He¡¯s too cute!¡±


    The little guy wore a ck T-shirt paired with jeans. His ck hair had covered his full little forehead


    and a pair of huge bright eyes shone like jewels as they peeked out from under his dense and curly


    eyshes. His features were exquisite and pretty, like a beautiful doll.


    ¡°Hey, little guy, did you get your eyshes curled when you were still in your mother¡¯s stomach?


    They¡¯re so long and curly!¡± Grace said in admiration.


    Hearing that, Anastasia could only say that the host that night wasn¡¯t too shabby himself either.


    As Anastasia was perusing the documents with her head lowered, Grace took the opportunity to


    reach out with her hand.


    The little guy looked at her in anger. ¡°Miss, can you stop pinching my cheeks? It hurts.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Your face is just so squishy that I couldn¡¯t help it. I¡¯ll stop now,¡± Grace hastily


    apologized.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    At this moment, Anastasia answered a call from Felicia. ¡°Come to my office for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Grace, I¡¯m going to Director Evans¡¯ office for a while. Look after Jared for me while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°Of course! No problem.¡± Grace gestured with an ¡®okay¡¯ sign.


    At the underground carpark of Bourgeois, a low key yet luxurious Bentley had just pulled up


    whereby Elliot alighted from the driver¡¯s seat.


    He had just received a call from Larry, informing him that there was an important


    document he needed to sign. It was then that he realized that the entire Bourgeois staff was working


    overtime.


    Larry offered to bring the document over to him, but since Elliot was coincidentally in the area, he


    came to the office on his own instead.


    He pressed the elevator button and rode the elevator up to his office.


    Grace yed with the little kid for a while before remembering that there was a document she was


    supposed to get signed. She told the child, ¡°Jared, promise me you¡¯ll not wander anywhere. I¡¯ll


    come back right after I deliver a document, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The little guy nodded obediently.


    She hadn¡¯t been gone for long when Jared needed to head to the bathroom. He opened the office


    door and ran out to the bathroom located on the same floor, only to find a sign saying ¡®under


    maintenance¡¯ hanging outside.


    The little guy immediately ran to the elevator and pressed the button to head up.


    Soon, the elevator doors opened with a ding.


    He looked up to see a tall man in the elevator. As soon as he raised his head, he asked, ¡°Sir, where


    is the bathroom? I need to pee.¡±


    Upon the child¡¯s sudden questioning, Elliot was surprised before his reserved dark gaze fell on the


    child whose height only reached his thighs. He was stunned for a few seconds as he saw the child¡¯s


    lifted face.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Where did this boye from?


    ¡°Sir, please hurry up and take me there. I can¡¯t hold it in anymore!¡± The little kid gripped Elliot¡¯s


    pants as he shouted with a red face.


    Elliot responded in a low voice, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    The elevator doors opened with a ding. He bent over and carried the child in his arms as he strode


    toward the bathroom.


    Elliot took the child inside and guarded as the little guy began to relieve himself.


    After the little guy was done, he sighed in contentment before he finally remembered to thank this


    handsome passerby.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name? Why are you here?¡± Elliot couldn¡¯t help but ask in curiosity.


    ¡°My name is Jared Tillman and I came to apany my mommy to work,¡± Jared answered in a


    clear voice.


    Elliot frowned. ¡°Is your mother Anastasia Tillman?¡±


    ¡°Do you know my mommy, Sir?¡±


    He was only taking a stab in the dark as well. Anastasia was a single mother, so her son probably


    had herst name.


    The little guy ran out and washed his hands. As he looked at the reflection of the tall man in the


    mirror, he suddenlymented, ¡°Sir, we look like each other!¡±


    Elliot froze before he earnestly examined their faces and realized that they had indeed resembled


    each other.


    Their eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips, and even the curve of their chins were exactly the


    same.


    ¡°Sir, are you single? Do you have a girlfriend?¡± The inquisitive little guy raised his head and asked.


    Elliot could see what the kid was thinking behind those huge eyes of his. However, despite knowing


    the child¡¯s intentions, he told the truth. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m single. I don¡¯t have a girlfriend.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Then, will you consider my mommy? She¡¯s young, beautiful and has a good figure. She¡¯s also kind


    and gentle on top of cooking very well.¡± The little guy began advertising his mother. He wanted to


    solve his grandpa¡¯s troubles and also to look for a man to take care of his mommy.


    Surprise colored Elliot¡¯s eyes. This little guy is pretty interesting, he thought. He narrowed his eyes


    and responded, ¡°Then, you¡¯ll have to ask her whether she¡¯s willing to marry me. If she is, I¡¯ll be


    willing to take her hand.¡±


    The little guy blinked with hisrge eyes, happy to know that everyone had loved his mother.


    After all, this handsome man said he was willing to marry her right off the bat.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll ask for you. What¡¯s your name?¡± The little guy nodded earnestly, walking toward the


    elevator when he was done washing his hands.


    ¡°My name is Elliot Presgrave,¡± the man replied in his deep and alluring voice.


    ¡°Okay! Got it.¡± The little guymitted it to memory. For some reason, he wanted to stay with this


    handsome man for a bit longer.


    ¡°Sir, my mommy is in a meeting now, so can I go to your office to y?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Elliot nodded. He was just leading the little guy out when two employees came walking


    from the other direction. They were instantly shocked when they saw the little guy next to Elliot.


    President Presgrave has a son?


    ¡°President Presgrave, I assume this is your son? He¡¯s too cute!¡±


    ¡°Yes! He looks just like you!¡± The two female employees eximed in surprise.


    Elliot frowned as he looked at the little guy next to him. Do we look so simr? Me and this kid?


    Then, he looked at the little guy. Even though the child wasn¡¯t his son, he somehow still felt attached


    to him and couldn¡¯t help but want to pamper him.


    His grandmother was right to urge him to take care of the child because he could feel an


    indescribable affinity to this child.


    In the meeting room, Grace opened the door and rushed in with a panicked expression. ¡°Anastasia,


    Jared is missing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anastasia immediately rose to her feet and ran out of the meeting room without another


    word. She saw that her son was indeed missing from her office, and Grace had also rified that


    she had searched the entire floor, but to no avail.


    At this moment, an assistant arrived from the 8th floor to deliver documents and said to Anastasia,


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I saw a child with President Presgrave just now!¡±

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Anastasia hurriedly took the elevator to the 8th floor. She stood in front of the president¡¯s office and


    knocked on the door before she opened it without even waiting for a response.


    When she spotted her son seated on Elliot¡¯s couch, she immediately sighed in relief before shouting


    in anger, ¡°Jared, are you trying to give me the fright of my life?! Why did you run off like that?!¡±


    Jared didn¡¯t expect his actions to have frightened his mother so much that she went pale. He hastily


    ran over and wrapped his arms around her leg. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia also realized that she had overreacted, so she hugged him and sighed again. ¡°Don¡¯t do


    that again.¡±


    ¡°Go back to work and leave him to me. I¡¯ll babysit him for you.¡± A man¡¯s voice rang out from behind


    them.


    She was stunned. This man must be trying to repay some kindness, but she didn¡¯t want to ept


    any help from him apart from work. Moreover, she didn¡¯t feel the need to bother him with a task like


    babysitting.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Thanks for the offer,¡± a reluctant Anastasia replied.


    ¡°Mommy, I like being with Mr. Handsome. Can you let me stay here until you get off work? Please?¡±


    The little guy asked happily with obvious anticipation on his face.


    Anastasia was speechless at her son¡¯s behavior. He could have chosen anyone to stick to, but of all


    the people, he chose Elliot.


    ¡°No. Come back to my office. I still have a meeting to attend, but I¡¯ll treat you to something lovely for


    lunch.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to! I want to y here in Mr. Handsome¡¯s office.¡± The little guy began to sulk, which


    was actually rare for him.


    Knowing that the meeting was still ongoing with theunch event for their new release on the


    agenda, Anastasia gritted her teeth. She looked up at the impressive man in front of her before


    saying, ¡°Then, please help me look after him for a while.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Elliot nodded.


    ¡°Jared, don¡¯t cause any trouble, okay? Mommy is going back to the meeting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be good,¡± the little guy promised.


    Anastasia turned and left for the meeting. The little guy happily sat on the couch again, then fished


    out a Rubik¡¯s cube from his backpack and began ying with it.


    Elliot sat right opposite him and watched the little guy skillfully rotate the cube. Jaredpleted the


    puzzle within 2 minutes, a clear indication of his marvelous IQ.


    ¡°Who taught you that?¡±


    ¡°I learnt it myself. Mr. Handsome, how long would you take toplete it?¡± The little guyughed as


    he asked.


    Elliot took the cube and scrambled it, then hepleted the puzzle within 10 seconds. He threw the


    item back to the little guy, who gaped as he looked at Elliot in admiration. ¡°You¡¯re awesome, Sir!¡±


    It was just a little kid¡¯s praise, but Elliot felt extremely good about it. He grinned andmented,


    ¡°You¡¯re quite good yourself too.¡± ||


    If one were to chance upon this scene, one would be amazed to discover that the two looked


    exactly the same when they smiled.


    Anastasia returned to the meeting room. Fortunately, Felicia didn¡¯t say much about the interlude and


    it was time for lunch by the time the meeting was done.


    Anastasia was wondering where she should bring her son for lunch when thendline rang. She


    reached over and answered, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Jared ising with me for lunch. Come and join us. We¡¯re at the restaurant opposite the


    company.¡± The man¡¯s low voice sounded, apparently not taking ¡®no¡¯ for an answer.


    Her mind began to buzz. Elliot has taken my son to lunch? Without my permission?Damn, this man


    just took my son away without any notice. How disrespectful!


    Anastasia grabbed her phone and bag before she hastily went out. The restaurant opposite the


    company was of a higher status, and when she walked into the hall, she immediately spotted her


    son and Elliot seated by the window.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and walked over to sit next to her son. ¡°This lunch is my treat, as my


    thanks to President Presgrave for taking care of my son.¡±


    With that, she finally felt better about the situation.


    Elliot gazed at her with a meaningful gaze, his thoughtsplicated. This woman had refused even


    a little bit of kindness from him.


    ¡°Mommy, Mr. Handsome only needs 10 seconds to solve the Rubik¡¯s cube,¡± the little guy


    commented as he wanted his mommy to know how excellent Mr. Handsome was as a person.


    She smiled carelessly. ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    After having their orders taken, they were served some ice cream before the meal. The little guy


    happily took some right away and began to eat. As Anastasia knew that Jared had stomach


    problems since he was young, he couldn¡¯t eat too much alkaline food. Hence, she suggested, ¡°Let


    me try some too.¡±


    ¡°Here, Mommy.¡± The little guy scooped some ice cream up for her, which she hastily ate. Moments


    after that, he scooped up some more and looked toward the man sitting opposite them. ¡°Sir, do you


    want some too?¡±


    Anastasia immediately panicked as she hastily stopped him. ¡°Jared, I ate from this spoon earlier, so


    you mustn¡¯t offer it to someone else. It¡¯s not polite.¡±


    However, the man sitting opposite them narrowed his eyes, thinking, We¡¯ve already kissed before,


    so why do you care?

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    The little guy could only eat it on his own while Anastasia had also eaten a fair share of the ice


    cream. The man opposite them watched their interactions and couldn¡¯t help but find the scene


    interesting.


    He was suddenly extremely curious about the identity of the child¡¯s father. What sort of man did this


    woman sleep with to give birth to this child?


    At this moment, Elliot¡¯s phone rang. He took the device out and gave it a nce before picking up


    the call. ¡°Hello, Hayley.¡±


    ¡°Elliot, where are you? Can you have dinner with me tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at thepany.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to work overtime, right?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something important I have to attend to.¡±


    ¡°B-But I want you with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you after I¡¯m done, alright?¡± Elliot coaxed her in his gentlest voice.


    Anastasia immediately knew that it was Hayley. She looked up at the man opposite her and noticed


    his gentle expression as he coaxed Hayley just like a lover would. It looks like Hayley never lied


    after all.


    It was true that she was someone important to Elliot.


    ¡°President Presgrave, is Hayley your girlfriend?¡± Anastasia¡¯s gaze was sharp as she looked at the


    man in front of her.


    ¡°We¡¯re just friends,¡± Elliot exined in a low voice.


    ¡°Mr. Handsome is single. He doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend,¡± the little guy suddenly testified.


    She turned to look at her son. ¡°And how do you know?¡±


    ¡°He told me himself. He also said that as long as you¡¯re willing to marry him, he¡¯s willing to marry


    you too. Mommy, let¡¯s not be picky, all right? Just get married!¡± The 4-year-old kid was worrying


    about his mother.


    Anastasia was dumbfounded. Then, she narrowed her eyes as she shot a warning re at the man


    opposite her. What did he tell Jared?


    However, she was met with aplicated and meaningful gaze.


    ¡°You can consider the proposal,¡± Elliot added in a low voice.


    She replied without hesitation, ¡°I shall not.¡±


    ¡°I quite like Jared and I¡¯m willing to take care of you both all my life.¡± He looked at the little guy and


    realized that the reluctance in his heart had disappeared without a trace.


    He was genuinely willing to take care of them.


    Anastasia had other ideas. She knew that the man had said those words without fully meaning it.


    He just wanted to repay the kindness and topensate for the fact that her mother had sacrificed


    herself to save him.


    And she wanted this man to remember how great her mother¡¯s sacrifice was, and it wasn¡¯t


    something that could bepensated with repaying kindness.


    Moreover, she was still greatly bothered about the fact that this man had slept with Hayley before.


    She had only kissed him that night, but she was already disgusted about it after she knew about the


    rtionship that Hayley and Elliot had. In that case, what were the chances of her marrying him?


    None. Never


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it, thanks,¡± Anastasia politely declined.


    Elliot looked at her as well and their gazes met; oneplex and messy while the other calm and


    clear.


    After lunch, Anastasia hurriedly left with her son. The little guy didn¡¯t forget to look back and bid the


    man goodbye. ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± Elliot waved at the little guy. Anastasia had taken the afternoon off, for she wanted to


    take her son on a visit to the museum in the city.


    It was already evening by the time they had finished a round in the museum. Anastasia bought


    some groceries and returned to their apartment. Jared then went to y so that she could focus on


    preparing dinner. Then, a message notification rang on her phone at this time.


    It was from Nigel. ¡®I¡¯m getting off the ne at 10.00AM tomorrow. Will you and Jarede and pick


    me up?¡¯


    Anastasia thought that she would be holed up at home with her son over the weekend anyway, so


    meeting Nigel sounded like a good idea. She sent her reply, ¡®Sure! See you at the airport tomorrow.


    ¡®Can¡¯t wait to see you two.


    ¡®You¡¯ll see us when youe back tomorrow.


    ¡®Wait for me, I¡¯ll bring gifts.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia smiled as she replied, ¡®It better not be the exorbitant ones or I won¡¯t ept them.


    She informed her son about itter that night. The little guy was also ted at the idea of meeting


    Nigel. After all, Nigel often came over to y with him when they were living abroad, just like a real


    uncle would.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    In a private luxury vi halfway up the mountain, Elliot received a call from his grandmother. Since


    her beloved grandson wasing back, she asked Elliot to search for the time to pick him up


    tomorrow and they would have lunch at the Presgrave Residence right afier that.


    Elliot agreed. Later, he asked his assistant to send Nigel¡¯s flight information over and saw that he


    should pick Nigel up at 10.00AM tomorrow.


    That weekend, Anastasia apanied her son to have breakfast at a restaurant outside at


    8:30AM. After checking the time, she went toward the direction of the airport at her own pace. Then,


    she decided to look for a cafe to pass the time in the airport


    At 9:30AM, Anastasia apanied her son to watch the nes take off by therge windows.


    Finally, at 9:50AM, she led her son toward the airport¡¯s arrivals section, but it was already crowded


    with people waiting for their loved ones. Holding her son¡¯s hand, she waited in the open space next


    to the arrivals.


    The travelers finally emerged one after another. Amidst the crowd was a particrly dazzling figure


    who soon stepped forward. The man was wearing a blue shirt and casual jeans while a pair of


    sunsses was perched on his thick hair. His facial features were handsome and charming, and he


    was surrounded by a superior aura. In fact, he was more eye-catching than celebrities.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Mr. Nigel!¡± Jared ran over immediately while Anastasia also rushed over.


    Nigel immediately pushed his trolley aside, then squatted down and hugged the little boy. ¡°Hello,


    boy! Did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes I did.¡± Jared nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too.¡± After speaking, Nigel carried the little boy to ce him on the trolley and


    steadily pushed the trolley toward Anastasia, who also smiled at him as she waited for him toe


    over.


    At this moment, at the entrance of another passage, a handsome and mature figure quickly walked


    in with his assistant Rey. Elliot waste. However, he immediately saw Nigel at first nce and also


    saw that slender figure as well as the little boy sitting on the trolley at the same time.


    Il turned out that Anastasia was also here.


    Just when Elliot decided to head over, he saw Nigel tightly hugging Anastasia. Seeing that, he


    halted all of a sudden among the crowd 10 meters away. His pupils shrank while he continued


    looking at the pair who were in a tight embrace. At this time, his mind was filled with extremely


    complicated thoughts.


    ¡°President Presgrave, do we still go forward?¡± Rey asked.


    Elliot looked at the pair still in their embrace indifferently, his handsome face a little ugly.


    ¡°It seems that he doesn¡¯t need me to pick him up after all. Let¡¯s go back!¡± Elliot didn¡¯t wait for Rey to


    react before he turned to leave. The back of his figure seemed to emanate anger at this point.


    Anastasia, who was suddenly hugged by Nigel, froze for a few seconds before she patted the man


    who was hugging her tightly. ¡°Enough. You¡¯ve squeezed me for too long and I¡¯m almost out of


    breath.¡±


    Nigel smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you! How can you understand that without me hugging


    you?¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡± she said to him.


    Thus, the group of three walked out of the airport. He didn¡¯t let anyone from his familye to pick


    him up while she had taken a cab here, so they could only wait for a cab.


    At this moment, a ck car drove over and the driver inside was Elliot¡¯s driver.


    ¡°Young Master Nigel, please get in the car.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Logan, why are you here?¡± Nigel asked in surprise.


    ¡°Young Master Elliot arranged for me toe,¡± Logan exined while getting out of the car, then


    hurriedly carried the luggage to ce it in the trunk.


    In the car behind, Elliot, who had not left, sat in Rey¡¯s car while staring at the person in front of him.


    Elliot saw Nigel hug the little boy and kiss him before cing him in the back seat. Then, Anastasia


    entered the car while Nigel took the front passenger seat.


    ¡°President Presgrave, it seems that Young Master Nigel and Miss Tillman have a good rtionship,¡±


    Reymented.


    ¡°Return to Presgrave Residence,¡± Elliot ordered.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    On the way, Nigel received a call from his grandmother. However, since he had already agreed to


    apany Anastasia and her son for lunch, he decided to only return to Presgrave Residence for


    dinner at night.


    In the restaurant, Nigel talked about his ns to return to the country. He had returned to inherit the


    family business this time.


    ¡°What exactly does your family do? Can you tell me specifically?¡± an inquisitive Anastasia asked.


    Nigel gave a mysterious smile; he had deliberately concealed his family background abroad and


    she had only known him as an ordinary hotel manager.


    At this moment, he didn¡¯t want to hide the truth anymore, so he pointed to the most luxurious hotel


    outside the window and said, ¡°That belongs to my family.¡±


    Anastasia turned to look out the window. It was a 7-star luxury hotel, yet it turned out to be owned


    by his family?


    ¡°My family has businesses in 36 countries around the world. The hotel that I interned at abroad is


    also owned by my family. Anastasia, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you,¡± he apologized.


    She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t expect you to be the young master of a wealthy family.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. To you, I¡¯m still me; nothing has changed,¡± he hurriedly exined.


    Anastasia shrugged and exined, ¡°I¡¯m also lucky to be able to be friends with you! I can proudly


    say to the outside world that I am friends with you!¡±


    Nigel looked at her with a wry smile. Why did she just want to be his friend? He wanted to have a


    more intimate rtionship with her. However, he was not in a hurry and could wait for her.


    In the afternoon, he apanied Jared to go shopping for clothes and toys. If Anastasia hadn¡¯t


    stopped him, he would probably have moved the entire Lego store home for Jared. She knew that


    he was wealthy, but he couldn¡¯t spoil her son so much because she was afraid that Jared would


    be a spoiled brat. The little boy was ted today because he had received many gifts, all of


    which were his favorites.


    The little boy went to the room to unpack the gifts in Anastasia¡¯s apartment. Then,


    she poured a ss of water for Nigel and asked curiously, ¡°Nigel, do you know Elliot?¡±


    He almost choked on the water when he heard that, after which he hurriedly covered his thin lips


    and coughed. ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re not in love with him, are you?¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    After being stunned for a few seconds, Anastasia frowned. ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°I admit that he is the only man more handsome and more attractive than me in this world. I am


    afraid that you will fall in love with him, and if that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t be able to win the fight,¡± Nigel


    said somewhat jokingly.


    ¡°You know him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my cousin,¡± he exined.


    Hearing that, Anastasia was shocked and speechless. What? Is Elliot Nigel¡¯s cousin? No wonder


    his family is wealthy! It turned out that they¡¯re family!


    ¡°Anastasia, I know that he has acquired QR International Group and is now your new boss. Do you


    like him?¡±


    She retorted indifferently, ¡°No. Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Do you think I¡¯m such a superficial person?¡±


    A grinning Nigel immediately rxed. ¡°Of course, I know you have an entric character.


    Otherwise, based on my appearance alone, you would have fallen in love with me a long time ago.¡±


    Anastasia smiled before she looked at the time and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back to your family for


    dinner? Go ahead! It¡¯s already 5:30PM.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll contact you tomorrow then.¡± Nigel returned to the room, said goodbye to the little boy, and


    then left.


    She was sitting on the sofa, still lost for words about how she got to know more of Elliot¡¯s family. No


    wonder Elliot didn¡¯t allow her to talk about what happened that night. So, was he also afraid of being


    humiliated?


    When Monday came, Anastasia sent her son to kindergarten. Seeing how obediently her son went


    to school, she also went to work with a great peace of mind.


    As soon as she arrived at the office, she was greeted by everyone¡¯s attention. She didn¡¯t know what


    had happened until a female assistant said to her, ¡°Miss Tillman, your boyfriend is so handsome!¡±.


    Boyfriend? What boyfriend?

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    She had just arrived at the office when she saw the young man sitting on the sofa with his legs


    crossed before noticing the stunning bouquet of red roses on her desk. Seeing all that, she didn¡¯t


    know whether tough or to cry.


    ¡°Young Master Nigel, why are you here so early in the morning?¡± Anastasia asked helplessly.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see your working environment. This office is too small. Do you want me to ask my


    cousin to change it for you?¡± Nigel asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°No, I like it here a lot.¡± She didn¡¯t want to enjoy any extra privileges.


    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you at work and we can have lunch together at noon.¡± He seemed extraordinarily


    free.


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to work?¡±


    ¡°Although I came back this time to take over the family business, I had already asked my dad for a


    two-week vacation.¡± Nigel¡¯s lips curled into a smile.


    During the period of his vacation, he didn¡¯t want to go anywhere; he just wanted to stay by her side.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait for me at the caf¨¦? You will affect my mood for wood.¡±


    ¡°What? Am I so handsome that you can¡¯t concentrate?¡± Nigel narrowed his beautiful eyes. This man


    had all the right to be this confident.


    Anastasia was amused by him and snorted. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll wait for you at my cousin¡¯s office.¡± After speaking, he picked up the bunch of roses


    and handed it to her. ¡°These are for you; do you like them?¡±


    ¡°Why are you giving me flowers?¡± She still reached out and took the flowers.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°If you like, I will send you a bunch of flowers every day in the future.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± Anastasia politely rejected him.


    Hearing that, Nigel simply gazed deeply at her with affection. ¡°See you at noon.¡± After speaking, he


    reluctantly left.


    As soon as he left, an excited Grace knocked on the door and came in. ¡°Anastasia, wow! He¡¯s so


    handsome! Is he your boyfriend?¡±


    Without raising her head, Anastasia tidied up her office. ¡°He¡¯s just a friend.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. He¡¯s clearly interested in you. Look at these roses.¡±


    Anastasia was toozy to exin, so she said to Grace, ¡°Just get me a cup of coffee!¡±


    At the president¡¯s office, Elliot had arrivedte today, but he had already decided to permanently


    work from here. Compared to the office at Presgrave Corporation, the working conditions here were


    not that great.


    Before he entered the office, his female assistant informed him that a guest had arrived. He stepped


    into the office and stared at a slender, handsome figure without much surprise.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked lightly.


    ¡°Elliot, I¡¯m here to pass the time. I¡¯ll wait for Anastasia to get off work and invite her to lunch at


    noon.¡± Nigel didn¡¯t hide his intention.


    Elliot sat in his ce and turned on theputer to manage his emails while a bored Nigel yed


    games on his phone. The two cousins tacitly agreed not to disturb each


    other.


    At this time, Elliot¡¯sndline rang, so he reached out to answer the call. ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°President Presgrave, do you wish to attend today¡¯s departmental meeting?¡± Felicia¡¯s voice


    sounded on the other end.


    Elliot said that as long as it was a routine meeting of the design department, he had to be notified,


    so Felicia would ask him in advance every time.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll get off work in a while,¡± he responded.


    Anastasia was also notified that she needed to attend the meeting. She gathered the meeting


    materials and went out. However, she had just turned a corner when she suddenly bumped into


    someone along the corridor. Fortunately, she quickly responded and came to a sudden stop inches


    away from a man¡¯s chest.


    Raising her head, she saw the man¡¯s clean and dust-free shirt, then looked over at the man¡¯s sexy


    corbone, Adam¡¯s apple, and perfect jawline¡­


    Before she could finish her admiration of the man, he had passed her by and walked indifferently


    toward the meeting room. So, Anastasia could only follow his footsteps in awkwardness and walked


    to the meeting room as well.


    As soon as the door opened, Elliot sat in his seat while her position today was next to him.


    Noticing that, Alice looked at Anastasia with some jealousy. She felt that Anastasia was merely too


    lucky. Even though Anastasia had made a few mistakes, she still got to remain in thepany with


    no other punishment either. Thus, Alice deeply suspected that Anastasia had a secret rtionship


    with Elliot.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    ¡°The subject of today¡¯s meeting is that each person will submit a market research report and regr


    design works at the end of this month. Anastasia and Alice should get ready to participate in the


    jewelrypetition at the end of the month,¡± Felicia announced.


    ¡°Felicia, isn¡¯t there a rule in thepany that outsiders are not allowed toe in and out of the


    company at will? Why do Anastasia¡¯s family members, friends and boyfriends get toe in? It¡¯s


    not in line with the rules!¡± Alice immediately spoke up.


    Felicia was also a little awkward at this. She looked at Anastasia and mentioned, ¡°Anastasia, tell


    your boyfriend not toe to thepany often. By sending flowers to thepany, it will affect


    other employees in ourpany.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s face was slightly hot when she heard that. Does everyone regard Nigel as my


    boyfriend?


    Then, she felt a deep and probing gaze on her as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Seeing that bunch of roses makes me jealous! Anastasia, your boyfriend is so


    handsome. How could you dare to bring him to thepany? Aren¡¯t you afraid that someone will


    steal him away?¡± another female designer joked.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Anastasia simply admitted that Nigel was her boyfriend since it would be


    more troublesome to exin otherwise anyway.


    Elliot¡¯s gaze became a little moreplicated at that. Thinking of the time when Nigel and


    Anastasia had hugged each other at the airport, he remembered that the woman did not refuse the


    man¡¯s advances either. Now, she was even openly admitting that Nigel was her boyfriend.


    After the boring regr meeting was over, Elliot said with a sullen face, ¡°Anastasia stays while the


    others may leave.¡±


    Everyone in the room felt the surliness of the big boss, so they quickly rose and left for fear of being


    taken out upon by his anger.


    Anastasia was also speechless. Why does he have such an ugly expression?


    When the door of the meeting room was closed, he turned in his chair and an oppressive aura


    swept over her. Looking at her with cold eyes, he said, ¡°You should be aware of my rtionship with


    Nigel.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I do. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Elliot¡¯s face became uglier. ¡°Remember that you owe me something?¡± He locked eyes with her


    deeply, exuding inexplicable danger.


    Anastasia thought for a while, but couldn¡¯t remember what she owed him, so she asked, ¡°Do I owe


    you anything?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten?¡± He flew into a rage all of a sudden because the woman had really forgotten.


    ¡°Give me a hint.¡± How could I have time to remember unimportant things?


    The man stood up abruptly before sping her wrist with his long arms. Pushing Anastasia¡¯s waist


    against the table, he pressed down upon her with his body raging with hormones. As Anastasia


    instinctively leaned back, the man¡¯s hand held the back of her head. Then, he pinched her chin and


    raised it coldly before his lips came to cover hers with a strong sense of fury.


    And so, the kiss fell on the woman¡¯s soft lips without any advance notice. It was domineering, rough,


    and full of aggression as if it was some kind of punishment.


    Anastasia¡¯s beautiful eyes widened in shock; she couldn¡¯t believe that this man would do this to her


    in public.


    His breath swept through her without her consent, causing her mind to go nk. As such, her first


    reaction was to be annoyed. She pushed him with all her strength and shouted, ¡°Elliot, what are you


    doing?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to remind you? This is what you owe me.¡± The man¡¯s voice was hoarse, while


    his eyes were dark, and his words were full of mockery.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Taking a deep breath, Anastasia then lifted her hand and wiped her lips with disgust. When she


    thought that Hayley was in a rtionship with this man, and that he had touched Hayley before


    kissing her, she felt extremely disgusted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kiss me!¡± Anastasia shouted angrily. ¡°If you do this again, I will sue you.¡±


    Elliot stared at her eyes; she was like a ming rose. Her lips were incredibly soft, which made him


    unable to detach himself from her. It even reminded him of the touch of that night 5 years ago. In


    fact, it was indeed such a delicate feeling that made him go under. Why does this woman make me


    feel this way? She¡¯s obviously a stranger.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    An irritated Anastasia pushed open the door and left. This b*stard actually kissed me! How dare he?


    Back in the office, she suddenly recalled thest time he was in the hospital. When he rescued her,


    she said she wanted to thank him, but he said she would owe him instead. So, was this kiss what


    she owed him?


    Ugh. In the future, I can owe anything to anyone, but I can¡¯t owe this man anything. It¡¯s grave! He¡¯s


    simply a beast.


    Nigel had just finished ying a game when he saw his unhappy cousin walking in. ¡°Elliot, what¡¯s


    wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Elliot sat down on the chair in a bad mood.


    ¡°Elliot, Bourgeois¡¯ office is so modest that it doesn¡¯t match your identity at all. Why don¡¯t you return


    to the Presgrave Corporation office?¡±


    ¡°What do you care?¡± Elliot snorted lightly.


    Nigel stared nkly at him. Elliot, are you in a bad mood? Who messed with you?


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Anastasia?¡± Elliot asked him all of a sudden.


    Joy immediately shed in Nigel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Well.. You know! I like her, and I¡¯m pursuing her!¡±


    ¡°Have you seeded?¡± Elliot looked at theputer screen and asked again in a deep voice.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be soon.¡± Nigel was extremely confident that he would definitely capture Anastasia¡¯s heart when


    heunched a series of romantic attacks soon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t send flowers to her in thepany in the future; it will affect her work efficiency, and it will


    also make her colleagues have negative opinions of her,¡± Elliotmented


    Nigel was secretly surprised; how did Elliot receive the news of him sending flowers so soon?


    ¡°Elliot, give me a hand! How about using your power as her boss to give her a


    vacation and let me take her out to have fun? Or, if you arrange her office to be on the same floor as


    yours, it will be much more convenient for me to date her,¡± Nigel spoke with a naive smile.


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Elliot snorted coldly.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°You are the big boss! You have this power.¡± Nigel gritted his teeth and tried again.


    Elliot raised his eyes icily. ¡°You need to depend on your ability to pursue her; don¡¯t expect me to


    help you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so mean.¡± Nigel huffed and continued to y his game. At this moment, a call came in and


    he answered, ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Young Master Nigel, are you booking a reservation at Cardi Restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Cardi.¡± Nigel confirmed and hung up the phone.


    Elliot suddenly and unceremoniously drove him away. ¡°If you want to y games, go to the lounge


    next door. Don¡¯t disturb me at work.¡±


    Nigel obediently rose to his full height and went to the next door.


    Then, Elliot caressed his upper thin lip with slender fingers. The kiss in the meeting room earlier still


    lingered in his mind. Surprisingly, the soft touch made him very much wanting more.


    At this moment, Rey knocked on the door and came in. ¡°President Presgrave, where do you want to


    have lunch at noon?¡±


    Elliot¡¯s thin lips parted elegantly. ¡°Cardi.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll immediately reserve a ce for you.¡± Rey withdrew from the room.


    In Anastasia¡¯s office, the woman was still annoyed because all of the ideas in her head had


    disappeared. All of this was caused by Elliot¡¯s sudden kiss in the meeting room. When she thought


    that this man had kissed Hayley before, she felt ufortable in her heart. In the future, this kind of


    thing must never happen again.


    At noon in the Cardi Restaurant, Anastasia and Nigel sat by the window. She was so hungry that


    she picked up the menu and started ordering thereafter. At this moment, the waiter ushered in


    another two guests.


    She nced curiously at them, and instantly, her beautiful eyes widened at the sight


    of the figures of Elliot and his assistant Reying over.


    How could it be so coincidental?


    Looking in the direction that she was looking, Nigel was also surprised. Then, Rey politely greeted


    him, ¡°Young Master Nigel, good afternoon.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ Why are you guys eating here too? Would you like to join us?¡± Nigel immediately rose to his


    full height and walked toward Elliot and Rey.


    ¡°No need. We have work to discuss.¡± Elliot refused and walked to his reserved table, but he chose


    to sit where he could face Anastasia¡¯s way.


    Nigel was also busy trying to please his love interest, so he immediately returned to his seat. As for


    Anastasia, she stared at the menu while cursing her bad luck in her heart. How unfortunate it is that


    I keep bumping into Elliot everywhere!


    Raising her head, she abruptly nced past Nigel and her gaze fell on the man at the table


    opposite holding a cup of tea.


    Meeting those bottomless eyes, the light in Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned cold. Thinking about what this


    man had done to her in the meeting earlier, she was even madder.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    ¡°Anastasia, have you missed me after we¡¯ve been separated for so long?¡± Nigel held his chin and


    looked at her affectionately with seductive eyes.


    Anastasia retracted her gaze, and when she looked at Nigel, she smiled. ¡°Of course!¡±


    Then, he took out car keys with an attached crystal keychain. ¡°When I miss you, I¡¯ll take this out to


    look at it. What about the one I gave you? You didn¡¯t throw it away, did you?¡±


    She was slightly embarrassed. ¡°I think I forgot to bring it back here.¡±


    ¡°You! How could you not properly keep the gift I gave you? I¡¯ll buy you another er,¡± he


    scolded with a smile.


    ¡°Is it necessary?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll buy another pair. One for you, and one for me. When we don¡¯t see each other, we can look


    at them and resolve our lovesickness.¡± Nigel was also quite the romantic and all his thoughts were


    now on Anastasia.


    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll select them and give you one.¡±


    ¡°They must be a matching pair.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Anastasia nodded as she smiled. As she looked away, her eyes had once again met the


    cold eyes belonging to the man sitting not far away from her. For some reason, she felt that Elliot¡¯s


    gaze had be icier as if someone had offended him.


    Rey was called over for lunch by Elliot today, who said that he had some work to discuss, but after


    waiting for a long time, Elliot didn¡¯t talk about work at all. Instead, Elliot¡¯s expression had suddenly


    be worse, Rey had been with him for 5 years, and he was the closest person to Elliot, so he


    knew why Elliot¡¯s expression was dark.


    Soon, the sumptuous lunch came. Anastasia was hungry, so she decided to quickly begin eating


    ¡°This is delicious! Taste it.¡± Nigel picked up some food with his fork and held it in front of a startled


    Anastasia. She subconsciously opened her mouth and took a bite.


    ¡°How is it? Is it delicious?¡± he asked with a happy smile.


    Anastasia¡¯s face warmed slightly; she realized that this was something only couples did! However,


    she still nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The man on the opposite side looked at their lovey-dovey manner with a gloomy face. Facing the


    lunch in front of him, he had no appetite.


    ¡°Sir, have some lunch! We have to go back to the Presgrave Group for a meeting in the afternoon.¡±


    Rey tried to persuade his boss. Elliot shouldn¡¯t refuse to eat just because he was angry about


    Anastasia¡¯s public disy of affection!


    Anastasia had just finished eating a cheese shrimp, and she identally had a little cheese sauce


    on the corner of her mouth. She didn¡¯t realize it, but Nigel on the opposite side saw it. Thus, he


    immediately narrowed his eyes and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Anastasia immediately stopped moving. She then blinked her beautiful eyes and looked at him as


    he stretched out his long arms to gently wipe his fingers across the corners of her mouth. ¡°You have


    sauce on your mouth.¡±


    At that, Anastasia¡¯s face flushed red; she hurriedly grabbed her napkin and wiped the corner of her


    mouth elegantly. Nevertheless, her current expression was extremely shy and dainty in the eyes of


    those who saw her. Not only was Nigel attracted by her, but even the man at the table opposite


    them also narrowed his eyes at the sight of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Anastasia got up and went off.


    Not long after she left, Elliot also followed suit. When Nigel turned around, he saw Rey alone.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my cousin?¡± he asked.


    ¡°President Presgrave went out to take a call,¡± Rey replied, although he saw that Elliot was clearly


    going to the restroom.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Nigel didn¡¯t think much about it.


    In the restroom, Anastasia had juste out after washing her hands when she suddenly saw Elliot


    smoking in the smoking area next to the corridor. His long fingers were pinching the cigarette as he


    blew a cloud of smoke that hid his cold but handsome face. She pretended not to see him and


    passed him while pretending to tidy her long hair. However, just as she approached him, the man¡¯s


    hand elegantly snubbed the cigarette out and as she passed him, he grabbed her with so much


    strength that she had no way to resist. Thus, she was pushed against the far wall of


    the smoking area.


    ¡°Elliot, what are you doing? It hurts¡­¡± Anastasia felt that her bones were about to be crushed by


    him.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    The man¡¯s eyes were cold and stern as a warning shed across his eyes. ¡°Anastasia, I won¡¯t allow


    you to y with Nigel¡¯s feelings. If you don¡¯t care about him, don¡¯t lie to him.¡±


    When his slightly smoky breath blew on her face, Anastasia turned away in disgust before she


    retorted, ¡°I am not ying with his feelings. We are friends.¡±


    ¡°If you just want to be friends with him, don¡¯t flirt with him.¡±


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± She red at him at once, wondering why he should meddle in her business.


    Elliot gritted his teeth and his tone was cold as he responded, ¡°I do care.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my business; what do you care?¡±


    ¡°You can y with other men¡¯s hearts, but not Nigel.¡±


    ¡°When did you see me ying with his heart? Don¡¯t speak nonsense without evidence.¡±


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Just now. I saw with both eyes.¡± Elliot snorted coldly. He wasn¡¯t blind, and he had seen her flirting


    with Nigel earlier with his own eyes.


    Anastasia was speechless. After all, she thought that it was just how she and Nigel got along even


    though they were really just friends.


    ¡°Let go of me¡­¡± Anastasia then realized that she was being trapped in such a tiny corner by this


    man, and his breath was thick.


    ¡°Only if you promise to keep your distance from him.¡± The man¡¯s gaze was full of warning


    As she stood in front of this man, Anastasia was filled with repulsion. She didn¡¯t feel likeplying


    and preferred to make him angry instead.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to intervene in my affairs with him.¡± Anastasia raised her eyebrows and spoke


    stubbornly.


    ¡°Do you want to marry him?¡± Elliot asked with a dark look.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll marry him. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Anastasia sneered. After all, marrying Nigel was fine


    too.


    Staring at her coldly, Elliot felt that this stubborn but beautiful face in front of him was really messing


    with his emotions. In fact, he was annoyed that he didn¡¯t know what to do with her.


    When Anastasia met his gaze, she was stunned too. What is this man going to do?


    But no matter what, if the man dared to touch her, she would scream.


    The man¡¯s eyes fell on her eyebrows and moved down to her eyes, her nose, and then to her


    extremely soft red lips. As a matter of fact, he knew how soft it was from his experience.


    After only staring for a few seconds, his gaze instantly darkened and became dangerous


    When Anastasia realized what the man wanted to do, he had already pinched her chin


    domineeringly, and his thin lips were already upon hers.


    As her mind went nk, Anastasia cursed inwardly about how persistent this man was. However,


    this man¡¯s kiss had an inexplicable kind of power that made her whole body go numb like it was


    being electrocuted. His kiss was full of possessiveness, and it was so domineering that it was


    unbearable for her. In addition, this was the smoking area of the restaurant, and anyone would


    come over at any time. Thus, the nervousness Anastasia felt also made her feel disoriented.


    This man is really perverted.


    She pushed him hard with her hands, but her strength was taken away by him. The more she


    pushed him, the harder he kissed her and entangled his tongue with hers.


    As they kissed, his big hand restlessly tightened around her waist-it was as if the kiss had


    awakened the instinctive reaction of any man¡­


    At that moment, Anastasia suddenly came to her senses. Anxiously, she caught his tongue and bit it


    hard.


    The man let go of her in pain while his misty eyes stared at her angrily. Then, she hurriedly ran


    away from him and out of the ce. There was still a sweet smell of his blood lingering in her mouth


    when she returned to the main dining area. After taking a deep breath, she returned to the table


    where Nigel was sitting as if nothing had happened. Then, she picked up the ss and drank all the


    water in one go.


    He¡¯s just too much! Just too much! Elliot, this b*stard, is a terrible pervert.


    ¡°Why is your face so red, Anastasia? Are you running a fever?¡± Nigel asked worriedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I-I still have work in the afternoon, Nigel. I¡¯ll head back to thepany first.¡± Anastasia


    had no appetite at all.


    ¡°So soon? In that case, I¡¯ll see you off.¡± Nigel got up immediately, and when he got to the counter,


    he called out, ¡°Send the bill to the Presgrave Group.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Young Master Nigel,¡± answered the manager immediately.


    After a while, Elliot returned to his seat. Looking at the empty seats at the other table, his gaze was


    unfathomable.


    ¡°President Presgrave, Young Master Nigel and Miss Tillman have already paid the bill and left.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Elliot responded.

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    Chapter 46


    Anastasia refused to let Nigel send her up when they arrived at thepany, so he could only send


    her to the door. He felt a little puzzled as he watched her hurry in.


    How did the meal end so abruptly like that? He still had so many things to say to her!


    Anastasia covered her face when she returned to her office, for her mind was full of what had


    happened in the restaurant just now. It was too much to be taken advantage of twice in the same


    day by that man.


    Meanwhile, in a luxury vi, Hayley hadn¡¯t been able to eat or sleep well recently-it was all because


    Anastasia had been haunting her like a nightmare.


    She had dreamed several times that Elliot got angry and told her to get out. No matter how she


    pleaded, Elliot hated her so much that he abandoned her without a thought. These dreams would


    wake her up every time, and her entire body would be drenched in cold sweat. Anastasia¡¯s


    presence seemed to be a boulder on her chest, and if she didn¡¯t get rid of her, she would live


    forever in these nightmares.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you ruin my ns, Anastasia.¡± Hayley bit her lip and clenched her fists fiercely. As she


    thought about it, a vicious light shed in her eyes. If she wanted to kill Anastasia, the best people


    to use were the mother and daughter of the Tillman Family. She knew that Erica hated Anastasia


    deeply because of their family assets, and Hayley felt that she could just take advantage of this.


    Didn¡¯t Anastasia love her child very much? In that case, she would let that child suffer a little!


    The thought of Elliot¡¯s blood flowing in that boy made her mad with jealousy. Thus, her resentment


    and hatred were all focused on the child.


    Soon, Hayley called Erica and began her malicious n.


    ¡°Hey, Hayley.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, Erica? Has Anastasia returned the 8 million real estate yet?¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t even wait to take everything from my dad now! Will she even return it?¡± Erica gritted her


    teeth.


    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t let her be-you have to teach her a lesson. Otherwise, she will think that you and


    your mother are doormats.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Of course, I have to teach her a lesson. When I find an opportunity, 1¨C¡±


    ¡°Erica, what opportunities exactly are you looking for? I know Anastasia is not easy to harm, but


    doesn¡¯t she have a three-year-old son? If you make this kid suffer a little, she will feel a hundred


    times more distressed than if you harm her.¡±


    Erica immediately replied, ¡°What do you really mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Just think of a way to bring this child back to your house and pretend to take him out to have some


    fun. Children are usually naughty at that age, so it¡¯s normal to lose him by ident. You¡¯ll be able to


    watch Anastasia go mad with worry by then.¡±


    Erica was fuming at the moment, so when she heard Hayley¡¯s suggestion, her eyes lit up. ¡°Yes!


    Why didn¡¯t I think of it? If Anastasia goes crazy and dies of anger, I¡¯ll be even happier.¡±


    Hayley knew Erica very well; thetter¡¯s mind had always been simple and easily influenced.


    ¡°Erica, you can¡¯t let her take away your father¡¯s assets under any circumstances. Now, she wants 8


    million worth of real estate. Next year, she will want a car worth one million, or she¡¯ll take the


    opportunity to ask for your father¡¯spany. By that time, it¡¯ll be toote. You must let her know


    how powerful you are first.¡± Hayley added fuel to the fire and made things sound even worse.


    Sure enough, the family assets were what Erica cared about most. Thus, the more she listened, the


    more panicked she became. ¡°Yes, I have to frighten her first. Otherwise, she will think that we are


    easy targets for her to bully.¡±


    Seeing that Erica had sessfully taken the bait, Hayley breathed a sigh of relief and waited for


    Erica to act on it. Moreover, Erica had to take Anastasia¡¯s phone away on that day¡ªonce the child


    was lost, he would not be able to contact her. If a child trafficker saw the child and abducted him


    away, Anastasia would surely live in grief for the rest of her life.


    Most importantly, this child of Elliot¡¯s would also disappear forever.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    As Hayley thought about it viciously, she realized that she now had to bribe someone from


    Bourgeois to help her as well as find the opportunity to take Anastasia¡¯s phone away.


    In the meantime, Anastasia was busy with work. After all, the announcement date of the jewelry


    competition¡¯s results was approaching, and she was looking forward to it. If she could win the prize,


    she would have a bonus of one million in her ount. For her son¡¯s future, she had be a


    shrewd and calctive woman to the point where she had to earn every coin she could.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    She wanted to save a lot of money for her son so that she would not have to worry about his school


    fees and his wedding expenses. Although her son was still young, she had already made several


    long-term ns.


    ¡°Anastasia, there is a shop tour this Friday night. You should make time for it!¡± Felicia came over to


    inform her.


    ¡°Friday night? What time does it start?¡±


    ¡°It starts at 6.00PM. You need to write a report which will be entered into the award assessment for


    the second half of the year.¡± Felicia reminded her.


    Since the half-year award was a considerable sum of money, Anastasia thought to herself that she


    had to win it too.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± Anastasia nodded. After all, the loss of the attendance awardst time


    was regretful enough for her.


    A


    Since the day after tomorrow was Friday, Anastasia felt that she had no choice but to trouble her


    father and let hime over to take care of her son.


    In the cafe next to Bourgeois, Hayley had invited May Potter, a female designer, out. When May


    saw that it was Hayley Seymour-also known as President Presgrave¡¯s girlfriend¡ªwho had asked


    her out for coffee, she was excited and happy.


    ¡°Do you really want to order a set of jewelry from me, Miss Seymour?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I admire your talent very much, so I¡¯ve decided to order a set of jewelry designed by you.¡±


    Hayley pretended to be haughty. ¡°Also, I want you to do something for me.¡±


    ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°You should be very clear about the rivalry between me and Anastasia. I want you to watch her for


    me and report her affairs to me at any time.¡± Hayley held the cup of coffee elegantly while


    pretending to be a high-ssdy.


    Since May was a neer, she was eager to get ahead in Bourgeois. A good opportunity had


    been presented in front of her, so how could she not seize it? Besides, she was also jealous of


    Anastasia¡¯s excellent resources and hated her design talent even more.


    ¡°Miss Seymour, I hate Anastasia as much as you do. She thinks she doesn¡¯t need to take others


    seriously just because she has good looks. In addition, I¡¯m annoyed by the fact that she¡¯s always


    trying to seduce President Presgrave.¡±


    Hayley snorted coldly. Has Anastasia always seduced Elliot in thepany?


    ¡°Thank you for sticking up for me, May. I feel utterly infuriated by her. As long as you help me, I will


    ce five million worth of jewelry orders with you.¡±


    Five million? May suppressed her surprise and happiness. She would have almost 200,000 in


    commission fees alone! God! I am going to get rich.


    ¡°I will keep an eye on Anastasia for you, Miss Seymour. If she dares to seduce President


    Presgrave, I will tell you as soon as possible.¡± May expressed her loyalty and obedience to Hayley.


    Upon sensing May¡¯s toadyism, Hayley nodded. ¡°Very well, I won¡¯t treat you badly if you help me


    out.¡±


    May was determined to curry favor with Hayley, so she would be Hayley¡¯s eyes to monitor


    Anastasia in thepany.


    Today, it was just another day with a regr departmental meeting. When Anastasia entered the


    conference room, she could not help but breathe a sigh of relief when she saw that Elliot¡¯s seat was


    empty. After all, she didn¡¯t like seeing Elliot very much now.


    However, at this moment, steady footsteps came from the door of the conference room, and a


    domineering figure soon entered. His powerful aura immediately felt oppressive on everyone


    present as Elliot walked in against the light like a god descending


    Upon seeing him, Anastasia was lost for words.


    Does he have nothing better to do? It¡¯s just a regr department meeting, so why does he need to


    come every time?


    Apart from Anastasia, all the female designers here weed Elliot, but the first person he looked


    at every time he sat down was always Anastasia. Thus, the women present all looked at her with


    jealousy, and May was no exception. Now that she was helping Hayley, she was extra observant


    about everything Anastasia said and did.


    On the other hand, Anastasia was twirling her pen in a bored manner. As the pen spun, it suddenly


    fell out between her fingers and rolled directly in front of Elliot.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    After being stunned for a few seconds, Anastasia then raised her head to meet a pair of unhappy


    eyes; Elliot was narrowing his eyes and ncing at her icily. He took her pen and ced it in front of


    him without any intention of returning it.


    Since Anastasia still had to note things down with that pen, she stood up in embarrassment as her


    face blushed. Then, she went over and forcibly took the pen back.


    Elliot nced at her, but he didn¡¯t speak nor show any signs of displeasure.


    Upon seeing this, Felicia coughed awkwardly. ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s continue the meeting and not do


    other things.¡±


    While her face turned even redder, Anastasia felt that bad things always seemed to happen with


    Elliot around.


    ¡°Anastasia, you and May will be grouped together for this Friday¡¯s event.¡± Felicia began to ce the


    designers into teams.


    May immediately pretended to be happy. ¡°Let¡¯s work well together, Anastasia.¡±


    The woman nodded and smiled at May. After Felicia divided everyone into teams, she began to


    analyze the design works and the market. Elliot didn¡¯t say a word, but he listened to everything.


    However, his gaze fell on Anastasia from time to time, and he kept staring at her for several minutes


    at a time as if he was distracted by her. This made the woman feel ufortable, for the man¡¯s


    eyes were like glue as they stuck themselves to her without moving away.


    Finally, the meeting was over. Anastasia couldn¡¯t wait to pack up and leave, but Elliot suddenly said


    coldly, ¡°Anastasia, I need you to stay back for a while.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s feet that were about to move stopped in ce. She turned to look at the indifferent man


    and asked, ¡°Is there something you need, President Presgrave?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t speak. Other designers wanted to listen in on their conversation, but they were all


    oppressed by Elliot¡¯s sweeping nce. Hence, they trembled and hurriedly left


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Alice and May looked like they were about to die of jealousy. Anastasia was an


    exception in thepany and was treated favorably everywhere. It was as though Elliot was here in


    thispany for her alone, and he didn¡¯t pay attention to


    what the other employees did.


    When the door of the conference room closed, Anastasia started to get angry. She stopped


    pretending and mmed the table angrily. ¡°What the hell are you trying to do, Elliot?¡±


    ¡°I want to take you back to see my grandma next Monday.¡± Elliot spoke suddenly, his eyes calm.


    Anastasia was shocked. He wants to take me to see the old madam of the Presgrave Family? Her


    first thought was immediate rejection.


    ¡°I refuse. I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with your Presgrave Family¡± Anastasia refused bluntly.


    ¡°Is that so? Then you are not allowed to meet with Nigel, and you are not allowed to flirt with him.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s gaze was burning as he forced it on her.


    Anastasia looked at him speechlessly. ¡°He is my friend.¡±


    ¡°He is also a member of our Presgrave Family, Anastasia. Aren¡¯t you very determined to avoid us?¡±


    Elliot sneered.


    Anastasia sighed and said with some annoyance, ¡°President Presgrave, you have a lot of things to


    manage every day. You should go back to your Presgrave Group to work! How can such a small


    company like this amodate a big boss like you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to care about where I work,¡± Elliot snorted.


    ¡°No, you have negatively affected my work.¡± Anastasia gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to, you will meet my grandma on Monday.¡± Elliot¡¯s tone was final.


    Anastasia looked at him furiously. ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡±


    After she finished speaking, she pushed open the door and went out. The man¡¯s face behind her


    was dark and filled with rage.


    When Anastasia returned to the office, May was waiting for her. She said fawningly, ¡°Anastasia, I


    heard that the report of this shop tour will be considered for the half year award, so we must not be


    sloppy with it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it will be my first time writing such a report. Let¡¯s do our best toplete it!¡±


    Anastasia said to her.


    May blinked and showed an adoring smile. ¡°Anastasia, you are the only one who got sent back from


    the headquarters by ourpany. You must be very good, so I will follow you in the future.¡±


    Anastasia curled her lips into a smile. She was indeed confident in her design talent, but she was


    not so involved in thepany¡¯s other paperwork.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get to work!¡± Anastasia simply regarded May¡¯s ttery as something any rookie would


    do; little did she know that May was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.


    Due to the project, Anastasia could only make an appointment with her father in advance. She


    made a phone call to Francis, who was naturally overjoyed when he heard that he would be taking


    care of his grandson.


    ¡°Okay, I have the time. You can carry on with your busy work. I will take Jared to eat some delicious


    food.¡±


    After arranging her son¡¯s affairs, Anastasia felt more at ease. Later on, she received a call from


    Nigel. He was at the entrance of herpany and wanted to take her and her son to avish dinner


    in the evening.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t refuse either because she didn¡¯t have any friends here. Thus, it was great to have


    a friend like Nigel around.


    At this moment, Elliot was processing emails in the office. Rey, who had just sent some documents


    in from outside, smiled and said, ¡°I just saw Young Master Nigel¡¯s car, President Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡± Elliot narrowed his eyes.


    ed


    ¡°He¡¯s downstairs. I think he¡¯s waiting for someone, and it¡¯s probably Miss Tillman.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    After Rey finished speaking, he immediately tried to cover his mouth. He knew that Elliot didn¡¯t want


    to hear this.


    Upon hearing this, Elliot snorted coldly. Nigel really has nothing to do all day long; he¡¯s focusing all


    his efforts on pursuing women.


    As he narrowed his eyes, he reached out to dial the internal line.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Hello, who is it?¡± Anastasia¡¯s sweet voice came from the other side.


    ¡°I warned you not to get too close to my cousin. Are you not taking it seriously?¡± Elliot said coldly.


    ¡°Why are you such a busybody, Elliot? You are the boss of thepany, but after work, you are


    nobody to me,¡± Anastasia retorted mulishly.


    Elliot¡¯s face darkened at once. This woman really had the ability to be irritating.


    ¡°If you dare to y with his heart¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just hanging out as friends. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Anastasia hung up the phone as


    soon as she finished speaking.


    Elliot¡¯s face turned even gloomier. This woman is really uncouth. Why would Grandma want me to


    marry such a woman?


    After work, Anastasia was the first to rush out of the door of the office as she charged downstairs.


    Nigel¡¯s off-road vehicle was parked at the front door, and it was particrly eye-catching.


    Soon, Anastasia got into the passenger seat of the car before she said to him, ¡°Let¡¯s go pick Jared


    up!¡±


    Nigel looked at the woman, who was still in her work uniform, and his fascination with her shed


    across his eyes. ¡°You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in a uniform.¡±


    Anastasia felt delighted in her heart. ¡°I like to hearments like this.¡±


    When they picked up the little boy at school, he was very happy. He sat in the safety seat specially


    prepared for him in the back, and he even sang a song he had just


    learned aloud.


    ¡°Mom and Dad are going to work¡­ and I¡¯m going to school. I mustn¡¯t cry or make trouble, but be


    good and greet my teacher good morning¡­¡±


    His bright and loud voice sounded happy as he sang. Anastasia pped along to the tempo, which


    encouraged Jared to sing even louder. In fact, he sang it several times. Even Nigel hummed along,


    and there was a happy atmosphere in the whole car.


    At the high-end restaurant, Nigel ordered a big meal. As he looked at the little boy¡¯s handsome face,


    his wish to be the father of this child heightened in his heart. Although Jared was not his own


    child, he would definitely love Jared as if the boy was his biological son.


    Soon, his gaze fell on the woman opposite him. As long as she agreed, he would immediately marry


    her and give them both a safe and secure ce to call home.


    They walked around in the mall after dinner, and the little boy got a few more gifts. With that being


    said, Anastasia really disagreed with Nigel¡¯s way of showing affection for her son. Fortunately, her


    son was not the kind of child who would be addicted to getting gifts.


    At 9.30PM, Nigel¡¯s car was parked in front of Anastasia¡¯s apartment. He felt distressed when he


    heard that it was rented to her by thepany. Thus, it seemed that it was time for him to show his


    ability. He decided to give her arge apartment unit in the city center tomorrow so that they could


    live in the safestmunity.


    ¡°Come and give me a kiss before you go.¡± Nigel hugged the little boy, who kissed his cheek at once.


    Then, Nigel looked at the woman next to him and wanted her to kiss him too, but he didn¡¯t have the


    courage to ask. At this point, he didn¡¯t dare to show his intentions too much for fear of scaring her


    away.


    Anastasia waved goodbye as she held her son before heading back to her apartment. However,


    Nigel did not leave for a long time. As soon as Jared returned to the apartment, he asked the


    burning question that he had been thinking about all this time. ¡°Mommy, do you think Uncle Nigel is


    a nice man?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is!¡±


    ¡°Do you like him?¡±


    ¡°I like him.¡± Anastasia neatly packed the toys away in the house while answering her son¡¯s question.


    ¡°In that case, do you want to marry him?¡± the little boy asked again.


    Anastasia¡¯s hands froze while packing the toys. She couldn¡¯t help but look back at her son as she


    smiled. ¡°Jared, I only think of him as a friend!¡±


    The little boy didn¡¯t quite understand the feelings between adults, though. Can¡¯t they be together if


    they like each other?


    ¡°Mommy, I think Uncle Nigel likes you very much.¡±


    A hint of helplessness shed in Anastasia¡¯s heart. She could also feel that Nigel clearly had some


    romantic interest in her, but she felt that she was not worthy of him -he deserved a better woman.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    That night five years ago, Anastasia was already tainted after being vited by a jerk. Ever since


    then, she had no interest in men anymore. Her son was everything in her life, and she didn¡¯t need


    marriage, love, or men.


    She had always regarded Nigel as a friend. When she was on the way to meet a client, she met him


    while he was involved in a car ident. Seeing that Nigel¡¯s car was filled with smoke, she rushed


    over without saying a word and dragged the injured man out of the driver¡¯s seat.


    In less than two minutes, his car exploded on the spot. At that time, she was drenched in cold sweat


    and was extremely afraid. Had she died there, her son would¡¯ve been orphaned.


    Since Anastasia and Nigel had nearly faced death together, their rtionship was deeper than other


    friendships. After rescuing him, she left. Later on, Nigel found her and kept chasing after the woman


    to repay his debt to her. Gradually, they became acquainted and made friends with each other.


    When Francis came home in the evening, Naomi asked while picking up his bag for him, ¡°I¡¯m going


    out to meet some friends the night after tomorrow, Francis. Do apany me to attend the event.¡±


    ¡°The day after tomorrow? What time?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to have dinner that evening!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t have time, so I can¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°What? Do you have to work overtime?¡±


    ¡°No, I need to take care of Anastasia¡¯s son. She has to work overtime at night, so I have to take


    care of Jared.¡± Francis didn¡¯t treat Naomi as an outsider, so he was forthright with her.


    Naomi¡¯s face turned ugly all of a sudden. She snorted and replied, ¡°You only think about your elder


    daughter all day long, don¡¯t you! Don¡¯t forget that she¡¯s the one who messed up our family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult for her to raise a child alone. Naturally, I will try my best to help her,¡± Francis said


    helplessly.


    ¡°Help her? You know how to help her, but why don¡¯t you help our Erica?¡± Naomi immediately


    snorted, looking extremely upset.


    Francis was also stuck in the middle between his family and Anastasia, but he still firmly wanted to


    help thetter because he owed her a lot in the past five years.


    Meanwhile, Erica overheard their conversation on the second floor, and she knew that her chance


    hade.


    Soon, Francis took a shower and sat in the study room on the second floor to watch the news. After


    a moment, Erica came in with a te of fruits. ¡°I see that you haven¡¯t gone to bed, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I heard that you want to watch Anastasia¡¯s son for her. Actually, I want to take care of Jared


    with you. He is my nephew after all, and I want to do my best for him


    too.¡±


    Francis¡¯ eyes lit up with joy; it seemed that his younger daughter was quite sensible! He then


    praised, ¡°Erica, I¡¯m very happy that you have such good intentions. Okay, you cane with me the


    night after tomorrow!¡±


    Erica nodded obediently. ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s great, Dad, but don¡¯t tell her first. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t let me


    come when she hears that I want to tag along.¡±


    ¡°Okay! I won¡¯t tell her.¡± Francis didn¡¯t see through Erica¡¯s ns. To him, the happiest thing was that


    his two daughters could get along peacefully.


    In the blink of an eye, Friday arrived. When Anastasia sent her son to school in the morning, she


    told him that his grandpa woulde to pick him up from school in the evening. The little boy


    nodded sensibly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I will listen to Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go earn more money for us.¡± Anastasia patted his little head and was very happy.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Over the past two days, May had gone to Anastasia from time to time to ask for some advice. She


    also bought coffee and snacks to please thetter. Of course, Anastasia didn¡¯t want to ept these


    favors, but she did so since May insisted on it.


    At 2.00PM, Nigel appeared in Bourgeois while holding a gift and a bunch of flowers in his hands. In


    fact, hepletely looked like Anastasia¡¯s boyfriend. He was a handsome and cheerful man, so he


    attracted attention wherever he went. A group of


    female staff werepletely envious of Anastasia.


    ¡°Wow! Look at him sending a bunch of flowers again.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hot!¡±


    ¡°Not only is he hot, he looks incredibly rich as well.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s from one of those super rich families. The watch he¡¯s wearing is worth tens of millions.¡±


    ¡°Tsk-tsk, how did Anastasia get such good luck?¡±

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Chapter 51


    Anastasia had just finished drawing a design draft in the office, and her hands were a little sore.


    Just as she was rubbing her shoulders, the door to her office swung open before Nigel¡¯s figure


    suddenly appeared.


    ¡°Why are you here, Nigel?¡± Anastasia was still very happy to see him.


    ¡°I have a gift for you.¡± After Nigel finished speaking, he closed the door of the office before putting


    the flowers and the gift box on her desk. ¡°Look! Guess what it is?¡±


    Anastasia looked at the big characters of ¡®Cloud Residence No. 1¡¯ printed on the box. After feeling


    startled for a few seconds, she recalled that this was the name of the top real estate in the city


    center.


    expensive.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not expensive¡ªit¡¯s just a unit of more than 200 square meters. I initially wanted to buy a duplex


    on the top floor, but I thought that it would be too big and empty looking since only the two of you


    would be living there. Thus, I had to pick a smaller unit,¡± Nigel said helplessly, thinking that he could


    have given her a better unit.


    ** Anastasia was at a loss for words. Sure enough, those with money can do whatever they


    want! He can even cherry pick units from such high-end real estate. For an office worker like me, I


    can¡¯t even afford the bathroom of that unit even with a year¡¯s worth of sry.


    ¡°Nigel, we are friends. I won¡¯t ept any gifts from you other than your friendship.¡± Anastasia spoke


    seriously.


    ¡°You saved my life; do you know how much my life is worth?¡± Nigel retorted immediately.


    ¡°Your life is priceless, and it¡¯s not measurable by money.¡± Anastasia smiled and shook her head.


    ¡°Saving you is also a way of umting good karma for myself.¡±


    ¡°No. My life is yours, and my things are yours too. You must ept this house,¡± Nigel said


    stubbornly.


    Anastasia felt speechless again. ¡°You have helped me and my son a lot over the years. If you are


    going to send gifts like this one again, then I won¡¯t dare to befriend you in the future. Besides, my


    dad has already bought me an apartment unit, and I can move in next month.¡±


    ¡°That will definitely not be asfortable as Cloud Residence No. 1,¡± Nigel said anxiously.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t need this house. Anyway, I have a meeting soon, so please go back!¡± After Anastasia


    finished speaking, she picked up her notebook and went outside.


    Nigel immediately thought of another way as he bit his thin lips. He took the gift box and went to the


    president¡¯s office where Elliot was dealing with some work in his hands at that time. ncing at the


    uninvited guest, he looked back down at his work.


    ¡°Do me a favor, Elliot!¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Well, I bought a house at Cloud Residence No. 1 for Anastasia. Can you give it to her in the name


    of thepany? For example, you can say this is a year-end bonus for her.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s hand that was signing the documents paused. Then, he said curtly, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why? I wanted to give it to her just now, but she rejected it. I don¡¯t know what else to do!¡± Nigel


    leaned on the desk and spoke helplessly.


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t ept it, it means that she¡¯s not interested in you.¡± Elliot scoffed. He had also


    offered a house in this property and was rejected by Anastasia.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it! Anastasia likes me very much; I have the ultimate confidence in this,¡± Nigel said to


    himself.


    Elliot frowned and said mockingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be too confident.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mock me, Elliot! I¡¯m definitely going to marry Anastasia. Whether it¡¯s three years, five years,


    or ten years, I¡¯ll wait for her as long as she doesn¡¯t marry another man.¡± Nigel looked like he was


    determined to make the woman his wife.


    ¡°Then do you know which man her child belongs to?¡± Elliot asked coldly all of a sudden.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

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    Chapter 52


    Nigel¡¯s handsome face looked shocked, for this was the only thing Anastasia didn¡¯t tell him. He had


    also tried hinting at her many times, but she just didn¡¯t want to let him know.


    ¡°Do you know who it is, Elliot?¡± Nigel asked, a little curious that Elliot was also interested in this kind


    of employee gossip.


    ¡°Thest time her sister came to thepany to make trouble, she announced that Anastasia was


    the mistress of a man five years ago. She even sold her body in the club to make money.¡±


    Nigel suddenly widened his bright eyes as he listened to the sudden new information in disbelief.


    He immediately retorted, ¡°Impossible! Anastasia is not that kind of person, and she would never do


    such a thing.¡±


    ¡°How much exactly do you know about her?¡± Elliot looked at his cousin, hoping that he wouldn¡¯t


    bother with Anastasia anymore.


    Nigel didn¡¯t want to think more about it. He said firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t care what her past was like. I just


    want to spend my future with her, and I don¡¯t want to know who her child¡¯s father is. Anyway, I¡¯m


    willing to apany her to raise the child together and treat him as if he¡¯s my own.¡±


    Elliot really underestimated his cousin¡¯s determination to pursue this woman. He gritted his teeth


    and snorted, ¡°What¡¯s so good about her?¡±


    Nigel curled his lips and smiled. ¡°Anastasia has a unique kind of beauty. Sometimes, she¡¯s as bright


    as fire, sometimes as elegant as a rose. No matter which side of her, I am deeply fascinated by this


    woman.¡±


    In Elliot¡¯s heart, he only had three adjectives to evaluate Anastasia: unreasonable, barbaric and


    uncouth.


    ¡°Elliot, will you help me out?¡± Nigel couldn¡¯t help sitting on Elliot¡¯s desk as he looked at him


    pleadingly.


    ¡°No,¡± Elliot replied very coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re really terrible. Do you still think of me as family?¡± Nigel pouted.


    Elliot decided to ignore him, and Nigel eventually left in unhappiness. He decided to


    continue persuading Anastasia until she epted the gift, so he returned to her office. After a while,


    she came back. Upon seeing that he was still there, she had no choice but to say, ¡°Nigel, I really


    cannot ept your gift. Go back!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave if you don¡¯t ept it,¡± Nigel replied mulishly.


    Anastasia thenughed and said, ¡°You know this doesn¡¯t work on me.¡±


    Nigel immediately shook his head and answered unhappily, ¡°Anastasia, can¡¯t you be a little


    more materialistic? That way, I can buy you with money.¡±


    Anastasia burst outughing. ¡°I¡¯m very much interested in money, but I only like the money I make.¡±


    At this moment, Nigel¡¯s phone rang. He picked it up and took a look before saying into the phone


    seriously, ¡°Hello, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Come over to thepany, Nigel. I have something to hand to you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle over now.¡± Nigel¡¯s vacation wasing to an end, and from tomorrow onward, he


    had to go back to work at thepany obediently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to meet my dad first. Call me if you need anything-I¡¯ll be there whenever you need me.¡±


    Nigel looked at Anastasia affectionately.


    ¡¤ Anastasia deliberately pretended not to see it and simply said to him, ¡°Go! Don¡¯t


    make your father wait.¡±


    After Nigel left, Anastasia sighed slightly. At this moment, May called and said, ¡°Anastasia, we are


    almost ready to get off work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Okay,¡± Anastasia responded.


    After that, May hid in an empty corridor and called Hayley, who told her to do something on the


    other end of the phone. She told May to ensure that Anastasia¡¯s phone was left in the office no


    matter what, and not to let Anastasia take it away with her.


    May agreed immediately. Although she didn¡¯t know why Hayley had asked her to do this, she only


    needed to be obedient.


    Soon, May arrived at Anastasia¡¯s office and saw that she was sorting some documents while her


    bag was on the sofa. As she deliberately sat next to Anastasia¡¯s bag, she then: said to the woman


    who was packing the documents, ¡°Anastasia, have youpleted Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    your designs that are supposed to be submitted at the end of the month? I still have several left to


    do! I am so worried about them!¡± Whileining, she deliberately adjusted her posture. With


    Anastasia¡¯s line of sight obstructed, she reached out and grabbed the woman¡¯s phone in her bag


    and stuffed it down the sofa.

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    Chapter 53


    Anastasia didn¡¯t notice what May had done at all. After she put the documents in the cab, she


    nced at the time and said to the woman, ¡°Okay, we should go too. There are three stores to be


    inspected tonight, so we¡¯re a bit rushed for time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡± May immediately took the initiative to hold the bag. ¡°I¡¯ll hold your bag for you,


    Anastasia.¡±.


    As soon as Anastasia went out, she still took over her bag. ¡°I¡¯ll hold it myself!¡±


    May immediately returned it to her, and the two went downstairs. Since they both had no cars, they


    could only travel by cab.


    Unfortunately, it was just in time for the cab shift, and no cabs were stopping for them. Anastasia


    was getting frustrated just then before a Rolls-Royce Phantom suddenly drove over. The window


    rolled down, revealing a handsome man in a ck suit who was sitting elegantly in the driver¡¯s seat.


    He looked domineering, mysterious, and particrly charming.


    May was stunned at the sight. Is this President Presgrave¡¯s car?


    ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll take you both there,¡± Elliot said with unprecedented kindness.


    Anastasia replied politely, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, thank you.¡±


    However, Elliot had no intention of leaving at all. His deep eyes locked on Anastasia¡¯s stubborn


    face, and then he repeated a second time, ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    May couldn¡¯t wait to sit in Elliot¡¯s car. If she could just take advantage of Anastasia¡¯s luck and ride in


    it once, she would be the luckiest girl on earth.


    ¡°Anastasia, we can¡¯t get a cab right now. We¡¯re going to bete, so let¡¯s take President Presgrave¡¯s


    car!¡± After speaking, May took the initiative to open the passenger¡¯s door and pulled Anastasia into


    the car.


    Anastasia was naturally not very happy about it, but since Elliot insisted on sending them to the


    destination and May had already opened the car door, she said to May, ¡°You sit in the front.¡±


    After that, she opened the back door and sat in the back seat.


    Upon hearing that, May was going crazy with joy. She was fortunate enough to sit in


    the front passenger seat with Elliot. After she sat in, she didn¡¯t even dare to even breathe. Her


    whole body was tense, and she was so nervous the whole time.


    As for Anastasia, she was sitting in the back seat. As soon as she raised her head, she met the


    man¡¯s deep eyes from the rearview mirror. She quickly looked out the window as the car slowly


    drove away, heading for themercial street they were going to.


    ¡°How do you know that we are going there, President Presgrave?¡± May asked in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read the information,¡± Elliot replied.


    Half an hourter, Elliot¡¯s car parked in front of a store in amercial street. May got out of the car


    uncertainly, while Anastasia said quickly to the man in the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Following that, Elliot watched them walk into the Bourgeois store. He parked his car at a nearby


    location, but he didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he got out of the car and walked toward the store.


    At the store, Anastasia introduced herself to the store manager, and was immediately assigned to a


    reception room. At this moment, a man stepped into the entrance. He was dressed in a straight suit,


    which set off a superior and mysterious temperament. Under the lighting, he exuded a kingly aura.


    ¡°President Presgrave.¡± The manager was taken aback when she saw that the big boss had


    suddenlye without warning. It caught her off guard and she panicked.


    Is there something wrong with this store?


    ¡°Where are Anastasia Tillman and the others?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Miss Tillman is in the reception room, and I¡¯ve given her the customers¡¯ information.¡± After that,


    the manager hurried over to usher Elliot into the reception room.


    Anastasia was looking at the information of recent customers and the sales records of the store¡¯s


    most popr items when the door suddenly opened and a slender and handsome figure walked in.


    May¡¯s eyes widened at the sight at once. Why is President Presgrave here?


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was only surprised but not happy at all. This man is following me


    everywhere persistently!


    ¡°Carry on with your work,¡± Elliot said in a low voice as he sat down beside them.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 54


    Chapter 54


    Anastasia was speechless. Is this man supervising my work? Forget it, I¡¯d better finish the job! After


    all, I must get this year-end bonus.


    At this moment, Francis had brought Erica to pick up Jared and they were having dinner in a


    restaurant.


    Erica looked at Jared under the lighting and felt jealousy surging in her heart. With which man did


    Anastasia give birth to this child? When he grew up, he would look astoundingly handsome. If this


    little boy married a rich girl in the future, Anastasia would not be short of money.


    ¡°Dad, let¡¯s take Jared to the nearby yground after dinner! It¡¯s fun there,¡± Erica suggested.


    Since Francis was an old man, he was naturally not as good at having fun as young people.


    Nheless, he also wanted to take the little boy to the yground. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll take Jared to the


    ygroundter.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°Eat more, Jared.¡± Francis looked at his grandson with doting eyes.


    Upon seeing that, Erica secretly felt resentful. Sure enough, Anastasia¡¯s best weapon to win her


    father¡¯s heart was this little boy devil. Francis had always wanted a boy, but Naomi couldn¡¯t give


    birth to any more children. Now that Anastasia had given birth to a boy, Francis was overwhelmed


    with delight.


    Thus, Erica was sure that Anastasia deliberately gave birth to a son and came back to rob her of


    the family assets!


    The more she looked at this boy, the more disgusted she became. She wished that he would be


    kidnapped by some bad guys immediately, and that he would never appear in her house ever again


    in this life.


    After they were finally done eating, they drove away and tried to find parking near the yground.


    Since the avable parking space was far away, Francis was afraid that they had to walk a long


    way, so he asked them to get off at the entrance of the yground first.


    This happened to fit Erica¡¯s evil n, so she hurriedly said to the little boy, ¡°Come on, Jared. We¡¯ll


    get off here first. Your grandfather has to park some distance away!¡±


    ¡°Be a good boy and go with your aunt first, Jared,¡± Francis said gently to the little boy.


    Jared nodded obediently before following Erica out of the car. As Erica watched her father¡¯s car


    leave, she sneered in her heart, and a vicious light shed in her eyes. She stared coldly at the little


    boy beside her, feeling as much hate for him as she had for Anastasia.


    ¡°There are some delicious snacks over there. Let¡¯s go buy some first!¡± Erica wasn¡¯t going to take


    him into the yground because there would be staff who would look after his safety. On the


    contrary, she wanted to take him to the busy streets where no one would care about him.


    The little boy had no choice but to follow her. When Erica saw the chaotic crowd, she said to Jared,


    ¡°Wait for me here and don¡¯t go running around! I¡¯ll go buy some fruit.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The little boy nodded.


    ¡°Do you have a smartwatch?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The little boy shook his head.


    At once, Erica was secretly delighted. If such a young child got lost, it would be terribly difficult to


    find him. Moreover, there were many people here¡ªthere could even be child traffickers lurking


    around. Thus, Erica left the little boy and went off.


    10 minutester, Erica went straight back to the entrance of the yground to wait for her father.


    Jared waited in the same ce for a long time, but he did not see Ericae back. As soon as he


    looked up, he saw a huge crowd of people all around him. He was still a small child, and he couldn¡¯t


    tell where he was at all. As he blinked his big eyes, there was a bad premonition in his heart as he


    felt that he had gotten lost. In fact, he didn¡¯t even know where to find his grandfather.


    Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t panic or cry. He simply walked into a store and said to the clerk inside,


    ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m lost and I can¡¯t find my family. May I borrow your phone to call my mommy?¡±


    ¡°Are you lost, little boy? Okay, here you go.¡± The clerk immediately gave him the phone.


    Jared dialed his mother¡¯s number and it rang on the other side, but no one answered. He made two


    calls in a row, yet no one picked up. Apart from his mother¡¯s number, he didn¡¯t have anyone else¡¯s


    number.


    ¡°Did you mommy answer the phone, little boy?¡±


    Jared shook his head, so the clerk said to him, ¡°Well, you can wait a while before calling again.


    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a good person. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    The little boy nodded immediately and decided to call againter¡­


    As for Francis, he hurried to the entrance of the yground after he parked the car, but as soon as


    he arrived, he saw his daughter Ericaing over while sobbing. She said to him sadly, ¡°Dad,


    something bad happened¡ªI¡¯ve lost Jared! I took him to buy some ice-cream, but he ran off and I


    couldn¡¯t find him¡­¡±


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    Chapter 55


    ¡°What?¡± Francis was terrified. He turned his head and looked around. People came and went all


    around him, but his grandson was nowhere to be found..


    ¡°Jared! Where did you lose Jared?¡± Francis shouted angrily. In just a few minutes, Erica had lost his


    grandson! Moreover, the boy was only three-years-old!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad! He was too naughty, and he ran off to y. I didn¡¯t manage to keep an eye on him!¡±


    Erica immediately began to sob and med it all on Jared.


    Francis hurriedly called the police before calling Anastasia, but even though he got through,


    Anastasia didn¡¯t answer the phone. He then yelled at Erica anxiously, ¡°Go find him! How dare you


    still stand here and cry?¡±


    Erica was startled for a moment; she had never seen her father fly into a rage like this and was


    really scared. She wanted to go to the ce where she left Jared to see if the child was still there,


    but she would not tell her father the exact location. Thus, she pretended to find the boy separately.


    When she returned to the ce just now and found that Jared was no longer there, she felt


    relieved. Anastasia, your son is finally lost. You will never find this child in your life again. This child


    is no longer a weapon for you to rob my family¡¯s property. When Erica thought of this, her heart


    burst with ecstasy.


    Meanwhile, Francis immediately contacted the customer service of Bourgeois. After he exined


    the situation, the service staff immediately called Felicia. When Felicia heard the news, she quickly


    recalled that May and Anastasia were together, so she quickly called May.


    Anastasia was checking the information and making a detailed record of it. May was sitting next to


    her when she heard the phone ringing, so she picked it up and saw that it was from Felicia. Hence,


    she quickly connected the call and said, ¡°Hello, Felicia.¡±


    ¡°Is Anastasia with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s beside me.¡±


    ¡°Let her answer the phone.¡±


    May handed the phone to Anastasia. ¡°Felicia is asking for you.¡±


    Anastasia reached out and took the phone. ¡°Hello, Felicia.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I just received a call from the service desk. Your dad called while saying


    that your son got lost and asked you to contact him quickly.¡±


    The documents in Anastasia¡¯s hands slipped and fell to the ground when she heard the news. Her


    face went pale as she said shakily, ¡°What? My son got lost?¡±


    The man who was reading the news on his phone beside them raised his handsome face suddenly,


    and his pupils constricted upon seeing Anastasia¡¯s frightened face.


    Then, Anastasia picked up May¡¯s phone and said, ¡°Lend me your phone, May.¡±


    After speaking, she dialed her father¡¯s number with trembling fingers.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Francis¡¯ frantic voice was on the other end. ¡°Is this Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°Dad, where did Jared go missing? Where are you?¡± Anastasia was so worried that she broke out in


    cold sweat.


    ¡°Near the yground. Erica and I decided to bring him here, but he suddenly went missing.


    Anastasia¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡­¡± Francis was so anxious at the end that he choked up and almost burst


    into tears.


    Losing a child was a serious matter!


    When Anastasia heard that Erica was there too, she instantly understood that it was not her father


    who lost her son, but Erica who had used some means to cause her son to go missing.


    ¡°Anastasia, does Jared remember your number? Why didn¡¯t you pick up your phone?¡±


    Anastasia immediately opened her bag, but there was no phone in it. She waspletely baffled.


    Where is my phone? Where did it go?


    She clearly remembered it lying in her bag, and her son remembered her phone number too.


    Hence, she believed that her son was smart enough to find someone and try to call her.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go back to thepany and look for my phone. Don¡¯t worry! Jared will be fine. If you find


    him, call this phone number. I¡¯ll go back to thepany first.¡±


    After Anastasia finished speaking, she begged Elliot who was sitting on the sofa and said,


    ¡°President Presgrave, will you take me back to thepany? I¡¯m in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Of course, Elliot knew that she was in a hurry. After all, her son was lost.


    .


    Thus, Anastasia picked up her bag and followed Elliot out quickly. As for May, she sar on the sofa


    and secretly wiped the sweat from her brow. So, was this why Hayley had asked her to remove


    Anastasia¡¯s phone?


    Has Anastasia lost her son?


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    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56


    Although Anastasia remained calm and rational, she didn¡¯t feel optimistic. She sat in the passenger


    seat in Elliot¡¯s car as they drove toward thepany immediately.


    Anastasia was so anxious that tears brimmed in her eyes. She held onto May¡¯s phone, hoping that


    her father would have good news for her soon.


    ¡°Your son looks very smart, so he will be fine.¡± Whileforting her, Elliot weaved past the other


    cars deftly, and the ck car rushed all the way to the Bourgeois Building


    When the car came to the entrance, Anastasia pushed open the front passenger¡¯s door and hurried


    toward the steps, but because she was in a hurry, she tripped and fell. Upon hitting her left leg on


    the sharp corner of the steps, she felt pain shooting through her leg and it hurt so badly she couldn¡¯t


    stand up for a while.


    At this moment, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her up. Elliot wanted to check her


    injury, but she limped away from him and continued to run up the steps.


    Then, Anastasia knocked on the entrance door anxiously. The security guard on duty inside


    recognized her and hurriedly opened the door for her, but he was even more surprised that Elliot


    was right behind her.


    After that, Anastasia walked all the way to the elevator. As she pressed the elevator button, she was


    trembling nervously while blood oozed from her knee.


    Elliot nced coldly at her. When the elevator arrived, Anastasia rushed in, and he also stepped


    forward with long legs.


    ¡°Jared will be fine. Jared will be fine. Although he is young, he is very smart¡­ No, my son will not


    be in trouble.¡± Anastasia was about to lose her mind and her body was about to copse; she


    couldn¡¯t help but murmur to herself as if trying tofort herself.


    In the depths of Elliot¡¯s eyes, there was a hint of distress that he himself didn¡¯t even realize. Soon,


    the elevator stopped at the design department floor. Then, Anastasia rushed out and went straight


    to her office. She dialed her own number with May¡¯s phone and heard her phone ringing from the


    corner of the sofa.


    After digging into the sofa, Anastasia took out her phone with trembling hands. As she opened it up,


    she noticed 16 missed calls. Except for her father¡¯s contact, there


    was an unknown number who had called multiple times. She held her breath and hurriedly called


    the number back.


    Soon, the other end answered. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello, did a child call this number with your phone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, are you the mother of the child?¡±


    ¡°I am. Is my son by your side?¡±.


    ¡°Yes, I had him wait for you in my store. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s fine and I¡¯ll watch over him.¡± The female


    voice on the other end sounded very young but kind.


    The boulder weighing down on Anastasia¡¯s chest was finally lifted, and at this moment, her son¡¯s


    tender voice came to her ear.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mommy. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Jared¡­ My baby¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s emotions were in turmoil at this moment, and her tears slipped


    down her cheeks. ¡°My baby! Thank God! I¡¯m going to pick you up right


    now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mommy. I¡¯m fine.¡± The little boyforted her from the other end.


    The girl answered the phone again and said, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll send you the location of our store. Please


    come over quickly!¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you! I¡¯lle right over.¡± Anastasia hung up the phone. All of a sudden, she felt dizzy.


    Now that her tense nerves suddenly rxed, blood rushed to her head and caused a bout of


    dizziness.


    She instinctively reached out and grabbed something nearby. What she happened to grab was a


    man¡¯s arm, and she held on to it tightly to prevent herself from falling.


    The next second, another arm wound itself around her waist, and her whole body was pulled toward


    a firm chest. However, she didn¡¯t struggle because she needed to rely on him urgently and waited


    for the dizziness to subside.


    As he lowered his head, Elliot looked at the woman who was breathing heavily in his arms. Her faceCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    was pale with a rare look of weakness. It was very different from her usual look, and at this moment,


    she looked like she badly needed someone to protect


    her.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± Elliot asked in a deep voice.


    The head-rush that made Anastasia sway on her feet was ebbing, but it was then that she suddenly


    realized Elliot was holding her in his arms. She quickly stepped backward to create some distance


    between them, only to bump into the table behind her.


    ¡°Ow!¡± she eximed. The next second, she was pulled back into Elliot¡¯s embrace, even though she


    had burrowed out of it mere moments ago.


    When her face collided against the muscled nes of his chest, she heard a thud followed by a dull


    ache that spread over her cheekbone.


    However, before she could fully register the pain, she felt arge palm sp over her wrist. She was


    in a stupor as she was pulled to the car that was parked by the curb. When the door on the


    passenger¡¯s side opened, Elliot pressed her firmly into the seat.


    As soon as she sat down, she fished out her phone and called her father¡¯s number, only to hear


    Francis¡¯ panicked cry on the other line. ¡°Anastasia, Jared hasn¡¯t been found yet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. Jared is just fine. He¡¯s safe, and I¡¯m on my way to pick him up right now.¡±


    ¡°What? Where¡¯s Jared? Where is he?¡±


    ¡°A kind shopkeeper is watching over him now and I¡¯m heading over to pick him up.¡±


    ¡°Give me the address and I¡¯ll be right there as well.


    Erica is supposed to be with Dad this evening, and because Erica is a dangerous person, there is


    no way I¡¯ll let her near Jared. With that in mind, Anastasia responded hastily, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re


    tired, so you should get some rest. I¡¯ll go and pick up Jared myself.¡±


    ¡°No, I need to make sure that Jared is alright,¡± Francis insisted; he was so beside himself with worry


    that he thought his stomach might turn inside out.


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯ll be right over to see you after I have picked Jared up,¡± she cated. She could get to


    the bottom of how Jared had gone missing by the end of the night since she suspected that Erica


    had something to do with it.


    She hung up the phone and next to her was Elliot already driving over to the location of the store.


    As the car sped through the streets, Anastasia kept her eyes closed while she tried to rpose


    herself. Only heaven knew how terrified she had been earlier; she nearly lost her wits.


    This was the first time since Jared¡¯s birth that she had found herself at the mercy of fear.


    Atst, they pulled up outside a boutique. Anastasia saw her son sitting on the couch as soon as


    she walked through the door and she broke down in tears of relief as she cried, ¡°Jared!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy, you¡¯re here!¡± The little one ran up to her and threw his arms around her. She


    crouched low as well and pulled him into her embrace, her tears silently streaming down her face.


    Meanwhile, the shopkeeper who had been watching over Jared noticed the man standing behind


    Anastasia, after which she immediately thought in surprise, Wow, what a catch! This has to be the


    kid¡¯s father. They look exactly like each other!


    With his handsome features and tailored suit, Elliot looked dazzling where he stood tall and straight


    beneath the lights. There was no mistaking the grace and elegance that he emanated. Although he


    didn¡¯t say anything, he seemed relieved as his gaze fell upon the embracing pair of mother and son.


    Anastasia straightened her posture and unsped the ne she was wearing, which was the


    only valuable thing she had on her person at the moment. She took the female shopkeeper¡¯s hand


    and thanked, ¡°I don¡¯t have my purse with me, but take this ne of mine as a reward for your


    kindness; the ne is worth twenty thousand.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, there¡¯s no need for that. Anyone else would have done the same thing. The kid is precious.


    Make sure you keep an eye on him next time,¡± the shopkeeper gently responded as she nudged


    Anastasia¡¯s hand away in her refusal to ept the reward.


    ¡°Thank you so much. You¡¯re my son¡¯s lifesaver. Could we at least get your number?¡± Anastasia


    gazed upon the shopkeeper, the gratitude pooling in her eyes.


    The girl seemed a little flustered as she urged, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal with me. Take your


    child home now and get some rest.¡±


    Upon seeing how the girl had so adamantly turned down the reward, Anastasia had no choice other


    than to profusely thank her. The little one next to her looked up at: Elliot at that moment and asked,


    ¡°Mr. Handsome, were you the one who drove my


    mommy over here?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, buddy. Do you know how terrified your mom was? You gave her quite the fright,¡± Elliot


    said as he crouched down and pulled the boy into his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy. It was my fault; I never should have run off on my own,¡± Jared apologized


    guiltily, realizing the gravity of the situation.


    After thanking the shopkeeper, Anastasia turned to him and asked, ¡°Jared, can you tell me how you


    got lost?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa was parking the car when Aunt Erica told me she was going to buy me yummy snacks,


    but she went and never came back. I wanted to look for her, but I got lost,¡± the little boy answered


    frankly.


    Burning rage filled Anastasia when she heard this. Gritting her teeth, she thought, You were trying


    to abandon my son on purpose, weren¡¯t you, Erica?

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58


    For a child this small to be left alone in a crowd, Jared could have been kidnapped by some ruffian


    working for a syndicate and no one would have noticed at all.


    The amusement park was not too far away from here. Elliot drove over and pulled up outside the


    parking lot. At present, there weren¡¯t a lot of people at the amusement park entrance and only


    Francis stood there, waiting with Erica and Naomi in tow. When Erica heard that Jared had been


    found, she started to be evasive and


    immediately denied having anything to do with his going missing.


    The mysterious car was gleaming under the lights as it rolled to a stop. Then, the door swung open


    as Anastasia stepped out of the car with Jared in her arms. Francis practically flew over to them and


    hurried to crush Jared against his chest, his tears streaming down his face as guilt ate away at him.


    ¡°Oh, my darling grandson. You gave me a fright!¡±


    However, in the midst of this joyous reunion, Anastasia¡¯s murderous gaze was fixed on Erica. The


    rage that boiled within her was urging her to look for an outlet; otherwise, she mightbust on the


    spot.


    At the sight of the baleful look on Anastasia¡¯s face, a wary Erica took two steps backward and


    demanded, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, Anastasia?¡±


    It was when she saw how uneasy and evasive Erica was that Anastasia¡¯s anger renewed. She


    raised a hand and brought it down hard across Erica¡¯s face, the p resounding in the crisp evening


    air.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Erica shrieked, her eyes wide in bewilderment. ¡°You just pped me! You¡¯re out of your mind,


    Anastasia!¡± She darted behind Naomi for cover while whining, ¡°Mom, she just pped me!¡±


    Naomi instantly wrapped her arms protectively around her daughter as she turned to snap, ¡°How


    dare you strike my daughter, Anastasia!¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t take care of my son, Erica, then don¡¯t offer to do it! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you


    were nning to do,¡± Anastasia seethed as she glowered at Erica mutinously.


    ¡°You little wench! Do you have proof that Erica lost your son on purpose?¡± Naomi countered


    defensively, shielding her daughter.


    Francis knew that he bore the bigger responsibility in this, so he walked up to the


    women and interjected in a pained voice, ¡°Anastasia, it was my fault. Don¡¯t me Erica.¡±


    Fueled by intense anger, Anastasia maintained her gaze on Erica as she warned darkly, ¡°Stay away


    from my son! If you so much as get close to him or try to hurt him, I¡¯ll kill you where you stand!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go around making baseless ims, Anastasia,¡± Erica retorted, refusing to admit to her


    misdeed.


    To the side, he felt his heart twist when he saw his two daughters snapping at each other. He turned


    to Anastasia and cajoled, ¡°Anastasia, it was my fault. It really was. I promise I won¡¯t let Jared out of


    my sight anymore.¡±


    Jared, on the other hand, pouted. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be mad. I shouldn¡¯t have walked away on my


    own.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s rage was quelled by the sound of Jared¡¯s voice. What mattered most was that her son


    had returned safely, so she swallowed her anger and turned to remove Jared out of Francis¡¯ arms.


    ¡°Dad, thanks for helping tonight. I¡¯m sure Jared is badly shocked too. I¡¯ll take him home now and


    you should get back and call it a day.¡±


    Having said that, she cast Elliot a brief look and turned to saunter back to his car.


    Meanwhile, Erica kept her eyes on Anastasia and it was only then that she noticed the man next to


    Anastasia. Her eyes widened in surprise when she registered the man¡¯s features in the dim lighting.


    Why does this man look like Anastasia¡¯s son? Could he be the kid¡¯s father?


    By the time Erica tried to get a second glimpse of the man, he had turned away from her and all she


    saw was the elusive silhouette of his back.


    When Elliot¡¯s car drove away, Francis let out a sigh of relief and said to Naomi and Erica, ¡°Come on,


    let¡¯s head home.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to me Erica for what had happened to Jared. After all, she had no


    experience in babysitting whatsoever, and while she had been careless, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean


    she was at fault.


    Naomi, however, was belligerent that her daughter had to suffer Anastasia¡¯s wrath. She didn¡¯t do


    anything wrong, so why was she the one to be pped?


    However, only Erica knew that she had truly intended to abandon Jared at a ce that was


    somewhere crowded. In fact, she had so viciously wished that the boy would


    be kidnapped. s, the universe was against her, for it brought the child back in one piece. More


    importantly, she wanted to know who that mysterious man was. It had taken her all but one look to


    discern that he had the innate grace of nobility, and he definitely wasn¡¯t just some average Joe.


    Meanwhile, Elliot had stopped outside the apartmentmunity where Anastasia lived. When he


    saw that there was a pharmacy next to it, he headed in without a word, leaving her baffled as she


    stared after him with Jared in her arms.


    Not long after that, Elliot came back with a carrier bag of something.


    Being extremely grateful for his help this evening, Anastasia said, ¡°Thank you so much for what


    you¡¯ve done tonight, President Presgrave. It¡¯s gettingte, and you should be going back.¡±


    Elliot looked at her and offered, ¡°I¡¯ll walk with you to your apartment.¡±


    Anastasia spun on her heels and headed into the elevator with Elliot in her wake. They made their


    way up the building, and upon arriving at her apartment, she opened the door and turned on the


    lights. The little one shuffled over to the couch and sat down on it, looking like a sad puppy waiting


    to be lectured.


    ¡°Mommy, I was wrong. Please don¡¯t be mad anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry, just¡­ flustered. I was too flustered and Ished out,¡± she confessed. She knew that


    her son saw the violent confrontation she had with Erica.


    Suddenly, Elliot reached out to grab Anastasia by the wrist and pulled her into a sitting position on


    the couch. She gaped at him, but before she could ask, the man crouched down in front of her. His


    large hand sped her left calf, and it was only then that she noticed the bloody gash that


    measured up to about two inches in length on her leg.


    Given how she had not tended to it in time, the blood had crusted over, even though the wound was


    still there.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt, Mommy!¡± Jared eximed, sounding pained at the sight of Anastasia¡¯s injury.


    Anastasia was stunned as well. This guy went into the pharmacy just so he could get some


    ointment and bandages for me?


    She watched as Elliot dabbed an antiseptic-soaked cotton bud over the gash that ran along her leg


    before carefully bandaging the area. He tended to the wound deftly as though having done this


    routinely before, and it didn¡¯t take long for him to wrap things up.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Anastasia said a little stiffly. She thought he had done far too much for her this


    evening.


    Eliliot ced the carrier bag of first-aid stuff on the coffee table and said, ¡°Change the dressing on


    your own for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Thank you.¡± Given how rudely she had been with him earlier that day, she dared not look at


    him for too long. What was more, all his help this evening only made her feel worse.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Handsome,¡± Jared chimed, looking up as he eyed Elliot with immense gratitude.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Elliot reached out and rubbed Jared¡¯s head affectionately. Then, he cast a long


    look at the woman who had her head down. Wordlessly, he sauntered over to the front door, opened


    it, and left.


    It was only then did Anastasia let out a sigh of relief. She pulled Jared into her arms, holding him


    close to ease the knots in her stomach and calm her wildly-beating heart. Simrly, Jared threw his


    arms around her in response to the embrace.


    I will never leave my son with vicious people like Erica and her mother ever again, because I¡¯d


    rather die than trust them.


    That night, she felt a chill run down her spine while watching Jared sleep. She was terrified, and she


    was sure that she would lose the will to live should anything happen to her child.


    Shey down and pulled Jared into her arms. As she curled around him protectively, she felt a


    sharp pain radiate from her knee. She let out a low hiss and found herself


    thinking about how Elliot had stayed with her for a better part of the night while she was looking


    frantically for Jared. He had be her personal driver who sped through the streets in the city


    and supported her when she swayed on her feet.


    Anastasia suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of guilt. She had treated him like how a porcupine


    might treat a stranger, and that had definitely been uncalled for. Looks like I¡¯ll have to be more


    amiable with him. Didn¡¯t he say something about wanting me to meet his grandmother? I suppose I


    could entertain the idea and make things even between us.


    That would work out for the best. She could meet with Old Madam Presgrave and dissuade the old


    lady from wanting to repay Amelia¡¯s selfless deed all those years ago. After all, Amelia had only


    been carrying out her duty as a policewoman when she sacrificed her life to save Elliot¡¯s.


    The next morning, Francis came over to the apartment with fruits and gifts in hand. This time, he


    came alone without Erica and Naomi¡¯spany. In any case, he understood that Erica had a role to


    y in allowing Jared to go missing yesterday.


    Nheless, she was still his daughter at the end of the day, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to think


    of her as being capable of such cruelty.


    Having heard Francis¡¯ repeated apology, Anastasia finally said in constion, ¡°Just let it go, Dad.


    It¡¯s all over now, so we don¡¯t have to talk about it anymore.¡±


    Francis stopped spewing guilt-riddled words, but his eyes were filled with self-me. Even Jared


    was beginning to feel sorry for the man as he sat next to him and promised solemnly, ¡°I won¡¯t ever


    run away on my own again, Grandpa. Pinky promise.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good kid, Jared,¡± Francis muttered, seeminglyforted as he rubbed the little boy¡¯s


    head.


    Meanwhile, over at the Tillman Residence, Erica was sprawled on her bed as she told Hayley about


    last evening¡¯s incident. On the other end of the phone, Hayley couldn¡¯t resist pointing out sourly


    after hearing the details, ¡°This won¡¯t bode well for you, Erica. I bet Anastasia¡¯s going badmouth you


    in front of your father and tell him that you allowed her son to wander off on purpose. Who knows


    how much of the family fortune you would get after this?¡±


    Erica nched upon hearing this, and a fiery anger rose from the pit of her stomach. ¡°If that b*tch


    so much as says a single bad word about me to my father, I¡¯ll give her hell for it!¡±


    ¡°She pped youst night even while your dad was watching, so I wouldn¡¯t be


    surprised if she decides to spew nonsense about you!¡± Hayley said darkly out of her spite for


    Anastasia.


    Erica pondered on the possibility of this and realized that there was some truth to it. Anastasia has


    probably told Dad about what a horrible person I am. It¡¯s bad enough that I barely mean anything to


    Dad as it is. He could be convinced by her and leave her everything in the family fortune while I get


    nothing at all! What should I do then?


    ¡°Anastasia won¡¯t even know what¡¯sing! I won¡¯t let her get away with this.¡± A sudden thought


    crossed her mind after she said this, and after a while, she muttered, ¡°I saw Anastasia with a man


    last night, and admittedly, he and Jared looked simr. I don¡¯t know who he is, though.¡±


    ¡°Well, what did he look like?¡± Hayley pressed, curious to know who the mysterious man in


    Anastasia¡¯s life was.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60


    Hayley waszing around the opulent vi, looking like the very picture of privileged insouciance


    with a morning ss of red wine in hand and an expensive nightgown draped over her frame.


    Spread before her was an indulgent br¨¨akfast that the maids had decked out earlier that morning.


    Just then, an iing call interrupted her conversation with Erica, and Hayley quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk


    to you soon, Erica. I need to take another call.¡± With that, she hung up the call with Erica and put


    May¡¯s line through. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Miss Seymour, it¡¯s me, May.¡±


    ¡°You did wellst night.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Seymour. There¡¯s something important I need to tell you, though


    -Anastasia was with President Presgravest night.¡±


    The color drained from Hayley¡¯s face. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was supposed to be writing up an evaluation report with Anastasiast night, but President


    Presgrave was there as well, and the both of them left together shortly after.¡±


    Unbridled hatred shed in Hayley¡¯s eyes as she thought seethingly, So Elliot was the man who


    apanied Anastasiast night? Could he be the man Erica was talking about?


    The one who looked a lot like Anastasia¡¯s kid? Damn it! Anastasia must have put on quite the act to


    earn his sympathy and prompt his protective side!


    Hayley had a feeling that Anastasia had set her eyes on Elliot. She wouldn¡¯t discount the possibility


    that the past five years had turned Anastasia into a greedy and shallow woman, though in all


    fairness, no woman in her right mind would turn away a fine specimen like Elliot.


    Does this mean she¡¯s trying to steal my man? Hayley gritted her teeth and vowed that she would


    not let Anastasia get away with her dirty tricks.


    That weekend, Anastasia refused to let her son out of her sight, and this continued until Monday


    rolled around.


    When she had dropped Jared off at the kindergarten and watched him skip happily through the


    main entrance, she let out a sigh of relief. Then, upon ncing at the time, she hurried off in the


    direction of thepany.


    After arriving at her office, she took a sip of water. Now that the time was past 10.00AM, she


    summoned her courage and grabbed the phone on her desk, thereafter dialing the extension line for


    the president¡¯s office.


    It wasn¡¯t long before a low and husky male voice sounded on the other line. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Anastasia. I¡­ I¡¯ve decided that I would like to meet your grandmother,¡± Anastasia said


    hesitantly, slightly fumbling with her words. After that night¡¯s event, she thought she ought to stop


    giving Elliot such a hard time.


    For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence on the other end of the phone. She thought her


    heart might drop straight through her stomach when she suddenly heard him ask in a low baritone,


    ¡°When are you free?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be free as long as it¡¯s before 3.00PM¡± she answered. She needed to pick Jared up from school


    later in the day, and she didn¡¯t have time tonight, either.


    ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll go right now,¡± he said, his voice deep and alluring as he drawled each word over


    the phone.


    At that moment, it was as if Anastasia¡¯s mind had imploded. Wait, what? Right now? That¡¯s too


    soon! ¡°But I have work,¡± she said, though even she could hear how forced the excuse sounded.


    ¡°Take the morning off, then.¡±


    ¡°But I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do I have to do it for you?¡± he pressed in amusement.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± She didn¡¯t want to trouble him, and she couldn¡¯t very well risk having


    more rumors about them flying around after this.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you at the main entrance in ten minutes,¡± the man said conclusively and rather


    authoritatively before he hung up the call.


    As such, Anastasia made her way over to Felicia¡¯s office and asked for a day off, iming that her


    son, having been traumatized from the events of that night, needed herpany. Naturally, Felicia


    did not question her and agreed to her request.


    May had only just walked up to Anastasia¡¯s office when she saw thetter packing up her stuff andCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    grabbing her purse to leave. She asked curiously, ¡°Are you going somewhere, Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°I need to head out for a bit.¡±


    ¡°But I wrote this report and I was hoping you¡¯d go over it for me.¡±


    ¡°Just leave it on my desk!¡± Anastasia said as she brisk-walked over to the elevators. May blinked


    and hurried to catch up.


    ¡°Well, I was going down to get some tea to-go, anyway.¡±


    They were both standing at the entrance, and May was scrolling through her phone on purpose


    while she hid behind the ss door. She watched as Anastasia stepped forward at the sight of the


    familiar Rolls-Royce idling by the curb. Upon looking around to make sure that no one was watching


    her, Anastasia quickly opened the door to the passenger seat and slid into the vehicle.


    Behind the ss door, May felt her jaw drop wide open. Is Anastasia going on a date with Elliot


    during office hours? She hastily snapped a picture of the car and sent it to Hayley.


    Meanwhile, Hayley was strolling through the mall and seekingfort through mindless shopping


    when she heard the subtle beep of a new text. She pulled out her phone and clicked into the text


    from May, which read, ¡®Miss Seymour, this is a picture of Anastasia boarding President Presgrave¡¯s


    car. They look like they¡¯re going on a date!

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61


    Hayley¡¯s good mood instantly crashed as she thought, Anastasia¡¯s getting more shameless by the


    day! She¡¯s actually seducing Elliot in broad daylight during work hours! She bit down on her lip and


    decided that it was time she resorted to desperate measures.


    Hayley gave up on her shopping, ran back to the car and started the engine. She nced at the low


    wall next to the parking lot, and without another thought, she mmed on the elerator and drove


    her car into the structure. The reaction from the impact caused Hayley to knock her head against


    the steering wheel.


    The pain that followed was so intense that she had to take several sharp breaths to snap out of it.


    Now that she crashed the car and had sufficient reason to cry, Hayley inhaled deeply and took her


    phone before dialing Elliot¡¯s number.


    At that exact moment, Elliot¡¯s phone, which was connected to the car¡¯s system, rang with an


    iing call, thereby disrupting the silence in the vehicle.


    Hayley¡¯s name appeared on the screen affixed to the dashboard. Anastasia was already feeling


    unsettled, and when she caught sight of the name, she felt even worse.


    She turned away from the screen; it seemed as though looking at the name offended de her greatly.


    Elliot hesitated upon seeing this, but he decided to answer the call


    anyway. ¡°Hey, Hayley. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I crashed the car, Elliot!¡± Hayley let out a pained whimper. ¡°I¡¯m so scared. Could youe help


    me, please?¡± She started to sob and whine for help.


    The car slowed momentarily as Elliot pressed out of concern, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°My head hurts, and I feel like I¡¯m spinning. Elliot, I need you here. It really hurts¡­¡± Hayley sobbed


    miserably.


    Sure enough, that prompted him to want to rush over to her location at once. ¡°Send me the address


    and I¡¯ll be right over.¡±


    Next to him, Anastasia snorted when she heard Hayley¡¯s voice. It¡¯s been five years since west


    saw each other, but even I have to say her damsel-in-distress act is somewhat impressive.


    Presently, Elliot hung up the call and nced at the address Hayley had sent him. He turned around


    and said to Anastasia in a low voice, ¡°Mind if we take a detour?¡±


    Anastasia shrugged in some sort of a half-hearted agreement. She figured she could go and take a


    look at the damage Hayley had done.


    Elliot steered the car toward thergest mall downtown and drove down to the third floor of the


    basement parking lot. Hayley¡¯s Porsche was still in the same state it had been in when it crashed


    into the wall, while the reckless driver herself was crouching next to the totaled car, looking as if she


    was trying to keep her head from cracking. down the middle. At that moment, she looked up and


    saw Elliot getting down from his car. She didn¡¯t seem the least bit surprised that Anastasia had


    come along, though.


    At once, she flew into Elliot¡¯s arms like a stunned baby bird. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Elliot¡­¡±


    And here I was thinking that her head would be caved in and bleeding from the impact, but she¡¯s


    hopping around just fine. What a shame that the car is the only thing damaged here, Anastasia


    thought bitterly.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Anastasia?¡± Hayley asked, feigning surprise as she tightened her arms


    around Elliot¡¯s waist.


    Anastasia narrowed her eyes and pointed out mockingly, ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to acknowledge you as


    a female road-user, Hayley. Did you only get your driver¡¯s license through bribery or something?¡±


    Hayley chewed on her lip and stared at Anastasia with red-rimmed eyes as she demanded, ¡°Why


    do you have to be so mean, Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m being mean, am I? I thought you would have lost an arm or a leg or something from the


    crash. In fact, I was going to light up fireworks to celebrate the joyous asion of your fatal


    ident!¡± Anastasia scoffed.


    Upon hearing this, Elliot frowned and turned to shoot her a look, as though agreeing that her words


    werepletely uncalled for.


    ¡°Anastasia, you..¡± Hayley¡¯s eyes turned red at that moment, and she looked like she could barely


    stand on her own feet. With a hand pped over her forehead, she swayed and stumbled into


    Elliot¡¯s arms.


    Possessed of lightning reflexes, he reached out and steadied her before asking frantically, ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong, Hayley?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just putting on an act! She¡¯s perfectly fine,¡± Anastasia interjected sardonically, immediately


    seeing through Hayley¡¯s act.


    Elliot bit out darkly, ¡°Could you just stop talking for a bit, perhaps?¡±


    Anastasia chewed the inside of her cheek. Since she refused to stay and watch him coddle Hayley,


    she rolled her eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get going then.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t go,¡± he called after her, stopping her in her tracks.


    She turned and gave him a long look. What, do you actually have time to bring me home to see


    your grandmother?


    Elliot looked down at Hayley and muttered, ¡°Hayley, Rey is on his way right now. I¡¯ll have him send


    you to the hospital so you can get a full check-up, okay? If the doctor says you¡¯re fine, just go back


    home and get some rest.¡±


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    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62


    ¡°No, Elliot-I want you to go to the hospital with me,¡± Hayley pouted as she clutched onto Elliot¡¯s


    sleeve tightly like a child terrified of losing affection.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go with you because I still have stuff to do. Be good and let R¨¨y take you to the hospital,¡±


    Elliot cajoled patiently.


    ¡°No. I want you to go with me, or I won¡¯t go at all,¡± she whined stubbornly.


    He frowned pensively. Given that she was still in shock after the ident, it made sense for him to


    take her to the hospital and stay with her throughout the check-up. However, just as he was


    considering this, Anastasia suddenly snorted. ¡°So don¡¯t go to the hospital then, Hayley. President


    Presgrave and I still have things to do. Come on, President Presgrave, we have to get going!¡±


    Hayley¡¯s chest rose and fell erratically when she heard this, and she started trembling as she


    groaned, ¡°I feel dizzy, Elliot!¡± With that, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her legs buckled


    under her. It was only because Elliot moved quickly enough to catch her that she did not copse


    onto the ground.


    He swept her into his arms and carried her into the backseat of the car, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll get you to the


    hospital now, Hayley.¡± He then addressed Anastasia, who stood firmly in ce, ¡°Could you get a


    ride back to thepany?¡±


    Anastasia watched as his car sped out of the parking lot, leaving her behind. She heaved a sigh


    and headed back to thepany.


    Over at the private hospital that was run by the Presgrave Corporation, Hayley had gone through


    several tests, and it was concluded that she was fine aside from the shock and the concussion that


    came with the ident. The doctor also mentioned that she would be fine after a few days¡¯ rest.


    Elliot was presently seated by her hospital bed. Taking in the bump on her forehead and her pale


    face, he consoled her by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll just have to stay here for a couple of days for


    observation purposes.¡±


    ¡°Elliot, what were you doing with Anastasia? Were you both going out for work or something?¡±


    Hayley asked as shey demurely in bed, feigning curiosity.


    He shook his head. ¡°I was going to bring her to the Presgrave Residence to meet my grandmother.¡±


    Hayley was in shock as she asked, ¡°Why do you want her to meet your grandmother?¡±


    ¡°I was kidnapped once when I was only a child, and it was Anastasia¡¯s mother who sacrificed her


    life to save mine. My grandma¡¯s been waiting to repay the deed ever since,¡± Elliot exined frankly.


    ¡°What? You were the kid Anastasia¡¯s mother saved back in the day? Anastasia and I were


    ssmates throughout elementary and high school. I heard about how her mother had died while


    on duty, but I didn¡¯t think you were the person she saved. Her mother was a selfless woman,¡±


    Hayley pointed out with admiration. ¡°I¡¯ve always looked up to her mother.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen between you and Anastasia?¡± Elliot asked curiously. He could tell that


    Anastasia harbored enmity toward Hayley to the extent that her hatred for thetter was


    unmistakable.


    Hayley had long since thought of an answer, and she lied with a sigh, ¡°Anastasia came to save me


    once when I was being taken advantage of, but in the end, she ended up getting assaulted instead.


    She¡¯s been holding it against me ever since.¡±


    ¡°Assaulted?¡± He nched at this, wondering if Hayley was perhaps referring to some other kind of


    assault.


    ¡°Yes. Some gigolo ended up viting her. It was because of me that she had to suffer something as


    horrible as that,¡± Hayley went on to say as tears of guilt glistened in her eyes. She buried her face in


    her hands and muttered in anguish, ¡°I could never make it up to her, not even if I were to spend the


    rest of my life trying to atone for my faults.¡±


    Elliot felt his heart leap to his throat. Anastasia was assaulted by a man before this? ¡°Are you sure


    she was.¡± The words died on his tongue as he fixed his gaze on Hayley, unwilling to ept what he


    had just heard.


    Hayley¡¯s tears streamed down her face as she nodded firmly and said, ¡°Yes, her chastity had been


    cruelly taken away from her that night against her own will. That was her first time and I¡­ She was


    assaulted because of me, and I can¡¯t ever make it up to her. She¡¯s hated me since that horrific


    ordeal, and I deserve it. I deserve to be loathed by her for the rest of this lifetime.¡±


    Just as she was saying this, Hayley thought darkly, I just need to let Elliot know that Anastasia isn¡¯t


    some virtuous and puredy. Now, regardless of how pretty she is, she will forever be tainted goods


    to him!


    Elliot, on the other hand, felt as if he was caught in the aftershock of an earthquake. He was so


    stunned that his handsome features seemed frozen in ce, and his eyes were wide as he


    contemted what he had just learned.


    ¡°It¡¯s only right that she hates me. There is nothing I can do to atone for this sin of mine, Elliot. I know


    that I had the same experience as she did, but I was lucky


    Anastasia, though; she met a scoundrel who slept with her and abandoned her as soon as the deed


    was over.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean the kid belongs to that gigolo?¡± Elliot pressed in a low voice, his fist clenching


    where it rested atop his knee. I can¡¯t believe she went through something like that.


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    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63


    ¡°I have no idea. She left for abroad after that day and we lost contact with each other,¡± Hayley said


    slowly while shaking her head. Then, she looked up nervously at Elliot and urged tearfully, ¡°Elliot,


    you have to promise me not to ask Anastasia about this. I don¡¯t want you to prod into the scars of


    her past, okay? Besides, if she finds out that I was the one who told you all about what happened to


    her, she¡¯ll only hate me more.¡± ..


    Elliot knew that going through something as horrific as this was traumatizing for any woman. As


    such, he nodded and said in a fit ofpassion, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t mention a word about this to


    her.¡±.


    Burying her face in her hands, Hayley began to sob and snivel again, though she was actually


    smirking into her palms with the corners of her lips tipped up viinously. Now that Elliot knows of


    your dark past, would he still want someone as tainted as you, Anastasia?


    Presently, Elliot reached out to pat Hayley¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There, now-stop crying and get some rest. I¡¯ll


    be going back to the office.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Elliot.¡± Hayley grabbed the hem of his shirt and eyed him piteously. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay with


    me for a while longer?¡±


    He had only just risen from his seat, but now that Hayley had asked him to stay, he did as told and


    sat down once more. This made him think of that fateful night from five years ago, when he had


    been so out of his own mind that he ravished Hayley like a monster. He could still hear her sobs


    from that night like haunted, disembodied tunes in the back of his mind, and he could still feel the


    way she struggled to break free from under him. And yet, he never stopped, merely pinning her


    down so that he could have his ruthless ways with her.


    ¡°That night¡­ It was my first time as well, Elliot,¡± Hayley mumbled shyly as she looked up at him with


    her pretty eyes.


    He nodded and said gently, ¡°I know.¡± He had known, indeed, for he had noticed the drops of blood


    on the couch when he woke up after the brutal deed. The thought of this only made him want to


    compensate her more.


    ¡°Elliot, I¡­ I want to keep being your woman,¡± she added boldly, abandoning all subtlety as she


    confessed her feelings for him.


    His gaze was warm and steady as he said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this after you get better. I have a lot of


    things going on at the moment.¡±


    She could hear the rejection behind his carefully-chosen and empty words, but that did not deter her


    at all. ¡°Elliot, please don¡¯t turn me down. I know I¡¯m not beautiful, but I¡­ I really like you.¡±


    Just then, Elliot¡¯s phone rang, and he rose to leave the room. ¡°I have to take this call.¡±


    Hayley watched as his tall and straight figure marched out of the hospital room. As she pursed her


    lips in disappointment, she still fervently believed that one day she would be his woman


    indeed.


    The person on the other line was Harriet, who had been waiting for a really long time for Anastasia¡¯s


    arrival. When the guest of honor never showed up, she began to grow frantic and decided to call


    her grandson for an exnation. ¡°Elliot, why isn¡¯t Miss Tillman here yet?¡±


    ¨C


    ¡°Something happened on the way, Grandma. I¡¯ll bring her over to the house tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mostly my part.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then! Bring her over tomorrow morning. Better yet, we should have lunch


    Beste together!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange for it immediately,¡± Elliot answered respectfully.


    He hung up the call and paused for a moment, then spun on his heels to return to the hospital room.


    After pushing the door open, he then said to Hayley, ¡°They need me back at the office, so I¡¯ll be


    going off now. Get plenty of rest.¡±


    Hayley dared not force him to stay, so she merely nodded obediently as she said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    With a small nod of relief, Elliot turned and left the hospital room.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia had hailed a ride back to thepany, which took up two hours of her time.


    As such, she immediately leafed through the documents and started tying up all the loose ends in


    the office, but she had barely drawn anything when her phone rang.


    She picked it up and asked, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Elliot replied.


    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s back. Did Erica decide to let you go?¡± Anastasia asked with a raise of her brow.


    ¡°I¡¯ve rescheduled your meeting with my grandmother to tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, as long as you¡¯ve spoken to her. Anyway, I have to get back to work now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to buy you and Jared dinner tonight,¡± Elliot suddenly offered.


    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Anastasia replied. She didn¡¯t feel much like entertaining him after seeing how he and


    Hayley were all huddled up today at the parking lot.


    If she had to be honest, she hated Hayley with a passion. They were both once as close as sisters,


    but clearly that friendship had been nothing more than a joke to Hayley, who did not hesitate to stab


    Anastasia in the back at first chance and push her off the cliff into a dark abyss.


    If it weren¡¯t for Jared, Anastasia didn¡¯t think she could ever be saved from the agony that followed


    the incident which left her scarred. She would¡¯ve spiraled into depression and hatred. She could still


    remember how the man¡ªthat scoundrel who


    thinking she was going to die.


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    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64


    When the clock finally read 4.30PM, Anastasia grabbed her purse and left thepany 10 minutes


    earlier than usual, hoping to g a taxi downstairs by the pavement. However, for some reason,


    there were no taxis driving past the area.


    She was just about to walk over to the bus station nearby when a gleaming ck Rolls-Royce


    pulled up next to her soundlessly. The driver¡¯s side window rolled down to reveal the man behind


    the wheel, and he was eyeing her with his piercing gaze as he said, ¡°Get in.¡±


    Anastasia waved her hand to dismiss his offer. ¡°No, thanks.¡± She would much rather take the bus.


    Just then, the man stopped the car and opened the door. He got out of the vehicle and walked up to


    her, though she wasn¡¯t sure what he was nning to do.


    Before she could react, the man opened the car door on the passenger side before reaching out to


    deftly grab her by the wrist. Then, without another word, he shoved her into the passenger seat.


    ¡°Hey! I will not be sitting in your car, Elliot!¡± she snapped at him, having never encountered a man


    as boorish as him.


    He ignored her, and after seeing that she had reluctantly settled into her seat, he closed the door


    and pressed his key. He had locked the car door, and now that Anastasia could not escape, she


    watched with wide eyes filled with despair as the man rounded the car to slide into the driver¡¯s seat.


    Then, still paying no mind to her usatory re, he elegantly started the car and pulled away from


    the curb.


    Given that she didn¡¯t have time to waste now that she was runningte to pick Jared up from


    school, she decided to let this matter go. She buckled up her seat belt and pointed out


    exasperatedly, ¡°Just because you¡¯re my boss and you helped me out big time doesn¡¯t mean that


    you can just disrespect me like this.¡±


    ¡°I would have been more reasonable had you been more obedient,¡± Elliot said coolly as he kept his


    eyes on the road ahead.


    ¡°And what have you done to warrant my obedience?¡± she countered incredulously.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been good at handling rejection,¡± he said bluntly while throwing her a sideways nce.


    She felt the urge to scoff. As it turned out, a man like him did not appeal to reason at all. Upon


    deciding to go with another topic, she took on a snide and wicked tone as she asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s


    the verdict on your girlfriend¡¯s damages? Is she now a certified idiot?¡±


    ¡°Hayley is not my girlfriend; she¡¯s just someone I have to care for,¡± Elliot answered unaffectedly.


    Anastasia scoffed. ¡°Go on, you can admit that you¡¯re seeing her romantically. I saw how you guys


    were hugging and all that.¡±


    ¡°That is between me and her,¡± he said while frowning. For some reason, he wasn¡¯t in the mood to


    dissect the details of his rtionship with Hayley.


    ¡°Fine, then! You slept with her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Anastasia wasted no time in going straight to the point.


    He stiffened at this, and he turned away from her slightly as though to physically evade the


    question.


    ¡°Do you not know if you¡¯ve slept with her?¡± she pressed, not wanting to let the matter drop. Is he


    actually trying to show how good and innocent he is in front of me? Why won¡¯t he just admit that


    they¡¯ve totally screwed each other?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this,¡± he replied firmly.


    ¡°Come on, own up to your dirty deeds,¡± Anastasia chided with a snort. ¡°You men are all trash.¡±


    However, he did not get riled up by this, for he knew that her hostility toward men was founded in


    good reason. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t generalize us that way,¡± he managedmely for argument¡¯s sake.


    Anastasia chewed on her lip and decided to keep quiet. She had thought about herself and her own


    predicament. At the very least, Elliot was willing to take care of Hayley after sleeping with her, which


    meant he was a man of principle. As for the scoundrel who ruined me five years ago, I hope he rots


    in hell!


    They soon pulled up in front of the school gates. Anastasia got down from the car and went into the


    kindergarten to pick Jared up while Elliot waited by the entrance. It didn¡¯t take long for her to return


    with her son in tow, and after she opened the door to the backseat for the kid, he greeted politely,


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Presgrave.¡±


    Elliot turned to assess the little one who looked adorable and proper in his school


    uniform. He couldn¡¯t help wondering how his life would be more perfect if he had a son aroundAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jared¡¯s age, and he suddenly felt a surge of envy for Anastasia.


    Having already made a reservation at the restaurant, Elliot began to drive toward the establishment


    In the backseat, Jared was telling his mother about everything that had happened today, and his


    greatest aplishment of the day was being crowned first ce in eating. Anastasia was ted


    when she heard this and kissed him gently on the forehead. ¡°Good job, my darling! Keep it up.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Jared replied earnestly with a nod.


    After they were led to their table at the restaurant, Elliot swiftly ordered the dishes. Throughout


    dinner, Anastasia kept an eye on Jared at all times, making sure that he ate without making a mess.


    She was a mother, after all, and it was part of her maternal instincts to ignore her own dinner while


    making sure her son ate well; she would worry incessantly otherwise.


    At a table not too far away from theirs sat a youngdy of nobility whose gaze flickered over to them


    every once in a while, and she even took out her phone to snap a few pictures of Elliot and his


    company.


    As it turned out, this youngdy happened to be the one who had humiliated Anastasia during the


    jewelry exhibition the other day. The youngdy had be fast friends with Hayley, who grew


    popr among the rest of the youngdies of the upper-crust society after she made a name for


    herself as Elliot¡¯s date and subsequently became a medium through which the elites intended to


    climb the socialdder.


    The youngdy had noticed Anastasia right off the bat, for she had been jealous of Anastasia ever


    since the jewelry exhibition. He took particr care of her during the exhibition, and now he¡¯s having


    dinner with her in private too. Who is that child, though? Could he be Elliot¡¯s nephew? Judging by


    their strong resemnce, they have to be rted somehow!

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    Chapter 65


    The youngdy took a few more pictures and sent then all to Hayley with a caption that read, ¡®Miss


    Seymour, you may want to keep a close eye on your man because this woman here is trying to


    seduce him!


    Hayley was lounging in her hospital room and scrolling through videos on her phone when she


    clicked into the new text. When she saw the pictures of Anastasia and Elliot, her eyes widened in


    disbelief while anger rose in her chest. Anastasia is on a date with Elliot with her son in tow!


    She wondered furiously if it meant Anastasia intended to have Elliot be her son¡¯s new father. A


    single mother like Anastasia had little to no prospects on the marriage market, and she could very


    well be using Amelia¡¯s sacrifice from all those years ago to trap Elliot in a marriage in the guise of


    repaying a selfless deed. Not only that, she¡¯s trying to get Elliot to ept her son as well!


    Hayley thought she had already seen through Anastasia¡¯s plot, and she swore she would not let the


    latter seed.


    It looked like it was time for her to approach Elliot¡¯s family and let them know that she had given up


    her chastity just to get Elliot out of a tight spot as well.


    Meanwhile, under the lights of the restaurant, Elliot was practically glimmering with elegance as he


    sipped on his red wine, the shadows and lights interying over his delicately-chiseled features.


    He looked up and gazed at Jared from across the table. At that moment, he had a sudden feeling


    that he and this boy met under the most particr of circumstances, which inevitably led to his


    affection for the little boy.


    Likewise, Jared felt the same thing. He had only met Elliot on a few asions, but he inexplicably


    warmed to him and found him very much like a safe harbor. As far as he was concerned, Elliot was


    a man he could trust.


    Jared was only a child, and for a child to feel safe around someone they did not live with was a rare


    situation indeed.


    After dinner that evening, Elliot dropped them off at the apartment. Anastasia held Jared by the


    hand and helped him down from the car before turning to address Elliot, ¡°Thank you for thisAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    evening.¡±


    With that, she led Jared away from the car and toward the apartment.


    Just then, Jared suddenly piped up, ¡°Mommy, since Mr. Presgrave bought us dinner, shouldn¡¯t we at


    least have him up to the house for tea?¡±


    Anastasia froze. She had no intention of asking the man to drop by her house for a cup of tea, but


    now that Jared had mentioned it, it would seem rude of her not to extend an invitation to Elliot.


    ¡°Would you like toe up for a cup of tea?¡± she asked, having turned around to ask the man in


    the driver¡¯s seat.


    She had assumed that he would say no, what with his busy schedule and all. It was only a matter of


    courtesy on her part to ask him to stay for a cup of tea, and it was the only way she could get her


    kid off her back about being a polite host.


    However, she most certainly did not expect Elliot to turn off the car engine and emerge from the


    driver¡¯s seat. His straight and tall silhouette came down from the car and walked up to the entrance.


    ¡°I suppose I could do with a cup of tea,¡± he said as he approached them. All of a sudden, Anastasia


    felt pressured as she took in his towering figure. I shouldn¡¯t have asked, she thought darkly while


    regretting her decision.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, you can drop by my house for a ss of water!¡± Jared offered with a happy jump


    like he was in a pantomime.


    And just like that, Anastasia brought the man home. She rummaged through the cab for a spare


    cup, but when she could find none, she resorted to filling Jared¡¯s cup with water. When she handed


    the mug with the cartoon printed on it to Elliot, she said, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind using my son¡¯s cup.¡±


    The man wasn¡¯t bothered in the slightest as he took the cup and drank from it. Meanwhile, the little


    one was building bricks next to the couch. He nced over at the boxes of toys stacked up on the


    couch, and at first nce, none of them looked cheap.


    Elliot immediately guessed that the toys had been bought by Nigel. Without dwelling on it, he turned


    his attention on Jared, who seemed engrossed in building bricks, and the somber gleam in his eyes


    disappeared as a look of warmpassion reced it.


    Meanwhile, it looked like it was going to rain soon. Anastasia was bringing in theundry from the


    balcony, but just as she was making her way across the living room, a pink piece of clothing fell out


    of the heap in her arms. She didn¡¯t notice this, but Elliot, with his eagle eyes, did.


    The pink fabric that had fallen wasdies¡¯ underwear.


    He rose from the couch and grabbed the flimsy garment off the ground. Then, he


    headed into the room after Anastasia and said, ¡°Hey, you dropped this.¡±


    She turned around, and her pretty eyes widened by a fraction when she registered her underwear


    hanging on the tip of Elliot¡¯s finger. She hurried over and snatched the garment out of his grip,


    blushing as she muttered, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    At that moment, a purple streak of lightning shed across the dark sky, and this was followed by a


    deafening p of thunder.


    A childish scream sounded from the living room as Jared cried out, ¡°Mommy!¡± He had abandoned


    his toy bricks and had both his hands pped over his ears, looking terrified.


    Elliot instantly walked back to the couch and scooped the little boy into his arms, drawing the child


    close. The little one was pressed into Elliot¡¯s well-toned chest, shrinking into the man¡¯s embrace as


    he hid from the thunder.


    When Anastasia hastily walked out of the room, she was greeted by the sight of Elliot protectively


    holding Jared close.


    Another loud crack of thunder echoed in the sky, and this time, a torrential downpour followed. The


    gray tes of rain showered across the balcony, and just as Anastasia was assessing the weather


    beyond the window, a white lightning tore through the sky ferociously. The thunder that came after


    was loud and violent, causing Anastasia to instinctively cover her ears. She seemed to shrink into


    herself, looking terrified as well.


    At that exact moment, Jared clutched tightly onto Elliot, equally terrified. It was then that Elliot


    realized with a tug of his heartstrings how the fear for thunderstorms was clearly a shared trait


    between mother and son.

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    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66


    The downpour didn¡¯t look like it would stop anytime soon. Looking over at the man on the couch,


    Anastasia offered, ¡°I¡¯ll get you an umbre right away.¡±


    However, Elliot eyed her in mild amusement as he said matter-of-fa?tly, ¡°I¡¯m staying here for the


    night.¡±


    Stunned, she blinked at him for a moment and asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because Jared needs me.¡± As if to make a point, Elliot stroked Jared¡¯s head with hisrge palm like


    he was some kind of guardian deity, and the little one looked up at him with an imploring expression


    and begged, ¡°Mr. Presgrave, Mommy and I are terrified of lightning and thunder, so can you please


    stay with us and keep us safe for the night?¡±


    Anastasia immediately interjected, ¡°Absolutely not, Jared. I¡¯m more than capable of keeping you


    safe during the storm.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re terrified of thunder too, Mommy!¡± Jared argued, mercilessly calling her bluff.


    ¡°I am not. I¡¯m just¡ª¡± She was about to make her case when the universe, determined to prove her


    wrong, called upon yet another bout of lightning that slithered past the sky and tore through the


    night. As always, this was followed by another violent p of thunder.


    She shuddered, flinching as she sped her hands to her ears quickly.


    She waited out the thunder and looked at Elliot, and she did not miss the amusement glittering in


    his eyes. Flushing, she mumbled through gritted teeth, ¡°Bottom line is that you can¡¯t stay here. It


    isn¡¯t the most convenient for any of us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go as soon as the thunder stops,¡± he insisted.


    At the sight of how tightly Jared was clinging onto Elliot, Anastasia nodded and said in resignation,


    ¡°Fine, then. You can¡¯t go back to your car anyway, what with the storm outside.¡±


    She then left him in the living room with Jared and headed back into her bedroom. When she saw


    the undergarment that he had retrieved earlier, she was seized with the urge to kick herself. Of all


    the things to drop from the pile ofundry, it just had to be underwear!


    The thunder was relentless, and the storm outside the window raged on. There was even a weatherUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    alert that urged everyone to stay safe because it was likely that the thunderstorm would go on for


    the rest of the night.


    Anastasia thought grimly, Surely I can¡¯t let the man stay here for the whole night? If everyone finds


    out that we spent the night together at my ce, the rumor mill will have a field day churning out


    gossip!


    More importantly, she wasn¡¯t exactly staying at the most amodating of abodes. With the


    apartment¡¯s limited space, she didn¡¯t have an extra room to put Elliot in, and the only beds here


    were hers and Jared¡¯s.


    As it gotter and the thunder finally waned in its ferocity, Jared was dragged into the bathroom by


    his mother so that he could wash up for bed. A whileter, Anastasia emerged from the room with a


    better part of her clothes sttered by bathwater. . Having settled Jared in the living room, she


    decided to hop into the bath herself.


    Just then, Anastasia¡¯s phone beeped with a new message. Jared immediately grabbed her phone


    and keyed in the pin before reading the text. ¡°It¡¯s a message from Mr. Nigel!¡± he dered in


    pleasant surprise.


    Elliot narrowed his eyes as he bent to read Nigel¡¯s message, which was clearly penned out of


    concern as it read, ¡®Anastasia, are you and Jared alright? Do you need me to go over and keep you


    guyspany?¡¯


    Jared had no idea how to reply to a text, so he set the phone down and busied himself with his


    Legos once more. Elliot reached for the pink phone, and with his long fingers clutching the device,


    he typed out the reply, ¡®No need!


    However, that did not deter Nigel from his enthusiastic efforts. ¡®You know I¡¯m just worried about you


    and Jared, Anastasia. I¡¯lle over right now, how about that?¡¯


    ¡®No, you can¡¯t. It isn¡¯t suitable for you to drop by right now, came Elliot¡¯s reply as his gaze darkened.


    ¡®Why won¡¯t it be suitable? I stayed over at your ce plenty of times while we were abroad,


    remember?¡¯


    Elliot¡¯s face was as stormy as the sky outside as he thought, Which base did they get to? Have they


    hit a home run?


    Before he could reply, yet another text came from Nigel. ¡®Anastasia, all you need to do is say yes


    and I¡¯d be more than happy to take care of you and Jared for life. I¡¯d stand guard over the both of


    you, and my embrace will be the safest harbor for you


    both


    Seeing his cousin¡¯s heartfelt confession made Elliot want to die inside. He cringed and tossed the


    phone to the empty space next to him on the couch, refusing to read any more.


    He rose and appraised the apartment with mild interest. When he came to Jared¡¯s bedroom, he


    perused the photographs on the table, one of which was a picture of Anastasia and Nigel. Jared


    was propped up on Nigel¡¯s shoulders, and anyone who didn¡¯t know any better would think it was a


    family photo.


    Elliot¡¯s gaze darkened. Just then, Jared shuffled tiredly into the room, rubbing his eyes as he


    muttered, ¡°I want to go to bed, Mr. Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡± Elliot crouched down and scooped Jared into his arms. As though he was being


    pulled into a motherly embrace, Jared let out a small yawn and fell asleep while Elliot cradled him.


    Anastasia had washed her hair and blow-dried it before she emerged from the bathroom, only to


    see her son sound asleep while resting on Elliot¡¯s shoulder.


    She froze, for she had truly put Elliot through too much trouble this evening. He had be an


    impromptu babysitter in the span of a few hours.


    Upon noticing her approaching figure, Elliot put a finger to his lips, making a shushing motion to


    warn Anastasia not to make a sound or she would wake the sleeping child. She knew what he was


    saying and pointed at Jared¡¯s room before whispering, ¡°Here, I¡¯ll carry him over to his bed.¡±


    Elliot followed Anastasia into the room while cradling the little boy, whereupon she plucked Jared


    carefully out of his arms. The sudden close proximity between them allowed Elliot to take a whiff of


    her pleasant fresh-out-of-the-shower scent, and he couldn¡¯t help stiffening like an electric current


    had just gone through him.


    A sudden primal urge seized him as he registered her natural and deadly charisma, and he felt his


    heart skip a beat.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67


    Elliot felt like he was in a trance as he watched Anastasia hold Jared close to her before settling the


    little boy down into bed.


    Jared was probably so exhausted that the moment his head hit the pillow, he immediately wriggled


    to find afortable position and slept¡­.


    Having tucked her son in, Anastasia turned and gestured for Elliot to leave the room quietly.


    He did as he was told and took long strides to get out of the room with Anastasia in his wake. After


    closing the door behind her, she let out a small sigh and said, ¡°Thanks for tonight.¡±


    ¡°How will you thank me?¡± he asked, his voice low and maic as he eyed her curiously.


    She frowned, and there was a bewildered look in her pretty eyes as she thought, How else can I


    thank him other than to literally say thank you¡¯? ¡°Uh¡­ I could buy you a meal or something if you¡¯d


    like?¡± she guessed, unsure if that was what he had been angling for.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need for that,¡± he said dismissively.


    She let out a breath of relief. Good, because I don¡¯t have the time anyway.


    Her phone vibrated just then, and they both turned to nce at the phone lying on the coffee table.


    Even from this distance, Elliot could see the caller ID on the phone screen; it was a call from Nigel.


    Anastasia went over to pick up the phone. The only private space she had in the small apartment


    was her own bedroom, which was where she went in to take the call, though she left the door ajar.


    ¡°Hello, Nigel. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, let me go and stay with you for the night!¡± Nigel offered cheerily and relentlessly on the


    other line.


    ¡°Why would you do that? Don¡¯t you see how the weather is brutal out there? You¡¯ll be soaked before


    you even get into the car!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m really worried about you and Jared. You¡¯re both terrified of thunderstorms.¡±


    Anastasia felt her heart squeeze as she remembered that Elliot was still lingering around the


    apartment. She hastily replied, ¡°No, no, don¡¯te over. Jared and I are about to call it a day


    anyway. Okay, that¡¯s all. Bye!¡±


    With that, she hung up the phone and turned around, only to jump when she saw that Elliot¡¯s


    unhallowed presence had suddenly materialized in her bedroom. Not to mention, he was standing


    right behind her, gazing down at the woman like he was assessing her.


    ¡°President Presgrave, you-¡°She blinked her wide eyes at him. Heaven¡¯s sake, why did he have to


    scare me like that?


    ¡°Have you slept with Nigel?¡± Elliot demanded tactlessly.


    She gaped at him, rendered speechless by his question. Doesn¡¯t he know it¡¯s rude to pry? She


    didn¡¯t think he had a right to inquire into her personal life, but she was frank nheless as she


    answered, ¡°No, why?¡±


    ¡°How intimate have you been with him?¡± he pressed, as if he simply must get to the bottom of this


    pertinent matter.


    Anastasia decided to be patient with him on ount of all the help he had given her thus far. ¡°We


    hugged as friends, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡±


    ¡°Have you kissed?¡± he asked, getting more specific with each question.


    She blinked, as if unable to process what was going on at the moment. Why should I tell him


    everything just because he asked? Also, this guy is definitely getting more dangerous with each


    passing minute. I can¡¯t have him stay here any longer! With a small smile, she pointed out, ¡°It¡¯s


    gettingte, President Presgrave. Maybe you should be getting back.¡±


    He stared at her for a long while. She had only just showered, and she smelled clean, fragrant and


    particrly alluring. He narrowed his eyes all of a sudden, and he could feel his primal urges taking


    over his reasoning faculty as he eyed her like how a predator might eye its prey.


    Anastasia had only just brushed past him when his arm darted out and grabbed her around the


    waist. She staggered backward out of surprise and ended up tripping over his foot. In a tangle of


    legs and arms, they fell onto the bed with him on top of her.


    For one still moment, her breath intermingled with the testosterone in the air. Just as she was about


    to say something in protest, Elliot cupped her face and pressed his lips


    against hers, sealing her voicepletely. She let out a muffled whimper as her mind turned nk.


    Against her own volition, she felt her veins thrum with a buzz akin to a mild electric current; herCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    body was actually caving into his kiss.


    Elliot¡¯s kiss was daring and aggressive. He offered her no room for negotiation nor air as he tasted


    her. At the same time, his broad and well-built frame pinned the breath out of her. Anastasia could


    do nothing but let him have his way with her, and it wasn¡¯t until she sensed the danger of this that


    she felt her senses rush back to her. Her eyes flew open, and as she glowered at him, she pushed


    him away hard.


    He finally released her, and as the tips of their noses brushed and the lines of vision met, the air


    seemed to grow thick with tension. They were both panting with the heat of the moment washing


    over them.


    She began to bite out through gritted teeth, ¡°Let me go, Elliot. I¡¯m warning you¡ª¡±

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    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68


    Elliot cut her off by pushing the t of his finger against Anastasia¡¯s parted lips and muttered


    hoarsely, ¡°Don¡¯t be too loud or you¡¯ll wake the kid.¡±


    Anastasia immediately fell silent, but when she saw the wicked amusement in his eyes, she went on


    to push him.


    When he got off her, she couldn¡¯t help noticing the sudden change in him from the waist down. This


    made her flush as she thought, Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake, must he be so obvious?


    Elliot was frustrated as well, and there was a pained look on his handsome face as he drawled in a


    low and husky voice, ¡°I¡¯ll get going, then.¡±


    Without another word, Anastasia mbered off the bed and went over to open the front door for


    him. She watched him leave and vowed never to let him past the threshold ever again. She knew


    now how dangerous Elliot could get; there was a beast in him that could attack at any given


    moment.


    Presently, the rain had yet to stop, and it wasn¡¯t until after Elliot had gone out of sight that Anastasia


    realized she had not given him an umbre. He had parked his car some distance away from the


    apartment, and at this rate, he would be soaked before he got to his car. She was about to


    sympathize with him when she figured that he needed to cool off under the rain, what with the


    abrupt and heated moment they had shared just minutes ago.


    Meanwhile, over at the hospital, Hayley was tortured by the thought of Anastasia and Elliot hanging


    out together. That girl probably has some trick up her sleeve that she¡¯ll use to seduce Elliot. With


    that in mind, Hayley barreled out of the hospital that same night.


    It was dawn when Hayley called the number of the driver Elliot had assigned to her. The driver was


    supposed to ensure that she was safely driven from one point to another.


    ¡°Mr. Connell, can I ask if you know where the Presgrave Residence is?¡± Hayley asked as soon as


    she boarded the vehicle.


    ¡°Do you wish to drop by the Presgrave Residence, Miss Seymour?¡± Bruce asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yes, please drop me off there. It¡¯s an emergency,¡± she said imperiously.


    Bruce had seen how kind and gracious Elliot treated Hayley, so he did not question her as he pulled


    away from the curb, thereafter driving over to the Presgrave Residence.


    Half an hourter, Hayley found herself standing before an opulent manor fronted by elegant


    columns. She swallowed. When it came to the heart of the city, real estate was scarce and


    expensive, and to own such a stately home here took more than just wealth.


    In fact, it took real power. Hayley suddenly realized how little she knew about the Presgrave Family;


    everything she knew about Elliot she had gleaned from magazines and newspapers as well as


    introductory pieces from the media. Now that she was standing here and taking in the grandeur of


    his family home, she felt her ambition grow.


    She wanted more than anything to be the mistress of this fine home. She wanted to live here


    and be Elliot¡¯s wife.


    Hayley still had two brothers who came after her, and her position in her own family had always


    been overshadowed by her male siblings. She had spent her whole life frantically trying to escape


    that life. She would always be overlooked, be it at home or in society, and she lusted after a life of


    indulgence and luxury. She wanted to make something on her own, or have power to wield.


    As of now, she had a shortcut to achieving her dreams, and she would do all that she could to hold


    on to it.


    She would not hesitate to cut down those who got in her way-more specifically, Anastasia and her


    son.


    With renewed determination, Hayley squared her shoulders and rang the bell next to the side door.


    A maid came up to the door and spoke through it, asking politely, ¡°Are you looking for someone,


    miss?¡±.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here to see Old Madam Presgrave,¡± Hayley replied. She had read from the papers that Old


    Madam Presgrave, Elliot¡¯s grandmother, was the matriarch of the family.


    ¡°Could you please fill in your details here? We¡¯ll let you in after we¡¯ve verified your


    identity.¡± The maid handed her a clipboard with a form on it.


    Hayley did as she was told and even handed over her identity card. After waiting outside for ten


    minutes or so, she was finally allowed to pass through the door. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    At that moment, Harriet was having breakfast in an elegant pavilion when she heard that a young


    woman wanted to see her. Stunned, she wondered briefly if the woman in question was Anastasia.


    ¡°Is it Miss Tillman?¡±


    ¡°No, Old Madam Presgrave. It¡¯s ady by the name of Hayley Seymour; she said that she¡¯s a friend


    of Young Master Elliot.¡±


    Elegantly dabbing the corners of her lips, Harriet said, ¡°Send her in!¡±


    Not long after, she was greeted by the sight of a young woman who had followed the maid through


    to the pavilion. Harriet had initially nned on seeing Anastasia today, but this unexpected guest


    certainly had her guessing. Who in the world is this girl?

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    Chapter 69


    Hayley looked at Harriet with her gray hair, which gave off an aura of a domineering matriarch of the


    house. Thus, she didn¡¯t dare to misbehave in front of the old madam. Soon, she walked up to


    Harriet and politely greeted her. ¡°Greetings, Old Madam Presgrave. My name is Hayley Seymour.


    I¡¯m your grandson¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    Harriet frowned and asked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re Elliot¡¯s girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Well, Elliot and I haven¡¯t dated long enough for me to drop by and say hi, so I¡¯m sorry about that,


    Old Madam Presgrave.¡± Hayley acted like she was beating herself up.


    Harriet had always known that Elliot didn¡¯t like her arrangements, which made her wonder whether


    Hayley was behind the reason why her grandson didn¡¯t want to marry Anastasia. ¡°Hayley, can you


    tell me how you came to know Elliot?¡± The old madam sized Hayley up, noticing her ordinary


    appearance as she was also able to tell that Hayley wasn¡¯t from a wealthy family.


    However, the biggest question that bothered her was whether Elliot was dating Hayley.


    When Hayley kept her head down and pursed her lips in silence, a curious Harriet then asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you being so quiet?¡±


    Hayley bit her lips and looked at the old madam. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Why? What could be embarrassing? Just tell me the story.¡± Harriet¡¯s curiosity grew even stronger.


    Hayley then pretended to muster her courage and shared about the incident that happened five


    years ago with Harriet. Since she was able to guess how Anastasia and Elliot¡¯s intimacy had


    happened, she managed to tell the story, as if she was the one who experienced it herself. Upon


    hearing Hayley¡¯s story, Harriet was left with her eyes wide open as she couldn¡¯t believe her


    grandson was responsible for taking away ady¡¯s virginity


    ¡°The watch was the clue that helped Elliot look for me before he told me he¡¯ll make it up to me for


    the rest of his life.¡±


    Harriet¡¯s eyes were filled with sympathy after she heard Hayley¡¯s story. After all, she reckoned


    Hayley deserved her sympathy for having sacrificed her virginity in exchange for her grandson¡¯s life.


    ¡°Hayley, I¡¯d like to apologize to you on Elliot¡¯s Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    behalf. Besides, I¡¯ll see that he makes it up to you.¡±


    The old madam ced herself in Hayley¡¯s shoes and was able to empathize with the youngdy as


    a woman herself. Well, Hayley was probably 19 when that happened to her. That was when ady


    was in her golden years, yet something like this befell her. I bet she must have suffered from it a lot.


    ¡°Have you had breakfast, girl?¡± she asked in a concerned manner.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t¡­¡± Hayley shook her head.


    ¡°Somebody! Please prepare breakfast.¡± Harriet ordered her maids while Hayley kept her head down


    with acent look that shed across her face. Deep down, she believed the positive change


    in Harriet¡¯s attitude was a sign that her ce was getting more important in the Presgrave Family.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was going through some files in her office at Bourgeois when her phone


    rang. She then picked it up and asked, ¡°Hello, who is speaking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you at the door. Get down here now,¡± Elliot spoke with a voice so deep and


    charismatic that no other man could speak like him.


    She held her breath for a split second when memories of the man forcefully kissing her vividly


    haunted her and flooded her mind. At the thought of that, she felt reluctant to see Elliot. Thus, she


    turned the man¡¯s invitation down. ¡°I¡¯m busy today, so I¡¯m not going to your grandmother¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Are you going toe down, or do I have to go up there to get you myself? Take your pick,¡± the


    man replied unhappily.


    Anastasia bit her lips, realizing it wasn¡¯t right for her to renege on her words. Therefore, she packed


    her stuff and grabbed her purse before leaving the office. When she arrived downstairs, she was


    greeted by the sight of a ck sedan. Then, she opened the car door and sat inside as the man


    wearing a ck suit gave off an intimidating aura.


    Not long after Anastasia entered the car, she looked the other way and set her eyes outside the


    window while feeling a rush of adrenaline all over her body as soon as she recalled Elliot¡¯s


    unexpected reaction the night before.


    On the other hand, Elliot fixed his gaze on thedy¡¯s nk while starting the car engine and driving


    away from thepany. For the next few moments, the car¡¯s interior was shrouded in silence until


    he suddenly elerated on the highway. Frightened by that, she anxiously held onto her seatbelt


    and screamed in horror,


    ¡°Elliot, the speed limit here is 50 miles per hour!¡±

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Chapter 70


    What is this man doing? Is he trying to show off how fast his car can go by speeding all the way


    from 30 miles to 70 miles?! Man, this is giving me a heart attack!


    Elliot curled his lips into a smile before he said, ¡°I thought you were mute.¡±


    Anastasia looked back at Elliot, feeling annoyed that the man sounded like he was cursing her.


    ¡°You¡¯re the mute here,¡± she retorted.


    Nheless, Elliot wasn¡¯t angry but he was instead amused with Anastasia¡¯s response as he


    reacted with an even wider grin. As the car slowed down on the road, she decided not to entertain


    him anymore and kept quiet until they arrived at the Presgrave Residence.


    Upon looking up, she was greeted by the sight of the magnificent-looking gate in front of the


    mansion. It was then that she finally realized how wealthy and powerful Elliot was when she linked it


    to what she heard from the media that no one could urately estimate how much his fortune was


    worth. After all, what they had discovered about Elliot¡¯s fortune was merely just a tip of the iceberg.


    Soon, Anastasia quickly fixed her attire, hoping to present her best self in front of Harriet.


    In the meantime, Elliot walked through the door with Anastasia following right behind him, as if they


    were entering a garden in a royal pce with all kinds of expensivendscape and rare nt


    species around the area. Meanwhile, Harriet was talking with Hayley when she heard about Elliot¡¯s


    arrival from the maid. While Harriet told Hayley to excuse herself, Hayley seized the opportunity to


    ask the maid, ¡°Did Elliot bring Miss Tillman along with him?¡±


    ¡°You know Anastasia, Hayley?¡± A stunned Harriet turned and brought up her puzzlement to Hayley.


    ¡°Yeah, I do. She was my good friend when we were in primary and high school.¡± Hayley smiled and


    added, ¡°We subsequently drifted apart from each other due to some misunderstanding, though.¡±


    ¡°Does she know what happened between you and Elliot?¡± Harriet asked.


    ¡°Yes, she does.¡± Hayley nodded.


    Harriet let out a sigh, finding it hard to believe that Hayley, thedy who gave her


    virginity to Elliot, was the former schoolmate of Anastasia whose mother had saved her grandson¡¯s


    life. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When Elliot and Anastasia showed up at the parlor¡¯s door, the man was stunned at the sight of


    Hayley sitting beside his grandmother because he had no idea she would be there. At the same


    time, Anastasia couldn¡¯t find Hayley¡¯s presence any more annoying as her eyes filled with bigotry


    and hatred whenever she saw Haytey in front of her.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Elliot approached Hayley, looking like he was interrogating her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elliot. I just wanted to meet your family, so.¡± Hayley bit her lips and looked down like she


    was afraid of being scolded.


    On the other hand, he fixed his gaze on her face, thinking that she must have said something she


    shouldn¡¯t have to Harriet.


    ¡°Here you are, Miss Tillman. Pleasee in and have a seat.¡± Harriet could barely hide her liking


    for Anastasia.


    Anastasia politely greeted the old madam. ¡°Good day, Old Madam Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you. Now that we are standing here face to face,


    you look even prettier than I imagine!¡± Harrietplimented Anastasia, indirectly expressing her


    liking for thetter.


    On the other hand, Hayley, who was watching their interaction, couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous of


    Anastasia due to the notion that the Presgrave Family was in Anastasia¡¯s debt because her mother


    had saved Elliot. For that, Hayley wished she could swap ces with Anastasia and im her ce


    as the Young Mistress of the Presgrave Family.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Anastasia,¡± Hayley greeted Anastasia.


    Anastasia only gazed at her coldly before turning her attention to Harriet. ¡°Old Madam Presgrave,


    we¡¯d like to speak to you in private.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Elliot squinted as he wondered whether Anastasia was going to turn down his


    grandmother¡¯s favor.


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯d like to have a word with you, anyway.¡± Harriet seized Anastaisa¡¯s hand. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s sit


    down and talk.¡±


    Soon, Anastasia and Harriet made their way to the garden outside the living room


    where there was afortable couch with some beautiful scenery. Not long after that, the maid


    thoughtfully served the twodies with some fruits and pastries. ¡°Here: is your tea, Miss Tillman.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Old Madam Presgrave.¡± Anastasia raised her teacup and took a sip of the tea that was


    radiating a pleasant aroma.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I¡¯ve been wanting to thank you for the time when your mother saved my grandson


    back then. While I¡¯m sad about your mother¡¯s passing, I¡¯ve actually been trying to look for a chance


    to make it up to you and your family,¡± a sincere Harriet said.


    Sensing Harriet¡¯s guilt, Anastasia shook her head and replied, ¡°Please don¡¯t take it to heart, Old


    Madam Presgrave. My mom saved your grandson because it was the right thing for her to do.¡±


    ¡°Girl, I want you to know that the Presgrave Family will always be your second home as long as you


    don¡¯t mind it. Meanwhile, I would like to be your grandmother and do my best to take care of you


    and your son,¡± Harriet tearfully noted.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Chapter 71


    Anastasia was grateful upon hearing Harriet¡¯s kind intention, but nheless, she shook her head


    firmly. ¡°You have no idea how thankful I am to know that you¡¯ve never forgotten about my mother,


    but I don¡¯t need you to repay me any favor. In fact, I only came here to say hello, not to ept any


    kind of offer.¡±


    An agitated Harriet seized Anastasia¡¯s hand. ¡°Girl, your mother is gone, which makes it my


    responsibility to take care of you. Please! Let me treat you as my granddaughter.¡±


    Anastasia had no one else in her family other than her father ever since her grandparents passed


    away. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t help but feel touched in the face of Harriet¡¯s benevolent smile.


    ¡°Girl, just think of me as your rtive whom you can visit once in a while, okay? I know you and


    your mother are both righteousdies, and I¡¯m not asking for a lot because all I ever want is for you


    to live happily and peacefully.¡± Harriet sincerely gazed at Anastasia while looking forward to hearing


    her answer.


    Soon, Anastasia eventually surrendered because she had no idea how to turn down the old


    madam. Although it was her first time meeting Harriet, she somehow had an intimate feeling that


    she hadn¡¯t felt for a long time. Thinking that she was blessed and fortunate to have a grandmother


    like Harriet, Anastasia nodded and responded, ¡°Alright, Old Madam Presgrave.¡±


    Then, Harriet smiled happily and replied, ¡°Great! Then, I have one more granddaughter now.¡±


    ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, it¡¯s time for you to take your medication now.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah! I still have to take my medication, Anastasia. Please take a seat first or take a walk


    around the garden. I¡¯lle to youter.¡±


    ¡°Sure, please go ahead and take your medication.¡± Anastasia nodded and watched Harriet leave,


    making her way to the garden as she was reluctant to head to the living room because she didn¡¯t


    want to see Hayley¡¯s face.


    Meanwhile, Elliot was showing Hayley around the Presgrave Residence when they took a stroll in


    the garden. Then, he stared at her face with his piercing gaze and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me


    that you came to visit Grandma, Hayley?¡±


    Nheless, little did Elliot know that Hayley was actually just doing what she could


    to protect her interest because she wanted to keep her position level with Anastasia. If she is going


    to make the Presgrave Family pay her back, I¡¯m going to earn their approval to even the odds.


    ¡°I¡¯m in love with you, Elliot. I want to take things further with you.¡± Hayley gazed at the man with


    admiration as shepletely bared her heart.


    ¡°Hayley, I¡¯ll make it up to you by giving youfort and money,¡± Elliot answered gently, knowing


    clearly what he was doing. Deep down, he was sure that he would only make it up to her without


    compromising his rtionship status.


    Meanwhile, Hayley was about to tell that he had been treating her really welltely by giving her


    everything she wanted, but unfortunately, she wanted more than that. ¡°Elliot, are you in love with


    Anastasia?¡± She looked up and asked, her eyes filled with resentment and bigotry.


    Nheless, Elliot only squinted without giving her an answer.


    Hayley pretended to smile bitterly. ¡°Well, Anastasia hates me, especially now that she knows we


    were once together before. Furthermore, she was vited in the past, which left her scarred and


    distrustful toward men.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s face froze for a few seconds. Deep down, he somehow didn¡¯t like to hear anything about


    Anastasia with any other man. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± the man replied, appearing a little absent-


    minded.


    At that moment, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a silhouetteing in their direction from behind


    the bushes and quickly realized it was Anastasia. Thus, she immediately copsed into Elliot¡¯s


    embrace on purpose, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist. ¡°Elliot, you¡¯re the first man I ever


    gave myself to, but I swear I will never fall in love with any other man in my life. I love you, Elliot.¡±


    He froze, keeping his head down with his eyes on Hayley as he was caught off guard by her


    unexpected confession. He calmlyforted her in panic and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, Hayley.¡±


    ¡°No! I can still remember your kiss and your every breath that night, the way you went wild when


    you were on me¡­¡±


    In the meantime, Anastasia was disgusted by Hayley and Elliot¡¯s touchy-feely interaction when sheCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    thought her walk in the garden would be peaceful and undisturbed. Oh gosh! Can¡¯t they pick some


    ce else to do what they¡¯re doing? This is embarrassing!

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Chapter 72


    Elliot then pushed Hayley¡¯s hand off him and backed away, distancing himself from her while


    keeping his eyes on her face. ¡°I know I must be responsible now that I have found you.¡±


    Meanwhile, Hayley looked like an injured kitten, pouting as the tears swam in her eyes. ¡°Alright, I


    trust you, Elliot. You¡¯re the person whom I trust the most in this world. Therefore, all I ever want is to


    stay by your side throughout my life and go nowhere else. I want to be protected and feel needed


    by you.¡±


    A sympathetic Elliot patted her shoulder. ¡°Alright, just stop crying, okay? You aren¡¯t going to look


    pretty with a tear-stained face.¡±


    Soon, she kept her head down bashfully like a flower and set her eyes somewhere on the bushes


    far away, feeling gleeful that Anastasia must have heard their conversation. At the same time, Elliot


    was able to detect movements behind him with his keen hearing as he shouted, ¡°Who is there?


    Show yourself!¡±


    Nheless, Anastasia had no intention to continue hiding, so she emerged from behind the


    bushes with nothing to fear. When Elliot saw her, his gaze was filled withplicated emotions


    because he couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether she had heard the conversation between him and


    Hayley.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Hayley eximed.


    Anastasia curled her lips and smiled cially. ¡°Carry on. Just pretend that I¡¯m not here because I¡¯m


    just passing by.¡±


    ¡°What did Grandma tell you, Anastasia?¡± Hayley immediately approached Anastasia, referring to


    Harriet as Grandma in an intimate manner.


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Anastasia raised her eyebrow coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking, so please take it easy,¡± Hayley responded with a brittle smile.


    ¡°Stop feigning innocence, Hayley. You and I both know what kind of person you are.¡± Anastasia


    wished she could just unmask Hayley¡¯s hypocrisy and expose her true nature to Elliot.


    Hayley seemingly abandoned her ego and tearfully apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anastasia. ¨C If it hadn¡¯t


    been for me back then, you wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±.


    Anastasia¡¯s face turned pale as she coldly interrupted thedy, ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t make me hate you


    even more.¡±


    After being stunned, Hayley turned to Elliot forfort. In the meantime, he knew which incident


    they were referring to and was able to tell from Anastasia¡¯s pale face that she had experienced a


    nightmarish experience that she would never want to talk about again.


    ¡°Wait for me in the parlor, Hayley. I¡¯d like to have a word with Miss Tillman in private.¡± Elliot spoke to


    Hayley.


    Despite her reluctance to give them the opportunity to speak with each other privately, Hayley didn¡¯t


    dare to risk rubbing Elliot the wrong way, so she decided to nod obediently and walk away.,


    Watching Hayley leave, Anastasia wanted to ignore him after hearing Hayley mention her one-night


    stand with him. Ew! It¡¯s disgusting to even think about it. To imagine how he was wild when he was


    on top of Hayley really makes me want to puke. Soon, she began to conclude that his desire had


    made him eager and desperate when she recalled how touchy-feely he tried to be with her as well. I


    guess that¡¯s why people say men never behave themselves until the day they die.


    ¡°Anastasia, Hayley told me what happened to you, but since what¡¯s done is done, let¡¯s just put it


    behind you and move on.¡± Elliot watched as she walked away andforted her.


    Anastasia stopped in her tracks, knowing what Hayley was up to. Deep down, she knew Hayley


    would only exaggerate her checkered past and made her story sound even more pathetic than it


    was to Elliot. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether the man was showing her pity, but


    nheless, she wasn¡¯t about to ept his sympathy.


    After all, the man, with whom she had a one-night stand, had done her mentality a great deal of


    harm, but fortunately, her son¡¯s presence managed to heal her trauma and almost made her forget


    what happened that night five years ago. For that, she didn¡¯t even bother to think about it, let alone


    bring it up.


    ¡°Worry about yourself, Young Master Elliot!¡± Anastasia grunted.


    ¡°In that case, what can I do for you?¡± Elliot fixed his gaze on thedy¡¯s pale face, his heart


    pounding. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, from now on, take Hayley with you and stay away from me.¡± She walked away as soon as she


    finished her sentence.

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    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73


    As he watched Anastasia walk away, Elliot could sense the tenacity and strong will from her despite


    her petite figure, which made him feel helpless. At that moment, a maid came over to him and


    announced, ¡°Young Master Elliot, Old Madam Presgrave is waiting for you in the dining area.¡±


    While Elliot nodded and walked away with the maid, Hayley was on her way to the parlor but


    became lost in the huge garden. Therefore, she was forced to follow her gut while making her way


    out of there, somehow finding her surroundings rather quiet. Then, she saw an ancient-looking


    pavilion not far away and thought that she could ask somewhere there for directions.


    However, just when she approached, she heard an olddy¡¯s voice from behind the curtains. ¡°Old


    Madam Presgrave, are you sure you¡¯re going to make Young Master Elliot marry Miss Tillman?


    What about Miss Seymour?¡±


    Then, the old madam firmly replied, ¡°My decision remains the same. The only woman whom Elliot


    should ever marry is Anastasia. As for Hayley, I¡¯ll make sure Elliot makes it up to her with money


    andfort. For some reason, I just don¡¯t seem to click well with Hayley as I can¡¯t help but feel that


    she is a little too scheming and maniptive. Anyway, Anastasia is the only granddaughter-inw I¡¯ll


    ever approve of.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Hayley held her breath in horror as soon as she recognized Harriet¡¯s voice. Oh


    dear! Despite the show I tried to put this morning, she is still not satisfied with me? What¡¯s worse is


    that she only wants Anastasia to be her granddaughter-inw.


    Hayley was overwhelmed by her resentment when she suddenly heard footsteps approaching her.


    Thus, she quickly hid in the bushes under a tree and tried to remain as still as possible.


    ¡°Are you looking for me, Grandma?¡± Elliot¡¯s voice was heard.


    Harriet looked at her grandson and lectured, ¡°What happened back then, Elliot? How did you end


    up doing something as absurd as having a one-night stand with Hayley?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandma. I was set up and deprived of my sober mind to think straight.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re taking the responsibility you should for your mistake, so I don¡¯t me you for that, but


    how are you going to settle your issue with Miss Seymour?¡± Harriet -questioned her grandson


    harshly.


    ¡°I¡¯m already doing what I can to make it up to her.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not going to interfere with your matter, but I want you to remember one thing-the only


    granddaughter-inw I¡¯ll ever approve of is Anastasia. If she agrees to marry you, she¡¯ll be the


    Young Mistress of the Presgrave Family, but if she doesn¡¯t, you better treat her right for your whole


    life,¡± she spoke to Elliot in an unwavering manner.


    Although Hayley couldn¡¯t see the expression on the man¡¯s face, she felt like she had just fallen into


    a pool of ice water. I only want to live afortable and wealthy life, but why won¡¯t Anastasia stop


    getting in my way? No! I will not let Anastasia take away what¡¯s mine!


    Soon, she heard Elliot¡¯s terse reply that sounded as if it was a sharp de that plunged through her


    heart. ¡°Okay.¡± So, Elliot has no n to marry me from the beginning. Not long after that, she quietly


    sneaked away and ran into a maid, whom she asked for directions to make her way back to the


    parlor.


    While lunch was ready a few momentster, Anastasia eventually decided to stick around due to


    her awkward schedule in spite of her initial reluctance to do so. After everyone had gathered around


    the dining table, Harriet politely told Hayley to dig in. ¡°Please help yourself, Miss Seymour. Just


    make yourself at home.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Grandma.¡± Hayley smiled and nodded while hoping that the old madam was dead.


    ¡°You too, Anastasia. Help yourself.¡± Harriet gazed at Anastasia, as if she was her own


    granddaughter.


    ¡°Alright, sure.¡± Anastasia proceeded to help herself with the meal.


    After lunch, Harriet went on to treat the twodies to some dessert while Elliot made his way


    upstairs for some rest. Lying on the couch, the man appeared to be disturbed and distraught as he


    couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Hayley and Anastasia. The most there is between me and Hayley is the


    one-night stand we had five years ago, but I doubt I¡¯ll ever find the same breath I had with her that


    night from now on. For some reason, it seemed to Elliot that Hayley felt more like a stranger rather


    than someone he shared a strong chemistry with.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Chapter 74


    However, Elliot couldn¡¯t seem to forget the intimacy he had that night while the woman tearfully


    made futile efforts to resist him amidst the dark. Although she was only enduring his madness


    because he was under the influence of drugs, he could still remember the sweet moments during


    his intimacy with her until that day. Before he passed out, he even made a promise to himself that


    he would take full responsibility for what he did to her.


    At that moment, Anastasia¡¯s face somehow kept appearing in Elliot¡¯s mind. For some reason, his


    intuition told him that the feeling he had with Anastasia was the one he experienced that night.


    Then, he took a deep breath to keep his imaginations from running wild. Anyhow, I¡¯m going to make


    it up to these twodies. While I must repay my debt to one of them, I¡¯m bound by honor and my


    responsibility to make it up to the other.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was in the garden where she told Harriet that she had to leave for an


    important taskter in the afternoon. In the meantime, Harriet decided not to make her stay,


    knowing that it wasn¡¯t easy for Anastasia to raise a kid all by herself. Thus, she quickly told the maid


    to send for Elliot and asked him to take her home.


    When Hayley saw that, she immediately feigned that she also had an appointment with her friends


    as she wanted to leave with Anastasia. Since Harriet was just right in front of her, Anastasia had


    nothing to say since the old madam was allowing Hayley to do her thing


    Harriet merely told the maid to bring the two presents to thedies. Soon, the table in the parlor was


    seen with two premium bangles, but nheless, Harriet didn¡¯t specify which bangle was for whom.


    Instead, she smiled and asked, ¡°Come and have a look, girls. Which one do you like more?¡±


    Blinded by greed, Hayley was instantly able to tell which bangle was pricier and set her gaze on the


    shinier one. After that, she turned her attention to Anastasia and asked, ¡°Anastasia, I like this one,


    but I don¡¯t think you¡¯d mind, right?¡±


    Anastasia calmly responded, ¡°This is from Old Madam Presgrave, so you should probably ask her.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind it. As long as you like it.¡± Harriet nodded with a smile.


    As Hayley took the box that contained the bangle she wanted, Anastasia looked at Harriet and


    inquired, ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, this is exorbitant. I can¡¯t ept it.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Hayley was stunned as she thought that Anastasia was trying to embarrass her.


    Thus, she awkwardly ced the bracelet down and said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! This gift is too


    expensive. I can¡¯t ept it!¡±


    ¡°No, they are not expensive at all. It¡¯s the thought that counts after all, so please ept them!¡±


    Harriet smiled gracefully like a benevolent sag¨¨.


    On the other hand, Anastasia found herself caught in a dilemma because she could tell from the


    appearance of the bangles that they had a market value of about tens of millions. However, she


    knew that they were just small gifts to Harriet and was aware that the situation would turn ugly if she


    insisted on rejecting the old madam.


    Therefore, she nodded and thanked Harriet. ¡°Thank you, Old Madam Presgrave.¡±


    At the same time, Harriet sized bothdies up in a shrewd manner and eventually rested her gaze


    on Anastassia, thinking that Hayley seemed more like a petty snob who was greedy. Anastasia is


    such a graceful and decentdy, and there is no one else even more perfect than her to be my


    granddaughter-inw.


    While Hayley was a ve to greed and hunger for money, she had no idea that Harriet was actually


    testing her character. At the same time, Hayley didn¡¯t sense anything wrong with her behavior since


    she had never seen something so valuable since she was a kid, which was why she subconsciously


    tried to im it as hers.


    Not long after that, the twodies entered Elliot¡¯s car that was parked in the courtyard just when


    Hayley tried to assert her dominance by riding shotgun. On the other hand, Anastasia sat in the


    backseat, thinking it wasfortable to sit there while searching for a suitable spot by the roadside


    to get off. After all, she would rather take a cab than share a ride with Hayley.


    Soon, Elliot drove away from the Presgrave Residence as Hayley shed her bangle at him. ¡°See,


    Elliot. Grandma gave it to me. How does it look? Does it look good on


    me?¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

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    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75


    ¡°Yes, it does.¡± Elliot nced at the bangle on Hayley¡¯s wrist and nodded.


    ¡°Grandma treats me pretty well and seems to like me a lot.¡± Hayley intentionally made sure


    Anastasia heard her words, for she wanted thetter to know that she was important to Harriet.


    ¡°Just make sure you keep it with you.¡± Elliot shifted his gaze to the rear mirror and observed the


    lady in the backseat through the reflection. Anastasia continued to keep her eyes outside the


    window, and the side view of her face made her seem like a sacred goddess who was worshiped by


    many.


    Atst, Anastasia grew tired of staying in the car. The moment they made it to the road, she then


    spoke to the man in front of her. ¡°Please pull over, President Presgrave.¡±


    Elliot pulled over by the roadside and looked at thedy with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I want to get out of the car now.¡± Anastasia finished her sentence and swiftly opened the door,


    stepping out of the vehicle without a single thought of hesitation.


    Upon witnessing Anastasia¡¯s reaction, Elliot was stunned as he wondered whether she was


    reluctant to ept his ride, but Hayley was happy to see her leave since that meant she could be


    alone with the man. Nevertheless, Elliot got out of his car the next moment, leaving Hayley in


    surprise as she watched him catch up to Anastasia. At the sight of this, she couldn¡¯t help but feel


    overwhelmed by her bigotry even more, thinking that Anastasia was trying to seduce Elliot on


    purpose.


    On the other hand, Anastasia noticed Elliot catching up to her but decided to ignore his presence.


    She then found a suitable spot and stood there as she tried to hail a taxi.


    ¡°I can drop you off at your destination, so why are you taking a taxi?¡± Elliot frowned unhappily.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. Just take Hayley with you and leave,¡± Anastasia looked back and


    answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her home and drive you to the office after that,¡± Elliot replied with a deep voice that


    sounded like he was trying to coax her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like sharing a ride with thatdy, so it¡¯s either me or her whom you¡¯re


    driving. Take your pick.¡± Anastasia jutted her chin in a haughty manner.


    Elliot paused briefly even though he was no stranger to her unreasonable attitude. Soon, he seized


    her wrist and said, ¡°Anastasia, can¡¯t you be more reasonable?¡±


    However, Anastasia retracted her arm in frustration. ¡°I can be reasonable to anyone but you! Take


    your hand off me now!¡± At that moment, a taxi arrived before she . opened the door and sat inside,


    leaving Elliot with an annoyed frown on his face. Oh, man! Thisdy is really a stubborn one, isn¡¯t


    she?


    In the meantime, Hayley was still mad at Anastasia even though thetter had already left, feeling


    disgusted with her coy behavior. Isn¡¯t she acting like such a drama queen right now? When Elliot


    returned to the car, she instantly noticed his darkened expression and immediately seized the


    chance to y on his heart strings. ¡°Did Anastasia leave because of me? If I had known earlier, I


    should have taken a taxi instead.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. She just has something important to attend to back in the office.¡± Elliot¡¯s eyes seemed


    to have be gentler.


    Hayley pretended to let out a sigh. ¡°Anastasia and I can never be as close as we used to be back


    then, and I¡¯ll never be able to make it up to her for the harm I caused her ever again.¡±


    Elliotforted thedy and said, ¡°Whatever it was, it¡¯s already over. Let¡¯s not bring it up again.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia has hated me for five years, which is as long as I¡¯ve med myself for. In fact, when I


    think about how she looked after her vition every night, I feel like pping myself in the face.


    Why? Why did something so cruel happen to her?¡±


    Meanwhile, Elliot tightened his grip on the steering without himself knowing it when he heard what


    Hayley was saying. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether Anastasia had ran into


    some sick pervert who put her through so much suffering


    On the other hand, Hayley wouldn¡¯t stop emphasizing how much Anastasia was hurt and vited in


    hopes that she could make Elliot lose interest in her. After all, she believed that no man would ever


    ept a woman who had been vited by another man, but little did she know that she was wrong


    about how she thought Elliot would


    think.


    In fact, Hayley¡¯s emphasis on Anastasia¡¯s stigma only made Elliot feel even more sympathetic for


    her. Instead of feeling disgusted by Anastasia, he was driven by a


    strong urge to protect her more than ever. Also, his perception about Anastasia had changed from


    his initial reluctance of marrying her to his willingness to make her his wife, but nheless, he


    somehow failed to win her heart over.


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done, so let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Just make sure you don¡¯t beat yourself up


    for that and move on.¡± Elliotforted Hayley while staring at thedy¡¯s guilty face.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76


    At the same time, Hayley forced some tears out of her eyes and pretended to wipe them off with her


    hands until they arrived at the mansion. Then, she gazed at the man in excitement and asked,


    ¡°Elliot, would you like toe inside and have a cup of tea before you go?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks. I have a meeting to attendter.¡± Elliot turned thedy down.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not going to take you long to enjoy a cup of tea, plus I feel a little lonely being here by


    myself.¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve told you before, you can always invite your family to move in with you if you feel lonely,¡±


    suggested Elliot.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told them about it before, but they don¡¯t think they¡¯d be used to living with me here.¡± Hayley¡¯s


    knee-jerk reaction was to lie because she would never want to share everything she had with the


    family she hated. After all, they had brought nothing else but pain and suffering into her life, which


    was enough to justify her resentment toward them.


    ¡°Persuade them to keep youpany then,¡± said Elliot. He then took a look at his watch and


    continued, ¡°I have to go now.¡±


    Despite knowing that it wasn¡¯t possible for her to make Elliot stay, Hayley lost herself in the man¡¯s


    charming smile before she eventually mustered her courage and leaned closer to hug and kiss him.


    Nevertheless, Elliot was one step ahead by resisting her with his palms when he could sense her


    breath just a few inches away. Then, he gave an unwavering stare and said, ¡°Get out of the car


    now!¡±


    In the face of the man¡¯s cold rejection, Hayley had no choice but to step out of the vehicle in


    embarrassment. As she watched Elliot drive away with her face flushed, she couldn¡¯t help but


    wonder why the man had no lustful desires for her.


    Does he have another woman by his side?


    Hayley couldn¡¯t help remembering the hickey on his neck from the other day. If the hickey did not


    come from Anastasia, it was definitely from someone else.


    On the other hand, Anastasia was killing boredom by reading her text messages in the taxi, only to


    be surprised when she saw her replies to Nigel that she didn¡¯t ¨C remember typing herself. She tried


    to recall what had happened the day before and remembered that she was in the shower around


    9.00PM. While she didn¡¯t think her


    son could have replied to Nigel, Elliot was the only possible suspect since he was at her ce. Was


    it him? Yeah, I think it was probably him! Damn it! How dare he deprive me of my privacy and reply


    on my behalf?! Anastasia¡¯s intuition told her that it was Elliot who had texted with Nigel behind her


    back. However, she waster amused when she read Nigel¡¯s confession. After all, she had already


    gotten used to his confessions as he had been doing that pretty often in a sentimental manner.


    In the meantime, Anastasia arrived at her office just in time to attend the meeting held by Felicia to


    discuss preparations for the jewelry exhibition next week. While Alicia and Anastasia¡¯s masterpieces


    were both nominated, Felicia hoped they could both win an award for the sake of thepany¡¯s


    reputation. However, that also made Alicia and Anastasiapetitors in the jewelry fair. Alicia


    appeared confident in the meeting, but despite the woman¡¯s provoking gaze, Anastasia remained


    unbothered and determined because of the lucrative prize.


    While Bourgeois was situated in the east, it was overshadowed by a building that was none other


    than Presgrave Group. In fact, it towered among the clouds like a pir that stemmed from the


    ground to the sky. Due to its height, the other buildings that surrounded it looked just like obedient


    followers who bowed down to their leader. At that moment, Elliot was sitting in his chair in the


    meeting room at Presgrave Group, looking like a king on his throne. Nheless, there was barely


    any emotion seen on his handsome face as he stared nkly in an absent-minded manner despite


    his stern appearance.


    ¡°President Presgrave¡­ President Presgrave?¡± The finance departmental head called out to Elliot


    because he needed his approval right after presenting his proposal.


    Soon, Elliot took his eyes off where he was looking and turned his attention to his subordinate with a


    cial gaze. ¡°Please tell me the issue again.¡±


    Upon hearing that, the finance departmental head was surprised as he quickly cleared his throat


    and repeated his presentation, but fortunately, Elliot was finally paying attention this time.


    As soon as the meeting was over, Elliot stood in front of his window and cast his eyes on Bourgeois,


    feeling helpless about how distracted he was thinking about Anastasia. Damn! This is the first time


    I¡¯ve ever lost myself in my train of thought. Soon, he took a look at his watch and returned to the


    inte before dialing a number. ¡°Get ready ande with me to Bourgeois.¡±


    ¡°Alright, President Presgrave.¡±


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was already done with her tasks for the day half an hour before she got off


    work. She was getting ready to leave and pick up her son from school


    when she heard her telephone ringing. Thus, she answered it and said, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Pleasee to my office.¡± The man¡¯s maic voice could be heard.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, President Presgrave?¡± Anastasia¡¯s tone implied her reluctance to see Elliot.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77


    ¡°It¡¯s work-rted.¡± Elliot finished his sentence and hung up the call before Anastasia could do so.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia had no choice but to make her way to the president¡¯s office. Upon knocking


    on the door and entering the office, she was greeted by the sight of the man who was wearing a


    white shirt. There was an attractive look in his eyes which seemed like they were trying to charm


    her. She walked closer and asked, ¡°What are your orders, President Presgrave?¡±


    Elliot looked at the woman calmly. ¡°Are you confident with your design in the jewelry fair this time?


    Do you think you¡¯d be able to win the prize?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m confident.¡± Anastasia curled her lips and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve raised the prize from 100,000 to a million, so if you can win the prize, the money will be all


    yours.¡± Elliot sluggishlyy back in his chair, his eyes lighting up like a charming womanizer.


    In the meantime, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but think about Elliot¡¯s alternative careers if he wasn¡¯t a


    businessman. He could even be a superstar in the entertainment industry with


    his good looks. On another note, Anastasia was confident that she could win the reward to worth


    one million; she was even nning to save the money for her son so that he


    wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his futureter on. ¡°It¡¯s about time. I need to make a move now.¡±


    Anastasia implied that she had to get going.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done as well. Let me give you a ride to pick Jared up.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, but thanks for the offer anyway.¡± Anastasia turned down Elliot¡¯s kind offer.


    Elliot squinted and stared at her without blinking. ¡°I promised my grandma to look after you and your


    son.¡±


    Although Anastasia had no problem getting along with Harriet, she didn¡¯t feel the same way with


    Elliot, so she rejected him once again. ¡°We don¡¯t need you to look after us.¡±


    Ten minutester, Anastasia made her way downstairs and stood by the sidewalk to g down a


    taxi when a ck silhouette pulled up in front of her. Then, the car ¨C window rolled down as Elliot


    said firmly, ¡°Get in.¡±


    However, Anastasia responded with an unfriendly gawk. She found him annoying because he


    wouldn¡¯t stop following her despite her rejection.


    At that moment, a taxi pulled up before Elliot¡¯s vehicle and Anastasia promptly pulled open the door


    before entering it. As soon as the taxi started moving, Elliot followed right behind the car in his


    Rolls-Royce Phantom.


    As Anastasia turned around and eyed the tailing vehicle coldly, she cursed in her heart and


    questioned the man¡¯s intentions in a frustrated manner. What is this guy trying to do?


    By the time Elliot arrived at the school gates, he saw Anastasia entering the school shortly before


    she came back out while holding Jared¡¯s hand. When the little boy saw the handsome man leaning


    against his car with his eyes on them, he happily let go of his mother¡¯s hand and greeted him in


    excitement by saying, ¡°Mr. Presgrave.¡± He then scurried toward the man the moment he finished his


    sentence.


    Needless to say, Elliot happily crouched down and embraced the child with his arms. The next


    second, he carried the boy and allowed him to sit on his muscr arm with immense joy. At the


    same time, they were approached by a father and son who asked, ¡°Jared, is this your father?¡±


    Jared looked at his ssmate and shifted his gaze to the man, ready to shake his head in response


    just when Elliot smiled and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Jared¡¯s father indeed.¡± While Jared was stunned to


    hear that, Anastasia, who was walking closer, red at the man and grumbled to herself about his


    questionable motive to pose as her son¡¯s father.


    As soon as the father and son left, Jared turned his attention to Elliot. ¡°Mr. Presgrave, can you be


    my daddy for the time being?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want me to be your dad?¡± Elliot asked.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Anastasia interrupted the man and the child¡¯s conversation, berating Elliot for echoing her


    son¡¯s childishness.


    ¡°Mom, my teacher said there will be a parent-child program this month, and everyone will bring their


    father along. Therefore, I¡¯d like Mr. Presgrave to do me a favor and act as my father for the time


    being so that I can participate in the program.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a program for mothers to attend with their children?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°There is one, but only girls get to attend that program with their mothers. The boys have been told


    to participate in this event with their fathers,¡± Jared answered.


    After hearing her son¡¯s exnation, Anastasia was surprised that Jared¡¯s kindergarten didn¡¯t


    consider those children who were fatherless, but she didn¡¯t me the school for that.


    Elliot replied firmly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take part in this parent-child program with you.¡±

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78


    ¡°Awesome!¡± Jared happily nodded.


    ¡°Jared, perhaps we should invite Mr. Nigel instead. What do you say?¡± Anastasia reckoned that


    Nigel was a better choice.


    ¡°Nigel just took over hispany, so he won¡¯t have time to attend the event.¡±


    ¡°Let me ask him and see what his n is.¡± Nheless, Anastasia reckoned it was necessary for


    her to ask.


    ¡°No, Mommy! Fred just heard that Mr. Presgrave is my father, so if Mr. Nigeles with me, our


    cover will be blown.¡± Jared disagreed.


    After hearing her son¡¯s exnation, Anastasia felt helpless while cursing Elliot deep down inside for


    telling the others that he was Jared¡¯s father. Why would this fe falsely admit that he is my son¡¯s


    dad?


    Elliot smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll y my role as your father well.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to that.¡± Jared pped his hands.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll treat you to a fancy meal.¡± Elliot then opened the car door and was about to put the


    boy inside his car when Anastasia came over and grabbed her son.


    ¡°We¡¯re good, President Presgrave. I¡¯m preparing dinner tonight.¡±


    Upon returning to his mother¡¯s embrace, Jared looked up and gazed at Elliot. ¡°Mr. Presgrave, would


    you like toe to my house and try my Mommy¡¯s cooking? She is a very good cook¡­¡± The child


    was about to show a thumbs-up, but he was blocked by his mother¡¯s hand.


    While covering Jared¡¯s mouth with her hand, Anastasia looked at the man and replied, ¡°My cooking


    sucks, so I don¡¯t think I should count you in.¡±


    Elliot gave a smile and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t mind that.¡± He then sympathetically shifted his gaze to the


    child whose mouth was being covered by his mother¡¯s hand. ¡°Stop doing that to the kid.¡±


    It was only then did Anastasia realize what she was doing and quickly took her hand ¨C away from


    Jared. After that, the boy gasped for breath and blinked at his mother.


    ¡°Mommy, why are you lying about your cooking? You¡¯re a good cook.¡±


    Upon hearing Jared¡¯s words, Anastasia looked helplessly at her son, feeling rather frustrated that he


    had just exposed her right in front of Elliot due to his naive nature s! I guess I can¡¯t me my


    son for telling the truth. After all, I¡¯ve always taught him not to lie, and I¡¯m pretty confident with my


    cooking skills as well.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, Mommy is going to buy some ingredients to prepare for dinner. Do join us.¡± The


    child looked up shortly before he entered the car without giving Anastasia a chance to say no.


    Nheless, Anastasia soon realized she should perhaps treat Elliot to a meal when she recalled


    the time that he had helped her, as well as his willingness to do Jared a favor by attending the


    parent-child program with her son. Therefore, she followed Jared and got into Elliot¡¯s car,


    whereupon he drove them to a nearby shopping mall.


    Then, she told her son to wait in the car with the man while she did a quick round of shopping and


    returned with a bag full of groceries that couldst them for the night. before they returned to


    Anastasia¡¯s apartment,


    Upon arrival, Anastasia somehow felt that her house was too small with Elliot around. After all, she


    had always thought that an apartment unit with two rooms and a living room was big enough for her


    and her son.


    ¡°You could keep Jaredpany while I prepare in the kitchen.¡± Deep down, the only thing


    Anastasia wanted was to prepare the dinner as soon as possible so that Elliot could leave shortly


    after.


    Meanwhile, Jared reckoned he was old enough to be independent without needing anyone¡¯s


    company, so he told Elliot to give Anastasia a hand. ¡°Mr. Presgrave, why don¡¯t you help my mom


    out in the kitchen? I¡¯m going to do my homework now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go ahead then!¡± Elliot set his eyes on the petite figure in the kitchen.


    As soon as Jared returned to his room to do his homework, Elliot walked toward the kitchen to offer


    Anastasia some help, but little did he know that she was approaching the refrigerator to grab


    something at the same time. Therefore, both of them came face to face with each other at the


    kitchen¡¯s entrance just before Anastasia bumped her head on the man¡¯s chest, but fortunately, Elliot


    was quick enough to wrap his arm around her slim waist and pulled her toward him. Shocked byUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    what just happened, Anastasia wanted to back away but identally tripped over the threshold at


    the kitchen¡¯s entrance. In that instant, her knee-jerk reaction prompted her to grab the man¡¯s hand


    just as he snaked his arm around her waist even tighter this time. With that, she found her arms


    tightly wrapped around the man¡¯s muscr waist as well.


    The next second, Anastasia freed herself and backed away frantically. Then, she berated Elliot in an


    annoyed manner by saying, ¡°Can¡¯t you just sit on the couch


    quietly? You¡¯re creating a mess here.¡±


    In the face of thedy¡¯s mean scolding, Elliot felt sympathetic for himself, thinking his kind and


    innocent intention should be repaid with something else better than her mean scolding. I came by to


    see if she needed help and saved her from falling twice, but all I get is her harsh scolding. He then


    squinted and asked, ¡°Do you need help?¡±

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Anastasia frowned while giving him a reply.


    Thus, Elliot returned to the couch and sat down, keeping an eye on thedy as she prepared a meal


    for all three of them in the kitchen. At that moment, he somehow felt as if there was an energy in the


    small apartment that rid him of his tiredness and made him feel rxed.


    Within an hour, Anastasia made Jared¡¯s favorite mushroom chicken, several vegetable dishes, and


    corn soup made with bone broth. On the other hand, Elliot remained seated on the couch while


    watching her for that one hour, somehow feeling he couldn¡¯t have enough of it the longer he kept his


    eyes on her. What¡¯s wrong with me?


    Meanwhile, Jared intentionally hid in the room because he wanted to give Elliot and his mother


    some private space so that they could grow on each other. Deep down, he wished that Elliot could


    be his father one day. Despite the child¡¯s young age, he could tell that his mother only treated Nigel


    as her friend, thinking that she had no intention of marrying him at all. Therefore, he was trying to


    see whether Anastasia would fall for Elliot instead.


    When Anastasia served the dishes, she coldly stared at the man who was sitting on the couch in a


    graceful and handsome manner. ¡°Dinner time.¡± Then, she went to her son¡¯s room and knocked on


    the door to tell him that dinner was ready.


    Jared opened the door and looked back at the man on the couch. ¡°Mr. Presgrave, let¡¯s wash our


    hands and get ready for dinner!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Elliot took Jared to the washroom and made sure he washed his hands properly. Then, he


    walked toward the dining table and was greeted by the sight of those appetizing dishes. Although


    they were all home-cooked dishes, he found them even more tantalizing than the food from a five-


    star restaurant.


    In the meantime, Anastasia wiped her hands and stepped out of the kitchen before she caught sight


    of the manying the table. She started digging in after making sure that her son was able to pick


    up the dishes and ce them on his te.


    ¡°Help yourself, Mr. Presgrave.¡± Jared ced some dishes on Elliot¡¯s te. ¡°How is my mom¡¯sAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    cooking, Mr. Presgrave?¡± he asked.


    -¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°You should drop by more often and join us for dinner then.¡± Jared told the man.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Elliot answered almost immediately.


    Anastasia, who was chewing her food, nearly spat it out as she looked at her son in puzzlement.


    What¡¯s wrong with my boy? Why is he trying to make my life so hard? It¡¯s tiring enough for me to


    come home from work after a long day, and now I¡¯m supposed to cook for one more guest? Like hell


    I¡¯m going to do that.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, can you raise my mom¡¯s pay? The boy looked at the man with his smiling eyes.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia paused when she was eating and stared at Elliot who was sitting


    opposite her, wondering if he would really raise her pay. Soon, the man looked at Jared and directly


    answered, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll raise her pay tomorrow.¡± Then, Anastasia pondered for a while and realized the


    next day was the fifth of the month, which was the day that she usually received her pay. Therefore,


    she couldn¡¯t help but think to herself if Elliot would keep his word.


    After dinner, Anastasia began washing the dishes in the kitchen while Jared took Elliot to his room


    and yed with him. By the time it was 8.30PM, Anastasia looked at the man who was sitting on


    her son¡¯s bed and told him the time, implicitly suggesting that he should leave. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte,


    President Presgrave.


    Then, Elliot rubbed Jared¡¯s head and said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for me to go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you during the parent-child program, Mr. Presgrave!¡±


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll be there.¡± Elliot promised the child that he would be present on that day.


    When Elliot stepped out of the apartment unit, Anastasia pointed to a bag of garbage and gazed at


    the man. ¡°President Presgrave, please take the trash out for me. There is a dumpster at the


    entrance.¡±


    Despite his status as the Presgrave Family¡¯s great son, Elliot took the trash with him without


    comining at all, and it melted Anastasia¡¯s heart a little. Well, I guess he is quite a nice person,


    although he may be somewhat domineering at times.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80


    At that moment, Anastasia received a call from her father. ¡°Hello, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, your new house is ready, and I¡¯ll send someone to help you move your stuff there in two


    days. After all, that¡¯s going to be your home, so you need to make sure you¡¯refortable with it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pack everything and be ready in two days.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m sorry about what happened to Jaredst time. That wouldn¡¯t have happened to him


    had I been more careful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Dad. What¡¯s done is done, so don¡¯t take that to heart.¡± Anastasiaforted Francis,


    thinking it wasn¡¯t her father¡¯s fault at all.


    ¡°Alright, when you¡¯re done moving, we should probably have a meal together.¡±


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll put Jared on the line with you, Dad.¡± Anastasia passed the phone to her son and


    proceeded to pack her clothes.


    The next morning, the entire office was filled with an energetic atmosphere because


    it was the day that everyone would receive their pay. Bourgeois was one of the few etpanies


    that could provide promising careers and attractive sries to its


    employees, but ever since it was acquired by the Presgrave Group, everyone received an


    increment in their basic pay which made it even more lucrative.


    At 8.00AM, most of the employees in the office received a text message informing them that their


    sry had been paid. At the same time, Anastasia also heard the notification alert from her phone,


    whereupon she opened the text message that mentioned her pay and bonus worth 68,000


    combined. Although she had almost been taken advantage of by John, she was d that he


    eventually paid everything he was supposed to; she was naturally happy about this because of the


    commission she was entitled to. After all, her basic pay was only slightly more than 10,000 without


    themission. At that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sad for herself when she recalled the


    reward worth 1,800 that she had lost earlier.


    Not long after that, Anastasia received another text message. When she opened and read it, she


    learned that her bank ount bnce had an extra 100,000. Wait a second. Did I just receiveAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    100,000 from thepany? Is there some kind of mistake made by the Finance Department?


    Anastasia was left with her eyes wide open, wondering where ¨C the money came from since the


    commission was already included in her pay. Thus, she decided to confirm with the finance


    department in case it was a mistake as she


    didn¡¯t want to be disappointed. As soon as she called the finance department, her call was


    transferred to the director¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hello, Director Evans. I¡¯d like to ask about my sry because I just received an extra 100,000. Is


    there a mistake or something?¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d ask, Miss Tillman. Actually, the first transaction is your monthly sry while the


    subsequent one was made to you under President Presgrave¡¯s order, but I¡¯m not sure about the


    exact details either. You might want to ask him yourself.¡±


    In that instant, Anastasia could only hear buzzing in her head, finding it hard to believe that she just


    received 100,000 from Elliot. Why did he give me so much money? She then hung up the phone


    and called the president¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hello?¡± The man¡¯s maic yet sluggish voice could be heard.


    ¡°Why did you give me 100,000?¡±


    ¡°I promised Jared to raise your pay, so here it is,¡± exined Elliot.


    Anastasia was stunned because she didn¡¯t think Elliot would really raise her pay by giving her an


    extra 100,000. While she would¡¯ve been fine with epting a few thousand or more, she found it


    hard to justify epting 100,000 from the man. Since she was afraid that there were strings


    attached to the huge amount of money,


    she immediately thought of the times when she reckoned Elliot was taking advantage


    ? of her. Thus, it instantly urred to her that him paying him such a huge amount of


    money was not a good sign.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wire the money back into your ount. I don¡¯t need a pay raise from you because I¡¯m satisfied


    with my normal sry.¡± Anastasia refused to ept Elliot¡¯s raise.


    ¡°Well, think of it as the payment for the meals then. I¡¯m going to drop by for dinner pretty often from


    now on.¡±


    ¡°What?! You want to drop by my house for dinner? Are you kidding me? Since when did I agree to


    let you join me for dinner again and again?¡± Anastasia was speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯m paying you 100,000. Is that not enough for you to prepare my share?¡± Elliot didn¡¯t seem to


    understand Anastasia¡¯s rejection.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about the money; I don¡¯t want to cook your share in the first ce.¡± Anastasia grunted.


    ¡°Have it your way, but I¡¯m still going to visit for dinner whether you ept my


    money or not. By then, don¡¯t you dare to use me of being a freeloader.¡± Elliot finished his


    sentence and hung up the call.


    Anastasia was rendered speechless while wondering what Elliot was up to. Is my cooking so good


    that he can¡¯t stop thinking about it? No way! Judging from the excuse he is using to give me the


    money, this man is doing more than just to repay me. At the thought of that, she decided to


    withdraw the cash and give it back to Elliotter that afternoon.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Chapter 81


    It was around 10.00AM when Hayley was browsing through the Louis Vuitton store at the premium


    mall. Just as she was ncing at the bags on disy, her phone rang. She answered the call


    brusquely, ¡°Hey, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Hayley, you don¡¯t happen to have some money to spare, do you? Your brother needs to fork out


    payment for school, so we were wondering if you could help tide us over for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Where would I get the money, Mom? I don¡¯t even have enough to keep myself afloat at the


    moment, so no, I can¡¯t help you guys out,¡± Hayley replied, swiftly turning her mother down.


    The next moment, her mother¡¯s shrill voice filled the other line. ¡°Just what the hell have you been up


    to these days? You¡¯re probably justzing around, aren¡¯t you? I raised you only to have you be


    so worthless that you can¡¯t even fork out 2,000 to help us out! Consider yourself my greatest


    failure!¡±


    Hayley was indifferent as she took her mother¡¯s harsh words in stride. When the older woman had


    dealt every single insult she coulde up with in the short span of time, she hung up. It was only


    then that Hayley turned to look at the retail assistant, and in a tone that sounded as if she needed


    an emotional outlet, she snapped and said, ¡°Ring up every bag on this shelf right now.¡±


    The assistant stared at her in bewilderment. She had heard everything Hayley said on the phone


    earlier, so she could hardly believe that the girl had money to pay for these bags.


    s, with a deft swipe of her unlimited ck card, Hayley paid for the bags and left the store in a


    huff.


    That afternoon, May was sitting on the edge of her chair across from Hayley as she nced around


    the high-end restaurant. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been to somewhere as fancy as this, Hayley! This


    is unbelievable!¡±


    Hayley brought her cup to her lips as elegantly as she could and took a sip. ¡°Tell me about


    Anastasia¡¯s recent developments, May.¡±


    ¡°You know that jewelry designpetition that¡¯s been recently organized? Apparently, Anastasia¡¯s


    design has made it to the finals, and the winner will be ¨C dered next week. If she wins, she will


    receive a million in prize money!¡± May


    informed the woman as jealousy gleamed in her eyes.


    Even Hayley was astonished when she heard this. ¡°What? A million?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Apetition like this typically caps the prize money at around 100,000, but I heard


    that President Presgrave is really going all out this year and racked up the prize to a million. It¡¯s


    groundbreaking.¡±


    Hayley tightened her grip around her cup. If she were to sp it any tighter, the cup might break. So


    Elliot was the one who hiked up the prize money?


    ¡°President Presgrave is so generous,¡± May mused with a wistful sigh.


    Hayley immediately thought of this as one of Elliot¡¯s ways to repay Anastasia¡¯s mother¡¯s deeds,


    which meant that Anastasia was set to win thepetition and walk away with a million in cash


    prize.


    Elliot wielded power in various industries under the conglomerate, and it was only child¡¯s y for


    him to manipte the results of a jewelry designpetition. As things were, it would not be the


    least bit surprising if Anastasia won first ce.


    No, I can¡¯t let Anastasia walk away with that money so easily. I can¡¯t let her win thepetition


    without even breaking a sweat! Hayley was filled with spite and rage that she wanted to throw


    Anastasia out of Bourgeois and have her removed permanently from the design industry. I want her


    reputation to be fed to the dogs!


    The jewelry designpetition this time was the best opportunity for Hayley to get rid of Anastasia.


    Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll fare when you fall hard from grace.


    After lunch, Anastasia returned to the office with 100,000 in cash on hand. She took the satchel of


    money and walked up to the president¡¯s office, whereupon she knocked on the door. It was Rey


    who opened it from within, and at the sight of him, she asked, ¡°Is President Presgrave in at the


    moment?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Rey answered courteously.


    She nodded. ¡°I have some things to discuss with him.¡± With that, she marched through the doorway


    and saw that Elliot was seated on the couch, looking preupied as he went through aContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    mountainous pile of documents.


    Upon sensing her entry, Elliot merely looked up at her once, then turned his attention to the


    documents before him as he asked absentmindedly, ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡±


    Without another word, Anastasia put the stack of cash in front of him and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to pay you


    back the 100,000 I owe you.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s pen paused on the page for a moment, but he recovered and signed off on the document


    before closing the folder. Having done so, he looked up at her and said coldly, ¡°Stop right there,


    Anastasia. Take your money back.¡±


    For all her love of money, Anastasia did not want to keep something that she did not deserve. She


    turned on her heels and said, ¡°Donate your money to charity if you truly have nothing else to spend


    it on. There are others in this world who would appreciate your generosity.¡±


    Hearing this made Rey speak up on his boss¡¯ behalf from where he stood at the sidelines. ¡°Miss


    Tillman, President Presgrave already has a charitable foundation under his name, and he donates


    billions every year into said foundation,¡± he said.


    When Anastasia heard this, she faltered and let out an awkward dry cough. ¡°Well then, pretend I


    said nothing.¡± With that, she flushed sheepishly and left.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Chapter 82


    When Anastasia picked Jared up from school that afternoon, she got the details for Family Day that


    was set on Friday. The teams would be made up of a maximum of two students each, and ideally,


    the students were to show up with their parents.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I heard from Jared that his father will be here for Family Day as well. Here¡¯s the thing-


    we¡¯re going to need his father¡¯s height and weight so that we¡¯ll be able to get his shirt ready for the


    program. The shirts will be made ording to the family teams.¡±


    At once, the image of a tall and handsome figure surfaced in Anastasia¡¯s mind as she asked the


    teacher, ¡°Does it have to be matching family outfits?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a school requirement, Miss Tillman, and it sets out a uniform dress code for the kids¡¯ Family


    Day here. It wouldn¡¯t be as fun if everyone wore whatever they wanted to the games,¡± the teacher


    said kindly, though she was making it clear that the requirement was absolutely mandatory.


    Well, Elliot was the one who promised the kid he¡¯d join Family Day, so he¡¯ll have to wear the shirt no


    matter how ugly it is, Anastasia thought with dark amusement. ¡°In that case, his father¡¯s height is


    about six feet three.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Jared¡¯s father is a tall one, isn¡¯t he? What about his weight?¡±


    ¡°He has a pretty standard figure.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. Now, if you could just transfer us the payment through the parent teacher group chat,


    that¡¯d be great!¡± Having taken down the details, the teacher walked off to attend to her other duties.


    Presently, Anastasia had only just arrived home with Jared in tow when Francis called to tell her that


    he was here and that he would like to bring them to go house-seeing.


    The new ce was a two-bedroom apartment, but theyout measured up to over a hundred


    square meters. In spite of the two bedrooms, the living room was spacious and held plenty of


    design potential. Anastasia could already visualize how she would divide the space and set up a


    kiddy¡¯s corner in the living room that would be perfect for Jared.


    The new ce also featured two balconies, one for airingundry and the other for ¨C nts. Once


    she added a small table for coffee and work, and she could turn it into


    her own outdoor workspace.


    Anastasia liked the ce that Francis had chosen for her, and she appreciated how he had gone


    against Naomi and Erica just so he could provide a home for her and Jared.


    ¡°Pack up your stuff and move in whenever you want. If there¡¯s anything you need at all, the mall is


    just an elevator ride away!¡± Francis said cheerily as he sat on the couch with Jared in hisp.


    Anastasia nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go back and pack up our stuff tonight. We don¡¯t have much,


    so we should be done with the move by tomorrow afternoon. We could start cooking our first meal


    here tomorrow evening!¡±


    ¡°Great, then I¡¯ll drop by and have dinner with you both,¡± Francis said with a grin.


    Naturally, Anastasia would love to have her father over, but even she could not hide her worries in


    front of him. As if sensing her thoughts, he added hastily, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be dropping by alone.¡±


    Anastasia truly did not wish to have Naomi and Erica over. She nodded and said readily, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Over at the Tillman Residence, Naomi was still unhappy about her husband buying an apartment


    unit for Anastasia. The fact was very much a thorn in her side, and she had ns on asking Francis


    to splurge on a new apartment for Erica as dowry.


    However, she knew that Francis couldn¡¯t afford another apartment even though hispany had


    been doing well recently. It was almost as if the universe was helping him; all his bids had been


    sessful, and everything was smooth-sailing over at thepany, not to mention the ledgers


    were looking positive. After all, it wasn¡¯t easy for a smallpany with only millions in its assets to


    be a listed entity.


    Meanwhile, Elliot was in his office at Presgrave Corporation, and he would be returning after his visit


    to Bourgeois this evening to tie up some loose ends at work. Just then, Rey approached him with a


    folder in hand and said, ¡°President Presgrave, a new bid from Francis¡¯pany just came in, and


    we¡¯ve already approved of it.¡±


    Elliot nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°President Presgrave, I don¡¯t think Francis knows that you¡¯re the one who has been secretly


    supporting hispany and allowing it to grow into its current state.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for him to know. His wife had sacrificed her life for mine, and it¡¯s only right that IContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    treat his family well to repay her selfless deed.¡± Elliot rubbed the space between his brows as he felt


    exhaustion wash over him.


    ¡°President Presgrave, we¡¯ve also given word to the panel working on the jewelry design


    competition.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Elliot said in acknowledgement, his eyes suddenly lighting up in anticipation.


    ¡°You should be getting back, sir. It¡¯s already 9.00PM¡± Rey pointed out gently.


    Half an hourter, Elliot returned to his vi in the hills. When he stood in the spacious living room,


    he couldn¡¯t help noticing how empty his home felt. It made him think of Anastasia¡¯s small but cozy


    apartment. Perhaps a woman¡¯s touch is just what this house needs, he thought. A child would liven


    things up too.


    As his mind wandered, he thought about Anastasia and Jared. Anastasia was a stubborn soul who


    refused to take the easy way out. Moreover, she was independent, decisive, and never one to bend


    her will for the sake of money. She wasn¡¯t someone he could buy, and for all the power he had, he


    knew he couldn¡¯t make her marry him.


    More importantly, he was the one who owed her a favor. As things were, he found it much harder to


    win over Anastasia than it was to manage arge corporation with a billion-something worth.


    He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Anastasia and the curves of her silhouette. The more he thought


    about her, the stronger the heat that coursed through his entire body. All of a sudden, his pants felt


    very constricting.

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Chapter 83


    He lowered his head in shock. How could the thought of her make my body react this way? Now


    that she¡¯s found out about the one night stand between me and Hayley five years ago, I bet she¡¯ll


    hate me even more.


    Elliot¡¯s phone chimed right then, and he unlocked his phone to see a message from Anastasia along


    with a picture of a yellow t-shirt.


    ¡®This is the uniform for Family Day. Are you sure that you want toe?¡¯


    What an ordinary t-shirt. I bet you can easily get these store-bought shirts in a simr pattern and


    cutting online for several bucks.


    ¡®I¡¯ve already made a promise to Jared, so I¡¯ll definitely go. Elliot quickly typed a response to


    Anastasia¡¯s message.


    ¡®Still, this doesn¡¯t really fit your image, and I think it¡¯ll be better if you don¡¯t take part in this. I can let


    the teacher know and take over your ce anyway.


    After reading Anastasia¡¯s reply with narrowed eyes, Elliot texted back determinedly. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely be


    there.


    At the same time, Anastasia was texting Elliot whileying in bed. Upon seeing how Elliot insisted


    oning despite her attempts to deter him from doing so, she replied with one sentence. ¡®Fine!


    See you at 2.00PM this Friday:


    ¡®Sure. Is Jared asleep yet?¡¯ Elliot asked.


    ¡®He¡¯s asleep


    ¡®What are you doing now?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m talking to you while lying in bed. Anastasia¡¯s reply came in quickly.


    ¡®Anastasia, what if I give you 10 billion to marry to me?¡¯ Elliot suddenly asked.


    Upon seeing that, Anastasia¡¯s mind went nk. 10 billion to marry him? Haha! Does he really think


    that he can do anything he wants to just because he¡¯s loaded?


    ¡°Go and look for Hayley if you¡¯re in need of a woman! Even if I¡¯m lonely, I will never ¨C take Hayley¡¯s


    leftovers. She rejected Elliot in a headstrong manner.


    In the mansion, Elliot¡¯s face immediately darkened as the atmosphere around the couch that he was


    sitting on became tense. Does she really hate me that much?


    He looked up with a sharp glint in his eyes. Just you wait, Anastasia. I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be touched


    by my actions one day in the future. After all, we still have so much time together for the rest of our


    lives!


    Right then, Elliot¡¯s phone started ringing. When he noticed that it was a call from Hayley, he


    epted the call with a frown on his face. ¡°Hey, Hayley.¡±


    ¡°Elliot, I¡¯m scared¡­ Can youe over to apany me?¡± Hayley asked with a pitiful voice as


    she tried to get him to feel protective over her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get Mrs. Collins to go over and keep youpany.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I just want you¡­ Elliot, I had a dream about that night five years ago, and I really miss you¡­


    I want to feel it all again¡­¡± Hayley sounded ambiguous and needy.


    Nevertheless, Elliot paused. How could she miss what happened five years ago when I hurt her so


    badly that night?


    ¡°Hayley, do you even remember how I treated you that night? It should have been a nightmare to


    you,¡± he asked calmly.


    Upon hearing that, Hayley whined. ¡°I was afraid that night, but¡­ I¡¯m not afraid anymore when I think


    of you as the pain turned into pleasure.¡±


    ¡°You should stop thinking about it. I don¡¯t want you getting traumatized,¡± Elliot said.


    ¡°Alright, then! By the way, I want to visit thepany and have lunch with you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Elliot replied. ¡°I need to shower now.¡± With that, he hung up.


    At the same time, Hayley, who was staying in a mansion at the city center, had cold sweat all over


    her forehead. Elliot almost found out about the truth! From his tone of voice, I bet he realized how


    much he tortured Anastasia that night. Still, he was out of his mind, and it was Anastasia¡¯s first time,


    so I bet she was badly tormented by someone like him.


    Even so, Hayley couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous. If only I had been the one there that night.


    I would have been able to experience how Elliot was like when he went all out. She felt her _body


    heating up at the thought of Elliot¡¯s buff build.


    Even if it¡¯s just once, I really want to be his woman.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Chapter 84


    On Thursday, Anastasia had taken a half-day leave and moved all of her luggage from the


    apartment to her new ce with Francis¡¯ help. While Francis went to pick Jared up, she started


    decorating the house in peace. Since there was a mall downstairs that allowed Anastasia to get all


    her daily necessities, everything was progressing smoothly.


    At night, she cooked and made them a hearty meal. From now onward, they had a ce where


    they belonged within the city.


    ¡°Dad, how¡¯s yourpany¡¯s growth recently?¡± Anastasia asked curiously.


    ¡°Everything is progressing smoothly! We¡¯ve recently gotten a deal that can give us about 100 million


    in profit if we are able to get our hands on the project.¡±


    Hearing that, Anastasia felt happy for Francis. Seeing how Francis wasn¡¯t getting any younger, he


    would be apprehensive if thepany¡¯s operation wasn¡¯t smooth.


    Suddenly, Francis looked at Anastasia and asked in all seriousness, ¡°Anastasia, are you nning to


    continue your venture in the designing field forever? Have you never thought of learning how to


    manage apany?¡±


    Immediately, Anastasia caught onto what Francis was implying. Does he want me to take over his


    company? I guess he¡¯s anxious now that he¡¯s almost reaching his sixties.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m good at that, Dad,¡± Anastasia replied in a self-deprecating manner.


    ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re more mature than Erica, and I¡¯d feel more relieved if thepany is in your


    hands,¡± Francis exined truthfully, as Erica had beenpletely spoiled by Naomi and didn¡¯t


    know how to do anything other than spending his money.


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, though. Why don¡¯t you decide again in two years, Dad? I¡¯d still have to wait until


    Jared gets bigger before I have the time to help you out anyway,¡± Anastasia suggested after


    pondering for a moment.


    Although Francis was just asking, he was still happy to know that Anastasia had ns to help him


    out. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll manage thepany for two more years before I make the decision to let you take


    over thepany, then.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¨C At this moment, Anastasia looked up at Francis and noticed his graying sideburns


    before realizing that her father was really starting to get older now.


    On the other hand, Hayley had invited Alice, Anastasia¡¯spetitor this time, to have a meal at a


    restaurant. Then, she told Alice about how Anastasia was already set to be the winner of the


    International Jewelry Design Competition this time.


    ¡°How did you find out about that, Miss Seymour? Are you sure?¡± Alice questioned with visible anger


    in her eyes.


    ¡°I can assure you that my sources are urate. If you want to win thepetition fairly or even


    stand out among others in Bourgeois, you need to remove Anastasia. If not, the person who will


    outshine everyone in thepany will definitely be her,¡± Hayley dered with a sharp glint in her


    eyes.


    ¡°How is that even possible?!¡± Alice harrumphed.


    ¡°Miss Thompson, I¡¯m not trying to scare you, but you¡¯ll only be able to surpass her if you leave


    Bourgeois, or Anastasia will surely overshadow you.¡±


    ¡°Miss Seymour, I¡¯m guessing that this is not the main reason why you invited me out!¡± Alice was


    smart enough to catch on to the hidden meaning.


    ¡°I know you hate Anastasia, and I do, too. I want her to leave Bourgeois, and I really hope that she


    won¡¯t be able to stay in the jewelry designing industry any longer, so I¡¯m hoping that you can partner


    up with me.¡±


    Obviously, Alice knew why Hayley hated Anastasia. How could she, as President Presgrave¡¯s


    girlfriend, not hate Anastasia when Anastasia and President Presgrave kept flirting around with


    each other in thepany? Thus, she agreed without any hesitation. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m willing to work


    together with you, Miss Seymour, but what can I do?¡±


    Hayley already had an answer to Alice¡¯s question. ¡°Do you know the chairman of thepany that


    is sponsoring the International Jewelry Design Competition this year?¡±


    As Alice had wide connections in the designing field, she actually did know who the chairman that


    Hayley mentioned was. The chairman was a notorious pervert that had once tried to ask her to a


    meal, wanting to help her expand her connections, but she had rejected him.


    ¡°I have his contact number, and I can contact him anytime.¡±


    Hayley smirked with satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m nning to get Anastasia and him in one bed before taking a


    picture of it and revealing it during the awards ceremony. By then,


    she definitely won¡¯t be able to win any awards and will even be aughingstock in the designing


    field. What do you think?¡±


    Although Alice thought that the n was risky, she really couldn¡¯t stand Anastasia any longer. If


    Anastasia was really set to be the winner of thepetition this time internally, the reward of a


    million would end up in her pockets, and that didn¡¯t sit right with Alice.


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯m willing to help you by asking the chairman out, but how can you get Anastasia to fall into


    the trap?¡± Alice asked curiously.


    ¡°I have my own ways. Ask the chairman out this Saturday at night and set up the surveince


    camera beforehand. I¡¯ll definitely get Anastasia to show up in his bed in time.¡±

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Chapter 85


    Now that Hayley was loaded, she was more daring and opinionated, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t


    hesitate to pull dirty tricks.


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s set, then,¡± Alice nodded and agreed to work with Hayley.


    On Friday morning, Anastasia received a text from Jared¡¯s teacher. ¡®The family activity will start at


    2.00 PM today. We hope all parents will be able to attend on time.


    After forwarding the message to Elliot, herndline started ringing in no time, and guessing that it


    was probably Elliot, she picked up the phone. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Meet me at the parking lot at 1.00 PM sharp.¡± A man¡¯s maic voice rang out before Anastasia


    replied, ¡°Alright.¡±


    After Elliot hung up the call, Anastasia went speechless as she started regretting her decision to let


    Elliot act as Jared¡¯s father to join the family activities.


    Isn¡¯t that just me asking to get upset? I should have asked Nigel instead.


    Not knowing what kind of games would be held during the family activities, she could only hope that


    they could be normal activities instead of those involving too much interaction.


    When it was 1.00 PM, Anastasia grabbed her bag and entered the elevator. At the same time, May,


    who had been observing Anastasia, quickly followed after her and asked with a smile, ¡°Are you


    going out, Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I have to leave to do something.¡±


    Then, Anastasia pressed on the first basement floor while May got down on the first floor before she


    quickly ran down from the staircase at the side to follow after Anastasia.


    While she was on the way down, she saw Anastasia entering Elliot¡¯s private car. Immediately, May¡¯s


    eyes widened. Is Anastasia going on a date with President Presgrave during working hours again?


    They¡¯re not on the way to the hotel, are they?


    She quickly took her phone out and reported what she saw to Hayley. After learning ¨C about what


    happened, Hayley felt so angry she could go mad¡¯at any second.


    Looks like Anastasia had really been using work as an excuse to go out on dates with Elliot. What a


    maniptive person! I can now confirm that the hickey on Elliot¡¯s neck was definitely left by her on


    purpose. I guess Elliot only looks like he didn¡¯t have any desire or biological needs, because


    Anastasia has been secretly satisfying him. How despicable. How dare she criticize Elliot in front of


    me but seduce him behind my back using all sorts of dirty tricks?


    Meanwhile, Anastasia started feeling like she was insane to allow Elliot to act as Jared¡¯s father


    while they were on the way to kindergarten.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you¡­ not go instead? I¡¯ll exin it to the teacher.¡± She turned toward the man and


    suggested that she didn¡¯t want him to ruin his image by going with her.


    Nevertheless, Elliot continued looking ahead of him and said with determination, ¡°I promised Jared


    to go.¡±


    ¡°I can exin to Jared that you can¡¯t make it because you¡¯re busy. Jared won¡¯t be mad at you since


    he¡¯s a forgiving person. I¡¯m begging you, Elliot, can you not go?¡± Anastasia gave him a pleading


    look.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am I embarrassing you?¡± Elliot turned to give her a look.


    Yet, this wasn¡¯t about any one¡¯s reputation, as Anastasia just didn¡¯t want Elliot to act as Jared¡¯s


    father because she wouldn¡¯t be able to exin herself if anyone found out about this.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. You really shouldn¡¯t go. I¡¯ll promise to treat you to a meal if you don¡¯t go


    -no, I¡¯ll treat you to an entire day of meals. How about that?¡± She tried her best to persuade Elliot to


    change his mind, but Elliot remained unmoved. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do for you to not go, then?¡± Anastasia tried to negotiate with him.


    ¡°If you marry me right now, I won¡¯t go,¡± Elliot turned around and answered thoughtfully, while


    Anastasia gave him a speechless look. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Then, he continued driving emotionlessly, and they reached the kindergarten in no time. Just then,


    there were already many parents there, although they had arrived 15 minutes earlier. After ncing


    at her watch, Anastasia suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait in the car for a while before entering? Jared


    is probably still taking his nap right now.¡±


    Elliot nodded in agreement before she started using her phone to check thetest news to kill time.


    Meanwhile, the man next to her, who didn¡¯t have the habit of mindlessly scrolling through his phone,All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    fixated his gaze on her.


    At this moment, Anastasia¡¯s long hair was pushed to the back, leaving a few strands of baby hair to


    entuate her full cheeks. Her cheeks were soft and bouncy, showing how well her skin was.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Chapter 86


    Right then, Elliot¡¯s gaze shifted to Anastasia¡¯s lips instinctively. Her lips were plump and soft,


    sending off signals to invite the man over.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia, who was in the midst of reading thetest news, felt a pair of eyes staring at


    her before she turned around to meet Elliot¡¯s deep gaze. When she sensed what he was thinking


    about, she was taken aback.


    Is he getting aroused again?!


    ¡°It¡¯s time. Let¡¯s go!¡± Anastasia kept her phone and got out of the car.


    At the same time, the lustful look in Elliot¡¯s gaze vanished before he got out of the car and headed


    toward the kindergarten together with Anastasia. Just then, the two young female teachers that


    were ushering at the kindergarten entrance were stunned when they saw the couple heading


    toward them.


    The man walking next to Anastasia was giving off an arrogant and noble aura. Although he was just


    wearing a white dress shirt along with ck cks, his 6¡¯2 height made him look as if he was


    royalty. Is this the definition of perfect? Oh my God, is that Jared¡¯s father? What a handsome man!


    ¡°Miss Tillman, is this Jared¡¯s father?¡± one of the female teachers asked curiously.


    ¡­ ¡°Uh¡­¡± Anastasia pursed her lips.


    ¡°Yes. I am Jared¡¯s father.¡± The man next to her admitted with a deep voice.


    ¡°Come on in. The activity is starting soon.¡± The teachers took a few more nces at Elliot. My


    goodness! Jared¡¯s mother must really be enjoying this view! It must be nice to marry such a good-


    looking man and conceive a good-looking son as well.


    ¡°Jared and his father bear so much resemnce to each other!¡± one of the teachers chimed in.


    However, Anastasia was speechless when she heard the teacher. Seriously? How can my son look


    simr to this man? Do all good-looking people look simr? Still, it¡¯s impossible to look so alike that


    even strangers think they look like father and son, isn¡¯t it?


    Since the program would be held at the kindergarten¡¯s field, they had built a stage -along with chairs


    for the parents. As Anastasia enrolled Jared in an ordinary


    kindergarten, it was understood that the types of equipment were slightly aged.


    At this moment, the children came out one by one, holding onto the hems of the shirt of the person


    in front of them. All of the children looked adorable and happy as their faces lit up proudly when


    they saw their parents.


    When Jared saw the people he was expecting, he broke into a smile, revealing his white teeth,


    before Elliot waved at him. Right then, Elliot¡¯s presence was not just fan service to the teachers but


    also eye candy to all the young mothers. All of them stared at Elliot intently, as if he would be


    theirs if they stared long and hard enough.


    Even the fathers started scanning Elliot up and down while thinking to themselves, How unfair is it


    for this man to get all the benefits when we are all men? How can he be handsome and have a


    great build while looking elegant, smart, and rich?


    Nevertheless, Elliot had his arms crossed gracefully before his gazended on Jared. At that


    moment, his gaze was gentle and soft, as if he was really staring at his own


    son.


    Right after the headmistress finished giving her speech, the teachers started bringing the kids up on


    stage for their ss performances. For the Grade 3 ss, every child came up as adorable looking


    angels before the Grade 2 ss children came in dancing adorably to a lovely song, and Jared was


    part of it as well.


    Following that, the youngest children who were in Grade 1 came on stage before a few of them


    started crying, causing some of the parents below the stage to start chuckling as Anastasia giggled


    as well. When she looked up and met the gaze of Elliot, who was sitting next to her, she suddenly


    noticed that he had a gentle look on his usually cold face.


    ¡°Alright. We want our parents to change into the outfits prepared for the activitiester on because


    our family activities are starting soon.¡±


    After getting the outfits, everyone, including Elliot, went to the washroom to change. A whileter,


    everyone came out while Elliot stood in the middle of the crowd in a yellow t-shirt. Although he was


    just wearing an ordinary t-shirt, he made it look somewhat expensive, as if it cost tens of thousands.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Chapter 87


    Even Anastasia took a few more nces at Elliot. It was rare to see him in such a sight, and she


    really wanted to take a picture of him as a keepsake.


    ¡°We would like to request for parents to stand next to their children because we are starting our first


    round of family activities now.¡±


    When Elliot went over to stand next to Jared, the boy gave him a hug happily while Anastasia heard


    the pair of women next to her gossiping. ¡°He¡¯s the hottest dad I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? I thought he was some celebrity initially!¡±


    Then, they gave Anastasia an envious look before one of them mustered up the courage to go


    toward Anastasia and asked, ¡°Is that your husband and son?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia felt her face flush a deep red before she nodded in acknowledgment.


    The first round of family activity was a dribbling game held on stage, and there would be three


    groupspeting at the same time. Every child would be paired up with their fathers, and the


    fathers would need to pass the balls to their children, while the children would be needed to bring


    the balls to the endpoint.


    All the parents below the stage were entertained when thepetition started. When it was Elliot¡¯s


    turn, he quickly threw off the two other father-and-son pairings with his fast movements, while Jared


    quickly carried the ball and dashed toward the endpoint, making them the winner of the round.


    Then, every winning group continued into the eliminations before Elliot and Jared finally ended up in


    the first ce.


    Upon seeing Jared¡¯s pleased smile, Anastasia, who was below the stage, felt herself tearing up as


    this was her first time seeing Jared looking so proud and pleased while the man next to Jared bent


    down to wipe Jared¡¯s sweat off gently. At this moment, she finally came to a realization that she


    really owed Jared for not providing him with aplete family.


    Following that was a ball hoop game where every father had to quickly turn around six times while


    carrying their children before throwing the ball into a hoop, and the group that could make the


    fastest and most urate throw would be the winner. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    While everyone else got dizzy after making too many turns, Elliot had already ¨Cpleted ten sets


    of turns and threw the balls into the hoops at lightning speed with


    insane uracy, impressing the crowd.


    ¡°My goodness! That dad is so good at this game! How cool!¡± one of the mothers couldn¡¯t help but


    exim loudly.


    Having said that, it was what all the mothers present thought as well. This father is the GOAT!


    Everyone below the stage was full of praises for Elliot, while Anastasia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, as


    this was her first time seeing Jared so happy.


    They won again.


    After Jared won twice consecutively, the headmistress went on stage and announced, ¡°Let¡¯s invite


    Jared¡¯s mother toe up on stage with us.¡±


    Immediately, Anastasia¡¯s mind went nk. What is the headmistress trying to do?


    However, she knew that she couldn¡¯t cower away from getting up on stage, so she took a deep


    breath before she went up with a smile. Right then, the headmistress asked excitedly, ¡°Jared¡¯s


    mother! Firstly, I would like to ask where you ended up finding yourself such an outstanding and


    handsome man as your husband?¡±


    Immediately, Anastasia blushed before she pursed her lips into a smile and stuttered, ¡°W-Well¡­ I


    guess it¡¯s fate!¡±


    ¡°Jared¡¯s father was really amazing! May I know what his upation is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m currently working in the finance field.¡± Elliot¡¯s maic voice was extremely mesmerizing


    ¡°Wow! I bet you¡¯re good at earning money!¡± Right then, even the headmistress, who was already in


    her forties, nced at Elliot a few times because this was her first time seeing such a good-looking


    father.


    ¡°Alright. Coming up next, let¡¯s get Jared¡¯s father to tell his mother: you¡¯ve done well, wifey.¡± The


    headmistress suddenly requested.


    During the entire time, Elliot had kept a small smile on his face, and his smile deepened upon the


    request. After taking the mic that the headmistress passed to him, he stared at Anastasia before


    saying with a deep voice, ¡°You¡¯ve done well, wifey.¡±


    Upon meeting the man¡¯s scorching gaze, Anastasia felt her face heating up. In fact, she was almost


    afraid to know what the headmistress was going to do next.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get Jared¡¯s mother to confess to his father and say: I love you, hubby!¡± the


    headmistress dered while Anastasia was rendered speechless.

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    Chapter 88


    Chapter 88


    Oh my God! I want to kick myself so badly!


    Although the mic was already passed to her, Anastasia¡¯s mind waspletely nk, as she


    couldn¡¯t say it.


    ¡°Say it, Mommy!¡± At this moment, Jared, who was standing next to her, pulled on her pants


    anxiously.


    Just then, Anastasia had no choice but to say into the mic quickly, ¡°I love you, hubby.¡±


    After saying that, she wanted to leave the stage immediately, but the headmistress¡¯s relentless


    voice rang out again.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we let Jared¡¯s father give Jared¡¯s mother a hug now?¡±


    While Anastasia was dumbstruck, Elliot¡¯s arm came snaking around her waist before she was


    pressed against his chest and started smelling the scent of his male pheromones. Meanwhile, the


    crowd started apuding before Anastasia finally came back to her senses and pushed Elliot away


    instinctively.


    When they went down from the stage, Jared quickly went back to his seat while Elliot returned to his


    seat next to Anastasia. However, Anastasia was afraid to look at Elliot and only wanted the family


    activities to end as soon as possible.


    Fortunately, the activities following that were family activities between children from other sses


    with their mothers. Around 4.00 PM, the awards ceremony started, and Jared came back pleased


    with a mini ss trophy of his own. Finally, Anastasia sighed in relief when the headmistress


    announced the end of the ceremony because she couldn¡¯t wait to leave with Jared.


    When they got into Elliot¡¯s car, all of the parents noticed that Elliot was driving a Rolls-Royce


    Phantom that cost millions.


    Meanwhile, in the car, Jared eximed, ¡°Mr. Presgrave, you were so cool today!¡±


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re tired! Let me treat you to dinner tonight,¡± Elliot turned around slightly and offered.


    However, Anastasia rejected him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m taking Jared home.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, Mr. Presgrave shouldn¡¯t have to treat us to a meal because it¡¯s the other


    way round instead. Why don¡¯t we head out to have a meal tonight? Your treat.¡± Jared had already


    had everything nned out.


    On the other hand, Anastasia didn¡¯t want to appear stingy and ungrateful in front of Jared. Besides,


    she realized that Jared was right, and she should repay Elliot for helping Jared out today.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal, then.¡± Anastasia told the man who was driving.


    ¡°Sure. Where are we heading?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the restaurant that serves local cuisine below my house!¡± She didn¡¯t want to travel far


    because she still had to clean her son up afterward.


    ¡°We stay here,¡± Jared informed Elliot when he stopped by the street where Anastasia bought her


    new ce, after which Elliot nodded at the young boy.


    The restaurant served local dishes, and the business was doing well. After Anastasia picked a table


    close to the window and got seated, she ordered a few local delicacies, and their food was served


    in no time. At the same time, Jared was still toying with his trophy on his seat.


    ¡°Eat up! Although this isn¡¯t some fancy restaurant, the dishes here are not bad,¡± she offered the


    man sitting in front of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not picky.¡± Elliot grabbed his utensils and started eating, while Anastasia picked some food for


    Jared. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, they looked just like a family of three. Right then, Anastasia


    couldn¡¯t help but feel relief that Jared was in an ordinary kindergarten, and the parents here didn¡¯t


    have wide social circles, so Elliot wasn¡¯t recognized.


    After dinner, while she was paying the bills, Jared walked around without paying any attention to his


    surroundings and was about to run into a waitress who was rushing over with a few dishes.


    ¡°Jared, be careful.¡± Elliot quickly,pulled Jared behind him to protect him while the waitress got


    scared before her tray tilted, and all of the dishesnded on Elliot¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The waitress, who was an intern, started crying due to shock before she tried


    to clean his arm in a hurry.


    As Anastasia witnessed Elliot soiling his shirt to save Jared, she quickly rushed over to console the


    crying waitress. ¡°It¡¯s alright. We stay nearby anyway.¡±


    After leaving the restaurant, she had no choice but to invite Elliot over to clean himself up. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fortunately, the t-shirt that you wore for the parents¡¯ activities just now is still in the car. You don¡¯t


    mind changing into that, do you?¡± Anastasia asked Elliot.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll take a shower at yours.¡± Obviously, a clean freak like Elliot wouldn¡¯t choose to go home in


    a soiled shirt. After getting the t-shirt from the car, Anastasia went home along with Jared and Elliot.


    When Elliot saw Anastasia¡¯s new ce, he realized that it was bigger than the apartment that she


    used to stay in, and it was cozier than before.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Chapter 89


    Anastasia realized Elliot didn¡¯t take the t-shirt with him after he entered the bathroom. While Jared


    went back to his room to y with his Lego, she started tidying the living room and lost track of


    time.


    When Anastasia heard the door to the bathroom opening, she turned around instinctively to see


    Elliot, whose hair was wet,ing out wearing nothing but his cks.


    Under the light¡¯s illumination, his strong physique waspletely exposed, revealing his refined


    shoulder des and cor bones, as well as his defined abdomen muscles. As Elliot didn¡¯t have his


    belt on yet, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but feel threatened by his presence right there and then.


    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t help but go into a trance as this was her first time seeing such a perfect


    male built. As a perfectionist, Anastasia really wanted to sneak a few more nces at Elliot.


    ¡°Are you done with staring?¡± Elliot¡¯s sore throat made his voice sound slightly hoarse, while


    Anastasia¡¯s face flushed quickly before she lowered her head and wiped the table in a hurried


    manner to act as if she was busy.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Your t-shirt is on the couch,¡± she reminded.


    Then, Elliot took long strides toward the couch before wearing the yellow t-shirt. Just then, his gaze


    landed on Anastasia¡¯s slender waist. Suddenly, he felt unwilling to end the day just like that.


    At this moment, he got more agitated due to the shower before he headed to Anastasia¡¯s room and


    asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my phone?¡±


    At the same time, Anastasia was shocked. Although she hadn¡¯t seen Elliot¡¯s phone, she was sure


    that his phone wasn¡¯t in her room.


    ¡°It¡¯s not in my room,¡± Anastasia said before she quickly followed him to her bedroom.


    While Elliot was looking around the bed, she reached his side before she was grabbed by her arms


    and forced to fall into the man¡¯s firm chest. Within the next second, Anastasia¡¯s chin was grabbed


    before she was forced to look up while Elliot lowered his head and kissed her against her will.


    Upon tasting the sweet scent of Anastasia¡¯s lip, Elliot tensed up as Anastasia¡¯s soft lips


    were so addictive it kept making him yearn for more. Since when did this woman be so


    charismatic that she could arouse me with just a kiss?


    On the other hand, Anastasia was dumbstruck. God damn it. How dare he trick me into my room to


    take advantage of me?!


    Nevertheless, Jared¡¯s room was just next door, and she didn¡¯t want Jared to run into this scene


    since the house was small, so she could only try to push Elliot away forcefully while refusing his


    kiss.


    Meanwhile, Elliot was shocked. Why does this feel so familiar? This is just like what happened that


    night five years ago. This sweet, unforgettable scent, this moan of hers, and the way she pushes


    me away¡­ are all too familiar.


    Still, Anastasia knew that Elliot got more possessive the more she tried to push him away, as it


    triggered his urge to dominate her. Right then, someone¡¯s leg tripped onto another, and the two of


    them fell down onto the soft bed within the next second.


    Finally, Anastasia managed to get away from Elliot¡¯s grip before she red at the man on the bed


    with a disheveled look and cursed, ¡°Elliot, you a*shole!¡±


    At the same time, the man in the bed looked stunned as well. Just a while ago, there was a strong


    urge within him to keep her for himself and dominate her. Elliot could feel himself going crazy, as he


    wasn¡¯t able to do that.


    1. ¡°I want you to leave my house now. You¡¯re not weed here any longer.¡± Anastasia


    red at him before she rubbed her lips angrily to indicate her disgust.


    Meanwhile, Elliot lowered his gaze before a conflicted look shed past his face.


    After he came out, he didn¡¯t say anything and left after grabbing his car keys and phone on the


    couch while Anastasia sat on the couch with her forehead propped against her palm. I can¡¯t keep


    allowing the wolf into my house again and again. This man is too dangerous, and I can¡¯t let him


    come over anymore.


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    Chapter 90


    Chapter 90


    During the night, Anastasia apanied Jared until he fell asleep before she returned to her own


    room. As shey in bed, she kept having shbacks of what happened before an electrifying


    sensation ran past her body.


    How is this even possible? I¡¯ve been avoiding men and any physical contact with them other than


    asional contact with Nigel after what happened five years ago, but it¡¯s strictly tonic between


    the two of us, so why did Elliot manage to arouse me? Is it because he¡¯s way too charismatic? No.


    That¡¯s impossible. Elliot is Hayley¡¯s man, and I¡¯ll never allow anyone with any association with


    Hailey to touch me again.


    On Saturday morning, Anastasia woke up and checked her phone instinctively to see if she had any


    notifications before she noticed a message from an unknown number. Initially, she thought that it


    was a spam message, but the content of the text made her sit up abruptly in shock.


    ¡®I was the man from five years ago. Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you gave birth to my


    son?¡¯


    Upon seeing that, Anastasia had her face go pale as she stared at the message in shock before her


    mind went nk.


    How is this even possible? How did the man from five years ago find out about Jared? Did Hayley


    or Erica tell him about it?


    Nevertheless, the thing that she was the most afraid of was finally happening. The bast*rd was


    finally showing up to steal Jared.


    Hayley must have been the one who told him about it! Since she arranged everything in the first


    ce, she must have stayed in contact with him.


    Still, Anastasia forced herself to calm down before replying to the text message. ¡®I don¡¯t know what


    you¡¯re talking about. You got the wrong person.


    Anastasia Tillman, you better listen to me if you don¡¯t want me to take your son away from you, or


    I¡¯ll definitely take him away.


    She felt a murderous intent rising when she saw the man¡¯s reply. How dare a person who had


    committed a crime try to snatch my son away from me?


    ¨C ¡®I¡¯ll kill you if you try to take my son away from me. Hatred was evident in Anastasia¡¯s


    reply.


    ¡®I want you to meet me at my appointed ce, or you can just wait for your son to be snatched


    away from you!¡¯


    Jared was Anastasia¡¯s biggest weakness, and she¡¯d do anything for him, including risking her own


    life. Since the b*stard of a man finally appeared, there was no way for her to avoid him even if she


    didn¡¯t want to meet him.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll meet up with you.¡¯ Anastasia replied to the message.


    At the same time, Hayley, who was in her luxurious mansion, smirked evilly when she read


    Anastasia¡¯s reply to her. The show just started. As long as I can control this character well, I can get


    Anastasia to do anything due to her fear of losing Jared.


    Despite that, Hayley still had another n for tonight.


    On the other hand, Anastasia had been in fear and anxiety the entire day. After that, she contacted


    Francis to get him toe over during the noon to take care of Jared because she needed to go


    meet that man.


    Anastasia really hoped that Jared would have a great father, but the man was an a*shole. After


    settling Jared down, she checked her phone to see an address as well as a message from the man.


    ¡®Be here on time. If you refuse toe, I¡¯ll make sure you pay for it.


    Around 5.30 PM, Anastasia took a cab to the agreed meet-up location. Since she wasn¡¯t sure about


    the precise location where they were meeting, she got down from the cab around the agreed meet-


    up location before realizing that she was in a remote alley with no people there. Right when she


    wanted to ask the man about his whereabouts, a person suddenly covered her mouth from behind


    before she inhaled the drugs that caused her to faint.


    Immediately, Anastasia was dragged inside a van before the van drove away, revealing a sports car


    behind it, while Hayley, who was in the car, sent a message. ¡®Send her to the appointed hotel.


    Then, she contacted Alice to make sure that she had done everything from her side as well. ¡°I told


    Chairman Morris to meet me at the hotel room at 10.00 PM tonight. Are you sure that Anastasia is


    going to be there?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Anastasia is in my hands right now, and I¡¯m sending her to the room for Chairman


    Morris to enjoyter on.¡± Hayley smirked because her n was progressing smoothly, as she would


    be able to get the footage of Anastasia and Ben Morris tomorrow morning. Once she yed the


    footage during the awards ceremony, everyone would know that Anastasia won by getting into Ben


    Morris¡¯s bed.


    By then, she would surely lose all her credits and be theughingstock in the field. Even if


    Elliot were to try to help her out in Bourgeois, Anastasia would still be humiliated and wouldn¡¯t be


    able to make aeback anymore.


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    Chapter 91


    On the other hand, Anastasia was lying unconscious in the backseat of the van. At that moment,


    her hair was let down in a messy manner, and her intrinsic facial features gave off an unguarded


    look for what wasing next.


    The two men in the van were sweating, as they weren¡¯t skilled in what Hayley wanted them to do


    despite collecting money from her.


    ¡°She won¡¯t wake up, will she? Was the drug strong enough?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I only took the rmended dose based on the instruction book. If it was too


    strong, she¡¯d probably remain unconscious for a bit longer.¡±


    Once they reached the hotel, the two of them wore caps before dragging Anastasia into the hotel


    elevator. When they reached the presidential suite, Alice, who was in the ce, opened the door for


    them. Although she noticed that Anastasia was dragged inside, she remained calm.


    ¡°ce her on the bed before you let her drink that cup of water on the table.¡±


    After Anastasia was ced on the couch, she was forcefully fed with half a cup of water that was


    spiked with aphrodisiac. Right then, Alice chuckled coldly as she looked at Anastasia. This is what


    you get for trying to snatch the money away from me.


    The two men quickly left after cing Anastasia in bed while Alice left after. I guess Ben will be


    reaching anytime soon.


    As expected, Ben quickly came in after scanning his room card. When he couldn¡¯t find Alice, he


    quickly contacted her.


    ¡°Hey, Alice, where are you?¡± Ben asked in a displeased tone as he sat down on the couch.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Chairman Morris! I had to leave because of an emergency, but my colleague was


    still there. Have you seen her? She¡¯s drunk, so you¡¯ll have to take care of her!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Ben stood up quickly from the couch and entered the master bedroom to see a


    woman with a slender and curvy body lying on the white bed. When he saw her face, he was


    completely stunned.


    Ben didn¡¯t expect to see a prettier and sexier woman than Alice on his bed. As he was


    a perverted and daring man, he was happy that he finally had something to do for the night.


    ¡°Alice, you better not stand up on me next time. Is your colleague someone who is easy to get on


    with?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Just do as you wish. I can assure you that it¡¯ll be alright.¡± Alic¨¨ assured him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help myself, then.¡± Ben panted with anticipation.


    At the same time, Alice, who was in her car, contacted Hayley. ¡°Miss Seymour, I¡¯ve gotten the men


    to ce Anastasia in bed, and Ben is in the hotel room now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. After tonight, Anastasia will be ruined,¡± Hayley dered chirpily.


    ¡°Are you sure that Anastasia won¡¯t try to pin us on this?¡±


    Hayley chuckled coldly. ¡°She won¡¯t dare to do so. Since she still has to think about her son, she


    would choose to deal with the humiliation instead.¡±


    Besides, this is not her first time getting yed by men anymore.


    Meanwhile, Ben was toying with the tools that he had brought over next to the white bed. As he was


    into kinks, he would often torture the women that he slept with.


    At the same time, Anastasia, who was still in a daze, regained consciousness after feeling a sudden


    surging heat. After opening her heavy eyelids slowly, she was shocked by the luxurious-looking


    hotel chandelier above her before she got up in an abrupt manner. Then, she turned around to see


    a man toying with a bunch of disgusting-looking tools next to the bed.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Anastasia asked weakly.


    Since Ben was a recidivist, he obviously knew that this woman was ced in front of him without


    her consent. Still, he wasn¡¯t nning on letting her go, as it had alreadye to this point.


    ¡°What¡­ What have you done to me?¡± Anastasia felt dizzy as she held her forehead and tried to get


    down from the bed. However, her legs gave in almost immediately before she fell to the ground.


    Right then, Anastasia came to a horrifying realization that she was tricked when she realized that


    shecked strength and could feel a familiar burning sensation within


    her body.


    ¡°Hey, pretty girl! Why are you so anxious? I¡¯ll be sure to be nice to youter on,¡± Ben said before he


    tried to hold Anastasia.


    ¡°Do not touch me! Get away! Stop touching me¡­¡± Anastasia pushed him away harshly before she


    staggered out of the master bedroom and tried to look for her bag to get


    help.


    However, Ben, who was behind her, dashed out and ran after her. Although he was already in his


    fifties, he was still stronger than Anastasia because he was a man. Nevertheless, Anastasia¡¯s fight-


    or-flight response was triggered when she had a devastating realization that Ben was about to drag


    her back into the bedroom.


    Immediately, she bit Ben¡¯s hand harshly before she dragged her strengthless body to the couch to


    grab her bag. However, Ben was already waiting for Anastasia with a smirk on his face at the


    entrance of the suite when she wanted to make her escape.


    ¡°Where are you trying to go, honey? Why won¡¯t you let me love you?¡±


    Anastasia felt revolted when she heard Ben and felt like she was about to puke what she ate


    yesterday. Upon seeing that her route to escape was obstructed, she turned around and noticed the


    washroom before dashing over and closing the door before locking it.


    ? Immediately, Ben ran toward the washroom and banged on the door. ¡°Open up,


    honey. You won¡¯t be able to escape me tonight.¡±


    At the same time, Anastasia was rummaging through her bag anxiously. When she found her


    phone, the first person that came to her mind was Francis, but Francis was still taking care of Jared,


    so she decided to call Nigel instead. However, no one epted the call despite the call being


    connected.


    Right then, Anastasia had her heart in her mouth as Ben¡¯s angry shouts and door banging kept


    ringing out.


    She knew that she could lose her consciousness again anytime soon as she was still feeling


    strengthless after drinking the spiked drink, and she thought of another person before she quickly


    grabbed her phone and contacted Elliot.


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    Chapter 92


    Chapter 92


    ¡°Hello?¡± The call was epted within three seconds before Elliot¡¯s deep voice rang out.


    ¡°Help me¡­ Elliot, please help me.. I got tricked, and I¡¯m now hiding in the washroom of a suite.


    There¡¯s a man outside who wants to hurt me¡­ I¡¯m feeling really dizzy: ¡ª Please help me¡­¡±


    As Anastasia trailed off, Elliot¡¯s anxious voice quickly came in. ¡°What hotel are you at? Which


    suite?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I was taken here¡­ I¡¯ll send you my location now¡­ Elliot¡­ Please save me¡­¡±


    Then, she felt her consciousness drifting away before she fainted in the washroom.


    At the same time, a ck car sped out of Presgrave Group¡¯s parking lot before it dashed to the


    hotel that was being pinpointed. The handsome man who was driving had a cold look on his face.


    Who would try to plot against Anastasia? Who would dare to trick her?


    Within 15 minutes, Elliot¡¯s car entered the hotel¡¯s parking lot before he started making his way to the


    hotel reception. Although he tried calling Anastasia, no one epted the call, indicating that she


    had already lost consciousness.


    ¡°Get your manager over now. My friend is getting assaulted at your hotel, and I want the hotel to


    take full responsibility if anything happens to her.¡±


    When the manager came and saw Elliot, he started perspiring. Isn¡¯t this the young master of the


    Presgrave Family?


    ¡°I¡¯ll check the surveince camera right away, Young Master Elliot.¡± The manager quickly entered


    the surveince room before he found the footage of an unconscious girl getting carried into the


    elevator within two minutes. She was taken by two men in caps, and they took her to the


    presidential suite.


    After getting the suite number, Elliot dashed to the elevator while the manager followed along with


    two of his employees. While the elevator started heading up rapidly, he felt his heartbeat increasing


    by BPMs along with it.


    Come on! Move faster! Faster! Has Anastasia been¡­ No. I won¡¯t let that happen. I won¡¯t allow ¨C


    Anastasia to get assaulted again. Right then, Elliot was feeling murderous as he tried to


    figure out who would try to harm Anastasia.


    Back at the presidential suite, Ben had made sure Anastasia fainted in the washroom. As expected,


    he started picking the lock to the washroom, as he didn¡¯t dare to ask for help from the hotel. At this


    moment, he was picking on the washroom door with a tool before the entrance to the suite was


    kicked open.


    Then, an angry figure came in. Right then, Elliot looked like Satan himself paying a visit to Ben.


    Before the cunning old man could react, Elliot brought his le? down on him with a disgusted look on


    his face.


    After he kicked Ben away, the manager quickly got his employees to unlock the door under Elliot¡¯s


    instructions, as Anastasia had lost consciousness in the washroom.


    The employees came back in a hurry within a minute with the keys before they unlocked the door to


    the washroom and found a disheveled-looking woman leaning against the wall. Despite the


    illumination of the light on her pale face, her beauty was still astounding


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Elliot called out anxiously before he carried her up from the ground.


    At the same time, Ben finally recognized Elliot, after which he fell to the ground in shock and


    disbelief that he had tried to cross his woman.


    Before Elliot left with Anastasia, he instructed the manager coldly, ¡°I want you to nie lodge a police


    report and have this man detained.¡±


    Immediately, the manager got his employees to restrain Ben while he went to contact the police.


    On the other hand, Anastasia felt relieved when she sensed the familiar scent of the man carrying


    her before she wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s neck tightly to reduce the burning sensation


    that she had been feeling.


    Despite that, Elliot didn¡¯t leave with Anastasia and brought her to another room instead. After he


    ced her on the bed gently, she refused to let go of him, as she knew Elliot was the one carrying


    her before she opened her beautiful teary-looking eyes.


    Upon meeting Anastasia¡¯s gaze, Elliot felt his breath hitching. Even though he knew he shouldn¡¯t be


    having these feelings at this moment, it was impossible for any man not to feel tempted at the sight


    of Anastasia right then.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 93


    Chapter 93


    When Anastasia regained some of her consciousness, she curled up in a nket with her hair


    spread out messily after knowing that she was safe. Despite that, the drug¡¯s effect was still


    tormenting her endlessly.


    Upon noticing Elliot, she felt her rationale slipping away before she suddenly felt like hugging him.


    ¡°Can¡­ Can you hug me?¡± Anastasia was experiencing chills and heat shes simultaneously, and


    she was feeling extremely ufortable.


    Knowing that she wanted, Elliot reached out to pull her into his embrace before hugging her tightly.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia looked up to observe the man¡¯s chiseled brow ridge and nose. From her point


    of view, she could see a gentle look in the man¡¯s eyes, and it was calling out for her.


    Elliot¡¯s gaze felt like a feathery touch to Anastasia¡¯s heart before her impulsive self made her do


    something out of character. In the next second, she sat up and held Elliot¡¯s face before nting a


    kiss on his lips.


    At the same time, Elliot tensed up. Is she trying to use me as a cure?


    Still, he knew that everything that was happening wasn¡¯t something that Anastasia would willingly


    do since she wasn¡¯t thinking rationally, so there was no need for him to be happy about it.


    In fact, she might regret what happened when she regained consciousness. Still, rejecting


    Anastasia put Elliot¡¯s self-control to the test.


    When he tasted Anastasia¡¯s lips, he felt his self-control leavingpletely before he grabbed her


    slender waist with his strong arms. Then, Elliot pulled Anastasia toward him and took the lead


    before the two of them fell onto the bed.


    The kiss opened the pandora box, and there was no way to stop it now.


    Nevertheless, Elliot didn¡¯t actually try to attempt to do anything to Anastasia. While she was still in a


    daze, he picked her up and headed to the bathroom before cing her in the bathtub. Since it was


    a summer night, the water was cooler than usual. Right then, Anastasia¡¯s body was immersed


    underwater as she propped her head by the edge of the bathtub and moaned weakly.


    Now that her rationale was starting to return, she looked up before her mind went All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    nk momentarily. Aftering back to her senses, Anastasia felt so embarrassed she wanted to


    disappear. Did I just kiss him forcefully?


    In fact, she also recalled herself trying to offer herself up to him.


    ¡°Have you finallye back to your senses?¡± Elliot stood by the bathtub as he looked at her with a


    worried look. Nevertheless, he felt as if he needed a cold shower as well because his body felt


    extremely warm right then.


    There was no way Elliot would be able to handle watching Anastasia getting out of the showers


    after getting teased by her back then.


    On the other hand, Anastasia started making connections as to why she ended up in that old man¡¯s


    bed after she came back to her senses. Everything started because of the text message that she


    had received, and she was drugged at the alley where she was supposed to meet the man before


    she ended up waking up on the bed.


    It was obvious that she was sent to the old man. At this moment, Anastasia checked that she still


    had all her garments on before sighing in relief.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she looked up and thanked the man standing by the entrance of the bathroom. If Elliot


    hadn¡¯t rushed over to save her, she couldn¡¯t imagine what could have happened to her.


    ¡°Why did something like this happen? Who drugged you before sending you to this


    ¡¤ man¡¯s bed?¡± There was an annoyed look in Elliot¡¯s eyes. Why can¡¯t she do a better job of


    protecting herself?


    Meanwhile, Anastasia sighed before she stood up from the water. However, she quickly sat back in


    the bathtub as the water had drenched her outfit and revealed her body shapepletely.


    ¡°Can you get me something to change into?¡± Anastasia gave Elliot a pleading look.


    Then, Elliot went to get the housekeeping staff to get Anastasia an outfit before he left the


    bathroom, allowing Anastasia to take a shower before changing into her new outfit. When she came


    out in the beige dress with her waist-level hair down, Elliot, who was on the couch, was stunned


    before he rejoiced secretly that nothing had happened to her tonight.

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    Chapter 94


    Just then, Anastasia heard a notification ringtone. Hence, she tensed up and went to sit on the


    couch, taking her phone to read the new message, which was threatening.


    ¡®Anastasia, you¡¯d better pretend nothing happened tonight, or you¡¯ll face the consequences. I¡¯ve


    warned you.


    ¡°Think of our son! The second message was even more confusing.


    Hatred shed in the depths of Anastasia¡¯s eyes. So this is the jerk that tricked me here!


    ¡°Where¡¯s that jerk?¡± Anastasia asked the man.


    ¡°Probably on his way to the police station.¡±


    Anastasia walked over to the bed and called up the front desk, asking when the receptionist picked


    up, ¡°Has that jerk been sent to the police station?¡±


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re the victim just now, right? The police are on their way right now; our security guards


    are keeping the man under control.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the security room?¡± Anastasia asked.


    ¡°The 3rd floor.¡±


    Anastasia hung up and turned around to look at the man. ¡°Thank you for tonight, President


    Presgrave. I have matters to deal with, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    With that, Anastasia opened the door, intending to leave right away. However, the man behind her


    strode over and followed her. When Anastasia got in the elevator, he also followed suit. His ck


    eyes were trained on her as he asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to blow things up, so she bunched some of her hair together as she said,


    ¡°Nothing much, just some stroke of bad luck. Someone plotted against me.¡±


    Elliot saw that she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, and he felt angry for some reason. Hisrge hand


    gripped her wrist as he asked once again, ¡°Anastasia, tell me what exactly happened. Why would


    you be toyed with by this man?¡±


    Of course, Anastasia didn¡¯t want the entire world to know that her son¡¯s father was a ¨C despicable


    and shameless escort. Hence, she raised her clear and calm eyes to look at


    the man. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    When Anastasia finished talking, they had arrived on the 3rd floor, and she wriggled her wrist free


    and walked toward the security room.


    Just then, in the security room, Ben Morris was making a fuss about getting hiswyer, flustered as


    he shoved two security guards. When he saw Anastasia, he was frightened and looked away in


    shame. Anastasia really wanted to just stab this old pervert to death, but the one who deserved


    death the most was the jerk behind the scenes.


    ¡°Let him go. I won¡¯t hold him responsible,¡± Anastasia said to the security guard, gritting her teeth.


    Everyone present was shocked. Ben red at the security guard in embarrassment and shame,


    intending to leave as soon as possible. Suddenly, a long leg mmed against his waist, forcing him


    to fall to the ground. The next second, someone had mercilessly stepped on his back so that his


    face met the ground again after he attempted to get up.


    ¡°Ow¡­¡± Ben whined.


    ¡°Who allowed you to leave?¡± Elliot didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of letting him off the hook.


    Anastasia turned to look at Elliot. Remembering the threat that jerk sent, she walked over to Elliot


    and said, ¡°Just let him get lost.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, do you know the things that would¡¯ve happened to you if I hadn¡¯t rushed here?¡± Elliot¡¯s


    handsome face had a terrible expression, and his gaze was cold and sharp like des when he


    looked at her.


    Anastasia knew that, of course. I¡¯m the victim, so how can I not?


    However, she wanted to protect her son more, so she didn¡¯t want that jerk from five years ago to


    appear in front of her son and destroy his peaceful world.


    This old pervert is only part of the trade.


    ¡°Elliot, this matter concerns me, so I have the right to make the decisions.¡± With that, Anastasia


    went in front of him and pushed his leg away. Under him, Ben was frightfully sweating buckets, and


    he scrambled as he fled out the door.


    It really was an unlucky night for him actually to run into Elliot, of all people. In reality, he almost


    died.


    Anastasia watched the old pervert leave, then she turned and talked to the man with a handsome


    but gloomy face. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Anastasia was about to leave, but the man grabbed her hand. She could feel the man¡¯s fury, and as


    soon as the elevator doors opened, he forced her against the wall of the elevator.


    With their faces meeting and their noses almost touched, she could feel his angry breaths on her


    face.


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    Chapter 95


    Chapter 95


    Anastasia red at Elliot as she tried to push him away, and her voice wasced with warning as


    she said, ¡°What are you doing, Elliot?¡±


    The man¡¯s gaze was dark and deep, like a knocked-over pot of ink. He gritted his teeth and


    growled, ¡°Anastasia, I can satisfy you if you need a man.¡±


    A buzz shot through Anastasia¡¯s mind. What nonsense is this man saying?


    Just then, the elevator doors opened with a ding. A few hotel guests were standing outside, gaping


    at their intimate pose. Immediately, Anastasia pushed the man on top of her away and ran out of the


    elevator, fleeing the scene. She decided to let him off the hook for once, since he literally saved her


    tonight.


    Afterward, Anastasia decided to hail a cab home, but she couldn¡¯t see any cabs at the hotel


    entrance at this hour. As she was about to walk further to the main road for her ride, a man¡¯s low


    voice rang out behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t want to trouble you,¡± Anastasia replied, turning to look at the man.


    ¡°Why? Am I so untrustworthy to you?¡± Elliot was angry as hisrge hand grabbed her wrist, pulling


    her with him as he walked toward his car. Since she couldn¡¯t break free, she could only follow him to


    his car before he opened the door to the passenger seat and pushed her in.


    Anastasia helplessly got in. She had gone through enough surprises tonight, so her legs were


    wobbly, and she felt like her body was emptied out. Being reminded of something, she quickly


    grabbed her phone and nced at it to find that the man hadn¡¯t replied.


    At that moment, she really wished that the man would just disappear from her world once and for


    all, never appearing ever again.


    Elliot hadn¡¯t driven for long when Anastasia¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from Nigel.


    Anastasia picked it up. ¡°Hello, Nigel.¡±


    As soon as Anastasia finished talking, she could feel a sharp nce directed at her.


    ¡°Hello, Anastasia. Did you call? I was busy just now, so I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Nigel¡¯s voice ¨C was terribly


    apologetic.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine now, don¡¯t mind me. I identally pressed the wrong button,¡± Anastasia said while trying to


    seem as natural as possible.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow at noon, and then we can have lunch together.¡±.


    ¡°Sure! See you tomorrow at noon, then.¡±


    ¡°Did you miss me? I miss you a lot.¡± Nigel took the opportunity to confess.


    ¡°All right, see you tomorrow!¡± Anastasiaughed as she ended the call. As she stashed her phone


    back into her bag, a man¡¯s low and upset voice asked beside her, ¡°So, the first person you called for


    help was Nigel?¡±


    T LETTER


    Anastasia was stunned, but she nodded earnestly. ¡°Yes, but Nigel didn¡¯t pick up.¡±


    ¡°So when you get in trouble, the first person you think of isn¡¯t me but Nigel?¡± the man questioned


    again, as if looking for confirmation.


    ¡°Thank you for tonight.¡± No matter what, Anastasia was sincerely grateful for his help.


    ¡°How are you going to thank me?¡± Elliot turned to look at her, a meaningful look in his eyes.


    Anastasia pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a meal.¡±


    ¡°All right, then. Cancel the lunch appointment with Nigel tomorrow, and treat me to lunch instead,¡±


    the man said on purpose.


    Anastasia was puzzled. Why is he insisting on tomorrow?


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll treat Nigel to dinner instead, so the lunch is yours.¡± Anastasia rearranged her schedule.


    Unexpectedly, this arrangement made the man even more upset. ¡°So Nigel is more important than I


    am to you?¡± he asked with a snort.


    Anastasia went speechless.


    What is this man getting all jealous about? I¡¯ve known Nigel for a few years, but Elliot and I only


    knew each other for a short while!Also, isn¡¯t Nigel his cousin? What¡¯s his deal?


    Anastasia sighed and smiled in exasperation. ¡°All right, then, President Presgrave. What about this?


    I¡¯ll treat you to both lunch and dinner tomorrow.¡±


    He¡¯ll have the entire day to himself, so he should be happy now, right?Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Chapter 96


    However, Anastasia¡¯s forced tone didn¡¯t manage to lift the man¡¯s mood. Instead, Elliot felt as if she


    was forced to treat him to meals.


    ¡°Why did you let that jerk go instead of handing him over to the police? And how did you even


    appear at the hotel in the first ce?¡± Elliot still wanted to know the reason.


    Anastasia lied casually, ¡°I got tricked into the hotel; I don¡¯t even know that man.¡±


    ¡°Who tricked you?¡±


    ¡°Someone I knew over a meal.¡±


    ¡°So you needed him?¡± Elliot kept interrogating.


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t keep telling stories anymore, so she mumbled, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Remember this, Anastasia. Whatever you need, you should ask me first before asking anyone


    else. At least I won¡¯t do something sneaky on you,¡± Elliot reminded.


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t quite ready to agree with him, for he had taken advantage of her many times, and


    she could hold him responsible if she wanted.


    ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Anastasia paid him lip service.


    The more Elliot thought about it, the more furious he got when he remembered how they just let that


    jerk go like that. Just then, Elliot¡¯s car phone rang, and Hayley¡¯s name popped up on the control


    panel.


    He did not pick up the call, merely looking at it, but when Anastasia saw Hayley¡¯s name, disgust


    flitted across her eyes.


    The ringtone was still sounding, but Elliot didn¡¯t move to pick up the call, allowing the ringing to stop


    on its own.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up the call? What if your girlfriend was in an emergency?¡± Anastasia asked him


    on purpose.


    ¡°Hayley isn¡¯t my girlfriend; we¡¯re just friends,¡± Elliot retorted.


    -¡°Oh! Friends with benefits.¡± Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but throw in an insult.


    Elliot eyed her, then asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°So you¡¯re bothered about the thought that I slept with


    her?¡±


    Anastasia returned the question. ¡°Why should I be? I don¡¯t care who you sleep with; it¡¯s none of my


    business.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s face darkened, and his eyebrows scrunched up. Every word this woman spoke was


    provoking him.


    The atmosphere in the car turned awkward and heavy, so heavy that Anastasia felt ufortable


    about it. While the man drove, she secretly studied him as the street lights cast dark shadows on his


    handsome face. He wore a fitting white shirt, and despite the day¡¯s activities, the shirt was still free


    of wrinkles. His profile was clear and well-defined, as if God Himself had drawn perfect lines on him.


    She had to admit that this man was so perfect that no one could find anything wrong with him.


    Noticing that she was about to arrive at hermunity, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh.


    Home! Atst!


    No matter what, this man helped a lot to ensure her safe return.


    ¡°President Presgrave, thank you so much for tonight.¡± Anastasia thanked him again, and she was


    absolutely sincere with her words.


    ¡°If you run into simr trouble in the future, I should be the first person you ask for help. If you ask


    any other man to help you, I won¡¯t help you anymore,¡± Elliot ordered.


    Anastasia was speechless.


    Do I even have to consider his priorities when asking for help? What sort of reasoning is this?


    Still, reasoning or not, her main goal was to appease the man, so she nodded. ¡°All right, got it.¡±


    Elliot watched her get out of the car, the look in his eyesplicated and dark. Every time she left


    his side, he would feel a sense of longing, as if hoping that she would stay with him forever. His


    thoughts made him frown, for he was a little mad at the power the woman held over him.


    As Elliot watched Anastasia walk through the main entrance of themunity, he slowly drove


    away. Just then, Hayley called him again. Finally, Elliot answered the call this time. ¡°Hello. What¡¯s


    the matter, Hayley?¡±


    ¡°Elliot, where are you? I just took a nap and had a terrifying nightmare. I¡¯m so scared. Pleasee


    over and stay with me.¡± Hayley¡¯s voice sounded as if she were still shaken.


    ¡°I have urgent business to attend to. I¡¯ll send my assistant, Daniel Lancaster, to apany you,¡±


    Elliot said in a low voice.


    ¡°No, I want you. No one can make me feel safe except for you. Please, Elliot, I beg of you. Come


    over!¡± Hayley¡¯s voice was now tinted with sobbing.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t go right now, Hayley. Please, be a good girl.¡± Elliot could onlyfort her over the


    phone.


    On the other end of the line, Hayley¡¯s voice sounded disappointed, but she still obeyed. ¡°Fine, then.


    You don¡¯t have to send anyone over. Just give me a present aspensation tomorrow, and I¡¯ll let


    this slide.¡±


    ¡°Sure, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I just bought a white dress, but I don¡¯t have any jewelry to go with it. You can give me a set!¡±


    ¡°Oh. Sure.¡± Elliot¡¯s reply was quick and decisive, for he would ratherpensate with material


    things than make it up to her emotionally.


    Meanwhile, in the luxurious vi, Hayley had just ended her call with Elliot. There was a fire burning


    in her eyes, for her ns tonight were ruined.


    Half an hour earlier, Hayley had received a call from Alice saying that Anastasia had found


    someone to save her. More importantly, that someone was none other than Elliot himself.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Fortunately, Hayley managed to y the role of the escort as she threatened Anastasia not to call


    the police, hence letting Ben go. More than 10 minutester, she received news that Ben had


    escaped from the hotel in one piece.


    So, Hayley figured out that Elliot was with Anastasia, and Elliot hadn¡¯t picked up her first call


    because Anastasia was with him! Her ns tonight were met with surprises, but no damage was


    done. She felt like she had wasted her efforts, since she didn¡¯t manage to get Anastasia to fall for


    her original n.


    However, if she kept ying the role of the escort, she would have Anastasia dancing in the palm of


    her hand.


    Alice also recognized that Anastasia¡¯s rtionship with Elliot was quite unusual, so it was as clear


    as day that Anastasia had backing in thepany, so Alice probably wouldn¡¯t be able to hit the


    jackpot herself.


    However, if the opportunity arose in the future, she would still try to remove Anastasia from


    Bourgeois, for Alice was an ambitious woman. She wanted to be the chief designer and then


    work her way up to Felicia¡¯s level, proceeding to be the director of the design department.


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t just her rival but also the obstacle that blocked her path.


    When Anastasia came home, she found that her father had taken good care of her son. Shey on


    the bed, listening to her son¡¯s calm breathing next to her, but she herself couldn¡¯t sleep.


    Whenever she closed her eyes, she would see the image of her being entangled with Elliot in the


    hotel. If she remembered correctly, she was the one who made the first move.


    It¡¯s so embarrassing


    Under the influence of the drug; she had thrown away all sense of shame as she hugged him and


    kissed him all over. If Elliot hadn¡¯t declined, she probably would¡¯ve gone further.


    I really want to delete this part of my memory.


    ¨C Fortunately, the man didn¡¯t mention the incident afterward, or she would¡¯ve Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    shriveled up and died of shame.


    Meanwhile, at the Tillman Residence, Francis came homete once again. Naomi sat on the couch,


    nagging furiously as she looked at the man who had just returned.


    ¡°You were babysitting for your eldest daughter again, weren¡¯t you? This home isn¡¯t yours anymore,


    and your home should be over there. Why did youe back here?¡±


    Francis exined, ¡°Anastasia was upied.¡±


    Naomi could worry less about the grandson. She was more concerned that her husband was


    favoring Anastasia, and he might put Anastasia in charge of hispany in the future. She still had


    a clear grasp of where her own daughter stood in all this.


    Anastasia was more capable and responsible than her daughter, and anyone with eyes could tell.


    She was just scared that her own daughter wouldn¡¯t be able to put up a fight against Anastasia.


    ¡°Francis, I don¡¯t ask for anything else. I just want you to give Erica the same things you gave


    Anastasia. You can¡¯t be favoring one over the other, or this family should just fall apart. There would


    be no reason to stay together anymore.¡± With that, Naomi¡¯s eyes reddened as she began to sob.


    ¡°All right, all right. I¡¯ll treat you and Erica well too.¡± Francis stillforted her. After all, they were his


    wife and daughter, so he wanted to treat them equally.


    ¡°You¡¯d better keep your word.¡± Naomi buried herself in his arms, binding him with her womanly


    meekness.


    Francis¡¯s heart softened a little. ¡°Of course! I will do everything I promised to do.¡±


    Early in the morning, after dropping off her son, Anastasia went to work. The results of the jewelry


    competition would be announced tomorrow, and she felt even more motivated to work. Moreover,


    now that Presgrave Corporation had bought Bourgeois, the future was bright for them.


    In the office, Anastasia remembered that she was supposed to treat Elliot to lunch at noon, so she


    could only call Nigel to tell him that she had to cancel her lunch with him. To smooth things over,


    she could only lie. ¡°Nigel, we have a meeting at noon, so I can only have a quick lunch in the office.


    Let¡¯s have lunch together next time.¡±


    ¡°Is it so busy over there? So much so that you don¡¯t even have time to eat? Your job is _hopeless,


    Anastasia. Come work for mypany instead!¡± i


    ¡°Come on. I love my work. I¡¯ve said all I have to say now, so I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­ ¡± Nigel was about to say something, but Anastasia ended the call before she could hear


    more.


    At the morning meeting, Alice¡¯s re of rivalry was trained on Anastasia, but she didn¡¯t know that


    Alice had taken part in the incidentst night.


    Her fearsst night proved useless, for Anastasia hadn¡¯t received any messages from the gigolo


    ever since.


    Phew! That¡¯s a relief indeed.

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    Chapter 98


    Chapter 98


    After the meeting ended, Alice suddenly stopped Anastasia. ¡°Anastasia, let¡¯spete fairly if you


    have the skills. If you win the prize just because of your connections, you¡¯re barely worth my time.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know where Alice wasing from. Why is Alice saying such things to me,


    anyway? Since we¡¯re both rivals, and Alice was rude to me first, I have every right to defend myself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ve always gotten by with my skills.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Alice snorted and left.


    At around 11 am, Anastasia took a deep breath and made a call to the president¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Elliot¡¯s exclusively alluring voice rang out.


    ¡°Anastasia here. Would you have time for lunch together at noon, President Presgrave?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll make the reservations,¡± Elliot answered.


    Anastasia felt a little awkward now. If this man made reservations at a high-ss restaurant, her


    wallet would be in trouble.


    ¡°I know a ce with good food. Why not,¡± Anastasia attempted to save her wallet.


    ¡°Why? Not willing to splurge on me?¡± the man questioned her mockingly before she finished her


    sentence.


    ¡°Of course not. Never mind, you can make the reservations,¡± Anastasia replied boldly.


    The call ended, and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. Since Elliot wanted to break her bank with


    food, she would have to allow it. She decided to go all out, since he had saved herst night after


    all. It was almost half-past eleven when Anastasia received a private message from Elliot. ¡®See you


    in the parking lot in 10 minutes.¡¯


    Anastasia replied with a ¡®ok.


    ¨C She took her bag and went out, heading directly toward the elevator. After she got in,


    she pressed the button that would take her to the second basement, where the VIP


    car park was.


    When Anastasia emerged, she didn¡¯t notice a gray sports car at the side that had just pulled up.


    Inside, a man was about to get out of the car when he spotted her and stared at her through theAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    window in disbelief.


    Then, the man watched as she opened the door of a Rolls-Royce and got in.


    That¡¯s Elliot¡¯s private car. That¡¯s my cousin¡¯s car. Nigel¡¯s eyes went wide, quite unable to believe


    that Anastasia had canceled her date with him, only to go on a date with his cousin.


    Where are they going?


    Unable to keep his curiosity in check, Nigel started his car and tailed Elliot¡¯s car right away. As


    Anastasia sat in Elliot¡¯s car, she wondered which restaurant this man was taking her to.


    This city was full of private kitchens that boasted premium ingredients, and a single meal could cost


    10 thousand or even up to 100 thousand. This might be the normal price of a meal for a man of


    Elliot¡¯s stature, but formon folks like her, it was an unbelievable number.


    Suddenly, Anastasia recognized the familiar street. She gasped in surprise, for it was the route back


    to her home.


    ¡°President Presgrave, you made reservations at a restaurant near my house?¡± Anastasia asked


    curiously.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the man replied calmly.


    Then, Anastasia found her residential area right next to them, and the man had pulled up in a


    parking space at the entrance of her ce. She was stunned and looked at the man in confusion.


    ¡°Get out of the car with me. We¡¯ll buy some groceries, and you¡¯ll cook for me.¡± Elliot turned around


    and stared at her.


    Anastasia could hardly react. This man didn¡¯t want her to treat him to lunch at a restaurant; he


    wanted her to make him lunch!


    _¡±I¡¯m toozy to cook. Let¡¯s just go to a restaurant.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to bring him home. After


    all, her son wasn¡¯t at home, so things would be awkward if it were just the two of them.


    .


    ¡°Anastasia, this is my request. You¡¯d better satisfy my needs.¡± With that, Elliot opened the door and


    went out.


    Anastasia was speechless. However, she didn¡¯t have the capacity to decline, since he really did


    save herst night.

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    Chapter 99


    Chapter 99


    Fine, my wallet would be safe this way. If Anastasia cooked lunch, she wouldn¡¯t have to spend more


    than 100.


    When she was getting out of the car, she was lost in her thoughts. She was about to run over to the


    supermarket on the other side of the road when an electric car sped near her, not giving her time to


    even respond. Instantly, the man behind her held her waist at lightning speed, pulling her into his


    embrace to get her out of danger.


    Anastasia red furiously at the speeding electric car, shouting, ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡±


    When she was done, she realized a strong arm was still wrapped around her waist. Therefore, she


    reached out and pushed him away. ¡°Just wait here. I¡¯ll get some ingredients at the supermarket over


    there.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go together.¡± With that, the man crossed the road with her.


    They failed to notice that in one of the cars near them, a pair of surprised eyes were watching them.


    Disappointment flitted across the depths of Nigel¡¯s eyes. Anastasia declined a lunch date with me


    and chose to go shopping with my cousin?


    Nigel thought that they were just buying things and they would go back to the carter. Hence, he


    decided to wait for them.


    In the supermarket, Anastasia was picking out some vegetables. Elliot said she could just cook


    whatever dishes she was best at, and he wouldn¡¯t be choosy. Hence, she just bought ingredients for


    some dishes she usually cooked for her son. Well, it¡¯s easier for me this way.


    When she paid for the ingredients, the total was below 100 as expected. The cashier had just


    finished putting the items in the bag when she saw the bag being lifted and carried by Elliot. While


    attempting to steal another look at him, the young cashier messed up the calctions, and she had


    to count the money again with a blush on her face. After Anastasia paid for the items, the two left


    together.


    They walked across the street toward Anastasia¡¯s residential area. Meanwhile, Nigel was still hiding


    in the car when he watched Elliot carry the bag of groceries, chatting with Anastasia as they walkedContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    through the entrance.


    ¨C The sight of the duo gave Nigel the shock of his life. Why did they enter a residential area? He


    immediately remembered that Anastasia¡¯s father had bought a house for


    her, so could it be that the aforementioned house was the whole residential area?


    So, my cousin is going to Anastasia¡¯s house with her? And they¡¯ll have a date with a home cooked


    meal?


    Nigel began to fret, a huge wave of disappointment washing over him. Could it be that Anastasia


    preferred mature men like Elliot? Is this the reason she kept rejecting me?


    Nigel returned to his car, his handsome face forlorn. Soon, he reached out and grabbed his phone,


    then dialed Elliot¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hello, Nigel,¡± Elliot¡¯s voice said over the phone.


    ¡°Elliot, are you free right now? I can treat you to lunch.¡±


    ¡°I have an appointment, so maybe next time!¡± Just as expected, Elliot declined.


    ¡°How important is this appointment? It¡¯s not every day I offer to buy you lunch, so can¡¯t you cancel


    the appointment and have lunch with me instead?¡± Nigel was poking at his cousin to get an answer


    out of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s an important client, so I can¡¯t cancel. I¡¯ll treat you next time, all right?¡± With that, he hung up.


    Nigel felt like a knife was stabbed in his chest. Elliot knew very well that Nigel was 1. pursuing


    Anastasia, so was he trying to snatch the woman Nigel fell for?


    In the elevator, Anastasia was tense as she listened in on Elliot¡¯s phone call with Nigel. She had


    rejected Nigel today, and she felt a bit guilty for that.


    Elliot swept a meaningful gaze over her, and then he narrowed his eyes with aplex look. Upon


    arriving, Anastasia invited him in, after which she began busying about in the kitchen. She was


    wearing a white blouse with a ck skirt, looking very professional. However, with this man around,


    she deemed it unfitting to change, so she just donned an apron before getting to work.


    However, little did she know that her cutting vegetables in the kitchen in full business attire was like


    a seduction to men who loved themselves some good uniforms.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Chapter 100


    Elliot was drinking water as he leaned against the doorway, watching Anastasia bustle about. When


    Anastasia turned to look, she realized straight away that the mug in the man¡¯s hand belonged to


    her.


    She went hot in the face. ¡°This is my mug.¡±


    ¡°Oh! What¡¯s the problem?¡± The man raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing in a smile.


    Anastasia suggested a little awkwardly, ¡°We have disposable cups here, so why don¡¯t you use that


    instead?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve kissed before, so what are you worried about?¡± Elliot¡¯s lips curved into a grin as he mused


    about how ridiculous she was acting.


    Anastasia decided not to bother him anymore, and at that moment, she was even more convinced


    that letting him into her house was not a good idea.


    Therefore, Anastasia continued cutting and washing vegetables in the kitchen. She had casually


    pinned her originally loose hair behind her head with a hair clip, and the few loose strands of hair


    added to her allure. The man continued drinking from her mug as he let his mind wander. The more


    he thought, the thirstier he became.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit on the couch? I¡¯ll feel pressured if you stand here, and it¡¯ll affect my


    performance.¡± Anastasia turned to look at the man. She simply didn¡¯t like the idea of him staring at


    her; it stressed her out a lot.


    Elliot smiled and turned to walk back to the couch. However, he still picked a spot where he could


    watch her, after which he continued appreciating her in hiszy yet appealing manner. He didn¡¯t


    know when he started to get attracted to every movement this woman made. It was as if he could


    never have enough of her.


    Anastasia stir-fried the vegetables while she got some soup cooking, so busy that she began


    sweating. She realized toote that she really should have insisted on eating out, so she wouldn¡¯t


    be so tired right now.


    Finally, the meal was ready. Anastasia ced the food on the table, then found the man on theContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    balcony. Herundry was hanging just above his head, and he could see her underwear if he looked


    up.


    ¨C ¡°Ahem¡­ President Presgrave, lunch is ready.¡± Anastasia hastily¡¯ called him in.


    However, Elliot had already seen all there was to see, realizing the woman¡¯s cup size wasrger


    than he had expected. It made him happy for some reason, as if he were involved somehow.


    The man was true to his word, for he wasn¡¯t picky with the food at all. He ate gracefully, as if he


    were dining at a high-ss restaurant. While Anastasia drank a bowl of soup and ate some food,


    she found that the man had a pretty good appetite. She was already done with her meal, but he was


    still savoring his food bit by bit.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little proud. Perhaps her cooking was really that remarkable?


    Anastasia went to the bathroom and washed her face, then reapplied some light makeup on her


    face, as her previous makeup had faded because of her sweat.


    Finally, the man finished eating, after which he drank from her mug again. She was a little thirsty


    too, so she could only get a disposable cup and drink cold water from it.


    Anastasia moved the dishes into the kitchen and decided to wash themter that night. She looked


    at her watch and said, ¡°President Presgrave, we should get going.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while.¡± With that, Elliot raised his head, then closed his eyes and rested on her


    couch.


    Anastasia was speechless. Is he trying to take a nap at my house?


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t force him to leave, so she took the opportunity to clean up the house. She saw a


    pile of her son¡¯s toys on the couch and went over to pick them up. She then spotted some Lego


    pieces scattered next to the man, so she reached over to take them as well. Just then, the man¡¯s


    lush eyshes fluttered open to reveal a predator¡¯s haughty re. Hisrge hand swiftly grabbed


    her wrist and pulled her.


    Anastasia was yanked into the man¡¯s arms, and she fell on top of him. In the next second, her waist


    was held tight, and with a quick turn, the man was now pinning her onto the couch.


    ¡°You¡­ Elliot, watch yourself.¡± Anastasia sent him a warning re. She knew it wasn¡¯t a good idea


    to let him in, for this man was a beast who could get in the heat without warning:

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Chapter 101


    ¡°What do you mean? Last night you cupped my face and kissed me, so shouldn¡¯t you have watched


    yourself too?¡± Elliot asked in a hoarse voice because Anastasia had taken quite the initiativest


    night.


    Anastasia blushed as she struggled to exin. ¡°Last night¡­ I-I wasn¡¯t myself. I don¡¯t remember


    anything fromst night.¡±


    The man snorted. ¡°Oh, really? Shall I help you remember?¡±


    ¡°No-¡°Before she could finish, the man had already made the decision for her. His thin lips began to


    tackle her red lips forcefully. Instantly, her mind went nk. If this man wanted to kiss her, he should


    just say so instead ofing up with so many excuses.


    However, for some reason, every time this man kissed her, she would panic and resist at first, but


    she would soon lose all sense as the man kept going. As her face and ears went a deep red, she


    could almost taste the happiness of a kiss.


    No¡­ She absolutely refused to admit that kissing him was even a tad enjoyable. Finally, save for


    the kiss, she had also felt a sense of danger from the man.


    Anastasia began to panic, for if she allowed Elliot to go on, the consequences would be


    unthinkable.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Anastasia reached up and hit his back but found that his back was so hard that her own


    fists hurt.


    Elliot broke the kiss, but he didn¡¯t get up to release her. Instead, he admired the woman with messy


    hair in his arms, for she looked like an alluring fairy. However, when he remembered how that jerk


    had treated her in a simr way, he felt the urge to kill rising within his heart.


    Out of nowhere, Anastasia felt pain in her scalp, and she realized that strands of her hair were stuck


    on a button of the man¡¯s shirt. The man realized it as well, so he lowered his head and gazed at her


    with a cunning look. ¡°Undo it yourself.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s scalp was getting numb from the pain. Soon, she proceeded to pull at her hair, but the


    strands wouldn¡¯t budge. In the end, she would have to undo the button.


    Hence, she could only blush as she undid the third button of the shirt. In an instant, her sight was


    filled with the man¡¯s firm, honey-colored chest. She hastily averted her gaze, refusing to look.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with my figure?¡± the man asked in a teasing manner.


    ¡°No.¡± Anastasia provoked him on purpose as she humphed.


    ¡°Which part of it do you not like?¡± The man was still on top of her, and his eyes narrowed as he


    continued asking.


    Anastasia¡¯s breathing paused for a while, for this topic wasn¡¯t quite family-friendly. She gritted her


    teeth and said, ¡°All of them. Get off me.¡±


    Suddenly, Elliot pressed against her, letting her feel his pride. He asked again in his hoarse voice,


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Anastasia was going crazy at this rate. She reached out and pushed him forcefully before he finally


    allowed her freedom. He sat up, a suggestive tint still lingering on his handsome face.


    ¡°All right, we should get back to thepany.¡± Anastasia let her hair loose, recovering her aura of a


    professional woman.


    The man behind her took his phone and followed her out. Downstairs, Nigel had already left with a


    broken heart. Elliot drove Anastasia back to thepany. Along the way, Anastasia didn¡¯t offer to


    chat, but she made a mental note to never let this man into her house again instead.


    ¡°The results of the jewelrypetition will be out tomorrow. Are you excited?¡± Elliot turned around


    to ask her.


    Anastasia was excited, of course. She wanted to win the huge cash prize, but she wasn¡¯t quite


    willing to tell him.


    ¡°What can I say? My rivals are all very talented, so I may not be able to win.¡±


    ¡°Have more confidence in yourself and just anticipate it,¡± the man said meaningfully.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t think too much about it. At that moment, she just wanted to get back to the


    company as soon as possible.


    Just then, Elliot¡¯s car phone rang, and the disy indicated that the caller was Hayley. Anastasia


    frowned, somewhat furious when she remembered what the man had done to her just now.


    ¡°Elliot, I¡¯m warning you. I hate Hayley, and I hate it more when you touch me.¡± Anastasia turned her


    head, having no regard for the fact that he was her boss.


    Elliot frowned a little, but he didn¡¯t pick up the phone.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    Chapter 102


    Anastasia suddenly reached out and pressed the touch screen, answering the call for him. Elliot


    turned to look at her, but she simply red back with glee.


    ¡°Hello Elliot, I¡¯m at thepany now. Why aren¡¯t you here yet?¡± Hayley¡¯s cutesy voice rang out.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± Elliot answered in a low voice.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll be waiting!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten your gift for me, right? It¡¯s your fault for not apanying mest night,¡± said


    Hayley in a spoiled manner.


    Anastasia listened without any expressions while Elliot nced at her, then told Hayley, ¡°We¡¯ll talk


    when I get back to thepany.¡±


    With that, he hung up. Anastasia noticed how fast he had ended the call, so she suddenly sneered.


    ¡°Is there anything I shouldn¡¯t be hearing?¡±


    ¡°We are just normal friends,¡± Elliot exined in a low voice. Ever since he found Hayley, he had


    maintained a certain distance between them because he simply wanted topensate her. Other


    than that, he had no other thoughts of her.


    Anastasia¡¯s gaze went cold, disgust apparent in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me ever again.¡±


    Panic flitted across Elliot¡¯s eyes. ¡°Anastasia, I can¡¯t change what happened in the past.¡±


    ¡°Everything Hayley touched is dirty to me.¡± This time, Anastasia said it loud and clear in person.


    After her im, Elliot¡¯s expression fell. On the way back to thepany, Anastasia ignored Elliot,


    and thetter¡¯s expression was also terrible. From the way it seemed, her words had probably


    struck a nerve.


    The car had just pulled up at the underground car park when Anastasia opened the door and left


    right away. Elliot followed behind her, and when the elevator was about to close on him, Anastasia


    didn¡¯t hold the door open for him. She didn¡¯t want to be on the same ride as him, but the man¡¯s


    slender arms still reached her. Sensing an object in the way, the elevator doors opened again,


    allowing Elliot to enter. There was a pressuring aura about him, as if he were a sharp, brandishedBelongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    de.


    Anastasia crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. She could see Elliot¡¯splex and deep


    gaze in the mirror, sharp as a crouching beast in the forest. His fiery eyes were trained on her.


    Finally, the elevator door opened. Anastasia walked past him in order to leave, but the man held her


    waist and spoke in her ear through gritted teeth. ¡°No matter how dirty I am, you mustn¡¯t despise


    me.¡±


    Anastasia broke free from his grasp and left the elevator, snorting inside. I¡¯ll still despise you,


    anyway. So what?


    When Elliot returned to his office, Hayley was already sitting on the couch waiting for him. She had


    dressed up meticulously for the asion, and she was indeed prettier than she used to be.


    Everything she wore was branded, and she had spent a lot of effort on her makeup as well.


    Regardless, Elliot could care less. A woman who could attract him would do better than look pretty


    on the surface; she must also possess an innate charm that reached the depths of his heart.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Elliot.¡± Love and admiration spilled forth from Hayley¡¯s gaze as she got up to wee


    him.


    Elliot nodded, then made a call to Rey through the internal phone system. ¡°Bring the present.¡±


    The disappointment was evident in Hayley¡¯s eyes. Why? Why didn¡¯t he go in person to choose the


    present for me? Why did he ask the assistant to do the work for him?


    Soon, Rey walked in with a set of jewelry before handing it to Hayley. ¡°Miss Seymour, is this to your


    liking?¡±


    Hayley opened the box to see a three-piece set, and the design and diamonds were absolutely


    stunning. In the end, she pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°I love it, thank you.¡±


    Hayley looked back to see Elliot lost in thought,pletely overlooking her existence.


    ¡°Elliot, I made reservations at a restaurant tonight. Let¡¯s have dinner together!¡± Hayley took the


    initiative to invite the man, but he raised an eyebrow and declined. ¡°Hayley, I have an appointment


    at night. I can¡¯t cancel it.¡±


    ¡°But I really want to have a meal with you,¡± Hayley begged with a pleading look in her eyes.


    ¡°I have to meet a very important client tonight, so I can¡¯t cancel. We¡¯ll do it next time, all right?¡± Even


    though the words sounded normal, when Elliot spoke them, his voice would carry an undeniable


    power with it.


    None would dare to defy his wishes.


    Hayley bit her red lip, but she could only nod pitifully. ¡°If you say so.¡±

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    ¡°Just go back first. I still have work to do,¡± Elliot continued.


    Hayley looked at him longingly. Every time she visited him, she woulde with joy and


    expectation, but she would always leave in disappointment. Remembering how he had gone to


    save Anastasia without another word, she felt Anastasia must be more important to him than


    anyone else.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia returned to her office, void of all inspiration. A sense of annoyance stopped


    her from working, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. Just then, a figure strode out of the


    elevator, and it was none other than the man himself-Nigel.


    Nigel was about to go to Anastasia¡¯s office when he bumped into Alice. When Alice saw Nigel, she


    immediately smiled and greeted him. ¡°Hi, Handsome. Here to see Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is she in her office?¡±


    ¡°Handsome, a word of advice. Anastasia¡¯s rtionship with our boss is kind of suspicious. As her


    boyfriend, you have to be careful.¡±


    Nigel¡¯s handsome face froze as he spoke to Alice. ¡°Tell me. What sort of unspeakable rtionship


    does Anastasia have with your boss?¡±


    Alice immediately pointed toward the deserted pantry. ¡°We¡¯ll talk there.¡±


    Nigel followed Alice to the pantry out of curiosity. Alice gazed at him with a pitiful look as she said,


    ¡°Handsome, you probably don¡¯t know this. Anastasia joined a jewelrypetition, and ourpany


    has prepared a cash prize of 1 million for the winner.¡±


    Nigel had heard Anastasia mention it before; it was something along those lines.


    ¡°In order to win the prize, your girlfriend is doing everything she can to suck up to our boss. They


    were flirting in the office, and she even went on dates with him quite often. They were so intimate,


    and I¡¯m only telling you this because I can¡¯t stand it anymore. Handsome, you have to be careful in


    case your girlfriend gets stolen.¡± As Alice gazed at Nigel¡¯s handsome face, she felt that it was too


    unfair.


    Where did Anastasia find such a handsome boyfriend? Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nigel emerged from the pantry and went straight to Anastasia¡¯s office. Anastasia was still upied


    with her troubled thoughts when she saw Nigel walk in all of a sudden. She was stunned for a few


    seconds.


    ¡°Nigel, what brings you here?¡± Anastasia smiled as she got up to wee him.


    Nigel looked at her, unable to believe the scenes he had witnessed today. He smiled. ¡°Nothing


    much, just thought I¡¯d drop by to see you.¡±


    ¡°Do you have time tomorrow? I can treat you to a meal.¡± Anastasia still felt guilty about canceling


    her ns with him today.


    ¡°Anastasia, I heard some rumors in the office just now. It¡¯s about you and my cousin,¡± Nigel said on


    purpose.


    Anastasia tensed up. ¡°What did you hear?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you seduced my cousin just to win the jewelrypetition. Is it true?¡±


    ¡°What are those people saying? How could I do such a thing?¡± Anastasia thought it ridiculous. Of


    course, she wouldn¡¯t appeal to Elliot just to win a prize.


    ¡°Do you honestly don¡¯t have those kinds of thoughts about my cousin?¡± Nigel earnestly locked his


    gaze on her as he asked.


    Anastasia said without hesitation, ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m just his subordinate.¡±


    Nigel bit his thin lip, then asked again, ¡°Then were you really having lunch in thepany this


    afternoon?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I wasn¡¯t. I treated someone else to lunch. I owe him a lot, so I had to treat him.¡± Anastasia was


    honest now because she couldn¡¯t lie when she looked into Nigel¡¯s pure eyes.


    ¡°Then where did you bring him for lunch?¡±


    ¡°Home. I cooked for him.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to lie, so she came clean.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat out? Do you really have to go home and cook?¡± Nigel asked.


    ¡°He probably thought my cooking was good,¡± Anastasia answered without overthinking it.


    At that moment, Nigel instantly realized something because Anastasia couldn¡¯t possibly seduce his


    cousin. On the contrary, his cousin had fallen for her, and he was trying to win her over in his own


    way!


    ¡°Do you want some coffee?¡± Anastasia asked him.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m leaving for a while to get something done.¡± With that, Nigel left right away, leaving her


    confused.


    Where is he going?

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    Chapter 104


    Where else would Nigel go? Of course, he went upstairs to see the man who was trying to get his


    woman. No matter who they were, Nigel wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to touch Anastasia.


    The door to Elliot¡¯s office was pushed open before someone entered. Elliot looked up to see Nigel


    walking in with the aura of a young cheetah ready to attack.


    Elliot narrowed his eyes as he looked at Nigel. ¡°What brings you here? You should¡¯ve told me you


    wereing.¡±


    Nigel ced his palms on the desk, his eyes full of warning. ¡°Elliot, are you trying to court


    Anastasia?¡±


    Elliot¡¯s fingers that were typing away on the keyboard came to a pause, after which he said calmly,


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia is the woman I set my eyes on. You¡¯re not allowed to take her away, and you definitely


    mustn¡¯t get involved with her in the name of work.¡± Nigel defended his prey with all his might. No


    one will get near her, not even Elliot! No!


    Elliot nced up with a distant look as he said calmly, ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong to anyone. Everyone has


    the right to pursue her.¡±


    Nigel¡¯s handsome face froze as he instantly sensed an oppressive aura. If any other man were to


    pursue Anastasia, he wouldn¡¯t be so stressed out. However, if it were Elliot, Nigel would be


    ovee with the panic that came from having a tricky rival.


    There was a certain sense of helplessness and frustration in Nigel¡¯s heart. If he seeded,


    Anastasia would be his wife. If he failed, she would be his cousin¡¯s.


    No, he definitely wouldn¡¯t give up.


    Nigel wasn¡¯t one to admit defeat easily, even if his rival was his own cousin. At that moment, he


    decided that he would do everything in his power to get Anastasia¡¯s hand. He no longer had eyes


    for any other woman; his heart was already full of Anastasia.


    Nigel looked at the man on the chair, who was exuding a certain mature charm. He took a deep


    breath and said, ¡°Fine, let¡¯spete on fairgrounds and see who gets her in the end.¡±


    With that, Nigel turned and left.


    Elliot narrowed his eyes, for he had never thought that he and Nigel would fall for the same woman


    at the same time. In reality, Elliot wasn¡¯t anxious at all. If Anastasia really loved his silly little cousin,


    he wouldn¡¯t fail to woo her for two whole years.


    The events that happened to Anastasia had caused her to avoid men as much as she could. She


    guarded herself heavily with thick armor, and she wouldn¡¯t entrust her heart and body so easily to


    any man.


    As long as he knew this, even if Nigel pursued her with everything he had, it would just be a waste


    of effort. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to move this woman¡¯s heart.


    In the office, Anastasia¡¯s phone suddenly rang. Instantly, she lifted her phone to see that it was a


    call from Harriet, so she immediately answered the call.


    ¡°Hello, Old Madam Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, are you busy?¡± Harriet¡¯s gentle voice asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right. I¡¯m not too busy right now.¡±


    ¡°If you are, just tell me. I¡¯ll get Elliot to decrease your workload. You still have a child to take care of,


    so don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Old Madam Presgrave. I¡¯m not overwhelmed at all. Do you have something to tell me?¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to bother Elliot, much less get special treatment from him.


    ¡°Are you free this Friday? I¡¯d like to invite you to a charity banquet under my name.¡±


    Anastasia was dumbfounded. Attend a banquet?


    ¡°Anastasia, many VIPs will be attending this banquet, so it will be very helpful for your work in the


    future. I can help you establish connections with people of a higher ss and expand yourwork.


    This will help you a lot in your future circle.¡±


    Anastasia knew Harriet meant well, and it would be rude for her to decline.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll attend the banquet,¡± Anastasia agreed.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll see you there. I¡¯ll send you the invitation cardter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the invitation, Old Madam Presgrave. I¡¯m honored.¡±


    ¡°Okay, see you. Take it easy, and just ask Elliot to help you if you run into any problems.¡±


    ¡°All right. Thank you for your concern, Old Madam Presgrave,¡± Anastasia said with a smile.


    When the call ended, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief. She decided that when the day


    came, she would just hang around the banquet for a bit before leaving.


    After all, she didn¡¯t like such asions.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 105


    Chapter 105


    Elliot was going through some of Presgrave Corporation¡¯s documents when his phone rang. ¡°Hello,


    Grandma,¡± he uttered after reaching to pick it up.


    ¡°Elliot, I told Mark to pass you one of the invitation cards for the party, and I want you to pass it to


    Anastasia on behalf of me.¡± Harriet¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line.


    ¡°Are you inviting her?¡± Elliot¡¯s eyebrow went up a little as he spoke. ¡°Yeah. She agreed toe. I¡¯m


    trying to create opportunities for you here, Elliot; you need to make good use of them. I¡¯m not asking


    Hayley to join us,¡± Harriet said.


    Naturally, Elliot didn¡¯t wish to disappoint his grandmother after seeing how much the old woman was


    trying to put Anastasia and him together. ¡°Okay. I got it,¡± he replied. Mark came over with the


    invitation card about an hourter, but he didn¡¯t send it directly to Anastasia-he sent it to Elliot¡¯s


    office instead.


    After getting the invitation, Elliot used thendline to make an internal call to Anastasia. ¡°Hello,


    Anastasia speaking,¡± the woman said through the phone.


    ¡°I want you toe to my office,¡± Elliot ordered in a deep voice.


    ¡°Is anything the matter?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Collect your invitation card!¡± He ended the call right after that. Anastasia had no choice but to let


    out a sigh before walking out of her office and toward the direction of the elevator. She knocked on


    the door once she arrived. ¡°Come in,¡± the man said.


    She entered the room to see thenky man crossing one leg over the other where he sat on the


    couch. ¡°Give it to me!¡± she muttered after ncing at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about dinner tonight,¡± the man said while he took the invitation card out from his stack


    of documents. Anastasia froze for a moment. Last night, she had been the one who promised to


    buy him both lunch and dinner. ¡°I¡¯m not free tonight, so I won¡¯t buy you dinner.¡± She refused to pay


    for him.


    ¡°What happened to keeping your promise? Are you changing your mind now?¡± Elliot stood up and


    edged closer to her all of a sudden as if he had been seriously offended by what she just said. She


    instinctively took a step back before speaking in a sheepish tone. ¡°It¡¯s just dinner, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like people who go against their words.¡± Elliot looked her in the eye. ¡°You have to buy me


    dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll see you at the restaurant downstairs.¡± Anastasia decided to buy him dinner, but she also


    made a mental note not to owe him anything in the future. It was too hard to repay a person like


    him.


    ¡°Did Nigel ask to see you?¡± Elliot asked out of nowhere.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? How is our rtionship any of your business?¡± Anastasia uttered in a rather


    displeased tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before. You shouldn¡¯t give him hope if you don¡¯t like him. I don¡¯t want you to y


    with his feelings,¡± Elliot warned. She frowned as she thought, Isn¡¯t he just sticking his nose into


    other people¡¯s businesses? Nigel and I are just friends.


    ¡°Nigel and I are just friends. I¡¯m not ying around with anyone¡¯s feelings,¡± she retorted.


    ¡°But Nigel¡¯s feelings for you are real, and you¡¯re going to hurt him someday.¡± Elliot¡¯s expression was


    calm, but there was a deep, mysterious look in his eyes.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll keep our rtionship the way it is, and I won¡¯t hurt him.¡± Anastasia turned and left the


    room after making this promise. Elliot narrowed his eyes upon hearing her words. He had a much


    clearer view of the situation as a third party, and he could tell that Anastasia would never fall for


    someone like Nigel. So, Elliot figured that the only way to protect his cousin was to get him to give


    up on Anastasia. The more involved Nigel got in this rtionship, the more he would get hurt,


    anyway. After what happened to Anastasia, it was hard for her to fall for any man too easily.


    Anastasia felt a little overwhelmed when she thought about how she had to buy Elliot dinner. It was


    time for her to get off work, but she had to pick her son up in a while. She was even more troubled


    when she recalled how much her son loved Elliot. She took a look at the time. I don¡¯t want Elliot to


    send me home, so I have to go down earlier to hail a cab before leaving


    After packing up a little, Anastasia headed out of the office a little earlier than everyone else. As she


    stood by the lobby entrance and waited for a cab, she saw from the corner of her eye the nuisance


    of a car that seemed to follow her everywhere. When she saw the Rolls-Royce Phantom, she


    jogged out of the building and away from it as if she were running away from something. She could


    hear the engine starting behind her.


    Right then, a gray sports car zoomed in from the entrance, and it directly sped past the Rolls Royce


    before going after Anastasia. She was shocked, so she jumped aside to hide away from it. The


    sports car screeched, and it came to a firm halt before the man in the driver¡¯s seat stepped out. The


    man was none other than Nigel, of course.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 106

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    Chapter 106


    ¡°Nigel?¡± Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but stare at him dumbfoundedly. Nigel gave her a boyish smile as


    he held the passenger¡¯s door open before pulling out a bouquet of roses and handing it to her.


    ¡°Here. It¡¯s for you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you giving me these flowers?¡± she asked in a rather clueless voice while she took the


    bouquet from him.


    ¡°Do you like them?¡± He gazed at her longingly. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner tonight!¡±


    ¡°Tonight? Um¡­ Okay!¡± Right after Anastasia finished her words, she intentionally turned to nce


    at the luxury car with its oppressive presence. Nigel turned and pretended that he had only just


    noticed the car. He smirked before walking over to greet the person inside.


    The car window went down, and Elliot turned to meet gazes with the other man. ¡°Are you done with


    work, Elliot?¡± Nigel greeted him before changing the topic intentionally. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick Anastasia


    up for dinner. We¡¯ll leave now.¡± With that said, Nigel walked back to Anastasia before he put an arm


    over her shoulder in a practiced manner. He opened the passenger¡¯s door, and his body leaned


    close to hers as he helped her into the car.


    Anastasia sat in his passenger seat with the bouquet of flowers still in her hand. Once Nigel got in,


    he stepped on the elerator and sped off. Nigel¡¯s n had been to drop by to snatch the woman


    away from Elliot, and he was surprised that his n had actually worked.


    Elliot¡¯s ck car slowly made its way out of its parking spot. The tinted sses made it impossible


    for anyone to look through the windows, so no one knew the expression that Elliot wore on his face


    as he drove off. However, after the ck Rolls-Royce drove for a while more, it sped up and


    weaved between cars on the road as if the driver was raging.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia felt an odd sense of relief as she sat in Nigel¡¯s car. Now that Elliot knows I¡¯m


    having dinner with Nigel, I¡¯ll have a reason not to buy him dinner. She pulled her phone out to drop


    the man a text. ¡®I don¡¯t have time to buy you dinner tonight. You can eat on your own!¡¯


    ¡°How have you been?¡± Nigel asked.


    ¡°Not too bad!¡± she uttered while rubbing her brow. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to rent an office building near your workce, Anastasia. I¡¯ll be moving my office over,


    so we¡¯ll be really close to each other in the future,¡± he said.


    ¡°Are you renting an entire office just to be closer to me? Do you have too much money to spare?¡±


    Anastasia let out an amusedugh.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the whole story. I don¡¯t like my father¡¯s office¡ªit¡¯s a little too old-fashioned for me. So, I


    figured I¡¯d renovate a whole new space for myself. Then, for the sake of being able to have lunch


    with you, I decided that I would pick a ce nearer to you!¡± Nigel had made up his mind to give it


    his all in chasing after Anastasia.


    ¡°A regr woman like me can never understand what rich people like you think,¡± she muttered


    tly.


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s pick Jared up before we go for dinner.¡± Nigel had already been driving in the


    direction of the kindergarten. While Anastasia went down to pick the little kid up, Nigel waited at the


    front gates. Soon enough, all three of them went to a restaurant nearby for dinner.


    Anastasia stole a look at her phone to see that Elliot hadn¡¯t responded to her-she wasn¡¯t even sure


    if he had seen her text. After dinner, Nigel brought Jared to shop for presents as usual. Anastasia


    knew better than to stop Nigel from doing such things. As Nigel held Jared in his hand, it seemed


    like Nigel was an uncle who was bringing his nephew around. Nigel was a little too young to seem


    like he was a father.


    After they were done at the mall, Nigel sent them to the entrance of their residential area. When he


    recalled how Anastasia and Elliot had brought groceries back home earlier that day, he decided that


    he wanted to visit Anastasia¡¯s house too.


    ¡°Can I go to your ce for a while? I need some water,¡± he said.


    ¡°There¡¯s a convenience store just there,¡± she replied while pointing in a direction.


    Nigel couldn¡¯t care less about the convenience store. ¡°I want to drink it in your house.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s go, then!¡± It was Nigel¡¯s first time in Anastasia¡¯s new house, and he looked


    all over the ce as if he were searching for some sort of clue or evidence.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Anastasia asked as she handed him a ss of water.


    ¡°This is just a reminder, Anastasia, but you shouldn¡¯t bring random men back to your ce! You¡¯re a


    girl, so you need to ensure that others don¡¯t take advantage of you,¡± he said.

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    Chapter 107


    Anastasia¡¯s smile stiffened for a few seconds before she let out a light cough. ¡°Of course I know


    that.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t trust any other guys apart from me.¡± Nigel was tempted to just state Elliot¡¯s


    name explicitly


    ¡°I got it.¡± Anastasia nodded. Right then, Jared identally knocked into her bag on the couch, and


    a bunch of things fell out. Among the items were her keys, her lipstick, and an invitation card.


    Nigel¡¯s sharp eyes immediately caught sight of it, and he picked it up. ¡°Did you receive my


    grandmother¡¯s invitation as well? My grandmother¡¯s the one who is hosting this charity dinner.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Yeah.¡± Anastasia pressed her lips together into a smile. She didn¡¯t want to mention that her


    mom had once saved Elliot. Nigel was ted to hear this, and he quickly gave her a reminder. ¡°You


    have toe! I¡¯ll be there too, and I can introduce you to my mom and dad.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Anastasia nodded thoughtfully. She had already told Harriet that she would be there, so she


    had to attend the dinner. ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯ll prepare an evening gown for you,¡± he offered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Anastasia immediately rejected him. But Nigel didn¡¯t want to be rejected, so he continued


    insisting on his wishes. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how good my taste is! Trust me. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Anastasia


    sent him to the elevator. ¡°Drive safe,¡± she uttered.


    He turned around to give her another stern reminder. ¡°Promise me that you won¡¯t bring other men


    home, okay, Anastasia?¡± For the sake of reassuring him, she gave him a firm nod. ¡°Okay, okay. I


    know you care for me. I¡¯ll take note of what you said.¡±


    Once he got into the elevator, she heaved a sigh of relief before returning home to give Jared a


    bath. She read a book with him before she went to shower. When she came out of the shower, she


    heard her phone ringing, and she rushed over to see Elliot¡¯s name on her screen.


    ¡°Hello?¡± She picked up the call.


    ¡°Are you home?¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep and thick, which made Anastasia¡¯s ear tingle. She


    knew that it was wrong for her to have stood him up, but she didn¡¯t have much of a choice. It¡¯s not


    my fault that Nigel showed up all of a sudden, right?


    ¡°It¡¯s nearly 10.00PM. Of course I¡¯m at home,¡± she replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Nigel?¡± The man¡¯s voice carried a hint of distaste as he


    questioned her. ¡°We¡¯re more than good friends,¡± she replied.


    ¡°I told you not to fool around with his feelings. If you don¡¯t want to get married to him, then you


    shouldn¡¯t give him hope.¡± The man gave her a stern warning.


    Anastasia felt like he was too much of a busybody, so she rolled her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with us


    being friends? Furthermore, you are in no position to warn me about my rtionship with Nigel.


    What are you going to do if I fall for him and decide to marry him?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to tell him about how you forcefully kissed me twice?¡± The man¡¯s voice


    sounded extremely sinister all of a sudden. She was taken aback by his words, and she


    immediately let out a cry. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Elliot!¡±


    ¡°What? Does he know about how the lines are blurred between us?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There are no blurred lines between us. Things are clear between you and I-there¡¯s nothing going


    on between us at all,¡± she replied with a determined look in her eyes.


    ¡°You owe me dinner. You have to make up for this in the future.¡± The man scoffed before ending the


    call. Anastasia held onto her phone and gritted her teeth in anger. How can there be a man as


    annoying as him? He¡¯s really sticking his nose into all aspects of my life.


    Anastasiay on her bed for a while, but she couldn¡¯t seem to fall asleep as she knew that the


    prizes would be revealed the next day. Furthermore, there was going to be an award ceremony at


    3.00PM. If she won a prize, she wouldn¡¯t just get the trophy; she would also win a cash prize of 1


    million. Anastasia needed the money, so she naturally hoped to be the lucky winner. Such thoughts


    made it hard for her to fall asleep.


    Meanwhile, Hayley was also losing sleep in her luxurious vi. Ever since she took up her fake


    identity of being Anastasia, she had been enjoying her life as a rich girl. However, she still felt empty


    with just materialistic pleasures-she didn¡¯t have the rtionships she desired. She desperately


    wanted her rtionship with Elliot to blossom. Ideally, she¡¯d be able to get physical with him.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Chapter 108


    If Hayley got another child, she would be able to better secure her position as Mrs. Presgrave. But


    how am I supposed to get Elliot into bed with me? Even though he¡¯s nice to me, he has never given


    me the chance to get close to him. If I didn¡¯t initiate hugs with him the past few times, he would have


    never been the first to hug me. Ultimately, Anastasia¡¯s the only one he approaches willingly. Ever


    since they slept together five years ago, he has been searching for her. It¡¯s obvious that he fell for


    her the first time their bodies touched. I have to find a way to get Elliot drunk so that I can get my


    chance. Maybe I should bribe one of the people around him to help me with this. But would any of


    them listen to my orders?


    A cold look shed in her gaze. She had done all sorts of things in the past, and she had dated a


    few men, so she was far from being a pure, chaste woman. Elliot had a male assistant, Daniel, who


    had delivered items to her in the past. This male assistant was an educated man who had good


    looks and a well-built figure-he was much more qualified to be her boyfriend than all her previous


    boyfriends.


    Hayley¡¯s ultimate goal wasn¡¯t just to conquer Elliot¡¯s heart, but also to own the entire Presgrave


    Corporation. So, she was willing to take all sorts of risks just to achieve this. After taking a nce at


    the time, she gave Daniel a call.


    ¡°Hello, Miss Seymour.¡± Daniel sounded rather surprised to receive her call.


    ¡°Are you free toe over, Mr. Lancaster? There¡¯s a huge rat in my house, and I¡¯m a little scared,¡±


    she lied.


    ¡°What? Okay. I¡¯lle over right now.¡± It was Daniel¡¯s duty to fulfill all of Elliot¡¯s orders, and taking


    care of Hayley was one of his jobs. He arrived at her house 30 minutester, and Hayley already


    had a sexy nightgown on under her shirt. When Daniel saw how Hayley looked, he twisted his


    expression into one of panic. Hayley told him to check the master bedroom, and he walked in


    obediently while Hayley stepped aside to get him a ss of water.


    Daniel gulped down the whole ss as he was thirsty from all the nervousness that he felt. After he


    was finished with the water, he felt like his whole body was on fire. When Hayley leaned forward toBelongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    hug him, he was afraid for a few seconds, but he allowed her to take over him just momentster.


    They had a heated session in Hayley¡¯s master bedroom.


    It was about 5.00AM by the time Daniel held his head in his hands and sat by the edge of the bed.


    He was filled with regret and self-criticism. Right then, a soft arm wrapped itself around his waist. ¡°I


    belong to you now, Daniel. You have to take responsibility for me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Seymour. I made a huge mistake.¡± He pushed her aside hastily. Her gaze darkened


    as her voice turned cold. ¡°Do you think Elliot will forgive you if he finds out that you slept with me,


    Daniel?¡±


    He stared at her with a look of pure helplessness in his eyes, so she softened her voice a little as


    she continued speaking. ¡°Daniel, the two of us are the only ones who know about this. However,


    from now on, I want you to obey me. You will do whatever I tell you to do, okay?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything illegal,¡± he uttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to do anything illegal. I just want you to tell me all about Elliot¡¯s daily schedule and


    the women he interacts with,¡± she ordered. Daniel didn¡¯t want his life to be ruined, and he


    was fine with whatever Hayley wanted him to do. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you exactly whatever President


    Presgrave does every day.¡±


    ¡°Well, tell me-have there been any important things that Elliot has been up totely?¡± Hayleyy


    down on the bed like she was a queen, ring at the man as she questioned him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you about his work-rted stuff, but he will be attending the family¡¯s charity dinner this


    Friday. You will be able to see him,¡± he replied.


    ¡°What? This Friday? It¡¯s already Wednesday-why haven¡¯t I received an invitation?¡± Hayley frowned.


    ¡°I heard that all the invitations have been sent out. Didn¡¯t you receive anything?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No! Who¡¯s hosting it?¡± she cried.


    ¡°It¡¯s a charity dinner hosted by Old Madam Presgrave. You should have received an invitation!¡± he


    replied. A resentful look shed in Hayley¡¯s eyes. It seems like Old Madam Presgrave values


    Anastasia more than she values me. I can¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t invite me to such an important event.


    I bet she invited Anastasia, didn¡¯t she?

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    Chapter 109


    Does she think I won¡¯t go just because she didn¡¯t invite me to it? Well, that makes me want to go


    even more. ¡°Great. From now on, I want you to tell me everything about Elliot. Also, I want you to


    keep an eye on Anastasia. If she has any intimate interactions with Elliot, I need you to tell me


    immediately.¡±


    Daniel held a rtively important position in thepany, although he wasn¡¯t as powerful as Elliot¡¯s


    head assistant, Timothy. Regardless, Daniel still had ess to most of Elliot¡¯s daily schedules. After


    Daniel left, Hayley still felt too furious to go to bed. What does Old Madam Presgrave mean by this?


    Is she looking down on me? Does she want me to stay away from Elliot? Hayley was especially


    furious because of the unfair treatment .


    The next morning, Anastasia rushed to her office after sending Jared to school. Today was a day


    she had been looking forward to. When she arrived at the office, Grace opened the door and came


    over to give Anastasia some words offort. ¡°Don¡¯t mind all the nonsense that they say about


    you, Anastasia. I trust that you and President Presgrave are innocent.¡± Anastasia could no longer


    be bothered by these things-she felt that there was no point in rifying such matters, and that she


    shouldn¡¯t be living her life based on others¡¯ments.


    It was about 10.00AM when Anastasia¡¯sndline rang. ¡°Hello?¡± She picked the call up.


    ¡°You need toe for a meeting, Anastasia. I have the list of winners with me.¡± Felicia¡¯s voice


    came from the other end. Anastasia felt her heart skipping a beat. Is it out already? I thought it¡¯d


    only be out by the afternoon. She headed to the meeting room with a mixture of fear and excitement


    coursing through her veins.


    The rest of the staff members from the design department were already there, but Felicia had yet to


    arrive. Alice shot Anastasia a cold re as Anastasia sat down opposite her. Anastasia merely cast


    her an uninterested nce.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s Alice or Anastasia who won the prize! I¡¯m so excited! That¡¯s 1 million worth of cash


    right there.¡± One of the junior designers made the atmosphere tenser on purpose.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out once the director arrives,¡± another person replied. Right then, Felicia walked into the


    room and nced at the twopetitors before taking a seat at the table. ¡°The sponsored meal


    that you guys have been waiting for has been approved. Would you guys like to eat together


    tonight?¡±


    ¡°Of course! We¡¯d love a feast, Director Evans,¡± someone cried. Both Alice and Anastasia


    exchanged nces. Judging by the look on Felicia¡¯s face, they could tell that someone in the


    company must have won a prize. The winner had to be one of them.


    A look of jealousy shed in Alice¡¯s gaze. It¡¯s obvious. It has to be Anastasia. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s organize


    dinner for tonight! Well, I¡¯m going to proceed with announcing the winners and the prizes that they


    will receive. Firstly, I¡¯d like to congratte the champion of this jewelry designpetition


    -Anastasia! You¡¯ve won a total of 1 million!¡±


    Anastasia heard a loud ringing sound in her ears before Felicia even finished her sentence. Me?


    Am I the winner? Does the 1 million belong to me? Her heart was filled with joy at that moment-she


    had finally gotten the money she needed for her son.


    Felicia turned to Alice before she continued speaking. ¡°Thepany decided to also provide some


    rewards to those who were selected, so Alice gets 20,000 as a constion prize.¡± Alice curled her


    lips up into a sarcastic smile. A constion prize, huh? What a joke.


    Right then, the room erupted into apuse as Anastasia found herself drowned by a bunch of


    wishes. She hastily thanked the people who congratted her before turning to thank Felicia.


    ¡°Thank you for your encouragement and support, Director Evans.¡±


    ¡°You got this because of your own skills, Anastasia. Continue to work hard, okay? Alright, the


    meeting¡¯s over. You guys can decide on a ce to have dinner tonight.¡±


    Felicia stepped out of the room, and Anastasia was just about to leave when Alice crossed her arms


    and let out a scoff. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel any shame for taking this 1 million, Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°Why should I feel ashamed?¡± Anastasia asked in return. She was confident about her own work.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should thank Director Evans. Maybe you should thank President Presgrave


    instead-I bet you only got this prize because he put in a good word for you. He was the one who


    gave you this 1 million. I wouldn¡¯t have the nerve to take this money if I were you!¡± Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Alice let out a scoff and walked out after finishing her sentence. Anastasia was the only one left in


    the meeting room after that, and her mind went nk for a few seconds.

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    Chapter 110


    Could there have been a hidden reason I got this prize? Did Elliot help me win this? Did I not win


    this with my own skills? The cash prize had been increased from 10,000 to 1 million-outsiders might


    see this as thepany¡¯s generosity, but it doesn¡¯t seem that simple to me now. The more I think


    about it, the more this seems to be one of Elliot¡¯s acts. He intentionally raised the cash prize, and he


    intentionally gave me the chance to win this. He¡¯s indirectly trying to repay me.


    Anastasia felt her face turning hot as a mixture of shame and anger filled her insides. She grabbed


    her phone from the table before leaving the meeting room. On the way out, a bunch of people


    congratted her. Anastasia often got things her way in thepany, and she was close to the


    boss, so none of the staff members had the guts to trigger her. Instead, all of them tried to suck up


    to her.


    Once Anastasia walked into the elevator, she pressed for the eighth floor without any hesitation.


    That was the level Elliot¡¯s office was on. She bumped into Rey right after the elevator doors opened,


    and she immediately questioned him. ¡°Is Elliot inside?¡±


    ¡°President Presgrave is¡­¡± Rey was about to ask for a reason Anastasia wanted to meet him, but


    she had already pushed the door open.


    A handsome man was seated on the couch, and he shifted his gaze up to see a woman walking


    while panting. With a calm, unfazed expression, he looked into her eyes. ¡°Is anything the matter?¡±


    he asked.


    ¡°Tell me-did you have anything to do with the International Jewelry Design Competition?¡± she asked


    in an interrogative tone. Behind her, Rey shot Elliot a nervous look. However, Rey turned and shut


    the door behind him after exchanging nces with Elliot.


    ¡°Felicia told me that you won first ce in it. Congrattions.¡± Elliot narrowed his eyes for a


    moment before speaking. There was only one thing Anastasia wanted to know then. Did I win first


    ce with my own skills? If this guy arranged for me to win it, then I wouldn¡¯t feel aplished at


    all. There would be no meaning to this title.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any confidence in yourself at all?¡± He curled his lips into an icy smirk. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Of course I have confidence in myself¡­ But-¡°Anastasia fixed her mesmerizing eyes on him. The


    man cut her off before she could finish her sentence. ¡°Do you think I have nothing better to do,


    Anastasia? Do you think I would mess around with such tinypetitions? If you don¡¯t want the


    money, thepany can always save it instead of handing it to you.¡± He spoke in a domineering


    and arrogant tone that allowed him to take full control of the situation in the room.


    Anastasia felt herself losing the courage she had earlier after he threatened to withdraw the cash


    prize. She desperately needed the money-she didn¡¯t want her father to worry, and she wanted Jared


    to go to a better school. ¡°Elliot, you¡¯d better give me the cash prize if you¡¯re sure that you didn¡¯t


    meddle with the results.¡± Anastasia turned to leave right after finishing her words.


    The man curled his lips into a thoughtful smile after she left. Once Anastasia got back to her office,


    Felicia walked over to congratte her. Felicia got Anastasia to attend the award ceremony and told


    her to ce the trophy among the rest of the showcased items in thepany.


    Anastasia nodded obediently. At 3.00PM sharp, she brought her assistant, Grace, to collect the


    trophy before setting it at the most conspicuous spot on the shelf. There was even a picture of


    Anastasia on the trophy which made it more eye-catching than ever.


    That evening, the staff members discussed and agreed on a location to have dinner together. Alice


    was the only one who didn¡¯t attend the dinner, while Anastasia was the main highlight of the night.


    The dinner was mainly organized to celebrate her win, after all,


    Anastasia requested for Felicia to take some money out from her cash reward to pay for the dinner,


    but Felicia rejected this idea immediately. Before the dinner celebration, Anastasia had phoned her


    father and asked if he had the time to pick Jared up. ¡°I have a dinner that I have to attend,¡± she


    exined. It had been a while since Francis saw his grandson, so he dly agreed to pick Jared


    up. Perhaps it was due to his age, he was increasingly appreciative of having a grandson to care


    for.


    Thepany dinner was hosted at a restaurant nearby their office. More than 10 of the staff


    members gathered at a long table, and the restaurant served all sorts of dishes that filled the table.


    None of them had to worry about the price of the food they ordered since it was all paid for by the


    company.


    Anastasia sat beside Felicia, and they talked about thepetition that had just passed. There had


    always been greatpetition among the jewelrypanies in their local industry, yet none of the


    more established businesses managed to win any prizes this time. All of the designers were furious


    when they heard that Anastasia was the one who won the prize!

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    Chapter 111


    After the dishes were served, most of the staff members started drinking. They were all rtively


    young, so they were prepared to get drunk that night-some of them had even hired personal drivers.


    ¡°Cheers, Anastasia!¡± One of the male designers sitting opposite Anastasia stood up.


    ¡°Sure. Thank you.¡± Anastasia held her ss up. She hadn¡¯t expected all of the other people to clink


    sses with her, but everyone was in a good mood that night, and they quickly turned Anastasia


    into their target for drinking. ¡°More beer for Anastasia!¡± someone cried.


    ¡°You have to drink with us, Anastasia! At least one sip!¡± another cried.


    ¡°Everyone else clinked sses with you, Anastasia. I¡¯d feel bad if I didn¡¯t do it. Here, cheers!¡±


    another one said.


    Anastasia had only arrived at thepany a while ago, so she felt pressured to go along with


    everyone, especially since most of the staff there were seniors. She lost count of the number of


    beers she had by the time she clinked sses with everyone. ¡°Alright, stop. Anastasia has to go


    home to care for her kid, guys!¡± Felicia finally spoke up.


    Everyone calmed down a little after that. Anastasia had already downed a few sses even before


    she got a chance to eat her meal, and she pressed her palm against her forehead as she felt


    herself getting tipsy. ¡°Are you okay, Anastasia?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little dizzy, so I might need to stop for a while.¡± Anastasia waved her hand before she


    lowered her head and held her palms up to make a surrendering gesture. Right then, Felicia¡¯s


    phone began to ring. She only took one nce at the caller ID before she instantly picked the call


    up. ¡°Hello, President Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Are you guys eating now? Is Anastasia there?¡± the man asked in a deep voice.


    ¡°Of course she¡¯s here. This dinner is meant to be a celebration for her. Would you like to join us,


    President Presgrave?¡± Felicia asked with a smile.


    ¡°No, thanks.¡± Elliot was just asking.


    ¡°The rest of them got Anastasia to drink quite a bit, so she¡¯s rather tipsy now. I think I might have to


    send her home in a while,¡± Felicia exined.


    ¡°She¡¯s drunk?¡± There was a hint of anxiousness in Elliot¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Are you free to pick her up, President Presgrave?¡± Felicia asked.


    ¡°Sure. Send me your location,¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Felicia sent Elliot her location right after ending the call. When she turned to gaze at


    Anastasia, who was sitting near the drinks, a hint of jealousy surfaced in her gaze. Felicia could tell


    that Elliot truly cared about Anastasia after speaking to him on the phone. Yet, Anastasia didn¡¯t


    know a single thing about this-she was resting her chin on her palm while watching two other male


    staff y drinking games.


    ¡°You should eat a little more, Anastasia. I¡¯ll get you home in a while,¡± Felicia said. Anastasia


    nodded and began to munch on a few of her favorite dishes. However, her stomach was full from all


    the alcohol. She didn¡¯t feel anything when she was drinking earlier, but the tipsiness was starting to


    hit her after a while. :


    She had just stood up to walk to the washroom when she was struck by a pang of dizziness. She


    felt as if she were stepping on clouds, and she couldn¡¯t stand straight at all. ¡°How are you feeling,


    Anastasia? Are you really drunk?¡± Felicia hastily held onto her arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not drunk. I¡¯m not.¡± Anastasia waved her arms around. Those who were drunk were


    especially stubborn-she insisted on iming that she was still sober. Felicia ordered one of her


    assistants to help Anastasia to the washroom. Anastasia had just returned from the washroom


    when Felicia received a text from Elliot.


    ¡®Bring her out.¡¯ His orders were simple.


    ¡®Got it. We¡¯lle out in a bit, she replied. Right after that, Felicia turned to Anastasia before


    informing her of the n. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to send you home now, Anastasia.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Anastasia nodded. I should go home now. I need to sober up-how else am I going to take


    care of my son otherwise? But Anastasia didn¡¯t know who her driver was and simply assumed that


    Felicia had gotten one of thepany¡¯s drivers to send her home.


    Felicia helped Anastasia out of the restaurant, and Anastasia quickly noticed a sleek, ck Rolls


    Royce parked by the side of the road. Its ck paint looked extra shiny under the light, and its


    ssy and elegant design made it stand out among the rest of the cars. The car stood out just likeThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    how its owner did.


    Anastasia allowed Felicia to help her into the backseat of the car. At this point, Anastasia still


    assumed that a driver from thepany would be the one sending her home. After Felicia shut the


    car door, Anastasia turned to address the driver in a polite tone. ¡°Hello. You can send me to Shorea


    Residence on Durkham Street. Thank you.¡±

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    Chapter 112


    The car was silent for a short while after Anastasia finished her sentence. ¡°I know.¡± A deep,


    attractive voice sounded after a while.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes widened with shock before she looked at the reflection in the rearview mirror to


    meet the man¡¯s gaze. She felt like she was looking into a deep well. ¡°Why are you here, Elliot?¡± she


    cried.


    The man let out a scoff. Did she think I was just some driver? Anastasia felt her head spinning. Why


    did Felicia send me to Elliot¡¯s car?


    ¡°What are you doing here? Why did you pick me up?¡± Anastasia asked in a rather slurred and tipsy


    voice.


    ¡°How are you going to care for Jared when you¡¯re in this state?¡± he asked.


    ¡°My dad¡¯s home with him now,¡± she replied in azy voice from the backseat. The man stared at her


    through the rearview mirror. He could see her sexy figure under the dim light. Her long hair fell over


    her shoulders, making her appear more seductive than ever. The air in the car smelled like a


    mixture of alcohol and women¡¯s perfume. Elliot had the eyes of a thirsty beast as he felt his


    predatory instincts taking over him.


    Meanwhile, Anastasiay down on the back seat as she felt tiredness taking over her. She fell


    asleep soon after that. Elliot turned to gaze at her as she slept, and his gaze remained still for a


    moment before he stopped the car by the side of the road. If her son sees her like this, he¡¯s going to


    be traumatized when he grows up, Elliot thought.


    So, he picked her phone up before unlocking her phone with her fingerprint. Then, he searched for


    Francis¡¯ number before sending him a text. ¡®Dad, I¡¯m drunk tonight. Can you take care of Jared for


    tonight? I¡¯ll be home early tomorrow morning,¡¯ it said.


    Francis responded just momentster. ¡®You should get some rest if you¡¯re drunk. Don¡¯t worry about


    Jared; I¡¯ll take care of him. You stay safe!¡¯ he replied.


    ¡®Got it, Dad! Elliot sent the text over. After seeing how drunk Anastasia seemed, Elliot decided that


    he couldn¡¯t allow young Jared to have a memory of his drunk mother at such an age. Anastasia


    didn¡¯t know anything about the man¡¯s ns, but she continued sleeping as the ck car sped past


    the city center before arriving at one of the most expensive vis in the mid-hill area.


    Anastasia hadn¡¯t slept much the night before, and she had had a long day today. After all the


    alcohol she consumed, it was unlikely for her to wake up even if thunder struck the top of her head.


    Once the man parked the car, he lifted her bridal style and brought her to his bedroom without her


    being aware of it.


    Once she was on the bed, she rolled over to settle in afortable position before continuing to


    sleep. She was dressed in a white shirt and a ck pencil skirt that revealed her slim thighs. She


    wasn¡¯t aware of it, but the posture in which she slept was extremely seductive to the man staring at


    her.


    The grand vi was lit up by a huge chandelier that hung above a gray couch. Elliot, who had just


    finished showering, sat on the couch in azy posture. He had pulled on a pair of sweatpants but


    left his upper body naked. Beads of water were still hanging on his skin as he held his arm up to sip


    on his ss of red wine. The muscles in his arms bulged as he moved the ss up and down.


    For the most part, Elliot was a calm and rational man. However, he felt himself losing his mind


    whenever he thought about the woman who was lying in his bed. He couldn¡¯t resist the urge to lose


    all control and set himself free. Every time he tried to suppress his urges, they disappeared only to


    resurface momentster. He wanted to check on her, but he knew that he would get greedier for her


    when he was there. It was impossible for him to just stare at her.


    So, he figured that he would keep his distance so that he didn¡¯t have to suffer as much. Yet, there


    was another voice in his head that continued to shout at him, and he had to counter this voice with


    the rational part of his mind. In the end, he lifted his wine ss and gulped all of it down before


    standing and heading upstairs.


    He had found a reason to go up. I have to check if she puked. If she did, then my poor bed would


    be in trouble. Her alcohol tolerance isn¡¯t that high, but I don¡¯t think she has a habit of puking. If she¡¯s


    drunk, she usually just sleeps.


    Elliot opened the door to his room, and he found the woman sleeping with her back turned againstThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    him. Her stunning curves and her soft figure made her seem especially feminine under the dim


    lights.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Chapter 113


    As Elliot stared at Anastasia¡¯s long, messy hair that hung from the edge of the pillow, he couldn¡¯t


    help but narrow his eyes a little. He was like a silent, predatory beast that was inching closer toward


    its prey. Meanwhile, the woman-his prey-didn¡¯t realize a thing as he sat down by the edge of the bed


    and watched her sleeping soundly. Her perky red lips made her appear especially seductive.


    When he saw a clump of hair covering her eyes, he instinctively reached over to brush her hair


    aside. However, the moment he touched her face, the girl let out a mumble-she was talking in her


    sleep. All of a sudden, she held onto hisrge palm. ¡°Stop messing around, Jared. Let your mommy


    sleep for a bit,¡± she muttered.


    Elliot¡¯s eyes widened a little. Does she think I¡¯m her son right now? Soon enough, the woman


    wrapped her hands around Elliot¡¯s arm before rubbing her face against it. It was almost as if she


    were rubbing her face against Jared¡¯s head. Elliot had no choice but to lean closer and y along


    so that she wouldn¡¯t wake up.


    He shifted his body sideways and held his arm out for her to hug him. Then, he proudly allowed her


    to press his arm against her chest area. All sorts of sensations shot through the man¡¯s body as she


    did so. He held himself in this same stiff position while the woman continued to sleep. He had no


    other option but to admire her gorgeous face that was illuminated by the dim lighting. Her smooth


    and fair skin reminded him of a scrumptious-looking dish, and it made him crave for her.


    Anastasia had no idea what she looked like in her sleep, but the man had scanned every inch of her


    face in admiration. Throughout the night, he had even counted the number of eyshes she had on


    each eye. Anastasia clung onto him too tightly, so he couldn¡¯t pull away from her without waking her


    up.


    This time, Elliot was faced with a challenge greater than ever before. It was a test of his restraint. If


    he didn¡¯t have such good self-control, he would¡¯ve let Anastasia get a taste of his skills. ¡°Reach your


    hands out, Anastasia.¡± He tried to get her to reach her hands out while she was dreaming, but she


    didn¡¯t since she didn¡¯t know that she was hugging him in the first ce. Furthermore, she thought


    she was hugging her precious son!


    In the end, Elliot decided that he didn¡¯t want to suppress his desires anymore. He leaned forward to


    press his lips against her cheek. Right then, she clung to his neck before she nted kisses on the


    man¡¯s cheek. ¡°Be a good boy, Jared¡­¡±


    Both of their faces were right in front of each other, and Elliot could feel the woman¡¯s breath as she


    exhaled on his neck. The sensation felt like feathers that seemed to tug on his heartstrings. Elliot


    could feel his blood boiling with desire. He wasn¡¯t that much of a gentleman-he was prepared to


    take action with this woman if she didn¡¯t let go of him soon.


    Anastasia rubbed against his neck again before she shifted to touch his ear with her nose. It


    seemed almost as if she were trying to seduce him.


    Elliot¡¯s prominent Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down as he tried his best not to let his hormones


    get the better of him. He was close to exploding. Never once had a woman made him so horny this


    woman, on the other hand, managed to do it in her sleep, but he couldn¡¯t sleep with her no matter


    how much he wanted to. All he could focus on was restraining himself while this woman


    continued to do whatever she desired to do.


    In the end, Anastasia seemed to have developed some distaste for the man¡¯s strong hormones.


    She flipped to the other side of the bed for some fresh air, and she finally set the man free. He got


    out of his stiff position and stood up only to realize that he was soaked in sweat. He had showered


    for no reason. I guess I¡¯ll have to take another cold shower.


    After that, he no longer came to his room. Anastasia got the big bed all to herself, and she rolled all


    over the bed. It was nearly 4.00AM by the time she woke up on her own. When she opened her


    eyes, she found herself staring at a decorative chandelier that hung above her. This is definitely not


    my house. Oh gosh!


    Her body shot upright in terror as she cracked her head to recall what had happened. Herst


    memory was of herself getting into Elliot¡¯s car. So¡­ Is this Elliot¡¯s house?


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Chapter 114


    Did he not send me home? Did he bring me to his house instead? Anastasia immediately checked


    herself to make sure that her clothes were still on. It didn¡¯t seem like it had been taken off, either.


    She hastily got off the bed to find that her shoes were gone, so she had no choice but to walk


    barefoot on the clean ground.


    She nced at the clock beside the bed to see that it was nearly 4.30AM. The skies were still dark


    outside. Did this man just get me to sleep in his house? What about my son? Is my dad at home


    with Jared? Anastasia quietly walked down the stairs. There were wall lights that surrounded the


    whole vi, so it made her feel like she was a lost princess that was walking around in a grand,


    luxurious castle.


    Finally, she found her bag on the couch downstairs. She immediately checked her phone to see the


    text that she had sent her father and her father¡¯s reply. Phew. At least Elliot knew to tell my dad to


    take care of Jared. Anastasia fixed her messy hair as she thought, I have no choice but to stay here


    since it¡¯s now the middle of the night. Hmm¡­ The room I was in earlier seemed like the master


    bedroom. Then where did Elliot sleep?


    She figured that she would tour his house since he was asleep. When she went up to the second


    floor, she suddenly realized that there was a room with its lights turned on. She wanted to ask him


    why he brought her home, so she quietly turned the doorknob to push the door open. She found


    herself in a study room, where a man was sleeping on the couch with his head resting on his arm.


    Anastasia froze. Is he actually sleeping on the couch? On top of that¡­ He¡¯s just wearing


    sweatpants. She was so shocked that her hand slipped off the doorknob. A loud bang sounded as


    the door moved back and hit against the door stopper. She immediately pped her hand over her


    mouth-aical gesture considering that it didn¡¯t serve any purpose.


    The man¡¯s thickshes fluttered before he opened his eyes. Even though he had been awakened


    from his sleep, he had the same mesmerizing look in his eyes. He curled his lips into a smirk as he


    stared at the woman by the door while sitting upright. ¡°Are you awake?¡± He narrowed his eyes as he


    smiled. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She felt rather bad for waking him up, but she proceeded with the question she had for him. ¡°Why


    did you bring me to your ce? You should¡¯ve sent me home.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea how bad you look when you¡¯re drunk? What would Jared think if he saw his


    mother getting drunk like that?¡± He didn¡¯t bother to sugarcoat his words. She immediately knitted


    her brows into a frown. Did I go crazy after getting drunk? Fine. I guess I agree with what he said.


    It¡¯s true that my son shouldn¡¯t see me like that. She tugged on the door to close it as she spoke to


    Elliot. ¡°You can continue sleeping! I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± Then, she shut the door before


    walking down the corridor. She was going to wait in the hall until sunrise.


    Since she woke him up, Elliot no longer felt like sleeping. He returned to his room and washed up


    before putting on some clothes and walking over to the hall. Anastasia had gone to the fridge to get


    herself a drink, and she was just feeling rather creeped out by therge hall when she heard


    footstepsing from behind. She instantly spun her head around to find the man with one hand


    stuck into his pocket. He strolled over with azy look on his face.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± she asked while looking at him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep anymore,¡± he replied tly. Then, he walked over to the fridge to grab himself a bottle


    of beer. He sipped on it as he walked back to her. She felt nauseous just at the sight of alcohol.


    ¡°Why are you drinking in the middle of the night? It¡¯s not good for your stomach,¡± she uttered in a


    confused tone.


    ¡°Do you care about me that much?¡± He sat on the couch beside her and gave her a faint smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about you; I¡¯m caring about myself. I¡¯m afraid that you might get horny after you¡¯re


    drunk.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t bother to be nice to him either. The man had a history of doing such things,


    after all.


    He let out a scoff as he couldn¡¯t believe what the woman just said about him. ¡°Are you that confident


    about my interest in you?¡± He put on an offended expression.

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    Chapter 115


    Chapter 115


    Anastasia let out a scoff. ¡°You guys are interested as long as it¡¯s a woman.¡±


    Elliot eyed her without saying anything. He didn¡¯t agree with her since she was the only woman he


    was interested in. ¡°Your dad will take good care of Jared. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Elliot tried tofort her¨Che


    assumed that she hadn¡¯t read the text.


    ¡°I saw the text. I don¡¯t want you messing with my phone in the future, and I don¡¯t want you to reply


    to my texts. Do you think I don¡¯t know that you were the one who replied to Nigel¡¯s text?¡± she


    uttered in an edgy tone.


    Elliot¡¯s face darkened all of a sudden; he looked almost like an ice sculpture for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t


    you dare mess around with Nigel¡¯s feelings for you, Anastasia!¡±


    She raised an eyebrow beforeughing. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m messing around with his


    feelings? There are tons of rtionships that start off as friendships. We¡¯re friends now, but who


    knows what might happen in the future, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elliot asked through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I mean that our rtionship is still in development. It¡¯s not about me fooling around with his


    feelings, okay?¡± she replied in a calm tone. Then, she intentionally added another statement to


    provoke him. ¡°Honestly, I think Nigel¡¯s a good fit as Jared¡¯s dad. He¡¯s really nice to Jared. If fate


    allows us to be together, perhaps our rtionship might blossom someday,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Are you the kind of girl who sleeps around? How could you reciprocate Nigel¡¯s attraction toward


    you while also maintaining such an unclear rtionship with me? It seems like you¡¯re just someone


    who can¡¯t remain stable in life,¡± Elliotmented in a sarcastic and irritated tone.


    This made her feel rather annoyed. How could he say that I¡¯m someone who sleeps around with


    others? ¡°I can say the same about you, then! You¡¯re receptive to Hayley¡¯s admiration for you while


    you¡¯re also having this unclear rtionship with me. We¡¯re not that different, you know?¡±


    The man was silent for a moment, and all he could do was re at Anastasia. ¡°Are you saying that


    you might fall for Nigel and marry him someday? Are you going to pick him to be Jared¡¯s father?¡±


    Elliot narrowed his eyes to form a sharp gaze that looked like it could slice through walls. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She couldn¡¯t help but avoid his res. ¡°Maybe,¡± she muttered in the most casual tone she could


    muster. His expression stiffened for a moment, and his face looked like it had been frozen in ce.


    He seemed like a perfect ice sculpture at that moment. For some reason, Anastasia felt like the


    man was angry and unhappy at what she just said.


    This made her realize something. Soon after that, she let out a mockingugh. ¡°You aren¡¯t jealous,


    are you, Elliot? Are you secretly in love with me?¡±


    Elliot felt a piercing rage that shot through his body, but he maintained the same cold look on his


    face. Anastasia curled her lips into a smug smile. ¡°Don¡¯t fall in love with me-we¡¯d never get a happy


    ending because I¡¯d never fall in love with you,¡± she stated.


    All of a sudden, Elliot got to his feet. He seemed especially domineering as he towered over her,


    and she sat upright in fear. ¡°W-What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°This is my house, Anastasia. Why are you acting all stuck-up and cocky here?¡± He shot her a cold


    and sharp re. She felt like she was facing the devil himself-he gave off a beast-like viciousness


    as he spoke.


    Wait. Did I trigger him? she thought. ¡°I take back whatever I said, Elliot. Just¡­ pretend I never said


    it¡­¡± She quickly gave in, and she tried to escape the hall after finishing her sentence.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± The man scoffed as he pulled the woman into his arms just before she could scurry


    off. Anastasia¡¯s instinct was to wrestle and push him away, and both of them fell onto the couch


    when the man failed to hold onto her firmly.


    At this point, Anastasia could no longer escape-the man¡¯s muscr body was like a huge that


    trapped her in it. ¡°Elliot¡­ You¡­¡± Her warning was caught in her throat as the man pressed his lips


    against hers. He was desperate to give her lips a punishment as she had made too many infuriating


    statements today.


    Anastasia tried to protest with her res as she stared into his stunning eyes. However, all she saw


    was the passion that Elliot had for her. She had no choice but to shut her eyes. All of her senses


    were stimted by the man, and Anastasia could feel herself loosening up to him, perhaps because


    she was also under the influence of alcohol. She was shocked by her own feelings.Chapter 115


    Anastasia let out a scoff. ¡°You guys are interested as long as it¡¯s a woman.¡±


    Elliot eyed her without saying anything. He didn¡¯t agree with her since she was the only woman he


    was interested in. ¡°Your dad will take good care of Jared. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Elliot tried tofort her¨Che


    assumed that she hadn¡¯t read the text.


    ¡°I saw the text. I don¡¯t want you messing with my phone in the future, and I don¡¯t want you to reply


    to my texts. Do you think I don¡¯t know that you were the one who replied to Nigel¡¯s text?¡± she


    uttered in an edgy tone.


    Elliot¡¯s face darkened all of a sudden; he looked almost like an ice sculpture for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t


    you dare mess around with Nigel¡¯s feelings for you, Anastasia!¡±


    She raised an eyebrow beforeughing. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m messing around with his


    feelings? There are tons of rtionships that start off as friendships. We¡¯re friends now, but who


    knows what might happen in the future, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elliot asked through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I mean that our rtionship is still in development. It¡¯s not about me fooling around with his


    feelings, okay?¡± she replied in a calm tone. Then, she intentionally added another statement to


    provoke him. ¡°Honestly, I think Nigel¡¯s a good fit as Jared¡¯s dad. He¡¯s really nice to Jared. If fate


    allows us to be together, perhaps our rtionship might blossom someday,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°Are you the kind of girl who sleeps around? How could you reciprocate Nigel¡¯s attraction toward


    you while also maintaining such an unclear rtionship with me? It seems like you¡¯re just someone


    who can¡¯t remain stable in life,¡± Elliotmented in a sarcastic and irritated tone.


    This made her feel rather annoyed. How could he say that I¡¯m someone who sleeps around with


    others? ¡°I can say the same about you, then! You¡¯re receptive to Hayley¡¯s admiration for you while


    you¡¯re also having this unclear rtionship with me. We¡¯re not that different, you know?¡±


    The man was silent for a moment, and all he could do was re at Anastasia. ¡°Are you saying that


    you might fall for Nigel and marry him someday? Are you going to pick him to be Jared¡¯s father?¡±


    Elliot narrowed his eyes to form a sharp gaze that looked like it could slice through walls.


    She couldn¡¯t help but avoid his res. ¡°Maybe,¡± she muttered in the most casual tone she could


    muster. His expression stiffened for a moment, and his face looked like it had been frozen in ce.


    He seemed like a perfect ice sculpture at that moment. For some reason, Anastasia felt like the


    man was angry and unhappy at what she just said.


    This made her realize something. Soon after that, she let out a mockingugh. ¡°You aren¡¯t jealous,


    are you, Elliot? Are you secretly in love with me?¡±


    Elliot felt a piercing rage that shot through his body, but he maintained the same cold look on his


    face. Anastasia curled her lips into a smug smile. ¡°Don¡¯t fall in love with me-we¡¯d never get a happy


    ending because I¡¯d never fall in love with you,¡± she stated.


    All of a sudden, Elliot got to his feet. He seemed especially domineering as he towered over her,


    and she sat upright in fear. ¡°W-What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°This is my house, Anastasia. Why are you acting all stuck-up and cocky here?¡± He shot her a cold


    and sharp re. She felt like she was facing the devil himself-he gave off a beast-like viciousness


    as he spoke.


    Wait. Did I trigger him? she thought. ¡°I take back whatever I said, Elliot. Just¡­ pretend I never said


    it¡­¡± She quickly gave in, and she tried to escape the hall after finishing her sentence.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± The man scoffed as he pulled the woman into his arms just before she could scurry


    off. Anastasia¡¯s instinct was to wrestle and push him away, and both of them fell onto the couch


    when the man failed to hold onto her firmly.


    At this point, Anastasia could no longer escape-the man¡¯s muscr body was like a huge that


    trapped her in it. ¡°Elliot¡­ You¡­¡± Her warning was caught in her throat as the man pressed his lips


    against hers. He was desperate to give her lips a punishment as she had made too many infuriating


    statements today.


    Anastasia tried to protest with her res as she stared into his stunning eyes. However, all she saw


    was the passion that Elliot had for her. She had no choice but to shut her eyes. All of her senses


    were stimted by the man, and Anastasia could feel herself loosening up to him, perhaps because


    she was also under the influence of alcohol. She was shocked by her own feelings.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    Chapter 116


    The more Anastasia felt like she physically desired him, the more she felt anxiety rushing up in her


    chest. How could I be interested in Hayley¡¯s man? Anastasia couldn¡¯t push him away, so she had no


    choice but to wriggle her way out of his grip. He panted slightly as he held her arms up above her


    head. He was rather frustrated by her resistance. ¡°Don¡¯t you like this, Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°What should I like about it? Would you like to get kissed forcefully?¡± Anastasia pushed him off of


    her angrily. ¡°Stop touching me. I¡¯ll call the police if you do it again.¡±


    Elliot narrowed his eyes. I clearly felt her body embracing my touch earlier. I¡¯m sure she has


    feelings for me. However, Anastasia had a distinct, threatening look in her eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s the guest


    room? I¡¯d like to nap for a while more,¡± she told him.


    ¡°You can sleep in the master bedroom,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep on your bed,¡± she said in a disdainful tone. Elliot was annoyed at her


    seemingly endless requests. ¡°There are guest rooms on the third floor. You can pick one for


    yourself.¡±


    After that, Anastasia took her bag and her phone up to the third floor, where she chose a guest


    room and locked the door before lying down on the bed. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t stop


    thinking about what had happened earlier. Am I secretly a masochist? Do I actually want him to do


    things to me? She patted herself on her head to stop herself from overthinking. She decided that


    she would leave the house first thing in the morning.


    Anastasia set an rm clock for 7.30AM, and she rubbed her half-opened eyes while getting out of


    bed when the sun came up. After washing her face with some water, she brought her bag down.


    She didn¡¯t want to trouble Elliot anymore, so she decided to leave on her own.


    When she stepped out of the vi, she was too dumbfounded to move for a moment. The residence


    was located on top of a hill, and it was nearly a 4-mile-walk for her to reach the foot of the hill. She


    would have to walk for one hour!


    Right when she decided to start her long trip down the hill, she heard the metal doors opening


    behind her, and a ck car slowly made its way out of the house. Since when did he wake up?This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Anastasia was stunned when Elliot rolled the window down. ¡°Get in,¡± he uttered without looking at


    her.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to get in the car when she sensed the icy, arrogant aura he gave off.


    However, when she thought about the one-hour walk down the hill, she bit her lip and forced herself


    to get in the car. His car sped down the hill, and she felt as if her heart were about to leap out of her


    chest. Does he think he¡¯s steering a ne?


    When they got to the main road at the bottom of the hill, Anastasia tried to stop the man. ¡°You can


    drop me here, President Presgrave.¡± However, the man didn¡¯t stop driving-he continued on the road


    that led them to her house. She could tell that he intended to send her home, so she had no choice


    but to remain in the car.


    When they got to her housing area, she thanked him politely before getting out of the car and


    walking toward the entrance of her residential unit. She had just gotten to her front door when she


    bumped into her father and son, walking hand-in-hand. Jared was neatly dressed in his


    school uniform, and the young kid was pleased to see her home. ¡°You¡¯re back, Mommy!¡±


    Francis noticed how sleepy she looked. ¡°You can stay home and get some rest. I¡¯ll send Jared to


    school,¡± he offered.


    ¡°Okay. Sorry for troubling you, Dad.¡± Anastasia patted her son on his head. ¡°Be good at school,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always good, Mommy.¡± Jared nodded thoughtfully before he held onto his grandfather¡¯s hand


    and skipped his way to the elevator. Jared was happy to spend time with his grandfather as it wasn¡¯t


    something he could do every day.


    After Anastasia got home, she felt all the tension leaving her body. She flung herself onto the couch


    before texting Felicia to ask for the first half of her day off. She decided that she would get some


    rest before going into the office in the afternoon.


    It was 11.00AM when a phone call woke her up from her nap. ¡°Hello?¡± she replied in a muffled


    voice.


    ¡°Are you not feeling well, Anastasia?¡± Nigel asked worriedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the office, then?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I took half a day off, so I¡¯m at home now. Is anything the matter?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you in the afternoon then. You should get some rest. I have a mystery gift waiting for est


    you,¡± he uttered in a mysterious tone. After she ended the call, she checked to see that it was


    nearing 11.30AM. So, she hurried off to take a shower before cooking herself some instant noodles


    for lunch.

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    Chapter 117


    Anastasia arrived at the office at 2.00PM. She saw her trophy on the shelf when she walked past


    the hall of her department. For some reason, she still felt like the trophy didn¡¯t belong to her. Did


    Elliot pull some strings to get me this? He¡¯s the only one who knows the truth, and I can¡¯t do


    anything if he doesn¡¯t want to admit to anything.


    A while after she arrived in the office, someone came over and asked for her. A few staff members


    of some high-endpany that tailor-made evening gowns for their clients were there to see her.


    They had prepared three different dresses for Anastasia to try on. So, this is the mystery gift that


    Nigel was talking about earlier, huh? She didn¡¯t know what to feel about it.


    It was true that Anastasia didn¡¯t have the right formal outfit for such dinner parties, so she decided


    to ept Nigel¡¯s offer. She picked a ssy-looking gray gown made of silk. It didn¡¯t look too shy


    nor too simple-it fit what she was looking for. ¡°Hello. Can I know the price of this dress?¡± she asked


    one of the staff members.


    ¡°Oh! It was not too expensive. It costs about 10,000,¡± the person replied. She narrowed her eyes


    when she heard the answer. Is it really that cheap? This silk looks really expensive!


    After the staff members left her office, the three of them let out a long sigh as they got into the


    elevator. Thisdy¡¯s boyfriend loves her so much! He forced us to say that this dress is worth


    10,000 when it¡¯s actually worth 1 million. Is he afraid that she wouldn¡¯t ept his gift otherwise?


    Soon enough, Anastasia received a call from Nigel to check if she had taken the evening gown.


    ¡°Thank you for preparing this outfit for me, Nigel. That was really thoughtful of you,¡± she uttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s no worries at all. This is my grandmother¡¯s dinner party, so I hope that you enjoy it as well. Also,


    I¡¯m looking for a ce in the building opposite your office. My new office will be located there if


    everything goes as nned,¡± he uttered.


    Anastasia immediately got up to stare out of her window. There was a new building that had only


    beenpleted a while ago. ¡°You can do whatever you want since you¡¯re rich,¡± she replied in a


    yful tone.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you at dinner tomorrow night. I can¡¯t wait to see how stunning you look in your dress.¡±


    Nigel sounded like he was busy with other things. ¡°Okay! You go on with your work, then!¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to bother him, and she was busy with her own duties as well.


    Meanwhile, Nigel stepped out of the building opposite Anastasia¡¯s office after he ended the call. He


    took a look at his wristwatch before he realized that there was one more thing he had yet to do.


    He immediately hurried over to the most high-end mall in the city center. This was the only mall that


    sold all of the international jewelry brands, and he wanted to pick a diamond ring that fitted his taste.


    He was going to use it for his proposal.


    Elliot arrived at Presgrave Group for work that morning. He stood in front of hisrge window,


    dressed in a simple white shirt and straight-fitting cks. His aura fit his role as the leader of a


    company. Right then, Daniel knocked on the door before greeting Elliot politely. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged your


    dinner with the president of Benson Corporation,¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Elliot nodded. Then, Daniel lowered his gaze for a while. He didn¡¯t dare to look Elliot in the


    eye after what he had done with Hayley that night. Although Daniel hadn¡¯t done it voluntarily, he still


    felt bad when he thought about Hayley and Elliot¡¯s rtionship.


    Elliot nced at his wristwatch. He had intended to pay a visit to the Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier, but


    he didn¡¯t have any time left as he had a client to meet in 30 minutes. Since when did I start thinking


    about this woman? I used to only think about work. Nowadays, I¡¯m even thinking of her adorable


    son. For some reason, Elliot felt happy just thinking about how he would see her at his


    grandmother¡¯s dinner the next day.


    Later that night, Anastasia had a good sleep with Jared in her arms. She knew that Jared enjoyed


    being with his grandfather, so she figured that she would get Francis to stay with Jared for another


    night during the charity dinner she had the next day.


    The charity dinner was hosted on a Friday in a seven-star hotel in the city center. Many important


    people from various industries had been invited, and many of them felt honored to receive an


    invitation. That afternoon, Anastasia was still busy working on her drafts in the office. She had


    already informed her dad that she would need him to care for Jared that night.


    She had just gotten into work when herndline began to ring. ¡°Hello?¡± She picked the call up.


    ¡°Do you need me to pick you up for the dinner party?¡± A man¡¯s deep voice came from the other end.


    She rejected him without thinking twice. ¡°No, thanks.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Chapter 118


    ¡°Do you have a car?¡± Elliot asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call a cab,¡± she replied.


    ¡°The roads will be closed, so cabs won¡¯t be able to get in,¡± he exined. She frowned before


    answering in a firm tone, ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just walk over to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman as stubborn as you,¡± he uttered in a grumpy tone.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve met me now. I¡¯ll end the call now. I¡¯m busy.¡± She ended the call right after finishing her


    sentence. She was probably the only one who dared to speak to the president in such a tone. Even


    those in Presgrave Group wouldn¡¯t dare to speak to him in such an impolite manner.


    Meanwhile, the man wore a dark look on his face after Anastasia hung up his call. I really don¡¯t


    know what to do with this woman. It¡¯s hard for me to gain control over her, but that only makes me


    more interested in achieving this. It¡¯s like I¡¯m challenging myself to conquer someone who can¡¯t be


    conquered.


    Anastasia got off work 30 minutes earlier, and she brought her evening gown home before pulling


    her makeup pouch out. She decided to put on some makeup since she hadn¡¯t used her skills in a


    while.


    At the same time, someone else was also getting ready for the dinner party. The more Hayley


    thought about Harriet looking down on her, the more Hayley was filled with resentment. This drove


    Hayley to attend the dinner party tonight. She couldn¡¯t just go up to Elliot, so she had to pretend that


    she had just shown up at the event somehow.


    After thinking about it for a while more, she came up with a proper n. At 7.30PM, she would


    pretend that she needed to see Elliot for an emergency. That would exin why she ended up at


    the dinner party. She had picked out a dress and put on makeup for the night, so all she had to do


    now was wait.


    The sun had just started going down when Anastasia got ready to leave her house. Someone rang


    her doorbell just before she headed out. She was shocked as she wasn¡¯t expecting anyone at that


    hour. The moment she opened the door, she saw a bouquet of roses covering a man¡¯s face. TheContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    very next second, the man moved the roses away to show his bright, handsome smile.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Nigel?¡± She stared at him in shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up for the dinner party, of course. I can¡¯t let my beautiful woman go to the party


    in a cab, can I?¡± he replied.


    ¡°How did you know I was going to get a cab?¡± Anastasia gave him a sheepish smile.


    ¡°You love saving money, so I don¡¯t think you¡¯d hire a private car for the night, would you?¡± Nigel


    knew her well. I guess I can save on my cab fees since he¡¯s here to pick me up, she thought. ¡°Why


    did you bring flowers?¡± She was a little more taken aback by the way he had presented her with the


    roses.


    ¡°I feel like giving you flowers every time I see you,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Mr. Nigel!¡± Jared ran out when he heard Nigel¡¯s voice. Nigel handed the flowers over to Jared.


    ¡°Here, Jared. Bring these flowers in. I¡¯ll bring your mommy out for a dinner party now.¡±


    Jared happily carried the flowers back into the house while Anastasia shut the door and left with


    Nigel. While they were in the elevator, Nigel couldn¡¯t help but nce at her outfit. She looked


    especially elegant in her gray silk dress. It brought out her curves and enhanced her figure, making


    her look extremely stunning.


    ¡°It fits you really well,¡± Nigel eximed. He was the one who hand-picked all three of the outfits, and


    he had a feeling that she would choose the ash gray one. ¡°I bet this dress costs more than 10,000,


    right? Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± Anastasia knew that the staff member had lied to her earlier, and she was


    certain that it was Nigel¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°The price of the dress doesn¡¯t matter as long as it looks good on you,¡± he replied. As he stepped


    out of the elevator, he casually slipped his hand into hers. ¡°Tonight¡¯s an important night, so we


    shouldn¡¯t bete.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know what to do after he held her hand, so she simply allowed him to lead her out


    of her residential area. His shy sports car was parked at the entrance of her residential area, and


    both of them stepped out of the building looking like they were a prince and princess prepared for a


    party. Many passersby nced in their direction as they walked.


    However, at that very moment, a ck Rolls-Royce Phantom appeared from the other side of the


    road. The man inside the ck car happened to see the man and woman walking out while holding


    hands.


    Nigel held the door open for Anastasia, and she got in the passenger¡¯s seat elegantly. Then, Nigel


    walked around the front of the car to get in the driver¡¯s seat.

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    Nigel shifted his gaze to the road after he got in the car. At that moment, he caught sight of a ck


    car in his rearview mirror. The car was quite some distance away, but he could tell that it was his


    cousin¡¯s car. I¡¯m d I got here before him, Nigel thought. I want Elliot to witness my rtionship


    with Anastasia so that he¡¯ll know he doesn¡¯t have a chance. Tonight, I¡¯m going to use my actions to


    show Elliot that Anastasia belongs to me.


    The sports car sped down the road while the man in the ck car red into the distance with a


    dark look in his eyes. No one could tell what was going on in his mind. Elliot felt a surge of anger


    bubbling in him as he thought about how the woman had rejected him so firmly. It turns out it was


    because she had already told someone else to pick her up, he thought.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t notice that someone else hade over to pick her up as she was distracted by


    other thoughts in her mind. Is Hayley going to be there? If she¡¯s going to be there, then I don¡¯t think


    I¡¯ll stay for long. Since Elliot and Hayley used to have a thing, perhaps Old Madam Presgrave might


    prefer Hayley to be Elliot¡¯s wife.


    She didn¡¯t know why she was troubling herself with all these pointless thoughts. While they were on


    the way to the dinner, Nigel told her his ideas about his office design, and he got some of her


    opinions. When she heard that it cost Nigel more than 50,000 to rent his office each month, she was


    utterly speechless! I hate rich people!


    ¡°Can you try saving up some of your dad¡¯s money?¡± she asked in a concerned tone. He immediately


    burst intoughter. ¡°I¡¯m only spending so much because I know I have the ability to earn it back!


    Don¡¯t worry about me, Anastasia!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even earn your one month¡¯s worth of rent in one year,¡± she replied. Then, she thought about


    the 1 million that she had won. She still felt rather uneasy about taking the money.


    ¡°You can always ask me if you need any money,¡± Nigel told her in a sincere tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need money. I have enough to spend on myself,¡± she replied with a smile. She could always


    adjust her lifestyle to fit her monthly ie.


    Finally, they arrived at the hotel for the charity dinner. The hotel belonged to the Mansons, and itContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    looked extremely luxurious and exclusive. That was when Anastasia understood how rich Nigel truly


    was. When he got out of the car, he bumped into his father¡¯s assistant. ¡°Your dad is asking you to


    greet the guests, Young Master Nigel!¡± the assistant said.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go say hello to them. Can you bring thisdy over to the hall?¡± Nigel asked the assistant.


    ¡°Sure. Please follow me, Miss,¡± the assistant replied.


    ¡°I¡¯lle over to you in a while, Anastasia. You can go up to have some food first,¡± Nigel said.


    ¡°Okay!¡± She nodded. About ten minutester, a tall,nky man walked into the hotel with a confident


    and elegant stride. He looked especially respectable in his formal ck suit.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Young Master Elliot. Pleasee in.¡± The hotel manager jogged over to greet him.


    ¡°Go on with your duties! You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Elliot waved the manager off before he


    walked over to the elevator.


    The hall looked like it could fit about 500 people. I¡¯m really getting exposed to a whole new world


    today, Anastasia thought. There are people from all kinds of industries. The Presgrave Family sure


    is powerful!


    Anastasia held a ss of red wine in her hand. She felt rather self-conscious since she didn¡¯t match


    the standards of the other guests there, and she had just been looking around her when she nearly


    bumped into someone behind her. ¡°Ah!¡± She cried before stumbling backward and looking up.


    What¡¯s he doing here? The person she had bumped into was Elliot!


    ¡°Apologize.¡± He shot her an icy re.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she uttered hastily. She could feel an icy auraing from him as he walked past her,


    and she bit her lip as she thought, What¡¯s up with him tonight? Is he trying to act like he doesn¡¯t


    know me? Fine. There¡¯s no need for me to pretend to be close to him now I don¡¯t want any


    unnecessary troubles.


    Right then, two girls let out a loud cry from beside her. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s Young Master Elliot! He¡¯s so


    handsome!¡± one said.


    ¡°I know, right? He¡¯s every girl¡¯s ideal type, after all.¡± another girl said. Anastasia blinked confusedly.


    Is Elliot that attractive? Everyone¡¯s ideal type, huh? Little do they know that Elliot¡¯s actually made up


    of ice.


    Anastasia was starting to get hungry, so she walked over to help herself to some of the buffet


    dishes. All of the food looked good, and Anastasia filled her te with a bunch of her favorite dishes


    as she continued thinking about the party. I bet Old Madam Presgrave is going to be busy tonight


    since she has so many guests to greet. I have to see her before I leave.

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    So, until I get to meet Old Madam Presgrave, I¡¯U take my time to eat up all the food here. I can


    spend as much time as I want since Dad is taking care of Jared, Anastasia thought.


    There was another sports car outside the hotel-it was Hayley¡¯s ride to the event. She had put effort


    into her outfit, and she hade up with a good idea of what to do. Sh¨¨ strutted over to the main


    lobby. There was a checkpoint where staff members were to check for the guests! invitation cards at


    the entrance, but Hayley walked in without stopping by. A female security guard hastily stepped


    forward with a smile. ¡°Please show me your invitation card, Miss. Thank


    you.¡±


    Hayley instantly raised her eyebrow before speaking in a haughty tone. ¡°Do I need an invitation? My


    boyfriend didn¡¯t tell me anything about that!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s your boyfriend?¡± the security asked.


    ¡°My boyfriend¡¯s Elliot, the young master of the Presgrave Family,¡± she replied in a firm and loud


    tone. Suddenly, the hotel manager, who had been standing beside the security guard, hurried over.


    ¡°Hello, Miss. I¡¯m the hotel manager. Are you President Presgrave¡¯s girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! My name¡¯s Hayley. Isn¡¯t Old Madam Presgrave¡¯s dinner party happening tonight? I¡¯m sorry. I


    didn¡¯t know I needed any invitation cards. Can you just let me enter?¡± she uttered in an innocent


    tone.


    Right then, Daniel, who had alreadye to an earlier agreement with Hayley, put on a worried


    expression as he hurried over to Elliot, who was chit-chatting with a few seniors. ¡°Miss Seymour is


    here, President Presgrave. She¡¯s being stopped at the main lobby.¡±


    Elliot knitted his brows together while holding onto his ss of wine. ¡°What¡¯s she doing here? Did


    you tell her toe?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I mentioned the party when I delivered some of her daily necessities to her yesterday,


    President Presgrave. Did I say something wrong?¡± Daniel replied. Elliot couldn¡¯t say that his


    grandmother hadn¡¯t invited Hayley. However, since Daniel had already brought up the party, Elliot


    had no choice but to bring Hayley in. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°I want you to go down and bring her up,¡± Elliot ordered. Daniel quickly put on a flustered


    expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Presgrave.¡±


    Elliot only gave him a side-eye without saying much. Daniel might have been a little too much of a


    busybody this time, so Elliot had no choice but to ask Hayley toe up. Daniel hurried over to the


    main lobby before approaching the hotel manager, who had been talking to Hayley. ¡°Excuse me.


    Miss Seymour is one of President Presgrave¡¯s VIP guests. This was a mistake on thepany¡¯s


    end-we missed out on her invitation card!¡±


    The hotel manager knew that Daniel was Elliot¡¯s assistant, so the hotel manager quickly turned to


    Hayley with an apologetic look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the mistake, Miss Seymour. Pleasee


    in.¡±


    Hayley put on a haughty expression as she gave the female security guard a disdainful re. ¡°Is


    this how you guys do your job? You totally ruined my mood.¡± Then, she allowed Daniel to lead


    her into the elevator. Daniel felt cold sweat forming on his forehead once they made it there.


    Hayley loved it when people provided her with special treatment, so she gave Daniel a satisfied


    look. ¡°That was quite good. Elliot didn¡¯t say much, did he?¡±


    ¡°President Presgrave was a little shocked, but he didn¡¯t say much,¡± Daniel replied. Hayley let out a


    scoff as she thought, It¡¯s just as I had expected. It was Old Madam Presgrave, not Elliot, who didn¡¯t


    want to invite me.


    After this event, Hayley developed a sense of hatred toward Harriet as she felt hurt by Harriet¡¯s


    actions. Anastasia¡¯s going to be here tonight, so I have to seize this opportunity to show her how


    sweet I am with Elliot. Also, from tonight onward, I want everyone to know that I¡¯m Elliot¡¯s girlfriend. I


    bet that will piss the old woman off.


    Daniel brought Hayley over to Elliot. Many of the guests there were extremely wealthy people with


    high statuses, yet Elliot still seemed to stand out in the crowd. It seemed like the people around him


    were just props and backdrops that served to enhance his presence.


    His aura was too strong for others to steal his spotlight away-it was almost as if the light followed


    him wherever he went. Hayley felt herself going head over heels as she stared at him longingly. She


    admired him, and she wished she could have him all to herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elliot. Should I have stayed home instead?¡± She gazed at him with an innocent and


    flustered look on her face. He curled his lips into a smile. ¡°The HR department missed out on your


    invitation card. It¡¯s fine. My grandma¡¯s the one hosting this charity dinner, so you should just enjoy


    yourself tonight!¡±

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    Hayley finally felt a little safer. My scheme worked perfectly, and I managed to enter without having


    to sneak in. ¡°This is my first timeing to a ce like this, and I don¡¯t know anyone. Can I stay


    with you, Elliot?¡± Hayley knew that the most eye-catching spot she could take would be the one


    beside Elliot, which would make her his female partner. She wanted to stay by his side so that other


    women wouldn¡¯t get a chance with him.


    Elliot knew that Hayley grew up in a regr family, and he knew that she wasn¡¯t familiar with such


    ces. ¡°Okay. Bring a drink over, and you can stay with me,¡± he said with a nod.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Hayley walked off happily. She nced at her surroundings in search of Anastasia, but she


    couldn¡¯t find her anywhere as there were too many guests.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was sitting by a window seat near the buffet area. Right then, a male guest


    who was in his thirties walked over and sat next to Anastasia. ¡°Hey there. I don¡¯t have a spot to sit,


    so can I sit here?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Anastasia looked up and smiled. The man¡¯s eyes lit up the moment he saw her smile-he had


    noticed her gorgeous figure earlier, and he could tell that she was a prettydy. However, he was


    immediately blown away when he saw her smiling. The man¡¯s heart pounded as he realized what


    he wanted to do-he wanted to get to know her and chase after her. ¡°My name is Samuel Stone. And


    you are?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Anastasia Tillman,¡± she replied..


    ¡°That¡¯s a really pretty name, Miss Tillman. Are you here alone?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m with a friend, but he¡¯s busy now, so I¡¯m alone,¡± she replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s such a coincidence. I¡¯m the general manager of First World Company, and I¡¯m involved in


    the asset transaction business.¡± He handed her his name card while speaking. He was considered


    sessful for his age, and Anastasia eyed him with a surprised look after hearing what he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s really impressive! You¡¯re already a general manager at such a young age.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too nice. What do you do, Miss Tillman?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a jewelry designer,¡± she replied. Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Woah. You must be really talented.¡± Samuel found himself more attracted to her. She wasn¡¯t just a


    pretty face; she was also a designer.


    Right then, Anastasia¡¯s phone began to ring. She nced at her phone before picking it up. ¡°Hello,


    Nigel.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Anastasia. My Dad¡¯s making me talk to guests, but I promise toe and get you in ten


    minutes,¡± he uttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You should focus on entertaining the guests,¡± Anastasia said in an


    understanding tone.


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m so annoyed, but my dad wants to introduce me to more people. It¡¯s giving me a


    headache,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think of it that way! Tons of people would love to have such connections. You should


    spend time with these guests since they¡¯ll be really helpful for your work.¡± Anastasia tried tofort


    him.


    ¡°Yeah. I feel a lot better after listening to your voice. Where are you now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m eating at the buffet area,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯lle to look for you in a while,¡± he replied. After Anastasia ended Nigel¡¯s call, she looked


    up to see a couple walking in. It was Elliot and Hayley. Anastasia narrowed her eyes when she saw


    Hayley as she hadn¡¯t expected Hayley toe. Furthermore, she hadn¡¯t expected Hayley toe


    with Elliot. A cold smirk spread across Anastasia¡¯s face as she thought, Hayley¡¯s scheming skills


    must have improved, huh? She¡¯s good at using maniptive tactics, but she¡¯s even able to apply


    them to Elliot now. Impressive.


    Anastasia looked away, and her eyes met Samuel¡¯s. He was staring at her with a look of admiration


    on his face. She gave him a cheerful smile, and he felt his heart rate doubling instantly. He felt like


    he was about to get a heart attack. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, Miss Tillman!¡± he said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She gave him a polite smile.


    Elliot had walked over with Hayley for a meal, but his focus had been shifted the moment he saw


    the woman by the window. He narrowed his icy gaze when he saw Anastasia beaming at the man in


    front of her. They looked like they were having a fun time talking to each other.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find a spot to sit down, Elliot!¡± Hayley looked around her surroundings, and she immediately


    caught sight of Anastasia. The table beside Anastasia¡¯s had just gotten up to leave, so Hayley


    quickly grabbed Elliot¡¯s arm and led him over. ¡°There¡¯s a spot there,¡± she uttered daringly.

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    Elliot¡¯s arm tensed for a moment, but he didn¡¯t fling the woman¡¯s hand away. He was also interested


    to take a look at the man in front of Anastasia, who had made herugh so heartily.


    The moment Anastasia looked up, she saw Elliot and Hayley walking in her direction. She then


    realized that the table next to her had just been cleared. They¡¯re not going to sit here, are they?


    Hayley shot Anastasia a smug look when she walked over and pretended to greet her. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    know you were here, Anastasia!¡±


    Anastasia gave Hayley a cold re before turning her head to face the window. She didn¡¯t bother


    being nice to Hayley as she saw no point in it. Hayley could only settle in her seat with a bitter smile


    on her face. Meanwhile, Elliot took his seat opposite Hayley. The position of his seat allowed him to


    stare directly at Anastasia¡¯s face. He took a nce at the man opposite her as he thought, I don¡¯t


    know who this guy is. That means that he¡¯s probably just some regr person.


    ¡°Mypany¡¯s really near to yours, Miss Tillman! It¡¯s just two streets away. I¡¯ll have to buy you


    lunch and coffee next time!¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze remained on Anastasia the whole time, and he didn¡¯t


    notice the icy re that was boring into the back of his head.


    Anastasia ran her fingers through her hair as she put on a shy smile. ¡°Sure! We can grab coffee


    when we¡¯re free. Since you¡¯re such an impressive individual, I bet I can learn some investment


    rted things from you,¡± she uttered.


    some


    ¡°I do have some achievements in that field, so I¡¯d dly teach you some tricks,¡± Samuel replied in a


    confident tone. He was secretly pleased when he noticed how Anastasia seemed to have a better


    impression of him after he talked about his career.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some food, Elliot!¡± Hayley said.


    ¡°You go ahead. I need to make a call,¡± Elliot replied while staying put in his seat. Hayley had no


    choice but to go on her own. As she turned to gaze at the man sitting opposite Anastasia, she


    scoffed. What¡¯s Anastasia¡¯s taste in men like? This guy doesn¡¯t look good at all.


    At the same time, Elliot¡¯s gaze was fixed on the woman sitting at the next table. There was a lightAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    hanging from above Anastasia¡¯s head, and her gray evening gown made her skin seem fairer than


    usual. Her sharp features and her mesmerizing eyes made her seem especially attractive, and her


    glossy red lips looked extra seductive. Any man who saw her perky, glossy lips would yearn to bite


    on them.


    Although Anastasia wasn¡¯t paying any attention to the man beside their table, she could feel him


    staring at her. What¡¯s he looking at? Doesn¡¯t he already have Hayley with him? she scoffed silently.


    While Samuel lowered his head to drink water, Anastasia took the opportunity to roll her eyes at


    Elliot before ring at him.


    Elliot¡¯s confused eyes met her eyes, and he felt a surge of inexplicable emotions in his chest.


    Anastasia smiles in such a happy manner when she¡¯s with this man, yet she has never smiled at me


    like that before. Why? Don¡¯t I deserve her smiles?


    These thoughts made Elliot more frustrated than before. As he watched Anastasia continuing to


    engage in conversation with the other man, Elliot felt like he couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. In the end,


    he stood up and walked to Samuel. ¡°Excuse me, sir. I need this seat for a while as there are


    some work-rted things I¡¯d like to discuss with my staff.¡±


    Samuel felt rather annoyed. Which brat¡¯s trying to mess with my attempt at chasing after Anastasia?


    The moment Samuel turned around, he was utterly shocked by what he saw. Isn¡¯t this the young


    master of the Presgrave Group?


    ¡°P-Please sit down, President Presgrave.¡± Samuel moved at the speed of lightning as he gestured


    for Elliot to sit. Then, Samuel realized¡­ Does Anastasia work for Elliot?


    Anastasia stared at the man in a rather troubled manner. ¡°I¡¯m not at work right now, President


    Presgrave. Let¡¯s talk about work during work hours,¡± she uttered coldly.


    ¡°I think talking about work is better than chatting with this boring man here.¡± Elliot had instantly


    attacked Samuel¡¯s personality by calling him a boring man. Samuel was speechless for two


    seconds before he put on a polite smile. ¡°You¡¯re right, President Presgrave. I¡¯m a rather naggy


    person who likes to have conversations on useless topics,¡± he exined.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know how to respond as she stared at Elliot. ¡°This might be the first time I¡¯ve seen


    someone talk so rudely about others in front of their face,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡± Elliot raised an eyebrow in a cocky manner.


    He¡¯s right that Samuel brags, but I¡¯m willing to listen to him! I¡¯d rather listen to Samuel than Elliot!


    Anastasia thought.


    ¡°I like it when others brag. Do you have the ability to do that, President Presgrave? Why don¡¯t you


    try it?¡± Anastasia said in a provoking manner.

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    Chapter 123


    The man¡¯s expression dimmed as his lips twitched a little. ¡°No;¡± he muttered. Anastasia let out a


    scoff. ¡°I¡¯m afraid someone as in and normal as me will never be able to converse with someone


    as high and mighty as you.¡± After finishing her sentence, Anastasia picked her bag up and walked


    away.


    Coincidentally, Hayley was walking over with some tes of food. The moment Hayley saw


    Anastasia walking in her direction, Hayley intentionally leaned closer to Anastasia so that she could


    allow herself to be hit by Anastasia¡¯s shoulder. Then, Hayley started her grand performance.


    She threw her te onto the ground as she stumbled and clutched the table beside her. ¡°Ah¡­¡± she


    let out a weak cry. Elliot had his back against them at first, but he immediately turned around when


    he heard the sound of ss shattering. The moment he turned, he saw Hayley clutching a chair,


    Anastasia looking back while scoffing, and ss shattered all over the ground.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t bother to take a second look at the situation and simply walked off. Hayley quickly


    bent down to pick up the shattered ss pieces, but the man stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t pick that up! You


    might cut yourself. Get the servers to do it!¡±


    Hayley had done that on purpose-she knew that Elliot wouldn¡¯t watch her pick up the ss shards


    without saying anything, ¡°What a waste,¡± she muttered as she put on a mournful look. As she


    spoke, she rubbed her shoulder.


    ¡°Did she hurt you?¡± Elliot asked in a caring tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s not her fault. I don¡¯t me her for anything.¡± Hayley bit her lip as if she were trying to force


    herself to endure all the ways in which she had been wronged. This would make it seem like


    Anastasia was the rude, demanding one. A rather troubled look shed across Elliot¡¯s face. For


    some reason, he felt rather exasperated at Anastasia¡¯s behavior-he didn¡¯t want her to be such a


    rude person.


    Anastasia clearly knew that Hayley was putting on an act, but she didn¡¯t want to do anything about


    it. Elliot¡¯s blind, so he won¡¯t be able to realize anything on his own. I don¡¯t want to be the person to


    tell him any of this, she thought. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Meanwhile, Nigel and his parents were still in the VIP room. Nigel¡¯s parents were introducing him to


    a few other senior figures in the business industry. They hoped that these seniors would provide


    their son with more guidance and support in the future. After Nigel clinked sses and introduced


    himself to all of them, he finally got the chance to sneak out to the grand hall.


    He only looked around for a few moments before he found the attractive, curvy figure he had been


    looking for in the crowd.


    At the same time, Elliot strode out from the buffet area. Nigel caught sight of him almost


    immediately, and Nigel intentionally walked over to Anastasia before putting his arm around her


    waist. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± he asked in an intimate tone.


    Anastasia jumped a little before she turned to see Nigel. ¡°You scared me!¡± she chuckled. Nigel then


    leaned closer to whisper into Anastasia¡¯s ear. However, from Elliot¡¯s angle, it looked more like Nigel


    was giving Anastasia a kiss on the cheek. ¡°You¡¯re so gorgeous tonight, Anastasia,¡± Nigel


    whispered into her ear before smiling while letting go of her.


    But in Elliot¡¯s eyes, he was certain that he had just witnessed Nigel kissing Anastasia in front of


    everyone. Furthermore, Anastasia just let out a smile as if she enjoyed his kiss a lot. Elliot¡¯s entire


    face stiffened after he witnessed this scene, and he immediately turned and walked in a different


    direction after that.


    Nigel watched his cousin walk away, and he let out a soft sigh as he thought, It seems like my little


    n worked out! Anastasia had no idea what was going on, and Nigel quickly held her hand before


    leading her aside. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go to get some rest in one of the rooms on the second floor. There are


    too many people here; it¡¯s a little noisy.¡±


    Anastasia had no choice but to go up to the second floor with him since he was holding her. As they


    walked up the stairs, a few men who had been drinking bumped into them, which made Nigel more


    annoyed than before.


    Once they got to the rooms on the second floor, Nigel told the waiter to send them some fruits.


    Then, hezily loosened his tie while leaning back in his chair. He was dressed in a light blue suit


    and had his hair waxed andbed up. He looked especially handsome that day-he gave off a


    boyish, cool yet elegant aura.


    Unfortunately, Anastasia only saw this handsome man as her good friend and nothing more than


    that. For the past two years, Anastasia only ever thought of him as a good friend. She couldn¡¯t date


    someone she knew too well.

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    Chapter 124


    However, Nigel held a strong sense of determination in this matter-he wanted to marry Anastasia,


    and he wanted her as his wife. He wanted to care for her, and he wanted to surrender his whole life


    to her.


    Nigel told Anastasia all about the guests he had met earlier-many of them were huge tycoons that


    he wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to meet if it weren¡¯t for the charity dinner. ¡°But I got so bored,¡±


    Nigel muttered with a sigh. He smiled when he saw the bracelet on her hand. ¡°Are you finally


    wearing what I gave you?¡±


    She gazed at the bracelet. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m the one who designed this.¡± Nigel had purchased a


    bracelet from her, and he had gifted it to her on the day that he received it. Anastasia had been


    speechless-she didn¡¯t want to take it but Nigel had insisted, so she had no choice but to ept his


    gift in the end.


    Right then, Nigel¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hello? Dad.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Nigel. Johnson and his family are here. Come over and help me out,¡± Nigel¡¯s dad ordered.


    ¡°Can I stay with my friend for a while, Dad?¡± Nigel asked.


    ¡°You can go off with your friendter, Nigel. You have to show more respect to your seniors. Hurry


    over now.¡± His father¡¯s voice sounded sterner this time.


    ¡°Dad, I¡­¡± Nigel was helpless. It seemed like his dad wasn¡¯t about to let him go off so easily.


    ¡°Go on! We can meet anytime,¡± Anastasia urged with a smile on her face. ¡°Okay. Wait for me here,


    and I¡¯lle back to you once I¡¯m done,¡± Nigel replied. That was exactly what Anastasia wanted to


    do-she had no intention of leaving when she had just found such a luxurious room where she could


    rest in.


    After Nigel left, Anastasia picked up a cup of fruit tea and sipped on it while she pulled her phone


    out to scroll through the news. It had only been two minutes before someone opened the door to the


    room. She looked up in surprise. Is Nigel back already? However, she froze when she looked up.


    The man who entered the room wasn¡¯t Nigel, but Elliot, thest person she wanted to see then


    ¡°How did you know that I was here?¡± Anastasia eyed him with a rather frustrated look. Elliot


    straightened his firm and muscr body as he made his way in and shut the door behind him. He


    sat down on the couch in an elegant manner before he turned to look at Anastasia. ¡°Stay away from


    Nigel,¡± he warned. He wasn¡¯t trying to have a discussion with her, but giving her firm orders instead.


    Anastasia knew he was about to talk about her rtionship with Nigel again, and she felt rather


    repulsed by his actions. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about yourself first, President Presgrave? Nigel and I


    don¡¯t need you to meddle with our rtionship.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s gaze darkened as he spoke in a cold tone. ¡°Even if you¡¯ve saved him in the past, I¡¯m sure my


    uncle and aunt wouldn¡¯t want you as their daughter-inw. I know them better than you do.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Anastasia blinked.


    ¡°They want a daughter-inw who can match up to their standards.¡± Elliot shot her a cold re that


    had hints of malice in it. Anastasia knew that she was no match for Nigel, so she genuinely wanted


    just to be friends with him. She never dared to have other hopes for him.


    When Elliot saw how she pressed her lips together in silence, he knew that what he said must have


    hurt her. However, it was also the truth. My uncle and aunt have always had the thought of


    arranging a marriage for Nigel. Even Grandma talked about thisst week, and I recall hearing that


    my aunt had already found a rich girl whom they thought was an ideal match.


    Anastasia let out a seemingly self-deprecating scoff. ¡°I know I¡¯m just a normal person. I don¡¯t need


    you to remind me of that. I know where I stand,¡± she uttered.


    He knitted his brows together when he saw the way she was bringing herself down. ¡°I wasn¡¯t


    looking down on you,¡± he exined.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to think any better of me,¡± she replied tly. Right then, she recalled her memory


    of Elliot and Hayley walking to the buffet area together, and it made her angry just thinking about it.


    If he gets closer to Hayley, I hope he¡¯ll stay away from me. I won¡¯t have to feel so bothered by him


    then.


    ¡°You need to stay away from Nigel tonight, Anastasia. You don¡¯t know who you might end up.


    triggering otherwise.¡± Elliot used the same tone to give her another warning.


    Anastasia stared directly into his eyes with an annoyed look on her face. ¡°Are you done talking?¡±


    He was genuinely annoyed at Anastasia¡¯s stubborn personality. Can¡¯t she just listen to me for once?All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 125


    Since Elliot didn¡¯t want to leave, Anastasia decided that she would leave instead. She picked her


    bag up and was about to go when Elliot raised an eyebrow and reached his long arm over to grab


    her wrist and pull her into his arms. She lost her bnce and immediately fell face-first into his


    chest.


    She looked up angrily, only to feel his breath on her face. He stared fixedly at her face, and there


    was a hint of amusement in his gaze as she tried to push him away. ¡°Don¡¯t mess around with me,


    Elliot! Let go!¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± The man started getting yful with her. She¡¯s the one who made me feel so


    troubled the whole night, anyway, he thought. I didn¡¯t even have the mental capacity to care about


    anything other than her during the charity dinner today. She really pushed my buttons this time.


    ¡°You¡­¡± She continued pushing him away. He was dressed in a white silk shirt, and she could feel


    his firm muscles against her palm as she pushed him. Elliot wrapped both his arms around her


    waist and intertwined his fingers to form a firm lock behind her back. She was losing her mind at this


    point. What is this guy trying to do here? Anyone can push the door open at any time, and my


    reputation will be ruined if someone sees us like this. The news of me seducing the Presgrave


    Family¡¯s young master will spread like wildfire then.


    While she continued to wrestle her way out of his grip, he quietly admired her gorgeous features.


    His gaze fell on her red lips¡ªthe lipstick she used that day made her look especially pretty as the


    color made her lips look juicy and full. He could feel his heart fluttering, and he was tempted to


    know the way that she tasted.


    All of a sudden, he loosened his grip on her. She thought she would be able to escape then, but the


    man then held onto her waist and the back of her head. His grip was firm and controlling, and the


    look in his eyes turned rather dangerous.


    Frustration bubbled in Anastasia¡¯s chest as the man¡¯s lips moved closer to hers. Right when he was


    about to force her into a kiss, she raised her right hand to swing it across his face. Smack! The


    sound of her p was extra loud and crisp in the small room. Momentster, a red p mark


    appeared on his handsome face.


    The air seemed to freeze as the man¡¯s gaze grew visibly darker. There was a fiery look in


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes-she was like a ferocious phoenix that was ring at her prey. ¡°I dare you to kiss


    me again.¡± She didn¡¯t want him to take advantage of her any longer, and she wanted him to know


    that she wasn¡¯t someone he could mess with.


    However, she had just finished her sentence when the man lost his temper. He used all his might to


    shove her down onto the couch. Then, he climbed on top of her before he leaned forward to press


    his palm against her nose and red lips.


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t breathe. This b*stard is suffocating me! Does he want me to p him again? Her


    right hand was pinned down, so she raised her left hand to do the job. However, the man grabbed


    her wrist before holding it above her head. Then, he pressed his lips against hers in a fierce, rough


    manner.


    She felt as if he were sucking all the energy out of her. Her teeth and lips were chattering! Anastasia


    felt like she was a kitten who had been dominated by the man¡¯s strength and bodily


    heat. In the end, the man let go of her. She finally found the strength to scold him then.


    ¡°You b*stard, Elliot! You¡¯re such a pervert!¡± she cried. But the man simply stood up to leave. After he


    walked out, she took a few sips of water as she thought about the p she gave him earlier. Why


    didn¡¯t I hit him a little harder? Well, everyone knows that Young M


    rder? Well, everyone knows that Young Master Elliot is probably going to be the most popr


    choice among the rest of the youngdies. Yet, the only woman he tried to kiss gave him arge


    p on his face. He has probably never felt so ashamed in his whole life.


    Anastasia was contemting whether to leave the party or not when her phone started ringing. She


    nced at the caller ID before taking a deep breath and picking it up. ¡°Hello, Old madam


    Presgrave,¡± she uttered in a serious tone.


    ¡°Where are you, Anastasia? Why didn¡¯t I see you?¡± Harriet asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m resting in one of the rooms on the second floor,¡± Anastasia replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m on the first floor. Hurry over here! I¡¯d like to see you.¡± The old woman spoke in a gentle but firm


    tone. Anastasia felt her heart skipping a beat as she thought, I don¡¯t think Old Madam Presgrave


    knows that I just pped her favorite grandson, right?


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 126


    Anastasia forced herself to head downstairs. She found Harriet surrounded by a group of people.


    Harriet was dressed in a tight, elegant dress that made her appear especially young and ssy.


    She looked really kind and friendly although she had a headful of gray hair. Before Anastasia


    approached her, Harriet had already pushed the crowd aside to go toward Anastasia. It was almost


    as if Anastasia was the VIP there. Everyone in the crowd tossed curious looks in Anastasia¡¯s


    direction. Which rich family is this youngdy from? Why is Old Madam Presgrave giving her such-a


    _ grand wee? they wondered.


    ¡°Old Madam Presgrave,¡± Anastasia greeted with a smile.


    ¡°There you are, girl! You look so gorgeous tonight!¡± Harriet reached her hand out to hold Anastasia¡¯s


    hand as she spoke to the crowd around her, ¡°This is my god-granddaughter, Anastasia.¡± Once the


    crowd heard what Harriet said, the young girls gazed at Anastasia with looks of admiration. How did


    she get so lucky? Why did Old Madam Presgrave choose her as her god granddaughter?


    At the same time, the owner of a pair of hatred and jealousy-filled eyes red at Anastasia from


    outside the crowd-it was none other than Hayley, who watched as Harriet introduced Anastasia to


    all of the people around her. Old Madam Presgrave¡¯s eyes are filled with love for Anastasia, but


    what about me?


    Although Hayley was just a fake product, she had genuinely begun to perceive herself as the


    Anastasia from five years ago. That exined why she thought she was being treated unfairly.


    ¡°Hey! Where¡¯s Elliot? Why don¡¯t I see him?¡± Harriet suddenly realized that her eldest grandson


    wasn¡¯t around. Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she thought, The finger marks on Elliot¡¯s face


    are really obvious; I don¡¯t think he should show up here. Fortunately for Anastasia, Harriet only told


    others to look for him without asking for him to be there.


    ¡°Come here, Anastasia. Let¡¯s sit down and have a chat.¡± Harriet held Anastasia¡¯s hand and led her


    to the couch. Right then, Hayley purposely showed up beside them while calling out for Harriet. ¡°Old


    Madam Presgrave!¡±


    Harriet turned around in surprise. The moment she saw that it was Hayley, a natural smile appearedThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    on her face. ¡°You¡¯re here too, Hayley.¡± Hayley immediately wrapped her hands around Harriet¡¯s arm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind that I¡¯m here, right, Old Madam Presgrave? Elliot told me that he missed out on my


    invitation. I wouldn¡¯t have known about this whole thing if Daniel hadn¡¯t told


    me!¡±


    ¡°I guess there must have been a mistake,¡± Harriet replied. Initially, Harriet hadn¡¯t wanted Hayley to


    be at the event, but Harriet couldn¡¯t do anything since Hayley was already there.


    ¡°I missed you so much, Old Madam Presgrave!¡± Hayley gave the olddy a fond peck on her cheek.


    ¡°Which family is this youngdy from, Old Madam Presgrave?¡± one of thedies in the crowd asked


    curiously. Hayley quickly replied to thedy with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m also one of Old Madam Presgrave¡¯s


    god-granddaughters!¡±


    After Hayley finished her sentence, a ratherplicated look shed across Harriet¡¯s face.


    Harriet could easily tell what Hayley was trying to do. It seems like Hayley is more maniptive than


    I thought her to be, Harriet thought. Both Hayley and Anastasia stood to the left and right of Harriet,


    and Anastasia simply continued smiling after hearing what Hayley said. Anastasia could only scoff


    in her heart when she saw what Hayley was trying to do.


    Hayley wanted to steal the spotlight away from Anastasia, and she wanted the crowd to recognize


    who she was so that they would be more aware of her status in the future. In the public¡¯s eye,


    anyone who could get close to Harriet had to have a good rtionship with the Presgrave Family.


    While Hayley wasn¡¯t paying attention, Harriet casually pulled her hand out of Hayley¡¯s arm before


    addressing both the girls. ¡°Come over here and have a chat with me.¡± Harriet led Anastasia toward


    the couch, and Hayley immediately tagged along. She didn¡¯t want Hayley to get all the good stuff.


    Harriet initially had some personal matters that she wished to talk to Anastasia about, but she had


    to put it off since Hayley was just beside them. Harriet ended up asking Anastasia about her work.


    I¡¯ll find another chance to talk to Anastasia, I guess, Harriet thought.


    Harriet asked Hayley how she was doing as well, and Hayley put on her happiest look as she spoke


    to Harriet. The crowd observed their interactions and wondered, Can Hayley be any more friendly


    and warm?


    Meanwhile, Nigel¡¯s parents had called him over to another room. There was a rich couple sitting


    inside, and a young, gorgeous girl was sitting beside them. The girl¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Nigel


    as she was attracted to him.

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    ¡°Come over here, Nigel. I¡¯d like you to meet Mr. Johnson, his wife, and his only daughter, Leah. You


    guys met when you were younger.¡± Nigel¡¯s father, Jonathan Manson, chuckled as he nced at the


    other family¡¯s daughter with a fond and loving gaze.


    ¡°Yeah! You guys brought Nigel over during Leah¡¯s 100-day-old party. Nigel was only two years old


    then! We already had the idea of matching them since,¡± Johnson¡¯s wife uttered with a sweet smile.


    ¡°Exactly! Their age difference is just perfect.¡± Joy appeared in Brenda¡¯s-Nigel¡¯s mother-eyes as she


    looked at Leah. Brenda was wholly satisfied with this idea. Both Brenda and Jonathan had Leah as


    their first choice in mind. Leah¡¯s parents were powerful people in the food industry, and they had a


    lot of partnerships with hotel businesses. If Nigel took over the business, he¡¯d be able to receive


    support from Leah¡¯s family. So, the most ideal n was to matchmake them and unite their families,


    so that they could both help each other double and triple their revenue!


    Nigel would no longer have to worry about ack of support in his career as he would have an


    extremely powerful father-inw! Leah¡¯s parents shared the same thoughts, and they figured that


    both families would only grow stronger once theybined their resources. Furthermore, Leah¡¯s


    family wouldn¡¯t have to worry about finding another inheritor for their business because they were


    satisfied with Nigel¡¯s capabilities.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Nigel!¡± Leah gave him a friendly greeting. This wasn¡¯t the first time they had met


    each other. They were both club members of some overseas racing club, and Leah had fallen in


    love with Nigel the first time she saw him. It was love at first sight-she even followed him back to the


    country after he left. Most importantly, Leah was overjoyed to find out that both her and Nigel¡¯s


    parents were supportive of the rtionship.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Leah. Thank you foring to my grandmother¡¯s party, Mr. and Mrs. Hart.¡± Nigel


    spoke in a polite tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s our pleasure and honor to be able to attend this party.¡± The Hart couple hade over just so


    that their children could meet up during the party. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show Leah to the buffet area for


    some food, Nigel? Us old ones will be here catching up with each other.¡± Brenda shot her son a


    look.


    Nigel was exasperated deep down, but he maintained a polite expression on his face. ¡°Okay, Mom.¡±


    Nigel brought Leah out of the hall and toward the buffet area. After Leah got some food, Nigel


    seized this opportunity to escape. ¡°I have other matters to handle, Leah! You enjoy your meal,


    alright?¡±


    Leah immediately stared at him with a look of disappointment. She had spent the whole day


    preparing and dolling herself up for the party, yet Nigel barely looked at her. That hurt her heart


    more than ever. However, when she recalled how both families¡¯ parents were willing to matchmake


    them, she felt a little better. She had no need to rush since she was going to be the Manson¡¯s


    daughter-inw eventually.


    ¡°That was Old Madam Presgrave¡¯s grandson, wasn¡¯t he? He looks stunning!¡± someone uttered.


    ¡°Yeah, I heard that there have been arge number ofdies from rich families who are circling the


    two young masters! I wonder which girl will be lucky enough to get married to him and be a part of


    their family,¡± another said.


    A confident smirk formed on Leah¡¯s lips after she heard the conversations. I¡¯m one of those lucky


    girls, she thought. No one else will ever have enough power and resources to take Nigel away from


    me.


    Meanwhile, Nigel had just arrived at the PA system room. The host of the night happened to be


    there. ¡°I¡¯m going to propose to a girlter, and I need your help,¡± Nigel said.


    ¡°When are you doing it? I¡¯ll prepare everything for you right now,¡± the staff member replied.


    ¡°Ten minutester, I¡¯d like you to call Anastasia¡¯s name and get her on stage. Then, you guys can


    prepare the music and lighting. Take this USB; I¡¯ve prepared a video that I edited, and you can y


    it on the big stream. It goes well with romantic songs,¡± Nigel exined.


    ¡°We got your back, Young Master Nigel!¡± they cried. Once Nigel was done, he left with a satisfied


    smile on his face. My proposal is going to start in ten minutes, he thought as he pulled the diamond


    ring out of his pocket. It wasn¡¯t in a box, but the shining surface and the rainbow-like reflections


    made it clear that it was expensive.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia and Harriet had separated. Earlier, Harriet told Anastasia to stay pastThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    9.00PM, so Anastasia decided to follow Harriet¡¯s wishes. I¡¯ll wait here until it¡¯s past 9.00PM!


    Anastasia walked over to a quieter spot before she heard a malicious female voice sneering at her.


    ¡°Your mother only passed away due to her work back then, Anastasia. Are you really expecting the


    Presgrave Family to continue repaying you?¡±

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    Chapter 128


    Anastasia turned around to find Hayley with a ss of red wine in her hand. Hayley had her arms


    crossed as she sneered at Anastasia. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing? You¡¯re trying to


    polish your reputation while being the third party in a rtionship at the same time. You¡¯re secretly


    seducing Elliot.¡± Hayley¡¯s eyes glinted with resentment. Now that it was just the both of them, she


    didn¡¯t need to fake it anymore and could express all the hatred she felt.


    Anastasia scoffed. ¡°Are you sure you want to mess with me? If I shamelessly decide to get married


    to Elliot, you will only be left crying in a corner!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Hayley didn¡¯t just fail to offend Anastasia, but she even allowed Anastasia to infuriate her


    further. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about the fact that I¡¯ve slept with Elliot, Anastasia?¡± Hayley hissed through


    gritted teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Anastasia replied with an eyebrow raised. She was intentionally trying to make Hayley


    angry. Right then, a hateful look gathered in Hayley¡¯s eyes as she clenched her fists. I¡¯m never


    going to let Anastasia take Elliot away, she thought.


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t in the mood to continue talking to Hayley, so she turned to head toward the


    balcony, which wasn¡¯t as crowded. However, an attractive, male voice came from the hall at this


    moment- it was the host calling for Anastasia through the mic. ¡°I¡¯d like to invite Miss Anastasia


    Tillman up onto the stage. You¡¯ve dropped something.¡±


    Anastasia froze. All of the guests were just as shocked, and they wondered if Anastasia had


    dropped something extremely valuable. Why would the host have to make such a grand


    announcement otherwise?


    Anastasia was just as confused. What did I drop? She went through her bag and searched for any


    missing items. Everything¡¯s here!


    ¡°Is Miss Anastasia Tillman here? Pleasee on stage. Thank you.¡± The host continued to ask for


    her. Anastasia had no choice but to ignore the embarrassment she felt while shuffling over to the


    stage. I really didn¡¯t drop anything! Has there been a mistake? she thought.


    The host walked over to her once she got up onto the stage. ¡°Are you Miss Anastasia?¡± he asked


    with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, I am. But I didn¡¯t leave anything behind!¡± she cried. She felt especially uneasy since she could


    feel thousands of eyes on her.


    ¡°No.You left behind a really important part of your life,¡± the host uttered in a riddle-like manner. All of


    a sudden, the speakers began to y a romantic song from an overseas singer. The man¡¯s deep


    and husky voice filled the hall, and many other guests gathered in front of the stage as they wanted


    to see what was going on.


    There was a loud ringing in Anastasia¡¯s head as she watched this happen. Who¡¯s the one ying


    the song? All of a sudden, she saw anky figure strolling toward her with a broad grin on his face.


    Who else could it be apart from Nigel?


    Anastasia¡¯s face turned red. What¡¯s Nigel trying to do this time? And why is he doing it in front of


    everyone? Has he ever thought about how I feel about this?


    Nigel fixed his loving gaze on the woman as he took firm steps over to her. Eventually, when he was


    about two feet away from her, he got down on one knee. The whole crowd cheered like mad! They


    were all shocked. Isn¡¯t that the young master of the Manson Family? What is he doing? It looks like


    he¡¯s¡­ proposing to her?!


    At the same time, another tall figure had just started his way down the stairs on the second floor,


    and he froze when he saw what was happening on the stage. Elliot¡¯s pupils shrank as he realized


    what Nigel was doing. I hadn¡¯t expected Nigel to propose to Anastasia today.


    Anastasia was just as stunned. She stared at Nigel for a moment before she reached out to pull him


    up from his knee. ¡°What are you doing, Nigel? Hurry and stand up! Stop messing around!¡±


    Right then, Nigel reached into his coat pocket and felt for the diamond ring. He carefully presented it


    in front of her before taking the host¡¯s mic to speak into it. ¡°I love you, Anastasia. Will you marry


    me?¡± he asked in a sincere tone.


    A loud ringing filled Anastasia¡¯s head as she widened her eyes and stared at Nigel in disbelief. She


    could tell that he was serious-he was genuinely proposing to her without fooling around at all.


    ¡°Nigel, you¡­¡± Anastasia was too stunned to say or do anything.


    There were tons of girls in the crowd who were eyeing Anastasia with looks of admiration and envy.


    Leah, who had just walked out of the buffet area, was also stunned when she saw what was


    happening. The man she loved was proposing to another woman on stage.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 129


    In a panic, Leah pulled her phone out and dialed her mother¡¯s number. She shouted into the phone


    the moment her mother picked up. ¡°Mom, tell Mr. and Mrs. Manson toe over right now! Nigel is


    proposing to someone else in the hall!¡± Leah was close to stomping the ground with rage. How can


    this happen? Who¡¯s the woman he¡¯s proposing to? Where¡¯s she from, and what¡¯s her background?


    Meanwhile, Elliot, who was standing on the stairway of the second floor, fixed his cold and sharp


    gaze on the woman on stage. He was hoping for Anastasia to surprise Nigel with a harsh rejection.


    Elliot would never allow her to marry someone else, after all. He felt a strong urge to dominate and


    gain control over the woman as he watched the proposal happening. I want her. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s


    because of my grandmother¡¯s orders or the fact that her mother saved our family; I want Anastasia


    anyway. I wasn¡¯t sure about my feelings in the past, but everything is clear now. I¡¯m certain that she


    belongs to me.


    While all of this was going on, Harriet walked out of one of the private rooms just in time to see


    Nigel¡¯s proposal. Harriet¡¯s eyesight wasn¡¯t the best, so she had to ask the people around her about


    it. ¡°Who¡¯s the one making a marriage proposal on the stage?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s your grandson, Nigel, proposing to some girl!¡± a guest replied.


    ¡°What? Which girl is this?¡± Harriet squinted to get a better look. The woman on stage seems rather


    familiar¡­ Is that Anastasia? Someone gave Harriet the answer then. ¡°Your grandson is proposing


    to Miss Anastasia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Harriet was too shocked to move. ¡°Is that Anastasia?¡± What¡¯s going on? Elliot¡¯s the one


    who should be proposing to Anastasia! Why is Nigel the one proposing? Hayley was somewhere in


    the crowd, and she watched the entire situation with a look of disbelief on her face.


    Did someone just propose to Anastasia? I didn¡¯t know who the guy was earlier, but I heard the other


    people say that the man is Old Madam Presgrave¡¯s grandson, Young Master Nigel. How could that


    be? Why would the young master of the Manson Family propose to Anastasia? Is she that


    attractive? If Anastasia doesn¡¯t get married to Elliot, there¡¯s still another rich man who¡¯s waiting for


    her. Both these men are Old Madam Presgrave¡¯s grandsons! I can¡¯t believe it. Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia remained on stage with her face beet red. She desperately wanted to dig a


    hole to bury her head in it. Nigel¡¯s actions had put her in a highly awkward situation, where she


    would hurt Nigel if she rejected him in front of everyone. She would turn him into a fool in front of all


    the guests, and she didn¡¯t want to do that to him. But if she said yes, then it was simply too sudden


    for her. How could she say yes just like that? It felt just as irresponsible to do such a thing.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk privately, Nigel?¡± Anastasia bent down a little to talk to Nigel. However, Nigel


    wasn¡¯t in the mood to have a discussion then. He gave her a solid gaze as he repeated his question


    into the mic. ¡°Marry me, Anastasia! I¡¯ll take care of you for the rest of your life, and I¡¯ll keep you


    happy forever.¡± Nigel was so desperate for her! He knew it wasn¡¯t right to put her in such a tough


    spot, but he didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. He wanted to give her a proper title as his wife, and he


    wanted to take care of her and Jared.


    ¡°Nigel!¡± Anastasia was giving him all sorts of looks, hinting for him to get off the stage. She didn¡¯t


    want to continue being the center of attention. However, Nigel refused to stand up and continued to


    kneel while staring at her. He held the diamond ring in front of her without moving at all.


    ¡°Say yes!¡± Someone in the crowd started cheering. More people began to p and shout. ¡°Say yes,


    girl! Don¡¯t hesitate anymore! Say yes!¡±


    Anastasia felt even more embarrassed after hearing all the cheers. Blood rushed all the way to her


    ears as she stared at the ring in Nigel¡¯s hand. If I put it on, will I be able to get Nigel to stand up and


    leave the stage? Right then, she noticed the sincere look in Nigel¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t know how to


    deal with the feelings he had for her, so she simply pressed her red lips together before sighing and


    taking the ring into her hands.


    The very next second, Nigel leaped up in joy before giving her a tight hug. Anastasia hadn¡¯t


    expected the sudden embrace. The next thing she knew, she felt his lips pressing themselves


    against hers.

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    Chapter 130


    Anastasia heard a loud ringing in her ears. You¡¯ve gone too far this time, Nigel. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t


    reject me, Anastasia. I know you love me too!¡± Nigel cried happily. His voice was so loud that the


    crowd could hear him even though he wasn¡¯t using the microphone.


    By then, Harriet had already arrived at the front of the stage. She looked up to see Nigel and


    Anastasia hugging each other, and she was too stunned to say anything for a moment. Did both my


    grandsons switch roles? Was Anastasia more interested in Nigel all along? Either way, I just want


    Anastasia to be a part of our family. It doesn¡¯t matter who she gets married to; I¡¯ll be happy just to


    have her with us. If the one Anastasia truly likes is Nigel, then I¡¯d be happy to support their marriage


    as well.


    Elliot watched the whole proposal from the second floor without a hint of emotion on his face.


    However, he tightened his grip on the railing, and veins popped up on the back of his hands. He


    looked like he was trying to crush the railing


    ¡°Get off the stage. Stop fooling around,¡± Anastasia told Nigel. Nigel held her hand before he


    grabbed the mic and addressed the crowd below him. ¡°Thank you for the wishes, everyone. I¡¯m


    really happy that my proposal was a sess.¡±


    Anastasia eyed him speechlessly. Fine! I¡¯ll have to exin myself to himter.


    At the same time, the Harts wore grim looks on their faces as they turned to re at the Mansons.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Mr. and Mrs. Manson? Does Nigel want to marry someone else?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not too sure about this. That woman once saved Nigel,¡± Brenda exined before letting out


    a sigh. Brenda knew that Nigel had always been thankful for the girl who had saved her, but she


    hadn¡¯t expected her son to propose to the girl tonight.


    ¡°I still hope for Nigel and Leah to get married. We would dly marry our daughter to him if we get


    the chance to do so,¡± Leah¡¯s mother uttered. She still hoped that there was a chance for changes to


    happen.


    Brenda and Jonathan could do nothing but give them an apologetic smile. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s talk about


    this in the future. You guys should enjoy the party for now.¡±


    Anastasia dragged Nigel off the stage and through the crowd to find somewhere quiet where they


    could talk. She found an empty room by the side, and Anastasia pulled him into the room. He shut


    the door behind him, muting the loud noises that came from the crowd outside. Anastasia quickly


    grabbed Nigel¡¯s hand before shoving the ring back into his palm. ¡°We¡¯re just friends, Nigel. I¡¯m sorry.


    I can¡¯t say yes to your proposal,¡± she uttered in a firm voice.


    A dumbfounded look formed on Nigel¡¯s handsome face, and he looked down at the diamond ring in


    his hand. ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t you marry me? Am I not good enough? Did I do something wrong?¡± he


    asked anxiously.


    Anastasia shook her head before looking at him with a gentle gaze. ¡°You¡¯re a great man, Nigel. This


    is my problem-it has got nothing to do with you,¡± she replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem? You¡¯re the best woman I¡¯ve ever met, and you¡¯re the one I love the most.¡±


    Nigel held onto her hands while staring at her with passion burning in his eyes.


    Anastasia racked her brains toe up with reasons she could use to reject him. In the end, she


    found the best way to do it. ¡°Nigel, I¡¯ve never thought of remarrying ever since I had Jared. I¡¯ve


    been hurt a lot of times in the past, and I haven¡¯t fully healed from all the traumatic events. So, I


    can¡¯t bring myself to date men,¡± she uttered before sighing.


    Concern gathered in Nigel¡¯s eyes as he looked at her. ¡°Did Jared¡¯s father hurt you in the past? Tell


    me, Anastasia. What did you go through in the past? Who is Jared¡¯s father?¡± he asked worriedly.


    But Anastasia rejected him without any hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this. Anyway, I can¡¯t ¨C ¨C


    say yes to your proposal. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nigel didn¡¯t seem too mad, nor did he look dejected after


    hearing what she said. He had nned the entire proposal with the intention of trying his luck, so he


    didn¡¯t have high hopes of seeding from the start.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you say no to me, Anastasia. I just want you to know that I¡¯ll always be by your


    side. I¡¯ll always be around to protect you,¡± he uttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me, Nigel. You¡¯re the best friend I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Anastasia emphasized


    their friendship as she had only treated him as a friend all along.


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 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    Chapter 131


    Nigel held the ring up and passed it to her. ¡°Just take this ring, then. I ordered it especially for you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s too expensive. I can¡¯t take it! You should keep it for yourself! It mighte in handy in


    the future.¡± She rejected him with a smile on her face.


    ¡°You always do this. I just want to give you the best, but you always reject me. Can you be a little


    more superficial and money-minded, Anastasia? You should at least enjoy it when people give you


    expensive stuff.¡± Nigel gazed at her with a rather exasperated look on his face.


    She smiled as she leaned back on the couch. She was surprised to realize that she had been


    sweating a little. I was probably too nervous when I was on stage. That makes sense since there


    were so many people in the crowd.


    Right then, Nigel¡¯s phone began to ring. He held it up to see that it was a call from his dad. ¡°Hey,


    Dad.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Jonathan¡¯s voice sounded rather stern.


    ¡°I¡¯m in one of the private rooms, Dad. Is anything the matter?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A marriage proposal is a huge thing. Shouldn¡¯t you have discussed it with us first?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made the decision on my own, but I¡¯m sure you guys know how much I like


    Anastasia,¡± Nigel replied in a rather apologetic tone.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this in the future. Your grandmother¡¯s looking for you now, so you should go to her!¡±


    Jonathan ordered.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nigel replied before turning to Anastasia. ¡°My grandmother is looking for me, Anastasia.


    Let¡¯s go meet her together. She¡¯ll love you.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know what to say. I think Nigel doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯ve met his grandmother before.


    ¡°You go ahead! I need some time to calm down. I was too nervous earlier,¡± she said with a smile.


    ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Nigel hurried over with a bottle of water. ¡°Here. Have something to drink.¡±


    Anastasia twisted the bottle cap open and sipped on her water before urging him to go to Harriet.


    ¡°Hurry up! Go look for your grandmother!¡±


    ¡°Alright. You can just rest here, and I¡¯lle back to you in a while, okay?¡± Nigel opened the door


    and left after that. Anastasia felt a lot more relieved at once, and she gulped down a few mouthfuls


    of water before pressing her palm against her cheek. She could still feel it burning a


    little. I¡¯m probably still blushing.


    Meanwhile, the party outside was still extremely happening. The proposal had hyped everyone up,


    and everyone was making guesses about Anastasia¡¯s family background. She probably has some


    impressive family background or connections. Otherwise, the young master of the Manson Family


    wouldn¡¯t have put so much effort into proposing to her!


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the Tillmans, though!¡± A few of thedies were chit-chatting among


    themselves as they tried to guess Anastasia¡¯s identity.


    ¡°I saw her being friendly with Old Madam Presgrave earlier. I guess she might secretly be from


    some wealthy family!¡± another one said.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. She¡¯s beautiful and sexy, but we just don¡¯t know what industry her family is involved in,¡±


    someone elsemented. Right then, some woman interrupted the crowd¡¯s words. ¡°Oh! I think I


    know thedy who had been proposed to earlier.¡±


    Few of thedies spun their heads around to see a younger girl who had a wine ss in her hand.


    One of thedies recognized who the younger girl was. Isn¡¯t that Old Madam Presgrave¡¯s god


    granddaughter from earlier?


    ¡°Oh! Tell us about it!¡± The older women were busybodies, so they were desperate to hear all about


    Anastasia¡¯s past.


    ¡°Miss Anastasia is just a regr jewelry designer from Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier. Her father owns a


    company that invests in building materials. Her family background is pretty normal. There¡¯s nothing


    special about her,¡± Hayley uttered.


    ¡°What? How could someone from a regr family receive a marriage proposal from Young Master


    Nigel?¡± one of the older women said.


    Hayley sneered. ¡°She has her skills, of course!¡± The way she phrased her sentence made it easy


    for others to misunderstand the situation. It sounded like Anastasia was using some other means to


    win the hearts of the rich. Judging by the looks of these women, they¡¯ll probably spread rumors


    about Anastasia¡¯s regr background soon enough. Let¡¯s see how Anastasia¡¯s going to hold her


    head up then!


    Meanwhile, Anastasia nced at the time. It was past 8.00PM, and she figured that it was time she


    left the private room and headed home. It wasn¡¯t good to be the center of attention for too long, so


    she thought it would be best to leave as soon as possible. However, the moment she opened the


    room door, she felt everyone around her turn to stare at her. Although most of them were giving her


    looks of admiration, she still preferred not to be seen. She didn¡¯t want to have the spotlight.


    In the end, Anastasia decided to leave without saying goodbye. She lifted the hem of her dress


    while walking toward the main door. At the same time, Hayley had been walking around in search of


    Anastasia as she wanted to know what Anastasia was doing. Coincidentally, Hayley caught sight of


    her target walking toward the main exit. Is she leaving now? Hayley was surprised.


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 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    Chapter 132


    However, Hayley soon found herself distracted by a tall figure that appeared behind Anastasia.


    Hayley watched as Elliot walked past the crowd toward Anastasia, and a resentful re surfaced in


    her eyes. She put her wine ss aside before following behind Elliot. She wanted to know why he


    was going after Anastasia.


    Anastasia had just stepped out of the hall when she heard a man¡¯s icy voice calling for her. ¡°Stop


    there.¡± She instinctively turned around to see Elliot walking over to her. He looked like a prince


    under the dim light, and his icy re was fixed on her as he spoke to her in an interrogative tone.


    ¡°Did you really say yes to Nigel¡¯s proposal?¡±


    Anastasia was too shocked to say anything for a moment. The whole proposal caused a huge


    commotion earlier, so Elliot must have seen it as well. Well¡­ Forget it. I don¡¯t feel like exining


    anything to him. ¡°This is my business,¡± she muttered while pressing a button for the elevator.


    At that moment, there were only a few waiters standing in the positions by the main entrance. None


    of the guests were anywhere near them. Elliot narrowed his eyes, and he looked as if he couldn¡¯t


    contain his emotions anymore. He grabbed Anastasia¡¯s arm before dragging her aside to a pathway


    that led to the balcony.


    Anastasia was no match for his strength, so she stumbled along in the direction he was pulling her.


    She could only shout and il her arms in anger. ¡°Let go of me, Elliot!¡± But the man didn¡¯t seem to


    care at all, and he simply dragged her toward an empty balcony that was filled with all sorts of


    expensive nts. It was like a garden that no one knew about.


    Anastasia gasped for breath while throwing her arms around. The man pushed her into a corner


    before he leaned his head closer to her. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes, their faces close


    enough for the tips of their noses to touch.


    When she felt the man¡¯s warm breath on her face, she pushed him away angrily before scolding him


    under her breath. ¡°Are you done fooling around, Elliot?¡±


    ¡°Did you really say yes to Nigel¡¯s proposal? Are you going to get married to him?¡± Elliot¡¯s question


    sounded somewhat gentle, yet there was a hint of iciness in his tone. If she told him that she had


    said yes, he was going to lose it.


    ¡°Why is it any of your business?¡± She turned her face away from him.


    ¡°Because we share secrets between us that others can¡¯t know about,¡± he reminded her through


    gritted teeth. He made it sound like they really had something going on between them.


    ¡°That¡¯s just because you¡¯re a pervert. I don¡¯t have any interest toward you, and there¡¯s nothing


    going on between us.¡± Anastasia stiffened her neck as she voiced her disagreement. Her pouty lips


    looked especially attractive under the dim light, and Elliot had the urge to taste them.


    All of a sudden, anger shed in Elliot¡¯s gaze as he suddenly raised his hand and rubbed his thumb


    across her lips in a harsh manner. ¡°This is the spot I kissed, Anastasia. I don¡¯t want other people


    kissing the same spot, not even Nigel.¡±


    ¡°You-¡± Anastasia attempted to protest. However, her lips had just parted to speak when the man


    pressed his hand against the back of her head before moving closer to her. Her mind went nk


    for a few seconds, and all she could do was let out a weak moan. For some reason, the man¡¯s kiss


    had some magical effect on her-it made her entire mind and body freeze, and it even triggered


    some embarrassing bodily reactions. She wished she could p herself at that moment.


    ¡°Wu¡­¡± Anastasia mumbled as the man brought her arms up above her head. He probably doesn¡¯t


    want to be pped again, huh? She was starting to lose her patience as the guy continued to touch


    her.


    However, neither of them realized that a person was ring at them with jealousy from behind the


    door. The person was hidden by a bunch of nts near the door, but she still managed to fix her


    deadly re on them. Hayley only used to suspect that something was going on between them, but


    she finally saw it with her own eyes this time.


    Hayley saw Elliot and Anastasia entering together, and she watched as the man pulled the woman


    into his arms without any hesitation. Although Hayley couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, she


    could see how Elliot and Anastasia¡¯s shadows often ovepped one another. They¡¯re kissing, she


    thought.


    The hall was just next door. Anastasia had just been proposed to, yet she¡¯s now sharing an intimate


    kiss with the other young master of the Presgrave Family! Hayley felt a sharp ache in her heart that


    made her feel like she was about to lose her mind. How did Anastasia manage to seduce Elliot?


    How did she get Elliot to fall for her? Elliot¡¯s going for her even though he knows that Nigel has


    proposed to her.


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 Chapter 133

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    Chapter 133


    Right then, Hayley heard someoneing from behind her. She opened one of the side doors and


    left the scene as she no longer dared to stay there. The people who came in were a few guests who


    wanted to discuss business. They needed a quiet space, so they chose that balcony to talk.


    However, they didn¡¯t know that someone else had already taken the spot.


    Anastasia was about to lose her mind at this point. Is this guy trying to ruin my reputation? But Elliot


    finally released his grip on her, but he pressed hisrge palm against the back of her head to stuff


    her face against her chest. Anastasia had no choice but to stay in his arms as she didn¡¯t want


    others to see her there.


    Right when the three men entered the balcony, they noticed the people standing at the corner of the


    space. The three men were stunned to see a tall man standing around with a girl buried in his chest.


    Elliot shot the three men an icy re before the three men could make sense of the situation. The


    three men immediately saw Elliot¡¯s face. Isn¡¯t that the young master of the Presgrave Family?


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry for disturbing you. Sorry!¡± The three men immediately turned and hurried off. Once


    Anastasia was sure that they were gone, she lifted her head angrily. However, her movements were


    a little too fast, and her forehead struck the man¡¯s sharp chin. She gasped in pain before she gave


    him a furious re, but all she saw in his eyes was a dark pool of emptiness


    -it was like a well that didn¡¯t have a bottom. Furthermore, there seemed to be ayer of ice covering


    the deep well. ¡°I want you to reject Nigel. Otherwise, I¡¯ll tell everyone about what happened between


    us,¡± Elliot warned.


    ¡°Elliot, you don¡¯t think that I¡¯m going to marry you even if I rejected Nigel, right? You can continue


    dreaming if that¡¯s what you think!¡± Anastasia stormed out of the balcony after spitting her words at


    him. But she had walked a little too quickly, and she tripped on her gown before falling on the


    ground near the nts. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She gasped in pain as her knee was injured again.


    The man parted his long legs and walked over to give her a helping hand. ¡°Why are you always so


    clumsy?¡± heined.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± She pushed his hand away before limping away from him. Would I


    have fallen down if he hadn¡¯t dragged me here? It¡¯s all his fault. Elliot pulled his phone out and


    dialed a number as he watched her walking away. ¡°There¡¯s a girl in a gray evening gown who¡¯s


    coming down now. I want you to prepare a car to send her home.¡±


    After giving his orders, Elliot tugged on his tie. His every move gave off a cool and intimidating aura,


    which made others fear and admire him at the same time. He was simply too eye-catching.


    When Anastasia got downstairs, the hotel manager came up to her. ¡°Are you heading home, Miss?


    We¡¯re providing private drivers for our guests tonight.¡± She had just been worrying about how she


    would get a cab in the area, so she immediately nodded after hearing what the manager said. ¡°Yes.


    I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Follow me, please.¡± The manager pointed toward a car, and he opened the backseat door for her


    to get in. She felt much more rxed after entering the car. I should¡¯ve rejected this invitation from


    the start. I shouldn¡¯t havee.


    Anastasia managed to leave the event, but she had offended quite a few people that night. She


    hadn¡¯t just triggered Hayley; she had also infuriated Leah. Leah was going all around the ce


    while asking for information rted to Anastasia-she wanted to gather all the knowledge that she


    could find about Anastasia.


    Soon enough, one of thedy guests there told Leah that Anastasia was just a regr jewelry


    designer from a normal family. Anastasia wasn¡¯t the type of girl who could meet the standards of the


    Manson Family at all. This reinforced Leah¡¯s belief that she would eventually be the one to get


    married to Nigel. She wasn¡¯t about to let other girls snatch him away from her.


    Hayley, on the other hand, was trembling in rage. When she thought about how Anastasia and Elliot


    had made out with each other, she felt as if someone had stabbed her in the chest.


    Meanwhile, Harriet gazed at her grandson, Nigel, with a look of surprise. They were having a chat in


    one of the rooms. ¡°Did Anastasia really save your life, Nigel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I wouldn¡¯t be here today if it weren¡¯t for her, Grandma. That ident was too dangerous. I


    would have been blown into pieces if she hadn¡¯t dragged me out of the car,¡± Nigel replied in a firm


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 Chapter 134

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    Harriet instantly pressed her palm against her chest. ¡°Alright. You need to stop scaring me like that.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Grandma.¡± Nigel immediately went over to rub her back before smiling. ¡°Do you think


    Anastasia would make a good granddaughter-inw, Grandma?¡±


    Harriet let out a sigh in her heart. Us Presgraves will forever be indebted to the Tillmans.


    Anastasia¡¯s mother saved one of my grandsons, while Anastasia saved my other grandson. They¡¯ve


    done too much for us.


    ¡°Do you really like Anastasia, Nigel? What about her? Does she like you?¡± Harriet asked curiously.


    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ve been together for nearly two years now, and we¡¯re really close to each other,¡± he


    replied.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then of course I would support the idea of you going after Anastasia. You can get


    married to her and take good care of her son,¡± Harriet uttered.


    ¡°How did you know she has a son, Grandma?¡± Nigel was surprised.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about this in the future. Anyway, I just hope you get married to her, Nigel.¡± Harriet let out


    a heartyugh. It didn¡¯t matter which one of her grandsons got married to Anastasia because the


    Presgraves would take good care of Anastasia as long as she entered the family.


    Right then, one of the hotel staff members opened the door to lead a tall, handsome figure into the


    room. Elliot had arrived. The moment Nigel saw his cousin there, Nigel gave Harriet a firm pat on


    her shoulder. ¡°Thank you for your support, Grandma. I¡¯ll make sure to turn Anastasia into my wife


    and your granddaughter-inw,¡± he said in a loud voice.


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll be waiting to attend your wedding. Don¡¯t make me wait for too long!¡± Harriet replied.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Nigel promised. Then, he shed a smile in his love rival¡¯s direction. ¡°You should look


    forward to my wedding too, Elliot!¡± he uttered confidently. Elliot found a spot to sit down before


    sending a stern re in Nigel¡¯s direction. ¡°Say that again when she agrees to marry you.¡±


    ¡°She already said yes to my proposal,¡± Nigel replied arrogantly. You¡¯ll have to take a step back this


    time, Elliot!


    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news, Nigel.¡± Harriet patted Nigel on his shoulder while


    looking at him with joy-filled eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go look for Mom and Dad now, Grandma.¡± After finishing his words, Nigel gave Elliot a long,


    thoughtful stare before heading out of the room. Harriet turned to her other grandson while talking to


    him with a bright look in her eyes. ¡°I had no idea that Anastasia was the one who saved Nigel in the


    past, Elliot. Our family¡¯s fate is really tied to Anastasia. You should let her be with Nigel, Elliot! I told


    you to marry her in the past, but you didn¡¯t want to do it anyway.¡±


    Elliot lifted his teacup to sip some tea before replying. ¡°Okay,¡± he answered. ¡°Do you like Hayley?


    Do you want to marry her?¡± Harriet asked in a curious tone.


    ¡°No,¡± he answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, then. You can provide her with some materialpensation. Hayley¡¯s a little too


    maniptive. I don¡¯t really like her.¡± Harriet was straightforward with her words, and she had always


    been good at reading people.


    Elliot nodded, and Harriet let out another sigh. ¡°Anastasia¡¯s finally going to be a part of our family.


    I¡¯m so happy,¡± she said. If Harriet knew that both of her grandsons had fallen for Anastasia, perhaps


    she would¡¯ve felt a little more troubled.


    After about 30 minutes, Anastasia arrived home. She took a shower and changed into her pajamas.


    Francis had left by then, so she sat on the couch with Jared in herp, and they watched some


    Animal together. The time she spent with her son felt calm and peaceful, yet Anastasia found


    herself losing focus as she watched the show. All she could think about was the nasty stuff that


    Elliot had done to her that day. I can¡¯t believe he forcefully kissed me twice in one night. How


    unlucky can I get?


    ¡°Who are you thinking about, Mommy? Is it Mr. Presgrave or Mr. Manson?¡± Jared turned his head to


    stare at his mother. Anastasia immediately tried to exin herself. ¡°It¡¯s neither one of them! I¡¯m


    thinking about my work!¡±


    Anastasia was still thinking about Elliot even as she was trying to go to bed at night. I¡¯m so


    annoyed. He¡¯s upying my mind even when he¡¯s not by my side.


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    Chapter 135


    Anastasia was in high spirits as she sent her son off to school. After giving Jared a flying kiss, she


    hailed a cab to head to work. Once she arrived at the office, she put all of her focus into her work.


    She managed to reply to a few emails before going off for their morning meeting. Felicia had been


    rather pushy aboutunching new products for thepany, and the design department had to


    produce thetest designs that would help with their sales.


    During the meeting, Felicia praised Anastasia for her work as Anastasia¡¯s designs had received


    great feedback from the general public. Her designs were a good match for the market, and it was


    already the hit product in many stores. Even so, she took herpliments without being too


    arrogant about it.


    After that, Felicia made another announcement. ¡°The finance department just gave us a call. They


    told us that they will release the prize money a little earlier this time, so it¡¯ll probably be out by this


    afternoon. You guys should check your bank ount in a bit, Anastasia and Alice.¡±


    Alice turned her gaze toward Anastasia all of a sudden. There was an unfriendly look in her eyes.


    Anastasia noticed it, but she just ignored it as she didn¡¯t know what Alice was trying to do. After the


    meeting, Anastasia returned to the office. Soon enough, she heard the notification of her bank


    ount. She opened it to see seven zero¡¯s. Oh my god. I didn¡¯t expect the finance department to


    be so enthusiastic about handing out money. They deserve a huge thumbs up.


    Anastasia felt much more motivated to work after receiving the cash prize, and she finished three


    drafts all at once. She was even satisfied with all three of them. Right then, herndline began to


    ring. ¡°Hello?¡± She picked the call up.


    ¡°Hello? Is this Anastasia? I¡¯d like to tell you some inside news. Elliot was the one who arranged for


    you to win the prize. If you were relying on your own skills, you would¡¯ve gotten third ce at most.


    You¡¯d never get first ce with your standard.¡± Anastasia¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°Who


    are you? How do you know about this?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. What I¡¯m telling you is the truth. You only got this prize because of


    Elliot. He was the one who called the chairman of mypany. You can ask him if you don¡¯t believe


    what I¡¯m saying. Most of thepetition¡¯s judges as well as the organizingmittee know about


    this.¡± The man ended the call after that.


    Anastasia was still in a daze, but she could feel her face turning hot. She could hear her ears


    ringing as if someone had given her an invisible p. It¡¯s true. Elliot was the one who gave me this


    prize. I didn¡¯t truly deserve all of this cash. Her entire body felt like it was boiling, and she could feel


    her heart pounding harder than usual. She grabbed her phone and walked out of the office without


    any hesitation.


    Alice had been sitting by the window, and she spread her lips into a cold smirk when she saw


    Anastasia storming out of the office. Will she still im the cash prize for herself now? Alice thought.


    After what happened with Ben previously, Alice managed to contact him to ask for some inside


    news regarding the prize. Then, she contacted another one of the internal managers to help her


    make that call. Alice wouldn¡¯t allow Anastasia to be more recognized than she was-ideally,


    Alice wanted this whole incident to go viral so that Anastasia¡¯s name would be ruined.


    Anastasia took a deep breath after arriving at the elevator. She decided that she wouldn¡¯t take the


    money anymore. Even the trophy felt like a form of embarrassment to her. If Elliot¡¯s going to use


    such manners to thank me, I¡¯m not going to ept his good intentions at all.


    Once Anastasia got to the president¡¯s office, she knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± said a man¡¯s


    deep voice. She pushed the door open to find Elliot sitting in the office. It seemed like he was


    extremely busy because there were piles of documents covering his table.


    ¡°Were you the one who pulled strings for me to get the prize that I received? Tell me the truth.¡±


    Anastasia smacked both her hands on his desk as she tried her best to remain calm and rational


    about the situation.


    He took a long gaze at her, and he realized that he didn¡¯t have the ability to lie to her at that


    moment. So, he gave her a soft nod. ¡°Why did you do that? Were you trying to thank me? I don¡¯t


    need you to do that, Elliot. From now on, I don¡¯t need you to give me any special benefits in the


    company. I don¡¯t need you to get involved with anything that I do at all, okay?¡± She sounded like she


    was begging him by the end of her sentence. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    A rather stunned look surfaced on Elliot¡¯s face as he stared at her. All he had intended to do was to


    help her-he had never wanted to hurt her.

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    Chapter 136


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the finance department to take their funds back, and I¡¯ll return the trophy to the organizer. I


    don¡¯t need your generosity.¡± Anastasia turned to leave after finishing her words, but the man behind


    her stood up immediately. ¡°Wait,¡± he barked.


    Her body froze before she turned to look at him. ¡°Is anything else the matter, President Presgrave?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll not meddle with your work-rted stuff, but I would still like to care for you and Jared


    personally,¡± he uttered in a clear manner.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Thank you.¡± She rejected him firmly.


    ¡°What about Nigel? Would you take his help if he offered it to you?¡± Elliot shot her an angry re.


    ¡°He and I are friends, while I¡¯m just your subordinate at work. We¡¯re practically strangers if we don¡¯t


    work together,¡± Anastasia replied tly. She turned to leave once more. Strangers? Elliot took a


    while to digest her words. I don¡¯t want us just to be strangers. I finally have a clear understanding of


    my feelings toward her afterst night, and I¡¯m not about to let her go. I know that she didn¡¯t truly


    say yes to Nigel¡¯s proposal; Nigel doesn¡¯t even know about her past.


    Anastasia¡¯s past made it hard for her to be with any guy as her heart was protected by an invincible


    shield. Although his grandmother had told him to give up on her, he had just realized that it was too


    late at this point. He had fallen in too deep, and he couldn¡¯t tear himself away from this woman


    anymore.


    After that, Anastasia headed downstairs to meet Felicia. She told Felicia everything about the


    reward, but Felicia didn¡¯t seem too impressed. Is she an idiot? Felicia thought. Why would she want


    to let all of this go? Even if Elliot was the one who had gotten her this trophy and money, she should


    just appreciate her luck.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t want this money, and I don¡¯t want the trophy either,¡± Anastasia insisted.


    ¡°If you do this, your reputation will be ruined as well. Everyone will know about how you relied on


    connections to get your prize. Are you sure you want to sacrifice your reputation for this?¡± Felicia


    asked.


    ¡°Do I have a choice? The whole judge panel knows about this, and I feel like a joke to all of them.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    I¡¯d rather theyugh at me for one month than for the rest of my life,¡± she exined. Felicia didn¡¯t


    know what else to do, so she let out a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re the most stubborn person I know. Sure, I¡¯ll


    dly hand the trophy to someone else. I¡¯ll get this done for you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Felicia,¡± Anastasia uttered happily. After Anastasia returned to the office, she felt like


    she had juste back from war. Her entire body was sore. She sipped on some water and zoned


    out for a while. Right then, she noticed someone sending flowers to the front entrance of the office.


    Soon enough, Grace pushed the office door open with a smile on her face. ¡°The flowers are for you,


    Anastasia.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t need to think to know who had sent her the flowers. She eyed the rtively pricey


    blue roses as she felt a headache forming. She had no choice but to take them in. After bringing the


    flowers to her desk, she gave Nigel a call. ¡°Hey! Did you get the flowers? Do you like


    them?¡± Nigel asked with a smile.


    ¡°Stop sending me flowers, Nigel. I¡¯m serious. It affects my work.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to attract too


    much attention to herself.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I give you flowers?¡± He sounded rather hurt.


    ¡°We can keep in contact, and we can have meals together, but I just don¡¯t want you to send flowers,


    okay? It¡¯s a request,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Deal. I¡¯ll buy you lunch today, then. I¡¯m at the building opposite yourpany. I just started


    renovating my office,¡± Nigel exined with a smile.


    ¡°Fine! Let me buy this meal.¡± Anastasia was speechless. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see youter,¡± he replied.


    By 11.30AM, Nigel was already waiting by herpany¡¯s front door. When he was there, a ck


    car came to a halt in front of him, and Rey walked past him with a stack of folders in his arms. Rey


    walked over to greet Nigel when he saw Nigel¡¯s car.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Young Master Nigel,¡± Rey greeted.


    Nigel smiled. ¡°Are you here to drop off some documents?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah! President Presgrave is working here,¡± Rey replied.


    ¡°My cousin has a huge office, yet he insists on working in yourpany. I wonder why..?¡± Nigel


    asked in a thoughtful tone.


    i Rey pushed his sses up while smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t know the actual reason for this.¡±

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    ¡°Cool. You should go ahead, then. I¡¯ll be here waiting for my girlfriend to have lunch with me.¡± The


    two men waved goodbye. Rey had just walked into the office lobby when he saw Anastasia heading


    out with her bag. ¡°Are you going for lunch, Miss Tillman?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± She beamed at Rey.


    Rey took the elevator up to the eighth floor. When he saw Elliot sitting by the desk, he told Elliot


    about what he saw. ¡°I bumped into Young Master Nigel downstairs, President Presgrave. He came


    over to bring Miss Tillman out for lunch.¡±


    Elliot had been signing some papers, but one of his strokes turned crooked after he heard his


    assistant¡¯s words. He frowned as hepleted his signature.


    After Nigel and Anastasia got to the restaurant, Nigel told her about the renovation that was going


    on in his office. ¡°I prepared a space for you, Anastasia. In the future, you can always go over to my


    office if you need some inspiration at work. I¡¯ll make sure that the design of the ce is really trendy


    and aesthetic,¡± he said.


    Anastasia nearly spat her tea out of her mouth. She looked up and stared at him with a rather


    helpless expression on her face. ¡°Why did you prepare a room for me?¡± she cried.


    ¡°If you no longer want to be a designer in the future, you can just work with me. I¡¯ll give you a high-


    paying job.¡± Nigel was already nning for the future.


    ¡°Are you trying to headhunt me now? Designing is the only type of work I¡¯m capable of. I don¡¯t know


    how to do anything else.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no big deal. I just acquired a jewelry store, so you can always work there.¡± Nigel looked her


    in the eye for a moment before his eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s right! Why didn¡¯t I think of that earlier?¡±


    ¡°Stop being so stubborn, Young Master Nigel. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll even be able to remain as friends if


    you continue acting like this. I just want us to be friends I don¡¯t want you to give me anything else.¡±


    For the rest of their meal, Nigel continued to find ways to convince Anastasia to work at his


    company, and she got really frustrated by the end of it. After lunch, Anastasia got back to her office


    just in time to have Alice barge into her room with a cold smirk on her face. ¡°I heard you returned


    your trophy. The entirepany knows how you won thepetition now. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed


    to continue staying here?¡±


    Anastasia looked up at her. ¡°You were the one who got someone to call me this morning, right?¡±


    Alice hadn¡¯t expected Anastasia to be smart enough to realize this, but Alice didn¡¯t bother to hide


    anything. ¡°Ah, this world is truly filled with peoplecking both skill and intellect!¡± Alice let out a


    heartyugh.


    Anastasia felt her face turning red at the other woman¡¯s offensive words. ¡°We¡¯re still colleagues, so I


    don¡¯t want to argue with you. Please leave now.¡± Anastasia held the door open for Alice to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you leave thispany soon, Anastasia.¡± Alice wasn¡¯t afraid to reveal her true


    intentions. Anastasia responded with a sneer. ¡°We¡¯ll see if you have such skills,¡± she replied. Alice


    shot her a side re before she left.


    The more Anastasia thought about it, the angrier she felt. I might have gotten third ce if Elliot


    hadn¡¯t messed with this thing. Ah! How frustrating. She had been checking her drafts when Grace


    knocked on the door and came in with a girl behind her.


    The girl was dressed in all sorts of branded clothes and essories. ¡°This girl says she wants to


    see you, Miss Tillman,¡± Grace announced. Right after that, Grace scanned their visitor with a look of


    admiration in her eyes-the girl was carrying one of thetest models of a branded handbag!


    Anastasia eyed the girl with a look of surprise. She didn¡¯t know who the girl was at all, so she stood


    up out of courtesy. ¡°Hello. Can I know why you came to see me?¡±


    Leah scanned Anastasia¡¯s office for a while before her gazended on the blue roses that had been


    ced on a chair in the corner. A hint of jealousy shed in her eyes before she turned to stare at


    Anastasia with a haughty look. ¡°Let me introduce myself. My name is Leah Hart, and I¡¯m here to talk


    about your engagement with Nigel.¡±


    Anastasia immediately understood the situation. She isn¡¯t a guest. She¡¯s here to cause trouble.


    Before Anastasia could say anything, Leah took out a silver card before throwing it onto Anastasia¡¯s


    table. ¡°Here¡¯s 10 million. I want you to leave Nigel.¡±


    Anastasia froze as she stared at the silver card and the disdainful look in the woman¡¯s eyes. For


    some reason, Anastasia felt like she was being shamed and offended. She pushed the card back to


    the girl. ¡°I know you have a lot of money, Miss Hart. But I don¡¯t need this money.¡±


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    Leah curled her lips into an icy smirk. ¡°I¡¯ve asked around about you beforeing here today,


    Anastasia. You¡¯re just a regr jewelry designer and a single mother. You¡¯ll never be able to earn


    10 million even if you worked for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a money-minded person. You need to stop using your wealth to shame others. Take


    your money with you! If you like Nigel, that¡¯s between you and him. Don¡¯t drag me into. this.¡±


    Anastasia stood up as she didn¡¯t want the other woman to look down on her.


    Leah frowned as she took a good look at Anastasia. Although Anastasia was dressed in her work


    outfit, she still looked extremely pretty and youthful. She had the typical sexy but innocent look that


    most men fancied.


    ¡°I heard that you saved Nigel in the past, which is why I¡¯m being rtively nice to you. However, I


    also want you to know that Nigel¡¯s parents and mine have already made ns to matchmake Nigel


    and me. You won¡¯t be able to stop us, so you should just step back for your own good.¡± A confident


    look surfaced in Leah¡¯s eyes as she spread her red lips into a scornful smirk.


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t sure if what Leah was doing was considered nice since Leah had used her money


    to shame her the moment Leah entered her room. She was mocking me from the moment she


    walked in. Even if I don¡¯t get married to Nigel, I wouldn¡¯t want him to marry a woman like her,


    Anastasia thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m really busy, Miss Hart. You can leave now if you have nothing else to say.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to waste time with her as there wasn¡¯t a point in doing so.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Leah felt anger boiling in her. Why isn¡¯t Anastasia taking this seriously? Isn¡¯t my wealth and


    status enough to make her afraid of me?


    ¡°How rich and powerful you are is your business, Miss Hart. I believe in a society governed byws


    where all people are equal. You¡¯re not above nor below me, so you have no right to use your money


    to mess with my life.¡± Anastasia made a firm statement.


    Leah was speechless once more. ¡°You¡­ You must have lived under a rock this whole time,


    Anastasia. That¡¯s not how the world runs.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s expression darkened once more. ¡°If you wish to talk about how smart you are, please


    do it somewhere else. Stop disturbing my work.¡±


    Shame spread across Leah¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t know how to deal with Anastasia since Anastasia


    didn¡¯t seem threatened by her at all. ¡°Leave Nigel, or I¡¯ll do something bad to you.¡± Leah pressed


    her hands on the table as she gave Anastasia a malicious re.


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t afraid and simply stood up to speak to her from the same eye level. ¡°You seem


    pretty confident, Miss Hart. Why don¡¯t you tell me once you win Nigel¡¯s heart? You seem pretty


    confident, anyway. There¡¯s no point in threatening me now.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Leah¡¯s face turned red as Anastasia walked to the door and opened it for her. ¡°Here you go,


    Miss Hart.¡±


    Leah red at Anastasia once more before she charged out and mmed the door behind her.


    Anastasia let out a long sigh-she finally understood what Elliot meant when theyst spoke at the


    dinner party. Elliot had told her to stay away from Nigel, as he had said that she would offend other


    people if she didn¡¯t do so. It seems like I just offended one of those people. Why did I go to that


    party at all? None of this would happen if I didn¡¯t go to the event.


    Anastasia had just returned to her seat when her phone rang. It was a call from her father. ¡°Hey,


    Dad.¡±


    ¡°Are you free, Anastasia? I want you to go somewhere with me,¡± Francis said.


    ¡°Is it something important, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Um, it¡¯ll be helpful when you manage apany in the future. I¡¯m reaching your office in a while.


    You should take the rest of the day off ande with me!¡± he ordered firmly.


    ¡°But Dad, I.¡± she protested.


    ¡°This is a good opportunity, Anastasia. I don¡¯t want you to miss out on this. Come down!¡± he said.


    again.


    She took a look at the time. It was 2.50PM, and she had just sent her drafts to Felicia, so she didn¡¯t


    have much left to do. Eventually, she gave Felicia a call. ¡°I¡¯d like to take the rest of the day off,


    Felicia.¡±


    After applying for her half-day off, she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs.


    Meanwhile, Rey looked at the man who was screening through documents in the president¡¯s office.


    ¡°President Presgrave, Mr. Lehmann took over the presidential role this time, but he seems to have


    his own contact when ites to building materials. I think you might need to go there to greet


    them on your own.¡±


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    Elliot shut his files and nced at the clock. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Anastasia questioned her father the moment she got in his car. ¡°What¡¯s this important thing you¡¯re


    talking about, Dad? Why do you need me to be there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing you to an auction. Ourpany hopes to acquire one of the projects being offered. At


    the same time, I also want you to observe the process so that you know how it works when you take


    over thepany.¡±


    Anastasia blinked. Isn¡¯t he nning a little too far ahead into the future? ¡°You¡¯re still young, Dad. It¡¯ll


    be at least another ten years before I take over anything!¡± She let out an exasperatedugh.


    ¡°I just wanted to have you prepared a little earlier so that you wouldn¡¯t be too confused when you


    actually take over thepany. I really want you to understand this industry.¡± Francis was a man


    with foresight. Furthermore, he had been feeling weaker in recent days-he had to admit that he was


    growing old


    Anastasia had no choice but to go along with her father¡¯s ns since it was what he wanted her to


    do. The auction was a grand event held in somepany, and Francis led Anastasia over to meet


    up with his assistant before they entered the hall together. They all found seats toward the back of


    the room, and Anastasia watched as more people walked in. This seems like a really huge auction.


    Will Dad¡¯spany get a chance?


    She held a water bottle up and sipped on her drink while ncing at her surroundings. She was


    rtively curious about her surroundings, and she nced around the room for a while before her


    gazended on two people who were entering the room. Anastasia was close to spitting her drink


    out on the person in front of her, but she shut her lips just in time to swallow the liquid in her mouth.


    It wasn¡¯t just big bosses with huge bellies who were entering the room-there were also people of


    other shapes and sizes. The two men who had just walked in, for example, hadnky and tall


    figures that gave off a different aura. It was Elliot and Rey. Both of them were dressed in suits, and


    their sharp appearances had a huge impact on everyone who was ncing around the room.


    Anastasia would¡¯ve never expected to bump into Elliot in such a noisy and crowded ce. Is he


    here for the auction too? She watched him as he slithered through the crowd. He hadn¡¯t noticed her


    at all, and he simply followed Rey over to take seats at lower tiers of the hall. In the end, Elliot got


    seats in the front row-Anastasia watched as he sat down beside a severely balding man. They


    looked like they were discussing something.


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t stop herself from standing up in curiosity. However, Francis tapped her on the


    shoulder. ¡°Sit down, Anastasia. The meeting is starting soon.¡±


    If Elliot is here for the auction, then the rest of the bosses can just take a break, she thought. Do


    they still have a reason to be here? Dad¡¯spany won¡¯t stand much of a chance either. But after a


    few minutes, Anastasia saw Elliot standing up. By staring at his back, she could tell that he was


    fixing his suit. Rey stood up beside him, and they both shook hands with the bald man beside them


    as they continued chatting for a while. The bald man reached his hand out to send them off-he


    looked as if he were sending gods off to heaven.


    Perhaps Anastasia had been staring at the man for too long, for the man suddenly looked up. Both


    of them exchanged nces, and the man froze instantly. He narrowed his eyes to stare at her-he


    hadn¡¯t expected to see her in a ce like this either. Things made a little more sense when he saw


    her father beside her.


    Anastasia and Elliot gazed at each other for a while more-one of them had eyes full of curiosity


    while the other one had a rather cryptic look.


    Elliot suddenly decided to stay and turned to address Rey. ¡°Find us a spot to sit,¡± he ordered. After


    that, Elliot walked over to the seats one row above where Anastasia was standing. When Rey saw


    Anastasia, he gave her a friendly wave, and she smiled back at him.


    As she turned around, she found herself staring at the familiar face of a man who had just sat down.


    Since Anastasia¡¯s father was around, she couldn¡¯t really say much to Elliot. Furthermore, the


    auction was about to begin.


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    On the other hand, Anastasia never thought about what the person on stage was saying. She


    instead wanted to ask Elliot what he was doing here, but with her father there, she had no way of


    chatting with Elliot.


    ¡°Do we have hope, Dad?¡± she asked her father softly.


    Francis shook his head in reply. ¡°Beats me.¡±


    At any rate, hispany was also participating in the bid. While it wasn¡¯t clear whether they had


    any chance to win, Lady Luck was recently smiling on him. Every time he felt like there was no


    hope, hispany would ultimately be chosen.


    It meant that Francis had to give it a try, no matter what.


    Meanwhile, Elliot was staring at the long, flowing hair that covered the woman¡¯s attractive back.


    The persistent gaze on the back of her head made Anastasia feel extremely ufortable.


    There were four projects up for bidding today and the one that Francis had his eye on was the


    second one. After thepany that won the first bid was announced, the second bid quickly


    followed and he couldn¡¯t help clenching his fists in anticipation. Upon hearing the name of her


    father¡¯spany among the bidders for the second project, Anastasia had also tensed up as she


    hoped that her father would win the bid.


    On second thought, she shouldn¡¯t have too much hope.


    ¡°After extensive investigation andprehensive consideration, we have decided to award the bid


    for this magnificent project to the followingpany-Tillman Constructions! Congrattions!¡± the


    host onstage announced loudly.


    As Anastasia¡¯s head spun, Francis pped his thighs. ¡°We got it!¡±


    Sure enough, his luck was fantastic!


    On the other hand, she could see several conflicted, incredulous, and even unreadable nces


    aimed at them.


    At this moment, someone in front of them harrumphed loudly, ¡°How could such a smallpany


    win such arge bid? They must have used their connections to get someone strong to back them


    up!¡±


    As Francis¡¯ expression turned ugly, Anastasia had to swallow her resentment on her father¡¯s behalf


    as well. What was that person talking about?!


    ¡°Look at how good my luck has been recently, Anastasia. We have won the tender for such arge


    project!¡± Francis happily told her.


    Anastasia was happy for her father as well, but it was at that moment when her mind screeched to a


    halt as she couldn¡¯t help looking over her shoulder at Elliot.


    Elliot coincidentally met her gaze while she stared at him curiously, doubtfully, and with


    surprise. After ncing at her, he stood up and walked away with Rey following behind him.


    By that point, Anastasia¡¯s spection was much clearer as she hurriedly stood up and left the room


    through a side door, after which she jogged toward the main entrance.


    In the lobby, Elliot was quickly heading off with Rey. Making a mad dash after them, Anastasia


    stopped at the lobby doors and reached out to block their path of retreat.


    ¡°Was it you, Elliot?¡± she questioned loudly. ¡°Did my dad win the bid because of you?¡±


    Her mind was buzzing. Why does this man show up everywhere? Why does everything have to do


    with him?


    Staring indifferently at her, he answered, ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Why did youe to the bid, then?¡± Anastasia persisted.


    ¡°I have no need to exin myself to you.¡± Elliot narrowed his eyes like he was looking at a stranger.


    ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? My father¡¯spany wouldn¡¯t be strong enough to win the bid otherwise! Tell


    me whether it was you!¡± There was only one answer that Anastasia wanted.


    ¡°Please stop making things difficult for President Presgrave, Miss Elliot.¡± Rey was finding it difficult


    to watch the interaction.


    ¡°What are you hiding? Why don¡¯t you dare to tell the truth?¡± With bright eyes, Anastasia red at


    Elliot, not letting him go. ¡°I don¡¯t need your interference with my family matters, Elliot Presgrave.


    Don¡¯t you understand that?¡± She was truly shocked. How could it be so difficult for her to refuse his


    repayment?


    Rey suddenly interrupted, ¡°Your father¡¯spany wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive all these


    years without the help of President Presgrave, Miss Tillman.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Elliot warned Rey.


    Nevertheless, Anastasia lost all of her strength to fight. Did that mean that Tillman Constructions


    had always needed Elliot¡¯s help? Did that also mean that the expansion of Tillman Constructions in


    these few short years was not because of her father¡¯s luck and hard work, but because there had


    always been someone aiding Francis behind the scenes?


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    Elliot was not only repaying her but her father-for several years now, to boot.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t me President Presgrave anymore, Miss Tillman. He hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.


    He¡¯s been taking care of your father all these years.¡± Since Rey was the one to witness everything


    all these years, he only wanted to speak up on his boss¡¯ behalf in the face of Anastasia¡¯s


    questioning.


    At this moment, Elliot stared silently as the color drained out of Anastasia¡¯s face. He wanted to say


    something but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should have done,¡± he finally uttered before leaving with Rey.


    As Anastasia stood there with her mind nk, Francis emerged excitedly with the employees whom


    he had brought along. ¡°What are you doing here, Anastasia? We can leave now. Let¡¯s pick Jared up


    and head out for a celebration dinner this evening.¡± Naturally, he didn¡¯t know who had helped him


    win the bid.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    ¡°You see how strong mypany is! This undertaking will solve many of my worries. Our


    operations have not been smooth-sailingtely and I¡¯ve just been waiting to be rescued by this


    project!¡±


    Hearing her father say that, she swallowed everything that she had been about to tell him.


    How could she possibly tell her father that Elliot had been the one helping him all these years? This


    was a kindness that her mother had had to sacrifice her life for!


    Even though Francis wanted to celebrate, Anastasia used having to pick her son up as an excuse


    not to tag along since she couldn¡¯t face her father¡¯s appreciation.


    To think that Elliot managed to win the project for her father with a single word, only for her father to


    think his luck was good.


    Ah! Thinking about it made Anastasia¡¯s head want to explode.


    In the evening, she dined outside with Jared since she was toozy to cook at home. As the little


    boy ate, he suddenly asked inquisitively, ¡°When will you invite Mr. Presgrave to eat with us,


    Mommy? I miss him!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s heart stopped and she hurried to exin, ¡°He¡¯s busy. Extremely busy. You won¡¯t be able


    to see him soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Jared pouted. As he continued to eat, he thought about Elliot.


    While he didn¡¯t know where this longing wasing from, he truly missed Elliot very much; it was


    perhaps because many of his friends had been picked up by their fathers today.


    On the way home after dinner, Anastasia fretted over what she had learned. She couldn¡¯t decide


    whether to tell her father about Elliot helping him or continue to let him be clueless.


    Not long after she arrived home, she received a phone call from Francis and reached out to answer.


    ¡°Hi, Dad. Are you all still celebrating?¡±


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m upset, Anastasia. Naomi just told me that she took over 2 million from the house for Erica to


    use as a down payment. That was all the cash we had at home!¡± Very rarely did he disclose his


    worries to her, but he had no one else to go to at that moment.


    Instantly, Anastasia felt a pang of heartache. Her father had just spent 8 million on an apartment for


    her and here was Naomi, spending 2 million on her own daughter. Just like that, the burden on her


    father¡¯s shoulders had be heavier.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that I won the bid today, or I wouldn¡¯t know what else to do. I have to get back to


    work now, Anastasia. Take good care of Jared, okay? I¡¯ll go and visit you both when I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t work too hard, Dad. Remember to get some rest.¡± After hearing her dad hang up


    the phone, Anastasia suddenly thought about how useless she was. If she had only worked harder,


    she wouldn¡¯t have needed her father to purchase a ce for her to live.


    Tillman Residence.


    Erica was extremely happy. Now, she had her own ce to stay as well-a deluxe apartment worth 8


    million. As her mother had said, she needed to have whatever Anastasia had as well.


    Although Erica was paying by installment, the apartment was still under her name at the end of the


    day and her mother would be the one repaying the loan in the future using funds from her father¡¯s


    pocket. Erica herself didn¡¯t need to pay for anything.


    The only reason why she stayed out of Anastasia¡¯s way during this period was that she and herThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    mother had been looking for apartments.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia tossed and turned for the whole night. When she slept, she dreamed of her


    mother, who gravely warned her not to ept any repayment from the Presgraves.

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    In her dreams, Anastasia gave her mother her word. By the time she opened her eyes again, it was


    already dawn.


    As she went to the front of a mirror, she saw that her slightly swollen eyes had turned visibly more


    haggard.


    After dropping her son off at school, she went to work. The moment she entered the elevator, two


    women in front of her intentionally spoke in loud voices. ¡°Hey! Wasn¡¯t there a trophy in the disy


    case before? Why is it missing?¡±


    ¡°I heard that it was returned. It was awarded under pretenses so great that someone felt too


    ashamed to ept it!¡±


    ¡°My, if it were me, I wouldn¡¯t even leave the house, let alonee to work!¡¯


    ¡°Would you both like a loudspeaker so that you can make yourselves heard?¡± Anastasia asked


    them.


    Both of them nced at her. ¡°Ah, Miss Tillman, we didn¡¯t say who we were talking about! Are you


    admitting it was you?¡±


    e talking about someone else. Don¡¯t misunderstand us now. Miss Tillman.¡±


    It was at that moment when the elevator stopped at the level of the Department of Design. As


    Anastasia moved to step out of the elevator, one of the women suddenly stuck a foot out and nearly


    tripped her. She then turned back to angrily re at the woman.


    ¡°My apologies, Miss Tillman,¡± the woman apologized in a fake manner despite having clearly done it


    on purpose.


    After huffing, Anastasia walked to her office. Grace had already tidied it up for her and even poured


    her a cup of coffee.


    At ten in the morning, Felicia held a department meeting.


    A somewhat listless Anastasia took her seat and yed with her pen. The noisy conference room


    suddenly became so quiet that she could have heard a pin drop.


    As she jerked her head up, she saw Elliot¡¯s tall, handsome figureing in through the conferenceContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    room door. He hadn¡¯t been to the meetings in several days and she had no idea why he was here


    now.


    Nheless, she lowered her head down again in her reluctance to pay any attention to him.


    As he pulled out a chair and sat down next to Anastasia, Felicia greeted respectfully, ¡°Good


    morning, President Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Elliot uttered in a low voice as he looked at the woman next to him. Anastasia looked


    like she had a lot on her mind.


    Then, Felicia suddenly called her name. ¡°Anastasia.¡±


    Buried deep in her own thoughts, Anastasia failed to respond and everyone stared at her in


    astonishment. How bold she had to be to space out sopletely even with Elliot sitting next to


    her!


    ¡°Anastasia, do you hear me?¡± Felicia raised her voice.


    Abruptly, Anastasia came back to her senses and realized that she was being called. She quickly¡ª


    nodded. ¡°Oh! Please proceed, Director Evans.¡±


    ¡°We just received a private custom order. The client has expressly asked for you to design her a set


    of jewelry. You should be fine with that, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Since Anastasiacked money at the moment, she didn¡¯t hesitate to nod. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Meanwhile, seated opposite Anastasia was Alice, who kept lowering the cor of her blouse in such


    a manner that her blouse was bing out of shape. With intent, she directed her cleavage toward


    Elliot.


    Naturally being able to see what the woman was doing, Anastasia propped her chin up with a hand


    and sneered at Alice. ¡°You better stop tugging or your blouse will tear.¡±


    A furiously blushing Alice nced at Elliot before ring at Anastasia.


    Even Felicia coughed lightly with embarrassment. ¡°Behave yourselves.¡±


    Since what Alice had been doing was only meant for Elliot¡¯s eyes, she hadn¡¯t expected Anastasia to


    expose her so directly.


    potrebne


    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to add?¡± Felicia now looked at Elliot.


    ¡°Anastasia Tillman, stay behind. Everyone else, leave,¡± Elliot ordered quietly.


    Once again, Anastasia received a wave of envious, resentful nces, yet she had no choice but to


    remain in her seat as Felicia dismissed everyone else and closed the door after them.


    ¡°Please stop interfering with my dad¡¯s business in the future. That said, I¡¯m d for the help you¡¯ve


    offered him in the past.¡± She looked earnestly up at Elliot. No matter what, she had to thank him.


    ¡°I¡¯m only doing what I should have done, Anastasia. You don¡¯t need to feel guilty.¡± He stared at her


    deeply.


    ¡°No, my father owes you, and I¡¯ll pay you back on his behalf from now on.¡± Since she still didn¡¯t


    want her father to know about this, she would have to pay Elliot back on his behalf.

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    Narrowing his eyes, Elliot asked in a clear, curious voice, ¡°How do you intend to pay me back?¡± In a


    lower voice, he continued with hope, ¡°Will you agree to marry me so that my helping your father will


    be nothing more than assisting my future father-inw?¡±


    It was enough to cause Anastasia to suck in a breath of air. What a ridiculous idea! ¡°I can¡¯t marry


    you. Please give me another request!¡± She turned her chair away and began doodling in her


    notebook


    His expression sank at that. Did she find him so unlikeable?


    ¡°Give me something I can fulfill,¡± she reminded him since she had no way of promising him


    something she couldn¡¯t fulfill.


    As Elliot stared at her delicate side profile, he suddenly rxed. Sometimes, the process was more


    enjoyable than the result. ¡°Alright, then. From today onward, I¡¯ll eat over at your ce.¡± It was


    something that he believed she could do.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyebrows drew together. While this request wasn¡¯t necessarily over the line, it still made


    things difficult for her.


    Dinner at her ce? She supposed that it was quite a good method of repayment since she had no


    money to repay him with and he also didn¡¯t need any money.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not willing, that¡¯s fine since I¡¯m helping your father as a repayment to your mother,


    anyway.¡± Seeing that she wasn¡¯t saying anything, Elliot stood up and made to leave.


    Instantly, Anastasia whipped her head around to agree. ¡°Alright, you can eat at my ce, but you


    must promise that you¡¯ll behave yourself and not make any moves on me.¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in women,¡± he lied with a straight face.


    Struck dumb by his boldness, she gaped at him. No interest in women? Had he forgotten the time


    he forced his kisses on her?


    Nevertheless, if she could repay him for the help he gave her father by doing this, she would feel


    better.


    ¡°Fine, consider it a measure of trust,¡± she finally said before getting up and pushing open the


    conference room door to leave.


    ¡°From tonight onward,¡± he spoke up softly behind her.


    Without turning back, she answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After returning to her office, Anastasia rested her head on her hands. What a headache! Did that


    mean she would have to greet him with a table full of food from now on whenever he wanted to eat


    at her ce?


    Yet, inparison to the help he offered her father, this was a rtively light repayment.


    Well, she would have to put up with it. Really, it was no different from cooking for one more person.


    Right then, Grace knocked on the door and entered with a document folder. ¡°This is the client


    information that Director Evans has sent over, Miss Tillman. Have a look!¡±


    Anastasia obliged by reaching out to ept the document folder. As she flipped it open to the first


    page, her eyes widened. How could it be her?


    Her client was none other than Leah Hart, as detailed in the information folder. It listed Leah¡¯s family


    background, educational background, and even the fact that she was the daughter of the first


    domestic catering giant.


    To Anastasia, it was obvious that Leah was here to cause trouble. Their previous unhappy ending


    had no doubt resulted in Leah looking for other ways to make things difficult for her.


    Right then, Felicia called to urge Anastasia. ¡°Get in contact with the client as soon as possible,


    Anastasia. She must have chosen us because she believed in your ability, so we can¡¯t let her


    down.¡±


    Anastasiaughed bitterly in her heart. No matter how warmly she had received Leah, she might


    not necessarily be able to see the order through.


    Nevertheless, she still answered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll immediately contact her.¡±


    Then, Anastasia picked up her cell phone, found the correct number, and dialed it.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± azy voice asked at the other end of the line.


    ¡°Good morning. I¡¯m Anastasia Tillman, a designer from Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier. I¡¯d like to ask


    when you would like to meet to discuss the design direction of your jewelry, Miss Hart.¡±


    ¡°Oh! How about tomorrow morning? You must get ready for everything you need and not let me


    down!¡± Leah¡¯s final sentence had a smug undertone.


    ¡°Of course. Shall I choose the meeting ce?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll contact you. You cane over when the timees!¡± With that, Leah hung up.


    And just like that, Anastasia was left with no choice but to follow the protocol. Tomorrow, she would


    meet Leah and see what on earth the other woman was up to.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 144


    As the end of the workday finally approached, Anastasia¡¯s office phone rang and she reached out to


    answer the call. ¡°Good evening.¡±


    ¡°Meet me at the parking lot in 10 minutes,¡± Elliot instructed her concisely before hanging up.


    She stared at the phone in speechlessness. Never did she think she would be heading home in his


    car!


    Nevertheless, given that her only other option was to take a cab, she might as well save her money


    by carpooling with him instead.


    And so, 10 minutester, Anastasia picked up her purse and sprinted to the car park where the


    ck sedan was already waiting for her.


    After Anastasia pulled open the passenger¡¯s side door and climbed in, Elliot zoomed off toward the


    garage exit. ¡°We¡¯ll pick Jared up first and stop by the grocery store for some ingredients before


    going home,¡± he instructed.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she answered. It wasn¡¯t like she had the confidence to say otherwise, anyway¡ªif Elliot was


    the only reason why her father was sessful, what ce was there for her opinion?


    The only thing she could do was try her best to repay Elliot.


    ¡°There have been major issues with your father¡¯spany funds recently,¡± he told her as he


    elegantly turned the steering wheel while keeping his eyes on the road. ¡°If he didn¡¯t have this project


    to save him, he would need to ask a lot of people for help.¡±


    At that, Anastasia¡¯s heart clenched. Of course she already knew her father undertaking this


    company meant he would need to make requests from a lot of people.


    Yet, a single word from Elliot had saved her father from such dire straits and kept her father from


    needing to humble himself in front of others.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said from the bottom of her heart as she nced sincerely at Elliot.


    ¡°I barely had to lift a finger.¡± Elliot raised his eyebrow slightly.


    Such was the charm of power. Where others had to beg, he only had to say a single sentence.


    ¡°At any rate, I¡¯m very grateful that you helped my dad out.¡±


    ¡°Therger Tillman Constructions grows, the more projects he will need to keep it alive. Don¡¯t worry,


    I won¡¯t let anything happen to it.¡± Elliot¡¯s voice was low, powerful, and mesmerizing in the car.


    Anastasia stopped breathing. Did that mean he would continue to help her father? And that Francis


    would always need his help?


    No-the debt of gratitude she owed him would only snowball by then. How was she going to repay


    him in the future?


    Yet, the current size of Tillman Constructions would indeed require continuous projects to maintain.


    Once funds were cut off, it would suffer huge losses and Francis would be subject to endless


    pressure and anxiety.


    Given his age, she was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the pressure.


    Meanwhile, ncing at the silent woman next to him and knowing he had stressed her out, Elliot


    said lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. I won¡¯t ask too much of you.¡±


    As if that was what she was worried about! Lifting her head, Anastasia said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to ask


    my dad to work hard to get his own projects in the future. We won¡¯t need your help anymore.¡±


    Elliot smiled. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Of course Anastasia wasn¡¯t sure. She knew nothing about her father¡¯spany.


    ¡°You will be the one to take over your father¡¯spany in the future, won¡¯t you?¡± Elliot guessed


    correctly in a single sentence.


    She ignored him in speechlessness. She would only think about it when the time came. Who knew


    whether she would end up selling thepany when it came into her hands by then?


    At the school gates.


    After Anastasia went inside to pick up her son, Elliot sat in the car and stared unwaveringly at the


    school gates. He felt just like a father waiting for his son.


    Since he hadn¡¯t seen Jared in a few days, he missed Jared quite a lot, just like he would if Jared


    were actually his son.


    Not long after that, he saw the heartwarming scene of the mother and son emerging from the school


    gates. The woman was slender and beautiful; the child, sensible and adorable. It was a sight for


    sore eyes.


    At that juncture, he pushed open the car door and stepped out. The moment Jared saw him, the


    little boy released his mother¡¯s hand and sprinted toward Elliot, shouting excitedly, ¡°Mr. Presgrave!


    Mr. Presgrave!¡±


    A speechless Anastasia stared at her son. Why on earth did Jared like Elliot so much?


    Meanwhile, Elliot reached down and carried Jared up. Seated in the crook of his strong arms, the


    little boy smiled happily. To Jared, there was nothing more he yearned for than a strong and


    domineering father and Elliot satisfied everything he imagined a father to be.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

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    Chapter 145


    ¡°Get in. We¡¯re going to the grocery store.¡± As Elliot ced Jared at the backseat, it suddenly


    urred to him that he would need to get a child safety seat installed so that it would be easier for


    him to pick Jared up in the future.


    After the three of them returned to the car, they went to a nearbymercial area where they had


    plenty of time to stop since it was still rather early.


    While they were inside the grocery store, Jared sat on the cart that was pushed around by Elliot


    while Anastasia was in charge of selecting ingredients for that evening¡¯s dinner. Feeling somewhat


    gluttonous tonight, she picked up some pork, shrimp, and a few kinds of vegetables.


    ¡°My! What a beautiful family!¡± someone suddenlymented as Anastasia was choosing


    vegetables. When she turned her head, she saw two young women standing nearby and staring at


    them.


    The moment Anastasia turned to look at them, they scuttled away in embarrassment as they had


    been caught in the act.


    When Anastasia nced back at Elliot and her son, she understood why those two young women


    had misunderstood. They looked very much like a family of three on a shopping trip indeed!


    She quickly finished grabbing the vegetables and said to the man pushing the cart behind her, ¡°Let¡¯s


    go. I¡¯m done.¡±


    Of course Elliot¡¯s eyes had caught everything as well and it made the corners of his mouth lift. To


    him, it was a happy feeling.


    After they finished shopping, he drove all the way to the entrance of her neighborhood and parked.


    As soon as she gathered the bags of ingredients she had bought, he took them from her while


    saying, ¡°I can carry them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not heavy. It¡¯s fine.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want him to lend a hand.


    However, he stubbornly snatched them from her; his action prompted her to nce speechlessly at


    her son, who was also happy to have Elliot hold his hand.


    Now that she was somewhat embarrassed, she strode off quickly to maintain her distance fromContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    them so that the neighbors wouldn¡¯t think they were a family.


    ¡°Mommy, wait for us!¡± Jared shouted behind her.


    Anastasia could only wait for them in a disconcerted manner.


    When they finally arrived home, she let out a sigh of relief and took the bags from Elliot before


    heading into the kitchen. Some foods, like the pork, required a little more time to cook and she


    would need to prepare it beforehand.


    ¡°Entertain our guest, Jared,¡± she instructed her son as she left the kitchen to grab something.


    A somewhat befuddled Jared nodded and looked up at Elliot. To him, Elliot was not a guest but


    something of a family member.


    Elliot stroked Jared¡¯s hair with a grin. ¡°I can entertain myself.¡±


    Meanwhile, Anastasia began to busy herself in the kitchen. Since she had spent so many years


    cooking for her son, she hadpletely mastered her way around the kitchen. Moreover, to cater to


    her son¡¯s taste, she had even spent many years looking up recipes and studying the concept of


    heat distribution. That meant she was quite adept at home cooking.


    Since the pork was for herself, she added more spice and seasonings; for her son, she made do


    with some vegetables on top of the steamed egg custard with shrimp. Both dishes would be enough


    for him.


    As she entered and exited the kitchen on asion, she would see Elliot watching television with her


    son at one point and ying with Jared in his room at another. It was turning out not to be an


    entirely bad thing to have Elliot in her home. At the very least, he could keep her sonpany.


    Sometimes, what Anastasia feared most was that she and her son hadcked a man¡¯s influence in


    their lives.


    Now that Elliot was there to apany Jared, she found that it was a good thing.


    Dinner was finally served and she knocked on her son¡¯s door after untying her apron. ¡°Time for


    dinner.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Jared toe sprinting out and exim upon seeing the food on the table, ¡°It¡¯s


    all of my favorite dishes!¡±


    At this point, Elliot also took a seat. Jared had loved egg custard so much that he was digging into it


    with great gusto, which left Elliot unable to resist the adorable sight of the little boy eating so


    earnestly.


    Now, he had also discovered that Anastasia was excellent at cooking. The pork that she prepared


    was just soft enough; it was fatty but not greasy and although it was a tad bit too spicy for him, it


    wasn¡¯t as if he couldn¡¯t take one bite after another.


    It was incredibly appetizing. Although Anastasia had prepared some rice to go with the pork, she


    didn¡¯t eat much as she was afraid of gaining weight. Instead, she slowly and patiently chewed


    before swallowing her share. On the other hand, although Elliot was equally elegant, he kept


    heading into the kitchen for more servings of rice.

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    As Anastasia watched more of the pork disappear, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of


    aplishment


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, is the food that my mommy prepared delicious?¡± Jared asked inquisitively.


    ¡°It is. It¡¯s exceptional,¡± Elliot couldn¡¯t help praising and even nced at Anastasia.


    With a light cough, she advised, ¡°You should have more if you like it.¡±


    ¡°You have no more rice left,¡± he grumbled.


    A speechless Anastasia stared at him. Just how many servings of rice have you eaten?


    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll make more rice in the future. I miscalcted today,¡± she answered awkwardly.


    At this moment, he ced his cutlery down and let out a burp, which nearly caused her to burst out


    laughing. How could he imply he hadn¡¯t had enough when he was so full that he was burping?


    He had even covered his mouth before walking over to a ss that he spied on the shelf next to it


    before immediately drinking the water inside,


    ¡°That¡¯s mine!¡± Anastasia eximed immediately.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any problem with that.¡± Elliot gave a cheeky smile as he drank.


    ¡°But I do!¡± she eximed with annoyance.


    His grin turned even more roguish. ¡°Well, that makes me want to drink from it even more.¡±


    Anastasia was once again rendered speechless. In her heart, she had made up her mind to grab


    him some daily necessities, such as sses, if he would be eating at her ce for the next year


    too.


    After that, Anastasia got up to tidy the table. As she was washing the dishes, Jared shouted from


    the door, ¡°I¡¯m going for a stroll with Mr. Presgrave, Mommy! Will youe downter?¡±


    Turning her head, she shouted in response, ¡°Sure! You guys go ahead!¡±


    Jared happily went downstairs for a stroll with his hand in Elliot¡¯s. This was the first time where


    Anastasia felt safe about handing her son over to a man who wasn¡¯t Francis or Nigel.


    In truth, she was somewhat surprised at herself. When had she assimted this man into her life so


    seamlessly?


    Ah! Sure enough, some things couldn¡¯t be stopped. Even as she was saying that she would never


    have any kind of a rtionship with him, their lives had entangled together without her even


    realizing it.


    After Anastasia had finished tidying up the kitchen, she took the trash out and went downstairs, The


    greenery and facilities in her neighborhood were excellent, which encouraged many parents


    and children to stroll about in the evenings. After tossing the trash into the garbage bin, she went to


    look for Elliot and her son.


    The lights in this neighborhood weren¡¯t exceptionally bright, but they were instead dim enough to


    create a stylish contrast against the greenery.


    As she carefully studied the surroundings of thezy chair, she suddenly heard a familiar voice


    coming from the fitness area. Even though it was somewhat far away, she could tell that it was the


    sound of Jared¡¯sughter.


    However, her heart stopped. It had been a long time since she heard her sonughing so happily.


    She immediately turned around only to see beneath themplight that Elliot was with her son at the


    monkey bars. The little boy was holding onto a bar and dangling in mid-air, and although Elliot had


    released his grip, he was still standing protectively by Jared¡¯s side.


    When Jared¡¯s arms grew weak and he was about to fall, Elliot caught hold of him, which caused the


    little boy tough raucously again. ¡°More, Mr. Presgrave!¡±


    Standing not far away, Anastasia watched without going over to disturb them. In truth, the scene


    where Elliot and Jared yed together had indeed reminded her of a father and son.


    Her son looked very much like Elliot.


    When he saw Jared¡¯s insistence on staying at the monkey bars, Elliot patiently apanied him


    and sometimes even softlyughed.


    Elliot looked tall and straight as he stood underneath themplight with Jared. His sleeves were


    rolled up and exposed his muscr arms while his pants illustrated the strong, firm lines of his hips


    and legs. There was something mesmerizing about him.


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t help stealing a few looks before she finally decided that it waste and they


    shouldn¡¯t take any more of Elliot¡¯s time. So, she called out as she went toward her sweaty son,This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Jared!¡±


    ¡°I still want to y, Mommy.¡± Jared was hooked, for he rarely had the opportunity to do something


    so strenuous.

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    Chapter 147


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave is extremely busy. Let¡¯s not take up any more of his time, okay?¡± Anastasia advised


    Jared.


    To her dismay, Elliot had carried Jared instead. ¡°I¡¯m not busy. We can continue ying.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± A happy Jared threw his arms around Elliot¡¯s neck before turning back to say to her, ¡°Let¡¯s


    y together, Mommy.¡±


    Even though she was exasperated, she only sighed in response. ¡°I¡¯ll take a stroll then. See you


    guys in a bit.¡±


    Hoping that the light exercise would aid with her digestion, Anastasia went for a walk around the


    neighborhood.


    The clock had turned to nine just like that and she returned to the fitness area to see her son on the


    swings this time. Since Elliot was still pushing him, she could only head over and order, ¡°We¡¯re


    going back to take a bath, Jared. You still have school tomorrow!¡±


    Hearing the sternness in his mother¡¯s voice, Jared nodded obediently. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home!¡±


    Anastasia nced up at Elliot. ¡°Why don¡¯t you head home first?¡±


    ¡°My car keys are still at your ce, not to mention that I¡¯d like a drink of water as well.¡± He hinted at


    going back to her apartment.


    At that, she frowned. She thought he would be able to leave at that moment!


    Once they returned home, Anastasia took a look at her son¡¯s sweaty body and decided that he


    needed to be bathed at once. Thus, she told Elliot, who was drinking a ss of water on her couch,


    ¡°I¡¯m taking Jared to wash up. Just close the door behind you as you¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± He nodded.


    And so, she took her son into the bathroom. As they emerged from the bathroom after his bath, she


    discovered that Elliot was still on the couch.


    A dumbfounded Anastasia then asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t left yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to rest for a moment more.¡± Elliot was sprawled outzily on her couch, having no intention


    of leaving. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Well, Jared has to sleep, so you can leave once you¡¯ve rested enough!¡± she told him.


    She forcefully called Jared into his bedroom, made him get into bed, and handed him a storybook.


    ¡°Read by yourself quietly for a moment. You¡¯re not allowed to look for Mr. Presgrave anymore. He


    has to head home, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Although Jared was clearly unhappy about it, he did not dare to dissent for he was afraid of


    being scolded.


    After stroking his hair and giving him a kiss, Anastasia stood up and left the room.


    When she emerged and found that Elliot was no longer on her couch, she couldn¡¯t help being


    relieved. He is finally gone!


    Remembering that her son¡¯s dirty clothes were still in the bathroom and wanting to toss them into


    the washer, she turned the knob to enter the bathroom.


    Yet, right as she stepped one foot in, she realized that there was a man standing in front of her¡ª


    toilet bowl, urinating¡­


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Anastasia was so startled that she knocked her head against the doorframe before


    mming the door shut again with a red face.


    God! Not only had he not left, but she had just run into him doing something so embarrassing.


    Even though his back was to her, she couldn¡¯t help but blush as her mind went nk.


    At this moment, he walked out of the bathroom and nced down at her, seated on the couch and


    clutching her head. Concerned, he asked softly, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°W-Why are you still here?¡± Anastasia was truly exasperated.


    ¡°Do you really wish for me to leave that much?¡± After saying that, he moved toward the couch area


    only for her to move her head at the sight.


    Then, she warned, ¡°Don¡¯t you touch me.¡±


    He leaned down and underneath themplight, his face was breathtakingly handsome.


    Thinking that Elliot was about to kiss her, her eyes widened in warning, only for him to pull his cell


    phone out from next to her before he stood at his full height.


    ¡°Did you think I wanted to kiss you?¡± He smirked.


    As Anastasia looked at the cell phone in his hand, her face burned with embarrassment. ¡°See


    yourself out!¡±


    Elliot suddenly leaned down to pinch her jaw and thereafter pressed his lips against hers. Before


    she could react, he was already straightening his posture and heading toward the front door.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    ¡°Just consider it a punishment for you peeking at me!¡± he answered without looking back.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± Anastasia protested angrily.


    Having just arrived at the door, Elliot turned back and looked at her teasingly. ¡°Yeah? I don¡¯t


    suppose you regret it?¡±

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    Chapter 148


    Anastasia¡¯s face furiously reddened. ¡°I do not.¡±


    ¡°Marry me, and you¡¯ll be able to look at it whenever you want,¡± Elliot told her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at it!¡± she shouted as her face reddened even further. Is this man truly so self


    confident?


    It was only after he gave a meaningful smile did he pull open the door and leave.


    Now that she was left alone on the couch, she spaced out. Her mind was still on the blue screen of


    death. Even as she covered her reddened cheeks, she could still feel the warmth of his lips on hers.


    What a scoundrel. Didn¡¯t he say before that he will behave himself?


    She shouldn¡¯t have believed him. For that man to keep his word, pigs would instead be climbing


    trees by then.


    At this moment, Anastasia nced toward her son¡¯s room. It was a good thing that he didn¡¯t know


    what had happened.


    As the gravity of having to share her evenings with Elliot for the next year sank in, she felt her head


    aching.


    She rushed to work after dropping her son off at school early the next morning. As she hurried


    through the crowd with her curls bouncing on her shoulders, she was in a gray id blouse and a


    ck pencil skirt with a purse slung over her shoulder. Such an attire of hers had inadvertently


    showcased her professionalism.


    A ck sedan stopped at the entrance of her workce at this very moment. Elliot was here to take


    a document back to the Presgrave Corporation when he happened to see hering from the


    street as she weaved through the crowd of office workers while radiating a strong, mesmerizing


    sense of calm confidence.


    At this moment, Anastasia happened to nce at her watch and noticed that there were only two


    minutes left for her to clock in. She instantly panicked and sprinted toward the lobby, not caring that


    she looked somewhat wretched as she did so.


    What she didn¡¯t know was that Elliot was witnessing everything from inside the car.


    Her rushed demeanor had made him smile. In the past, he didn¡¯t know a woman like her even


    existed. She wasn¡¯t particrly outstanding or alluring, but she had a certain charm to her that


    drove him crazy. He was even willing to be branded a voyeur for staring at her because of this.


    At thest minute, she managed to clock in. When she saw the green light shing, she smiled,


    feeling somewhat aplished and inexplicably satisfied at being able to arrive on the dot for


    work.


    After Anastasia entered her office, Grace carried her cup of coffee to her. ¡°You¡¯re going to meet with


    a client today, Miss Tillman! Do you need any materials to be prepared?¡±


    Recalling immediately that she would have to meet Leah today, Anastasia went to her cab to


    pull out a few documents and set them on the desk.


    ¡°Do you need me to go with you, Miss Tillman?¡± Grace asked.


    With a smile, Anastasia shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Let me understand the situation first.


    I¡¯ll bring you along next time.¡±


    After all, Leah was only trying to make things difficult for her. If she had brought Grace along, Grace


    would only be bullied alongside her, so it was best she withstood this pressure alone!


    Anastasia called Leah at around ten in the morning. At the other end of the line, Leah¡¯s voice asked,


    ¡°Why are you only looking for me now, Miss Tillman? Surely your work efficiency could be better


    than this!¡±


    ¡°My apologies. I¡¯lle right away. Where would you like to meet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the address and you cane over!¡± Leah grumbled with deliberate impatience.


    Not long after that, Anastasia received the address. After keying in the location on her device, she


    went downstairs to hail a cab and head to the destination.


    While on the way there, she couldn¡¯t help spacing out for a moment and thinking about Elliot.


    Images of him keeping her sonpany floated through her mind. When she was sending Jared to


    school that morning, he even asked her expectantly, ¡°Will Mr. Presgravee to our ce for


    dinner tonight, Mommy?¡±


    To cate her son, Anastasia simply responded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Upon seeing her son happily skipping around at her answer, she found herself hoping that ElliotThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    would be free toe over that evening.


    Anastasia sighed. What is happening to metely? Why are all my thoughts full of this man?


    At this moment, the cab driver told her, ¡°We¡¯re here, miss.¡±


    When she raised her head to nce out of the window, Anastasia saw the signboard of an


    atmospheric cafe, after which she paid the driver and alighted from the cab.


    It wasn¡¯t until she entered the lobby that she realized the cafe was on the top floor. She helplessly


    entered the elevator and rode all the way to the top floor. The cafe in question was the kind of


    coffeehouse which only the rich could afford. For someone like her, being able to drink Starbucks on


    a normal day was already considered a luxury.

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    An attendant went forward to inform Anastasia at this moment. ¡°Miss Tillman? Miss Hart is waiting


    for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Anastasia acknowledged with a smile and a nod of her head.


    ¡°Please follow me.¡± The attendant gestured in invitation.


    After stepping into the cafe, Anastasia saw Leah and another woman sitting at a table by the


    window and chatting at this moment. At a nce, it was obvious to Anastasia that the other woman


    was just as rich as Leah and dressed to denote equal status.


    ¡°Ah, the designer is here! Please sit! Bring the coffee,¡± Leah ordered the attendant.


    The attendant immediately nodded. Anastasia had only just sat down when a cup of coffee was


    ced in front of her. Looking over at Leah, she responded, ¡°Thank you for the coffee, Miss Hart.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Let¡¯s talk about design, then! I wish tomission an engagement jewelry for


    myself¡ªsomething that befits my status. I hope you won¡¯t let me down.¡±


    ¡°Please share your opinions with me. I have several styles for you to choose from.¡± Anastasia


    reached out to retrieve her documents.


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m the client here. What I want is your design. What¡¯s the point in having me choose?¡±


    ¡°I still have to know what you like for me to have a direction for the design.¡±


    ¡°What I like is something unique, beautiful, and suits my temperament. The rest is up to you.


    Besides, don¡¯t you know how to research what I like? You can look me up!¡± Leahzily reclined


    against her seat with an arrogant look on her face.


    For a few moments, a dumbstruck Anastasia stared at Leah. Now, she finally understood that. Leah


    had no wish to give any direction ormunicate any idea for the design. What Leah wanted was


    for her toe up with a design out of thin air that was satisfactory to Leah.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Hart. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t take yourmission. Please find another designer!¡±


    Anastasia had no wish to stay any longer. After all, there would be no earning Leah¡¯s money no


    matter how much effort she wasted.


    Right as Anastasia took her purse and was about to stand up, the woman next to Leah sneered.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°What kind of attitude is this? Are all designers from Bourgeois like this? I¡¯m certainly learning


    something new today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯ve already signed a contract with yourpany, Anastasia Tillman? If you


    don¡¯t design for me, I can sue yourpany for breach of contract. I hear they pay quite a bit for


    that! Three times the deposit! And I paid 1 million in deposit,¡± Leah said smugly behind Anastasia.


    At that, Anastasia stopped in her tracks. Of course Leah wouldn¡¯t make things so simple. As she


    turned back, she proposed, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to have a conversation with me, Miss Hart, we can


    continue working together.¡±


    ¡°We are having a conversation!¡±


    ¡°I meant an earnest and sincere one,¡± she answered coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯m your client, Anastasia. How can you speak with me in that tone? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll file a


    comint about you?¡± Leah questioned somewhat angrily.


    Retaking her seat, Anastasia stared into Leah¡¯s haughty eyes. ¡°Of course you have the right to file a


    comint about me. If there¡¯s somewhere I¡¯ve fallen short, you can file as you please; if you only


    wish to make things difficult for me, then let¡¯s not waste each other¡¯s time any longer.¡±


    Leah smiled coldly. ¡°Let me be in, then. Leave Nigel or Bourgeois. Pick one.¡±


    At that, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help being amused. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re not the one with the ability to make


    me leave Bourgeois. My boss is the one.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll make it impossible for you to stay in the design world.¡± Leah sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t


    underestimate what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia Tillman, isn¡¯t it?¡± the woman next to her asked smugly. ¡°We only need to spread the


    world for the entire upper-ss client base to keep from hiring you or ever buying your designs.¡±


    However, Anastasia was not one to be easily scared. With a smile, she announced, ¡°Breach of


    contract it is! I¡¯ll have the bill settled for you once I get back to Bourgeois.¡±


    ¡°What are you showing off for, Anastasia Tillman? Do you even have the capital to do that? And one


    more thing before you leave-We¡¯re going Dutch today, so you can pay for your own coffee!¡± Leah


    shouted at her.


    The undeterred Anastasia stood up and walked toward the counter to ask the attendant, ¡°How much


    does my coffee cost?¡±.

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    The waiter named the price with a smile. ¡°That will be 5,888, thank you!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s almond-shaped eyes widened when she heard the unbelievably expensive price tag


    that the cup of coffee had. ¡°That¡¯s unreasonably expensive!¡±


    ¡°The coffee was brewed with coffee beans of the finest quality, so it is definitely worth the price.¡±


    Anastasia was rendered speechless. The coffee cost me a fortune although I have barely sipped it-I


    didn¡¯t even manage to relish the taste. ¡°Fine, just get me the bill. Pack the coffee too. Add some ice,


    sugar and cream please.¡± Then, she took out her card and handed it to a stunned waiter.


    The waiter immediately asked his colleague to pack the drink. However, Anastasia¡¯s action led


    Leah, who was sitting near the window, to scoff at her. ¡°Anastasia, my apologies. I¡¯ve forgotten that


    you are an ordinary white-cor employee. I reckon that this cup of coffee must have cost about half


    of your monthly sry!¡±


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t bothered to respond and she was unfazed by the unusual nces from the


    waiters around. When the waiter handed her the coffee, she took the coffee and left with her chest


    puffed out.


    Upon seeing that, Leah was so pissed that she clenched her teeth. Anastasia¡¯s really a tough nut to


    crack, she thought.


    It was almost lunch hour when Anastasia returned to the office. She asked Felicia out for lunch and


    told her about all that had happened earlier that day.


    ¡°What? She was spiteful to you?¡± Felicia asked in shock.


    ¡°Yes! She even attempted to force me to leave my friends, so she deliberately made things difficult


    for me. It wasn¡¯t her intention to do business with us at all.¡± At that point, Anastasia had yet to


    mention the incident about the coffee!


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll make a request with the management to collect liquidated damages from her


    instead. I can¡¯t put you in a difficult situation because of this,¡± a reasonable Felicia replied, to which


    Anastasia nodded and responded, ¡°Sorry for the trouble, Felicia.¡±


    ¡°No worries. We can¡¯t let anyone bully us because of this, eh?¡± Felicia smiled. Besides, with Elliot


    around, nobody cany a finger on you!


    At about 2.00PM, she went upstairs to Elliot¡¯s office. Elliot was sitting on the couch reading a


    document. The man disyed high work efficiency; therge pile of documents that had been on


    his desk that morning had vanished with only a few remaining documents.


    ¡°President Presgrave, I have something I¡¯d like to report to you,¡± Felicia uttered.


    Elliot ced the documents down and nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    She reiterated the incident that had happened that morning, whereby Anastasia had met Leah,


    before she added, ¡°I¡¯d talk to you regarding their request for liquidated damage.¡±


    It was apparent that Elliot¡¯s expression darkened when he heard the story. ¡°How dare she request


    for liquidated damages from ourpany after she bullied my staff! Does Miss Hart think that our


    legal department is good for nothing?¡± he coldly replied:


    Felicia was stunned by his response. It seems like President Presgrave is really enraged!


    ¡°I¡¯ll phone Miss Hart and discuss with her to see whether we can resolve this amicably.¡±


    ¡°Invite Miss Hart over in the afternoon. I¡¯d like to personally talk to her about the liquidated


    damages,¡± he impassively replied. It seemed like he had no ns to let this slide easily.


    She was pleased upon seeing his reaction. I can¡¯t wait for the interesting drama to unfold. ¡°Noted,


    President Presgrave.¡±


    After Felicia had left the room, Elliot narrowed his eyes and thought, That woman was bullied?


    On the other hand, Felicia called Leah the first thing after returning to her office. She invited Leah


    over to talk about the liquidated damages without mentioning that Elliot wanted to see her:


    personally. Leah coincidentally happened to be nearby, so she would be arriving in 20 minutes, at


    most.


    Thereafter, Felicia went to Anastasia¡¯s office to inform her that Leah¡¯s matter would be handled by


    Elliot, which stunned Anastasia. ¡°Does he even have the time to deal with this?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, do you think Leah would receive the liquidated damages?¡±


    ¡°She would be really lucky if she really gets it; it would be as if earning two million is like a walk in


    the park. I would have done so if it¡¯s really that good of a deal.¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes beamed at the


    discovery of a new way to be rich.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. That¡¯s a crime. It¡¯s more realistic to go to work.¡± With that, Felicia left the scene


    with a grin.


    Anastasia propped her chin on her arm and dropped the thought.


    Twenty minutester, Leah arrived at their office along with her best friend. Felicia invited them into


    a reception room and greeted them warmly.


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    ¡°Please call Anastasia here too! I hope that she can be reminded of what the proper way to treat


    clients is,¡± Leah demanded in a condescending attitude, attempting to take advantage of her identity


    as their client to humiliate Anastasia.


    After all, to a business, customers were God.


    ¡°Sure, please hold on for a minute,¡± Felicia responded, after which she exited the room and dialed


    Elliot¡¯sndline.


    ¡°Hello.¡± A low, husky, male voice rang.


    ¡°President Presgrave, Miss Hart has arrived. She¡¯s now in Reception Room No. 3.¡±


    ¡°Please get Anastasia over too,¡± Elliot instructed before he hung up the call.


    Felicia thereafter gave Anastasia a call. The moment the call was picked up, she said, ¡°Miss Hart is


    here. Pleasee over to Reception Room No. 3.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see her.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that you don¡¯t want to watch the lovely show?¡±


    ¡°What lovely show?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you are there,¡± Felicia mysteriously replied.


    Well, there¡¯s no harm in watching how Leah ns to nder me when I¡¯m so bored now! Anastasia


    thought. So, holding her phone in her hand, she rose up and headed over to Reception Room No.


    She knocked on the door once before pushing the door open to enter the room. However, all she


    saw was twodies sitting on the couch; Felicia was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Was the coffee good?¡± Leah mocked while the corner of her lips curled upward.


    ¡°No, I threw it away,¡± Anastasia replied as she took a seat on the couch beside Leah. At this


    moment, the door was pushed open from outside.


    Felicia was seen standing at the door as she said to the man behind her, ¡°President Presgrave, this


    way.¡±


    Leah and her femalepanion both raised their heads in astonishment, only to see a dashing,


    slender figure walking into the room. At one nce, they were able to recognize the identity of that


    man-Elliot Presgrave, the president of Presgrave Corporation.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, it¡¯s such a pleasant surprise to see you here.¡± Leah immediately feigned politeness


    and greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Presgrave.¡± Herpanion¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement and admiration as well.


    They never thought that they would actually bump into the man that they rarely had the chance to


    meet. They were determined to put on their best behaviors to leave a deep impression on him.


    Elliot sat down on the couch. Beneath his thickshes were deep, unfathomable eyes that seemed


    to contain an air of dominance.


    ¡°Miss Hart, please apologize to my employee, Anastasia Tillman,¡± he snarled, ring at Leah with a


    piercing gaze.


    A stunned Leah immediately responded, ¡°Mr. Presgrave, perhaps you are unaware of the situation.


    The thing is, it was your employee who first breached the agreement, so she should be the one


    apologizing to me.¡±


    ¡°Considering the rtionship between my aunt and your parents, I¡¯m willing to let things slide as


    long as you apologize to her. Otherwise, your reputation will be tainted if we were to go through the


    legal process,¡± Elliot coldly refuted.


    She was astounded to hear that. Why would Elliot stand up for a mere insignificant employee like


    Anastasia?


    Anastasia, who was watching from the sideline, finally understood what Felicia had meant by ¡®lovely


    show¡¯. She turned to the man in front of her, who was emanating an intimidating presence. In fact,


    he didn¡¯t even dart a nce at her, yet he was upholding her interest.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, I-I have no idea what I did wrong, so why should I apologize?¡± Leah, of course,


    refused to back down and apologize, especially when the other party was Anastasia, her love rival.


    ¡°Firstly, you oppressed my employee at work; then, you took advantage of the situation to ckmail


    ourpany for liquidated damages;stly, your actions have greatly affected my employee¡¯s


    morale.¡±


    Leah was dumbfounded. She admitted the first two ims that Elliot had made, but how could she


    be responsible for the third im?


    ¡°I-I-I didn¡¯t! As a matter of fact, I have no ns in demandingpensation. After all, I genuinely


    wanted to customize a set of jewelry. How about I have a talk with your main person in-charge to


    get me another designer?¡± When she finally realized how serious the matter was, she tried to


    salvage the situation.


    ¡°Miss Hart, I think you still don¡¯t get what I meant. First of all, I need you to make an apology. Next,


    ourpany will never ept any orders from you again.¡± Elliot forcefully demanded an apology


    without giving her a chance to back down.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia stood at one side with her arms folded across her chest, waiting for Leah¡¯s


    apology.


    ¡°Miss Hart, it¡¯s better to think of the consequences before you bully others. For instance, it¡¯s unwise


    to order a coffee that costs over 5,000 on my behalf without my consent and then ask me to pay for


    the bill. After all, you don¡¯t know my taste and preference, so you gave me no choice but to throw


    away that cup of fine coffee.¡± Anastasia seized the opportunity to expose another evil deed that


    Leah hadmitted.


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    At that point, Leah was cracking her head to figure out a way to obtain Elliot¡¯s forgiveness.


    Therefore, when Anastasia suddenly added fuel to the fire, she couldn¡¯t help but secretly re at


    Anastasia.


    On the other hand, when Elliot heard Anastasia¡¯s words, the expression on his face became colder,


    which made Leah even more anxious.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Presgrave. It wasn¡¯t intentional. I thought that Miss Tillman would fancy that coffee.¡±


    Leah tried hard to save her own image. After all, Elliot was Nigel¡¯s cousin, so she couldn¡¯t afford to


    ruin her image in front of Elliot!


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia revealed a smile. ¡°Miss Hart, how about this-I¡¯m willing to let this slide


    as long as you apologize to me and return the money for the coffee to me.¡±


    Leah was really reluctant to ept her offer, but she was aware that Anastasia¡¯s suggestion could


    help her out of this embarrassing situation. Hence, she had no choice but to suppress her rage and


    nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll apologize to you. Just forget about thepensation and I¡¯ll give you the


    money for the coffee.¡±


    Upon seeing that Anastasia had named her conditions, Elliot remained quiet and didn¡¯t raise any


    objections. Anastasia was seen taking out her phone and tapping on her phone to open the QR


    code that allowed her to receive payment. Then, Leah quickly used her phone to scan the code and


    transfer the 5,888.


    At the same time, she inhaled a deep breath and said, ¡°Miss Tillman, I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive my


    impoliteness.¡±


    Anastasia took her phone and confirmed that she had received the money before replying without


    raising her head. ¡°Okay, I forgive you.¡±


    When the man saw the woman eagerly checking the transfer with her head bowed, the coldness in


    his eyes was reced by a hint of affectionate smile. Her eyes are basically glued to the money.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, I¡¯m sorry to have taken up your precious time. I have something else to attend to. I


    shall take my leave.¡± Leah tugged her femalepanion beside her. They quickly pulled the door


    open and fled the room for fear that they might offend the man if they were to stay for another


    second.


    Anastasia took her phone and gratefully nced at that man. ¡°President Presgrave, thank you for


    standing up for me.¡±


    ¡°Add another dish tonight.¡± He raised his eyebrow at her, gesturing at her that he preferred her to


    show her gratitude through actions.


    She suppressed herughter and said while standing at the door, ¡°Sure. How about two extra


    dishes? Will that be enough, President Presgrave?¡± Her words ended with a long tone, but she


    totally had no idea that it actually sounded especially enticing when she called his name like that. It


    resembled a feather that gently brushed across his heart.


    Elliot¡¯s heart skipped a beat, after which he replied with raised brows, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to cook more


    rice.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Anastasia, who was embarrassed to talk about this topic in the office, immediately pulled the


    door open and left.


    Although she had been pissed that day, the whole incident ended in a way that alleviated her anger.


    By that point, Leah, who had returned to her car, was so enraged that she mmed the steering


    wheel while her femalepanion sitting next to her had a look of displeasure. ¡°I wonder what


    Anastasia did that allowed her to get Elliot to stand up for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely find a chance to get my revenge on her for the humiliation that I¡¯ve endured today.¡±


    Leah was so mad that she nearly fainted.


    Felicia dealt with the matter that involved Leah so well that nobody in the office knew that it was


    Elliot who actually took the initiative to set things straight for Anastasia. Otherwise, Anastasia would


    have made everyone burn in jealousy.


    In fact, Anastasia, who was carefree in character, wasn¡¯t bothered by that incident as well since she


    had gotten back her money. She had learned that she shouldn¡¯t allow things that had nothing to do


    with her to upy her time.


    At 3:00 PM, after having a few words with Felicia, Anastasia pushed open the door to her own


    office. Unexpectedly, she found Nigel sitting on her seat.


    Upon seeing that she had returned, Nigel spun around on the chair and shed a bright grin at her,


    revealing his dazzling, pearly white teeth.


    ¡°Why are you here? Are you done with the renovation work?¡± Anastasia asked as she walked into


    the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to check around and to pay you a visit and also to have dinner with you and Jared


    tonight.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Tonight?¡± Her heart leapt into her mouth as she had to cook dinner for Elliot that night.


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty,¡± Nigel said, then he extended his hand to grab the ss of water on her desk.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes widened. With speed as fast as lightning, she snatched the ss. ¡°You can¡¯t drink


    from my ss.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy! Taking a sip won¡¯t hurt!¡± He bit his lips, looking as though he was hurt by her


    reaction.


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    While holding her own ss in her hand, Anastasia made an internal call and asked Grace to send


    over another ss of water.


    Something suddenly shed across Anastasia¡¯s mind. She didn¡¯t react much when Elliot had been


    using her ss at home all this while, so why did she react like this now? Why did she show such a


    huge reaction when all Nigel did was try to drink from her ss?


    ¡°Are you really eating with us at night?¡± Anastasia subconsciously asked as she sipped the water in


    her ss.


    Nigel elegantly sipped his water and answered, ¡°I have to treat you guys to a fancy meal.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then. I have some work to attend to. Please wait for me until I get off work.¡±


    He returned her seat to her, then he suddenly rose up when he thought about something. ¡°I¡¯m going


    over to look for Elliot. I¡¯ll see you in a while.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Anastasia replied, nodding with her chin propped on her hands.


    However, when Nigel was at the door, he abruptly looked back at the woman behind the desk.


    ¡°Anastasia, are you close with Elliot?¡±


    She reflexively responded, ¡°Not close. We are not close at all.¡±


    He smiled before he pushed the door open and left the room.


    Anastasia exhaled in relief as sheforted herself. Why do I feel like I¡¯m in a secret rtionship


    with Elliot? Why do I need to keep telling lies? Come to think about it, there¡¯s nothing between me


    and Elliot, so that¡¯s not considered a lie!


    She took her phone and texted the man. ¡®I¡¯m having dinner with Nigel and Jared tonight, so I won¡¯t


    be making dinner. After sending the message, she exhaled in relief at the thought of being able to


    rest for one night.


    At this moment, Felicia knocked on her door and entered her room while being followed by a young


    lady behind her.


    ¡°Anastasia, you have a customer.¡±


    Although Anastasia had traumatic experiences with clients who requested customized products,This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    she quickly rose to her feet politely to greet her, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I have a friend who is interested in your designs. She wants to customize a ne


    for her boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Please, have a seat. Why didn¡¯t your friende with you?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s abroad. She has no time to return, so she has asked me to meet you about the design.¡±


    Felicia and Anastasia exchanged nces before she hinted, ¡°The female customer who requested


    the custom-made jewelry said that she saw magazines that featured your designs when she was


    abroad. She really adores your style of design.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my friend saw magazines about you when she was abroad and has taken a liking to you.¡± The


    lady smiled.


    The exnation cleared Anastasia¡¯s doubt. She had indeed been featured in magazines in which


    she had shared a few passages about her thoughts in jewelry design.


    ¡°My friend said that she wants to customize a pair of matching nes. The one that she ns to


    give her boyfriend will look like a lock, while the other one, which she will be wearing, will look like a


    key. Miss Tillman, you are free to design them as you wish, but she hopes to see the final product


    by the end of the month.¡±


    Anastasia blinked and looked up at Felicia, who carefully checked the calendar before responding,


    ¡°If you are able to prepare the design in three days, it¡¯s possible to see the final product by the end


    of the month.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try my best to prepare the draft in three days.¡± Anastasia promised.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. My friend hopes to have two English letters engraved on the lock, which are the


    initials of thest names of her and her boyfriend.¡±


    Anastasia immediately grabbed her notebook. ¡°Sure. What are the letters, though?¡±


    ¡°The initial of her boyfriend¡¯sst name is the letter ¡®P¡¯, while hers is the letter ¡®S¡¯. She wants a heart


    shaped design at the center of the lock.¡±


    ¡°Sure. No problem. I¡¯ll add that in the design.¡± Anastasia nodded.


    ¡°Great. How about the price?¡±


    Felicia chimed in, ¡°What¡¯s your friend¡¯s budget?¡±


    ¡°About 5 million.¡±


    Anastasia and Felicia exchanged nces. It seems like thisdy¡¯s friend is wealthy! That¡¯s a really


    handsome budget.


    ¡°I see. Please have faith in Miss Tillman. She will definitely present you with the best design.


    Besides, the materials that we will be using and our craftsmanship are no doubt one of the very best


    in the industry.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll first pay 2 million as a deposit on behalf of my friend, and the bnce will be paid after the


    final product is ready.¡±


    Thereafter, Felicia led thedy out of the office while Anastasia was suddenly very motivated. She


    never thought that such a generous order, which allowed her to obtain amission of 3 percent as


    well as a year-end bonus, would present itself to her. To her, this was certainly a small fortune.

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Chapter 154


    When she was about to use her phone to do a calction, a message popped up on her screen. It


    was a message from Elliot.


    ¡®I¡¯ll deal with it. Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw his message. What does he mean?


    About ten minutes after Felicia had seen the female client out, she knocked on Anastasia¡¯s door


    and said, ¡°Anastasia, please try your best toe out with the design draft in three days¡¯ time, even


    if you have to work overtime. You must not let the client down.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll work overtime toe out with the draft,¡± Anastasia promised. The requested design


    elements happened to be those that she was skillful in, so the work wouldn¡¯t be much of a hassle


    for her.


    Felicia had faith in Anastasia¡¯s quality of work, so the former left after a short discussion.


    When Anastasia was staring at the sketch in an attempt to capture inspiration when it struck, Nigel


    was seen entering her office. He looked at her apologetically and muttered, ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ll treat you


    and Jared to a meal another day. I have something else to attend to tonight.¡±


    Anastasia, who wasn¡¯t surprised at all to hear that, pursed her lips and shed a smile at him. ¡°No


    worries. We can always do that when you are free.¡±


    ¡°I just received the news that an overseaspany will be holding their team-building event in my


    hotel, so I have to rush back to attend a meeting,¡± Nigel exined in frustration, to which


    Anastasia responded, ¡°Please go ahead with your business. You have just taken over thepany;


    you must not disappoint your father.¡±


    Nigel felt helpless as well. He finally had the time to invite Anastasia to dinner, but the n was still


    ruined in the end.


    After seeing him off, Anastasia fell into a daze. Elliot actually made such a huge move just to eat my


    cooking? He actually gave Nigel the profit that could be generated from the team-building event of


    the overseaspany?


    Just then, herndline rang, and she picked up the call. ¡°Hello, who¡¯s on the line?¡±


    ¡°Has he left?¡± A sonorous voice rang from the other end of the line, leaving Anastasia speechless.


    She then questioned, ¡°Did you really have to drive him away?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Or were you looking forward to having dinner with him?¡± The man¡¯s voice from the


    other end suddenly took on a menacing edge.


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll go and buy some groceries tonight.¡± At that point, Anastasia had no choice but to go


    through the trouble of making him dinner.


    However, the man on the other end refused to give up. ¡°Answer my question.¡±


    Anastasia, however, chose to say something that would piss him off, probably because she didn¡¯t


    want him to be toocent. ¡°Yes, I was looking forward to it!¡±


    As soon as she said that, the call was ended by the other person, which obviously suggested that


    the man was enraged.


    Holding the beeping handset in her hand, Anastasia was stunned. Why is this man acting like a


    child who is always mad? Besides, who is he to be mad at me anyway?! I just can¡¯t seem to figure


    out what¡¯s going on in his mind. Nevertheless, she had no intention to figure it out anyway, because


    she had an urgent custom-made order that she had toplete at hand.


    Meanwhile, thedy who had just exited the Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier soon arrived at the opposite


    street. She opened the car door of a red Ferrari and got into the vehicle. Hayley was seen sitting in


    the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Did everything go well?¡± Hayley asked.


    ¡°Hayley, where did you get the money from? Are you really going to order a custom-made jewelry


    worth 5 million?¡±


    i


    ¡°I-I¡¯m just helping a friend to make that order. It¡¯s not my money,¡± Hayley exined, but she couldn¡¯t


    help feeling conceited deep down.


    Anastasia certainly wouldn¡¯t expect that she would be designing matching couple nes for


    Elliot and Hayley. Thetter just couldn¡¯t wait to see Anastasia¡¯s reaction on the day Hayley went to


    collect the nes.


    ¡°You take a cab back. I have something else to do.¡± Hayley instructed thedy.


    Thatdy used to be Hayley¡¯s friend. At present, she left the car in satisfaction, holding the 2,000


    that she had earned for her service.


    On the other hand, Hayley touched up her make up and picked up the dessert that she had bought


    before she contently alighted from the car. Then, she walked toward the Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier.


    On the way there, she reached for her phone and gave a call to May. ¡°May, ask Anastasia to go to


    Elliot¡¯s office in five minutes. Just ask her to go there without telling her the purpose.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Miss Seymour!¡± May immediately agreed.


    When Hayley walked past the reception counter, the four receptionists instantly looked at her


    respectfully. ¡°Wee, Miss Seymour.¡±


    In response, Hayley revealed an elegant yet arrogant smile before she took an elevator and went


    straight to the president¡¯s office on the 8th floor.


    Meanwhile in the president¡¯s office, Elliot was finishing up his work so that he could get off work


    earlier to go grocery shopping with Anastasia.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Chapter 155


    At that moment, Rey knocked on the door from outside and reported, ¡°President Presgrave, Miss


    Seymour is here.¡±


    A frown appeared between Elliot¡¯s brows when he heard that. ¡°Let her in.¡±


    Thereafter, Hayley came in, shing a charming smile at him as she sweetly announced, ¡°Elliot, I¡¯ve


    brought you some refreshments.¡±


    As a matter of fact, she specially came at that time as she had nned to invite Elliot out for dinner.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t give me all these again. I don¡¯t like desserts,¡± Elliot muttered as he leaned his back


    against the chair. The white shirt on him made him seem like a celibate, and he lookednguid and


    charming at the moment.


    Hayley¡¯s heart started to race at that. No woman could resist such a dazzling and elegant man.


    And so, she walked toward Elliot step by step. Anastasia will be arriving at any moment now, Hayley


    thought to herself, as she had been keeping track of the time.


    Currently, Anastasia, who had been informed by May to go to Elliot¡¯s office, did not suspect anything


    and was on her way upstairs. She merely wondered to herself the reason the man wished to see


    her. Could it be that he is going to use work as an excuse to scold me? she pondered.


    Meanwhile, Hayley, who had arrived by Elliot¡¯s side, suddenly held her forehead and hissed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Elliot rose up and examined her.


    Just then, Hayley seemed to hear the sound of ady¡¯s high heels tapping on the floor, and coupled


    with the fact that it was almost the time that she had expected, she pretended to scowl in pain. The


    very next second, she fell into Elliot¡¯s embrace.


    He supported her with his long arms, so she took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist.


    ¡°Elliot, I feel so dizzy¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me help you to the couch so that you can rest.¡± He attempted to keep his distance from her, but


    she tightened her arms around him and refused to let go. Then, she raised her head with her eyes


    shut and mumbled, ¡°Elliot, is there something in my eye? Could you check it for me? It hurts!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Elliot narrowed his eyes and leaned in to take a look.


    At that moment, the door of the president¡¯s office flung open. Anastasia didn¡¯t knock the door before


    she opened it, as she thought that Elliot would be waiting to have a word with her.


    As soon as the door was opened, what came into view was a man and a woman intimately hugging


    each other. Elliot leaned in at Hayley¡¯s face, while thetter raised her head with her eyes shut, as if


    she was eagerly waiting for the man¡¯s kiss.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes widened. In the end, she stared at them for a couple of seconds before she calmly


    said, ¡°Sorry for intruding. Please carry on.¡±


    With that, she turned on her heel and mmed the door behind her before she left.


    All that had happened in mere seconds, and it was so fast that Elliot didn¡¯t manage to return to his


    senses. When he finally made sense of the situation, he immediately released his grip on Hayley¡¯s


    shoulder. Forcefully removing her arms that were around his waist, he urgently dered to her, ¡°I¡¯ll


    get Rey to send you to the hospital.¡±


    Thereafter, Elliot pushed her away from him. It wasn¡¯t a hard push, in fact, but Hayley went along


    with the force and deliberately fell and slumped on the floor.


    ¡°Ah!¡± she shrieked.


    Elliot, who had barely arrived at the door withrge strides, looked behind and saw that Hayley had


    fallen. He clenched his fists, but he still turned back to help her up.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Ou


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Elliot, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Hayley asked, intentionally feigning innocence.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he replied, then used thendline andmanded, ¡°Rey,e over.¡±


    Soon, Rey knocked on the door and entered the room, and Elliot ordered, ¡°Send Miss Seymour to


    the hospital for a checkup and then send her home.¡±


    For Hayley, her n had seeded since she had reached her goal. The scene earlier must have


    made Anastasia misunderstand that Elliot was going to kiss me!


    ¡°Elliot, I want to have dinner with you,¡± Hayley mumbled begrudgingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not avable tonight. Let¡¯s have dinner some other time.¡± After he said that, he grabbed his


    phone that was on the desk and hurriedly strode out. He seemed to be in a fluster.


    Before long, Elliot showed up at the Department of Design. When he arrived at Anastasia¡¯s office,


    he saw that her seat was empty, so he asked Grace, who was outside, ¡°Where¡¯s Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°Miss Tillman just got off work early. Is there anything you need from her, President Presgrave?¡±


    Grace asked nervously.


    Elliot remained impassive and he casually replied, ¡°No.¡±


    Then, he strode off and he used his phone to give a certain woman a call on his way out.


    At that moment, Anastasia was in a cab on the way to pick up her son. Upon hearing her phone


    ringing, she took her phone and nced at the screen. The corner of her lips curling upward, she


    snorted and decided to not pick up the call.


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 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Chapter 156


    The man stopped calling her when he failed to reach her with the first call. As Anastasia gazed at


    the bustling streets outside the window, she could not help but recall the image that she had seen


    earlier. There¡¯s nothing going on between Elliot and me, so who he wants to share a kiss with


    should have nothing to do with me. Nheless, why am I feeling so mad for no reason? What¡¯s


    wrong with him kissing Hayley? Plus, they have even done things that are more intimate than


    kissing, or perhaps it¡¯s Hayley who has been satisfying all his serual desires all along. Otherwise, it


    would be abnormal for a 29-year-old man like him to not have any needs at all. Hence, Anastasia


    concluded that Hayley was Elliot¡¯s current bedmate.


    D*mn! How dare he force his kiss on me if that¡¯s the case?! I¡¯m so pissed right now!


    When Anastasia picked her son up from the kindergarten, the little boy poked his head out from


    behind her. Taking a look around, he raised his little head to her and asked, ¡°Mommy, where¡¯s Mr.


    Presgrave? Why is he not here?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s noting tonight. He has something else he needs to take care of,¡± Anastasia exined as


    she led Jared by his hand and walked out of the schoolpound. Just then, the boy¡¯s eyes lit up


    in excitement. He broke away from her grip and cried, ¡°Mommy, you lied to me! Mr. Presgrave is


    here!¡±


    After he said that, he dashed in a direction. At that, Anastasia turned to look and spotted Elliot¡¯s


    imposing figure.


    From a dozen meters away, she was able to feel the sharp stare from his eyes that was as dark as


    night. Her expression fell and she stared back at him.


    Doesn¡¯t he have a date with Hayley? Why is he here now?


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave!¡± The little boy ran up to the man and jumped at him, and Elliot quickly spread his


    arms and picked the boy up in a movement that seemed particrly natural.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, Mommy said that you are very busy so you couldn¡¯te!¡± Jared said as he


    cocked his head to one side.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stille and pick you up from school no matter how busy I am.¡± After Elliot said that, he


    extended his hand and caressed the boy¡¯s head. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car.¡±


    Elliot knew that as long as he got the boy into the car, Anastasia would definitely follow along. Also,


    he had fixed something special in his car that day-a child car seat.


    Anastasia initially nned to get Jared to take the cab together with her, but upon seeing him enter


    Elliot¡¯s car, she had no choice but to walk over to them.


    ¡°I thought that you had a date? Why are you here then?¡± she muttered with a cold chuckle.


    Instead of answering her, Elliot closed the door of the back seat and darted a cold look at her before


    he questioned in dissatisfaction, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up my call?¡±


    ¡°Did you call me? I didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Anastasia lied smoothly and she did not even blink.


    Elliot knew that she didn¡¯t pick up his call on purpose, yet there was nothing he could do but


    exin, ¡°It was a misunderstanding. Something got into Hayley¡¯s eye and I was just helping her to


    check her eye.¡±


    However, Anastasia found his exnation ridiculous. ¡°President Presgrave, why are you exining


    it to me? There¡¯s nothing for me to misunderstand since I don¡¯t care what sort of rtionship you


    have with Hayley.¡± At that, she shed a bright smile at him.


    Elliot¡¯s expression was stiff when he heard that, and his gaze was as dark as night. At the moment,


    he was in an awful mood as frustration bubbled up inside him.


    ¡°Anastasia, let me repeat myself-Hayley and I are merely friends,¡± Elliot suddenly held her arms and


    announced in a domineering manner.


    ¡°President Presgrave, why are you exining it so clearly to me? Your rtionship with Hayley has


    nothing to do with me at all.¡± Anastasia scoffed in response, her gaze on him cold.


    With that, she forcefully broke away from his grip, pulled open the car door to the back seat and


    entered the car.


    Throughout the drive, Elliot chatted with the boy. He asked what ss Jared had had in the day,


    what he had had for lunch and even what he had done in the afternoon. Throughout, Jared happily


    answered all the questions.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia looked outside the window with her arms folded across her chest, thinking


    about what to cook that night. Then, she said to Elliot, ¡°Let¡¯s buy some groceries at the mini market


    below my apartment.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he responded as he nced at her with his bottomless eyes from the rear mirror.


    Coincidentally, she happened to look into the mirror, so their gazes met.


    Upon seeing that, Anastasia immediately turned away as she was reluctant to meet his eyes.


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 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    After a ten minute drive, they arrived at her ce. Stopping the car, Anastasia then handed the keys


    to Elliot as she said, ¡°Go on and take Jared home first. I¡¯ll go buy some groceries by myself.¡±


    With the keys in his possession, Elliot then took Jared by the hand and walked to the entrance of


    themunity.


    At the supermarket beside the residence, Anastasia was choosing the vegetables until she saw the


    green chillies. She suddenly craved some stir fry pork, as well as roasted peppers and sea bass.


    Except for her son¡¯s steamed eggs, which would not be spicy, the other dishes tonight would all be


    vorful, with chillies as the main star of the show. The only thing now was that she did know if the


    tyrannical president would like it or not, even though she herself would enjoy it very much.


    After finishing the shopping, Anastasia, who was in a good mood, also bought some fruits on her


    way home. Reaching home, she noticed Elliot was ying with Jared using toy blocks. When she


    set down the washed fruits on the table, Anastasia noticed that the man was drinking out of her cup


    again.


    Annoyed, she then med herself for forgetting to buy disposable cups.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to cook now.¡± With that, she went into the kitchen.


    While cooking, she kept getting choked by the smell of the chillies. However, she knew that the food


    would be amazing. After an hour, Anastasia set the meal on the table, and they all looked green and


    red due to the chilies. The stinging smell of the chilies made Jared sneeze multiple times.


    ¡°Time to eat.¡± She called to the two, who were sitting on the sofa.


    Standing up, Elliot was visibly shocked upon the sight of the food on the table, but he did not


    grumble about it. After sitting down, they all then started to eat when Jared muttered with a pout,


    ¡°Mommy, all the dishes tonight are super spicy!¡±


    Laughing, Anastasia then exined to him, ¡°It¡¯s because Mommy loves spicy food!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, do you like spicy stuff?¡± Jared asked curiously, his head tilted.


    Smiling, the man replied, ¡°I like it.¡±


    With a hint of mischief in her eyes, Anastasia then proceeded to serve Elliot two roasted peppers. ¡°If


    that is the case, President Presgrave, do help yourself.¡±


    Elliot looked at the peppers in his bowl and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed a little, clearly showing that


    this was beyond him.


    ¡°Do eat up!¡± Anastasia urged.


    As she was closely watching him, Elliot had no choice but to bite into it. Although he was obviously


    affected by the spiciness, he chose not to voice it out.


    In a sh, Anastasia had already put a big chunk of fish into his te and murmured, ¡°Come,


    President Presgrave. This is a spicy sea bass. It¡¯s very delicious, you know.¡±


    Knowing that she was harboring bad intentions and was out to get him, Elliot did not reject her.


    Instead, he earnestly ate the food she offered. Meanwhile, Anastasia, who liked spicy food,


    obviously had a great meal.


    There was a slight blush on Elliot¡¯s face that was rather unusual, and he looked as if he had been


    drinking. Due to the thinyer of sweat that had umted on his forehead, it was obvious that


    this was caused by the spiciness of the meal.


    That night, probably out of the sheer heat from the food, he had two helpings of steamed egg. After


    Anastasia had cleaned up the table, Jared then went off to finish his homework.


    Finishing washing the dishes, she was then greeted by the sight of Elliot chugging water out of her


    cup, obviously still reeling from the effects of the spices.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting quitete, so you should get going now!¡± Anastasia said to the man who was sitting on


    the sofa.


    Elliot only peered at her in response while telling her in a low tone, ¡°Come here.¡±


    Blinking, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Holding up his phone, he handed it over to her. ¡°See for yourself.¡±


    Curioused, Anastasia walked over and took his phone to look at the recording from the surveince,


    as Hayley¡¯s voice transmitted clearly from the speaker. ¡°Elliot, I think that something got into my


    eyes. Can you check for me? It hurts!¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Looking at the video, Anastasia saw Hayley shutting her eyes, with Elliot leaning forward to check


    her eyes. This was the exact scene Anastasia witnessed in person; it


    was just that she had missed Hayley¡¯s words.


    So, the truth was this man was only really helping her to check if something got into her eyes? Why


    would her eyes hurt the moment I opened the door? Also, why would Elliot call me to his office


    when Hayley was already there?

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you send someone in the afternoon to summon me to your office?¡± Anastasia asked the man


    on the sofa.


    Frowning, Elliot replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Immediately, she remembered that it was Grace who came to ry the message. But where did she


    get the orders from? Obviously, this was nned to make the situation look like a coincidence.


    Sneering deep down, Anastasia already knew that this was another one of Hayley¡¯s ploys.


    Still sitting on the sofa, Elliot asked with his seductive low voice, ¡°Do you still need me to exin all


    to you again?¡±


    Giving his phone back to him, Anastasia noticed that his pale skin was unnaturally flushed. Paired


    with a sweat-covered forehead, the usually stern looking Elliot looked a bit weak under the light.


    ¡°A-Are you alright?¡± Anastasia asked guiltily. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of the spicy food tonight!


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°My stomach hurts.¡± Covering his stomach with his big hand, he then added strugglingly, ¡°It¡¯s fine,


    though. It¡¯s still bearable.¡±


    Frightened, Anastasia kneeled by the man in panic as she asked hurriedly, ¡°Does it hurt a lot? Do


    you want to go to the hospital? If you have stomach problems, why did you eat all that spicy food


    just now? You could¡¯ve just told me! Why are you so dumb?!¡±


    Anastasia was panicking and she could no longer think straight, as she med herself and him for


    not voicing this fact out.


    Seeing her in this state, Elliot chuckled after admiring this scene in front of him for a while. ¡°If I didn¡¯t


    eat all that, how would you have forgiven me?¡±


    Feeling her chest tighten, Anastasia knew that it was indeed her fault as she made all those spicy


    food on purpose.


    ¡°Then what should we do now? Should we go to the hospital?¡± She looked at him guiltily.


    ¡°No need. There¡¯s a pharmacy at the entrance of themunity, so just get me a box of stomach


    medicine from there.¡± After saying that, Elliot handed over the empty cup to her. ¡°And I¡¯ll have to


    trouble you for another cup of warm water.¡±


    After refilling the cup with warm water and passing it to him, Anastasia then rushed out with her bag


    and keys.


    In the elevator, she was greatly regretting her actions. I shouldn¡¯t have pranked him like this! How


    was I supposed to know that he had a weak stomach?


    Thinking about it, a workaholic like him having stomach problems was not out of the ordinary.


    However, it didn¡¯t show because he took care of his body daily. It was due to the spiciness of the


    food tonight and the amount that she fed him that the ugly head of his stomach pains reared itself


    as a result.


    Let¡¯s just get the medicine as fast as possible! If it really doesn¡¯t work, I can ask Rey toe and


    take him to the hospital.


    And so, Anastasia rushed home after buying the medicine. However, when she opened the door,


    she was met with the sight of Elliot clutching his stomach. He looked as if he was in agony at that


    moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve bought some medicine for you. Here, take two of these.¡± With that, she then saw that the


    instructions was actually to take three, so she took out three pills before giving it to Elliot. ¡°Just take


    it first! If it really doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll call for Rey toe and take you to the hospital.¡±


    Elliot took the pills and swallowed it with the help of some water. Lying on the sofa, he then said,


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I just have to rest for a while.¡±


    A panicked Anastasia was drenched in sweat, as she had run back and forth from the pharmacy.


    Looking deeply at her, the man was secretly quite happy inside due to her showing such concern for


    him.


    As expected, this woman cares about me.


    Yet, he was mistaken. The reason why Anastasia was in such a panic was only because she was


    trying to make up for the fact that she caused his stomach to ache.


    After all, she wasn¡¯t at peace with the fact that she harmed him.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t need to go to the hospital? There¡¯s one quite nearby, you know?¡± Still worried,


    Anastasia asked as she did not want him to suffer any longer.


    I¡¯m not as fragile as you think. I¡¯ll be fine after bearing with it for a moment.¡± With that, Elliot kept


    sipping from her cup from time to time.


    Rxing for a bit, she finally sat down onto the sofa while she breathed out. Then, she said guilty,


    ¡°You should¡¯ve told me that you can¡¯t stomach spicy food! Also, you should¡¯ve told me earlier that


    you have stomach issues. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve had¡­¡±


    Meanwhile Elliot was starting topile all the things that had taken ce. Why did she prank me?


    Is it because she saw the scene where I was blowing on Hayley¡¯s eyes? Did Anastasia think that I


    was going to kiss Hayley? Is that the reason why she¡¯s angry? Is it out of jealousy that she pranked


    me? Can it be that Anastasia has fallen in love with me?

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    ¡°Anastasia, did you think that I was going to kiss Hayley?¡± Elliot asked, wanting to know her real


    thoughts.


    Bing distant as soon as she heard the name ¡®Hayley¡¯ or anything to do with the woman,


    Anastasia smirked in response. ¡°Whether you two kiss or not is your business.¡±


    Meanwhile, Elliot did not want Anastasia to get off scot free for her behavior this afternoon, so he


    ressed, ¡°Then could you exin why you clocked off work early, ignoring my calls and prepared all


    this spicy food to prank me? Is it because you are jealous?¡±


    Stunned by his words, Anastasia thenughed. ¡°Was I? The reason why I got off work early was


    because I thought the both of you were going on a date together, so I came in advance to pick


    Jared up. I didn¡¯t pick up your calls because I didn¡¯t hear my phone go off, and the reason why the


    table today was full of spicy food was because I was in the mood for something spicy. President


    Presgrave, you¡¯re overthinking all this!¡±


    Upon hearing that, the man was struck speechless.


    Not wishing to continue this conversation any longer, Anastasia, who only realized that it was fast


    approaching 9 PM after looking at the clock, could only chase him out. ¡°President Presgrave, it¡¯s


    getting quitete now, so you should really leave.¡±


    However, Elliot hinted that he wanted to stay for a bit longer and he murmured, ¡°But I just took my


    meds, so I can¡¯t drive for the time being. I¡¯m afraid that I might feel sleepy behind the wheel.¡±


    ¡°How about letting Reye to pick you up? Or any of your bodyguards or assistants for that


    matter,¡± Anastasia muttered as she knew that Elliot had loads of people that could help him out.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I even rest for a while longer afternding in such a state by your hands?¡± he grumbled.


    His words made Anastasia¡¯s face flush. And so, she could only reply in resignation, ¡°Alright, then.


    Take a rest here. I¡¯ll go bathe Jared and tuck him in now.¡±


    ¡°Just go do what you have to. I¡¯ll be here.¡± With that, Elliot then gave her the cup again. ¡°I¡¯ll have to


    trouble you again for another cup of water.¡±


    Standing up, she then went to pour some water for him before seeking Jared out and giving him a


    bath. The child, who was oblivious as to what happened outside his room, was ted upon seeing


    Elliot still around. ¡°Mr. Presgrave, are you sleeping over at my home today?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! He¡¯s just a bit tired and is just resting for a short while,¡± Anastasia exined to her


    son.


    In the end, Jared grunted forlornly and went to the bathroom with a disappointed expression.


    After more than ten minutes of giving Jared a bath, Anastasia then led him to his bed. On the way to


    his room, the boy said goodnight to Elliot.


    As Jared had a rather fixed lifestyle, he fell asleep in no time. Covering him with a nket,


    Anastasia discovered that the man on the sofa was gone after she came out.


    Did he leave already?


    She was quite happy, as this meant that she could finally take a shower and rest. In all honesty, she


    was a bit ufortable with his presence.


    However, when she started to tidy up the living room, she suddenly found Elliot¡¯s car keys still on


    the table.


    Did he identally leave it here? She also found his phone lying on the sofa, and this led her to


    doubt if she had bought the wrong medicine, making him so dazed that he actually forgot about his


    car keys and phone.


    Did he leave everything here?


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    In a hurry, she looked at the box and noted that it was indeed medicine for treating stomach pains.


    At that, a thought shed across her mind. Looking at the door to her room, she then quickly stood


    up and entered her room. The sight that greeted her blew her mind.


    Currently, she was looking at Elliot lying on his side on her bed, sleeping soundly.


    Walking up to the man, she could only observe him. At that moment, he was breathing rhythmically


    and his expression was calm, suggesting that he really was asleep.


    ¡°Elliot, wake up. Sleep at your own home.¡± Reaching out, Anastasia pushed his arm.


    Seeing him not wake up, she impulsively reached out two fingers to test his breathing. It was very


    stable and natural, and it turned out that he really was asleep.


    She had remembered the pharmacist saying that this kind of medicine would make people drowsy


    after they took it. Is it really that effective?


    Sighing, Anastasia was at a loss on what to do next. Should I just let him use the bed, or should I


    chase him out?


    She witnessed how greatly Elliot was acting up because of his stomach pains, so it would seem


    heartless of her if she were to chase him out now. However, where would she sleep if she continued


    to let him be?

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Naturally, she could also choose to sleep in her son¡¯s room. That being said, how could she let


    some man upy her bed just like that? Even if the man in question had a stunning face and was


    handsome beyond belief, she still did not want him sleeping there.


    ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯ll let you sleep here for this night only.¡± With her hands on her hips, Anastasia gave


    in in the end.


    Leaving her room to go take a shower, she knew that she could only share a bed with Jared tonight.


    And so, after bathing, Anastasia had on pajamas as she made her way to her son¡¯s room.


    However, as if she was being lured, she went to her room to look in on Elliot, fearing that he might


    be ufortable or that the air conditioner might be too cold, causing him to catch a cold.


    Adjusting the temperature to 27 degrees, she then wanted to cover him with her nket, seeing


    how he doesn¡¯t have one on.


    Swiftly, the man who was still asleep the second prior suddenly opened his eyes and tugged on her


    arm. Anastasia was then hugged tightly by him and she fell into his embrace. The very next second,


    Elliot pinned her down hard.


    Their lovey-dovey position made Anastasia lift her head in anger, and she stared into his deep eyes


    which threatened to suck her in. ¡°Elliot Presgrave, let go of me! Don¡¯t be an a*shole!¡± she warned.


    ¡°What did I do to make you call me that?¡± Smirking, the man then held her face up with his hand


    and went in for a kiss, leaving no room for her to avoid him.


    It was very conflicting for Anastasia when she was being kissed by Elliot. Although she resisted it,


    she was also slowly epting it.


    She just came out of the shower and she smelled very nice, so much so that even her breathing


    was sweet. To Elliot, this was like opening a huge present. Of course, he still had his wits around


    him and did not try to cross the line.


    In the end, the kiss made Anastasia lose control as the strength left her body. With the man


    eventually stopping his kissing, he looked at the panting and flushed woman, andughed


    charismatically. ¡°Did you like that?¡±


    ¡°Get away¡­ from me¡­¡± Not holding herself back, she pushed him away. ¡°I think you¡¯re all fine now,


    so you should quickly leave.¡±


    Yet, Elliot just instead continued to lie down on the bed. With a sleepy gaze, he murmured, Tm tired


    now. I can¡¯t drive.¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending,¡± Anastasia rebuked, not believing an ounce of what he said.


    ¡°Are you going to be responsible if anything happens to me on the way home?¡± Using his arm as a


    support, Elliot looked utterly delectable as he peered back at her.


    Feeling her breath hitch, Anastasia quickly turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll let you stay tonight. Tomorrow you¡¯ll be


    leaving first thing in the morning.¡±


    With that, Anastasia quickly shut the door and left for her son¡¯s room.


    That night, she could not sleep a wink at all with her brain being upied by Elliot from time to time.


    That kiss had jumbled all her thoughts, and her body would feel a jolt of electricity every time she


    thought about Elliot for more than two seconds.


    Her thought ever since five years ago of staying well from men seemed to have lost all effectiveness


    when she faced him. What is going on?


    It was not until it got veryte that Anastasia became so tired she fell asleep. When she was still


    somewhat unconscious, she vaguely heard her son¡¯s excited voice. ¡°Mr. Presgrave, you really


    stayed over!¡±


    Hearing this, Anastasia immediately opened her eyes and flung open the covers. Opening the door,


    she saw Jared already dressed for school, while Elliot sat next to him, packing up the boy¡¯s bag.


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    ¡°Are¡­ you going to send Jared to school?¡± Anastasia asked, her gaze remaining sleepy.


    Raising his head, Elliot felt like something was tugging at his heartstrings when he murmured, ¡°Did


    you not sleepst night?¡±


    ¡°I did. I slept super soundlyst night!¡± Anastasia retorted forcefully, but her puffy eyes told another


    story.


    ¡°Just go back to sleep. I¡¯ll send Jared to school.¡± At that point, Elliot had already finished preparing


    and was ready to send the boy to school.


    Knowing that she herself did not sleep well, she just nodded in response. ¡°Alright, then. Please take


    the trouble to send him to his ss.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Smirking, Elliot held Jared by the hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Jared.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Mommy!¡± Jared then held Elliot¡¯s hand and they went out.


    Knowing that she had a rare moment of sleeping in, Anastasia thought for a moment before thinking


    that her bed would be morefortable. In the end, she went back to sleep in her own bed.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    After sending Jared to school, Elliot did not go back to thepany. Instead, he bought breakfast


    and returned to Anastasia¡¯s home.


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    He still had the key to the house that Anastasia gave him.


    With the breakfast in his hands, Elliot shot a look into the master room through the open doorway.


    Upon seeing the owner of the house bundled up in a nket, he smiled before he walked out.


    If Anastasia knew Elliot would be admiring her sleeping posture, she would¡¯ve slept in a more better


    looking position. At that moment, she looked like a tame kitten that was sleeping soundly, and she


    would adjust into a different sleeping position every now and then.


    Even the man himself did not notice that his gaze upon her was extremely gentle, and there was


    nostalgia in his eyes when he looked at her.


    Meanwhile, the sleeping woman was lying on the bed with all her limbs stretched out. The sun


    shone on her face, showing off her perfect skin and red lips, and it made her look very seductive.


    This made Elliot want to bite into her as he was eager to know how she tasted.


    Currently, Anastasia was wearing low-cut pajamas and her corbone were exposed, making the


    man gulp unconsciously as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed.


    Although Elliot was always calm and collected, he fell apart in front of the woman. She always had a


    way of making his heart go haywire.


    In the end, he decided to just not look at her, since he was very confident that she would belong to


    him sooner orter.


    With that thought, Elliot stood up and left.


    Anastasia¡¯s biological clock would always wake her up as she did not have a habit of sleeping in.


    However, it was the ring horning from the cars outside that truly made her feel awake in the


    end.


    Opening her eyes, she then spaced out for a bit before getting out of bed. Slowly, she washed her


    face and brushed her teeth. Walking out of her room to get a ss of water, she was scared out of


    her wits by the man sitting on her sofa.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Anastasia stared at him wide-eyed, a hint of anger in her gaze as she questioned, ¡°Why did


    youe back?!¡±


    ¡°I brought breakfast for you.¡± Elliot replied with raised eyebrows.


    Looking back at the door to her room, she found it to be wide open. So, was he in a position where


    he could simply look in on her whenever he wanted?


    Did he actually look at how I slept?


    Yet, Anastasia already knew the answer to this obvious question. It was evident that Elliot had done


    so. Did I drool in my sleep? Was I sleeping in a shameless position? Was I sleeptalking?!


    For reasons unbeknownst to her, Anastasia started to blush. Looking down, she was relieved upon


    seeing she still had on normal looking pajamas. Coughing lightly, she then said, ¡°You can leave


    now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to finish breakfast, then we can go to thepany together.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just take a cab. You don¡¯t need to wait for me.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m willing to wait,¡± Elliot said in his low seductive voice without a hint of waver


    to it.


    Frowning, Anastasia thought, Does he really think that this is his home? Why is he staying at this


    cramped three room apartment when he has a literal mansion he can live in?


    Because she was famished, she walked to the table before starting to eat the breakfast he brought


    her. Looking at the man sitting opposite to her, Anastasia pretended to be concerned as she asked,


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Elliot said as he nced at her.


    ¡°What about your stomach? Is it any better?¡± When Anastasia asked him about this, she prayed that


    it had better not get worse. Otherwise, she would feel guilt to no end.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine now. Please take more care of my stomach from now on, Miss Tillman.¡± The man said this


    with a snort and it was obvious that he was upset about yesterday¡¯s events.


    Guiltily, Anastasia replied, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll watch out from now on.¡±


    Satisfied, Elliot smiled before stating, ¡°Miss Tillman, you have a very adorable


    sleeping posture.¡±


    ¡°Y-You are not toe into my bedroom from now on without my permission. That is my private


    space, understand?¡± Using her rights as the owner, she warned him.


    Raising his eyebrows, Elliot answered herzily, ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t enter it from now


    on.¡±


    Not believing him that easily, Anastasia snorted in response. ¡°You better keep your word.¡±


    After breakfast, Anastasia chose to ride in his car but upon getting into his car, she found out that it


    was already 9.20 AM. Goodness, my full attendance for this month is gone again!

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    Catching her sighing, Elliot, who was sitting beside her, asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


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    ¡°Because of you, my full attendance bonus is gone now.¡± Anastasia med Elliot in its entirety; she


    wouldn¡¯t have been sleepless if it weren¡¯t for him sleeping at her housest night.


    If she hadn¡¯t been sleepless, she wouldn¡¯t have missed the slot to arrive at work on time.


    ¡°Are you that short on money?¡± he asked in an amused voice.


    ¡°Of course I am! Do you think everybody¡¯s pockets are bursting at the seams with money like you?


    Usmon folk spend every penny carefully, you know!¡± Anastasia rebuked.


    Upon hearing that, Elliot wanted to make up for it, so he announced, ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell them to include


    your full attendance bonus for this month.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s mood immediately turned for the better as she grinned ear to ear. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Elliot nodded and he hummed in response.


    She was really over the moon now. Looking outside the car window, Anastasia could only think


    about the deal of the custom set of lock and key that would cost five million. With the deadline being


    the day after tomorrow, she had to quicklye up with a design.


    Reaching the underground car park of thepany, Anastasia ran the moment she got out of the


    car, because she did not want to get into the same elevator with a certain individual. After locking


    his car, Elliot snorted upon seeing the woman, who was still standing at the hallway of the elevator,


    disappear.


    Already reaching her office, Anastasia then called Grace on thepany line.


    ¡°Grace, could youe in for a moment?¡±


    Thinking that she wanted coffee, Grace came in with a cup in her hands. ¡°Miss Tillman, here¡¯s your


    coffee. I added some creamer for you today, since you said that it was too bitterst time.¡±


    Touched, Anastasia nodded as a reply. However, she still had to ask the necessary question.


    ¡°Grace, who was it that told you the president wanted to see me?¡± Anastasia asked seriously.


    Blinking, Grace then thought about it for a while before answering, ¡°It was Alex from the nning


    Department that told me about it. She walked over to my desk with some documents in hand and


    told me that. Then, I ryed it to you immediately.¡±


    ¡°Did she tell you about who told her to do that?¡±


    Shaking her head, Grace replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask. Do you want me now?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia could only give up. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I was just asking


    because the president wasn¡¯t in his office when I went over yesterday.¡±


    It seemed like Hayley had nted her people deep enough to be able to use any assistant to inform


    Anastasia about this. Thetter believed that the person called Alex was also being used by


    someone. As for who it was, it was possible to find the mastermind behind this if Anastasia really


    wanted to. However, not wishing to spook the individual and alerting them, she could onlyfort


    herself by keeping a lookout for these kinds of things in the future.


    Diving deep into designing, she first drafted up two drawings, one being the lock and the other


    being the key. A lot of couples liked this kind of concept, as the man¡¯s heart often represented the


    lock, with it needing a gentle touch of the woman in the form of a key for the two parties to


    completely ept each other.


    Because Anastasia had a very good inspiration, she got off to a smooth start andpleted two


    detailed drawings. Instead of the normal sharp looking lock, the design of the lock was extremely


    exquisite with its smooth edges. Meanwhile, the key had an oval handle, and the bottom was thin. It


    had beautiful carvings on it, making it stand out.


    Remembering the customer specifying about their initials, she then designed a logo at the side. It


    was an E and H, with a heart linking the two alphabets together.


    Now that the rough draft was ready, Anastasia then started to draw them out on herputer,


    adding color and changing the details at the same time.


    Suddenly, Grace knocked on her door. Pushing it open, she was seen apanied by a worker,


    who had a beautiful bouquet in his hands as he asked, ¡°Are you Miss


    Tillman? These are for you.¡±


    Upon seeing the flowers, Anastasia knew that it was from Nigel. It looked like he ignored her


    statement of not giving her any flowers.


    ¡°Thank you. Please ce them on the sofa,¡± Anastasia murmured with a smile.


    After ten minutes, Grace knocked on her door once again. ¡°Miss Tillman, there are flowers for you


    again.¡±


    After saying that, another employee from a different florist then came in with a huge bouquet of


    roses that were obviously imported. The flowers themselves looked heavenly, and it was as if they


    had just been freshly plucked.

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    At that moment, Anastasia stood up abruptly and she stared incredulously at the two bouquets of


    flowers that were sent within the short span of ten minutes. Why did Nigel send two bouquets


    today?


    And so, she stood up and walked to stand in front of the rose bouquet. Suddenly, she realized that


    there was a card attached to the flowers, so she reached out to retrieve it. It turned out that there


    was a sinct sentence on the card-¡®I hope that there will be a favorable oue for my patience!


    Meanwhile, it was signed with thest name Pesgrave, with the date written below.


    Anastasia¡¯s beautiful eyes widened and she couldn¡¯t believe it as she looked at the signature. There


    was only one man that she knew who had thatst name Pesgrave. Could it be from him?!


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    Shortly after that, she walked to stand in front of the table and took thendline. Next, she dialed the


    number to the president¡¯s office. However, no one answered the phone.


    She refused to give up, so she took out her cell phone and dialed his number once again.


    ¡°Hello.¡± The low, baritone voice that rang out was quite melodious to the ears.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia didn¡¯t beat around the bush and she posed the question directly. ¡°Did you


    send me a bouquet of flowers?¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being stupid. Don¡¯t do that again.¡± She kept her eyes on the two bouquets of flowers on the


    couch as she wondered how to deal with them.


    ¡°You love the flowers that Nigel sent you, but you¡¯re actually disgusted by the ones I sent?¡± The


    man on the other end of the line voiced out frustratedly.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia was at a loss for words. ¡°Why are youparing yourself to him?


    He¡¯s my friend but you¡¯re my boss. Why did you send me flowers?¡±


    ¡°I like sending you flowers, so I¡¯ll do as I please. The choice is yours whether to ept it or not.¡±


    After Elliot finished his sentence, he immediately hung up on her.


    Feeling slightly shocked, Anastasia nced at the phone in her hands. This was the second time


    she was hung up on and shemented to herself, This guy¡¯s mood is quite unpredictable.


    Shortly after that, Grace sent some documents into the room. As soon as she noticed the two


    bouquets on the couch, she couldn¡¯t help going forward to admire them. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so pretty! These


    roses are imported and even a single stalk of it is quite pricey, not to mention that there are about


    thirty stalks in this bouquet!¡±


    ¡°You can have it. Use it to essorize the vase on your desk if you like.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Can I really take two stalks with me?¡± Grace asked joyfully.


    ¡°Yup. It willst a couple more days in a vase. If anyone else likes some, share it with them too. Just


    take the whole thing with you.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Anastasia, you¡¯re awesome! Thanks! I¡¯ll take it and share with everyone else then.¡± Grace


    took the huge bouquet of roses and walked out to distribute it to the others.


    Indeed, in no time at all, the huge bouquet was disassembled and distributed to everyone.


    Subsequently, the entire office got to know that Anastasia¡¯s admirer had gifted her with some


    imported roses.


    Everyone spected that it must be a man from a well-to-do family.


    In the afternoon, there was a weekly meeting, so Felicia knocked on the door to Anastasia¡¯s office


    and popped inside to have a chat with her. As they spoke, Felicia suddenly leaned forward and shot


    a secretive look at Anastasia. ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ve got a request. Could you help me with something?¡±


    ¡°Anything, Felicia.¡± Evidently, Anastasia was willing to help if she could.


    ¡°Well, the thing is, we¡¯re in discussions toe up with another snack area. We¡¯ve discussed this


    together and everyone was thinking of getting Belle Patisserie to join thepany, but I¡¯m sure


    you¡¯re aware that they are overly expensive and the cost of it would bust our budget. The price is a


    concern.¡±


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t quiteprehend how this matter rted to her despite listening intently to


    Felicia¡¯s words. How can I be of help then?


    .


    Soon after that, Anastasia directly voiced out, ¡°Well, how can I be of any help?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll invite President Presgrave to attend the meeting this afternoon. When the time


    At that moment, Anastasia was at a loss for words and after quite some time, she asked slightly


    doubtfully, ¡°Do you think my words would make a difference?¡± .


    ¡°If you¡¯re the one who voices out, then the chances of this being a sess would be much higher


    than if any of us were to do it.¡± Felicia was confident that this would be approved if Anastasia


    brought it up.


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll casually bring it up in the meeting. But I don¡¯t have the confidence that it¡¯ll be a


    sess.¡±


    ¡°Sure. You just have to briefly mention it during the meeting.¡± Felicia reached out to pat her on the


    shoulder before taking another look at the bouquet of flowers on the couch. ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯ve got


    plenty of admirers, huh?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that and she hurriedly exined, ¡°No, you¡¯re


    mistaken!¡±


    ¡°I also took a share of two stalks of that imported red roses that you received! It obviously looks like


    top-quality red roses that came from Hond. The sender of the flowers is quite thoughtful!¡±


    As soon as Anastasia thought of the sender of the flowers, she suddenly felt a looming headache.


    With a chuckle, she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know who sent the flowers because there was no name


    attached.¡±

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Felicia smiled and left without saying another word. However, she had a strong hunch that the roses


    came from their big boss from upstairs.


    The meeting was scheduled for 2.30 PM and Felicia sent an email to Elliot¡¯s mailbox to inform him.


    It was up to him whether he turned up or not, but Felicia sure hoped that he would attend it. After


    all, the proposal for the snack area had been put on hold for quite some time now, so a lot of their


    staff were in fact quite looking forward to that.


    As soon as Anastasia received Grace¡¯s reminder about the uing meeting, she quickly tidied up


    the drafts she was working on and took her cell phone with her as she headed toward the direction


    of the meeting room.


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    Meanwhile, Anastasia realized upon walking in that everyone in the meeting room seemed to be


    addressing her in a very pleasant manner.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, thanks for the roses. I heard that it costs at least two hundred to buy a stalk of that!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! The rose canst for at least fifteen days too. The flowering period is so long!¡±


    At that moment, Anastasia revealed a slight smile before pulling out a chair to take a seat.


    Suddenly, everyone focused their attention behind her. Elliot had arrived exactly on the dot.


    Swiftly, Anastasia turned her head to nce at him before quickly shifting her eyes in the other


    direction. She intentionally kept a distance from him in the office as she wanted to avoid being


    involved in any rumors with him.


    ¡°Alright, enough with the chatter, guys. It¡¯s time to start the meeting!¡± Felicia instructed her


    subordinates to stop their discussion.


    Firstly, Felicia made a few announcements regarding some work and then she also reported on the


    situation recently with the manuscript submissions. She also talked about the situation with the


    market analysis she had found out.


    ALL THE


    Meanwhile, Anastasia sat by Elliot¡¯s side and her thoughts ran wild as she sat there. For example,


    she recalled the incident with his gastritisst night and also the kiss they shared in her bed.


    Furthermore, she thought of the flowers from this morning


    too.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ Ahem! Anastasia¡­¡± Felicia tried to get Anastasia¡¯s attention once again.


    Right away, Anastasia came to her senses and lifted her head to nce at Felicia with a slightly


    confused look.


    Just then, Alice, who was seated across from Anastasia, was quite annoyed, so the former took the


    opportunity to deliver a scathing remark. ¡°Miss Tillman, you seem to be quite preupied each time


    we have a meeting. This is rather disrespectful of you!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s face turned slightly flushed when she heard that. She was quite embarrassed as she


    recalled what she had been thinking of earlier.


    ¡°Forgive me. I was too preupied thinking about work-rted matters,¡± Anastasia apologized.


    By then, everyone in the meeting room had turned to nce at Elliot, who was seated next to her,


    and each of them wondered how he would react to knowing that his staff was daydreaming during a


    meeting.


    However, they were stunned to see Elliot¡¯s expression. Right now, he was looking at Anastasia with


    a doting gaze that held a hint of amusement.


    ¡°Anastasia, we were just talking about the introduction of a tea break area. What do you think about


    that?¡± Felicia chose that moment to bring up this topic.


    Instantly, Anastasia recollected herself. ¡°Uh¡­ I think that we should switch to a different dessert


    shop. I¡¯ve heard of a very popr ce and I think it would be awesome if we could arrange for that


    company to prepare the pastries for our tea break.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªcould you share the name of the ce?¡± Felicia immediately asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a patisserie located in town and the name of the ce is Belle¡¯s Patisserie. I¡¯ve been there


    plenty of times with my son and the pastries taste very good. The ingredients that they use are very


    fresh too.¡±


    With a torn expression, Felicia muttered, ¡°But as far as I know, the prices of pastries from this ce


    are on the higher end and we do have a budget restraint. Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just make arrangements for this shop to join ourpany.¡± Suddenly, a low yet


    dominating male voice rang out.


    At that instance, Felicia turned to nce at Anastasia, and there was an approving


    look that shed across the former¡¯s eyes. Indeed, this n worked and Elliot is agreeing


    to it!


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was quite shocked when she heard that. How can he just agree to it so


    easily?!


    On the opposite end, Alice shot Anastasia a jealous look as she thought to herself, Anastasia is


    treated so favorably in thepany; even President Presgrave gives in to her whims.


    ¡°You guys continue with the meeting.¡± Elliot nced at his watch and looked at the time. ¡°I¡¯ve got


    something else on, so I¡¯ll head off now.¡±


    After he left the room, everyone in the meeting room heaved a sigh of relief and the first thing that


    they obviously did was to thank Anastasia for suggesting the new patisserie, thus sessfully


    obtaining such great staff benefits for them.


    Anastasia had merely mentioned it in passing, so she actually didn¡¯t expect that Elliot would agree


    to her suggestion just like that.


    Right after Elliot walked out of the meeting room, he suddenly heard two female staff chatting to


    each other excitedly by the end of the corridor.


    ¡°The flowers were given to us by a designer. The roses are very beautiful! It¡¯s a shame that you


    weren¡¯t here earlier so you missed the chance.¡±

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    ¡°She¡¯s so generous. She shared such expensive flowers with the entire office¡±


    At that point, Elliot paused in his tracks and his handsome face significantly darkened. He strode


    back toward the direction of the working area and instantly, he saw that every single vase of all of


    the staff in the office was adorned with a stalk of red rose. From his observation, it was in fact the


    imported roses that he had carefully hand-picked from the florist before his morning meeting. That


    woman just gave it away after taking a nce at it?!


    His handsome face was as cold as ice and there was an annoyed look in his eyes. He turned


    around and walked back toward the meeting room. Subsequently, he yanked open the door and


    hollered toward the woman inside, ¡°Anastasia,e and see me in my office.¡± After he had said


    that, he added, ¡°Now.¡±


    His tone of voice caused everyone in the meeting room to tense up as they directed slightly


    sympathetic looks at the woman specifically mentioned by Elliot. Deep down, they thought to


    themselves, What sort of major mistake has shemitted this time? Why is the big boss using


    such amandeering tone of voice?


    Slightly shocked, Anastasia collected her belongings and got out of her seat. Then, she walked out


    and shut the door to the meeting room behind her. ¡°President Presgrave, is there something


    urgent?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk in my office.¡± He spoke through clenched teeth and strode on ahead toward the direction


    of the elevator.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was quite confused. How did I offend him anyway? Is it because of the


    suggestion for that patisserie earlier on? But I didn¡¯t insist on it, though! It¡¯s entirely up to him!


    In the elevator, Anastasia could clearly feel the tense vibe in the air and she nced at the tall,


    strapping man next to her who had his arms crossed. He seemed quite angry at the moment.


    ¡°How¡¯s your gastritis? Are you feeling better now?¡± She took the chance to express her concern.


    However, Elliot continued to ignore her and as soon as the elevator doors slid open, he strode out


    immediately with his long legs. As for Anastasia, she trailed behind him awkwardly.


    The moment she entered Elliot¡¯s office, she saw him turn around all of a sudden and his tall, well-


    built figure approached her. Frightened, she took a step backward but she found her back hit


    against the door. Meanwhile, he ced both of his hands by each side of her shoulders as he held


    her captive against the door.


    ¡°Anastasia Tillman, do you actually dislike the flowers I gave you so much?! Why did you share it


    with the others just like that?!¡± Elliot¡¯s deep, dark eyes were clearly smoldering with anger.


    In response. Anastasia blinked her eyes a few times. Oh¨Cso he¡¯s mad about this!


    ¡°You sent me a lot of flowers but I don¡¯t know how to maintain them, so I shared them with the


    others in the oflice. That¡¯s much better than having the flowers wither in my hands, right?¡± Anastasia


    tried hard toe up with an excuse, but it sounded quite feeble.


    ¡°I hand-picked every single stalk of the roses today, so how dare you waste my efforts like that?!¡±


    Elliot¡¯s warm breath hit the skin on her face, and he looked quite angry to the point that he seemed


    to be about to devour her.


    Shortly after that, he did exactly that. He leaned forward and bit Anastasia with his thin lips just


    below her vicle underneath her shirt.


    At that moment, Anastasia had her guard down so she yelped out in pain and surprise. ¡°Ah!¡±


    After Elliot had bitten her, he continued to stare at her with a sullen look on his face. ¡°This is just a


    minor punishment. I won¡¯t let you off the hook so easily next time if you disregard my gift again.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    In response, Anastasia reached out to shove him before retorting confidently, ¡°Well, I could always


    give you back a bouquet of flowers!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is possible to pay me back with another bouquet of flowers, but are you able topensate


    for the effort I put into it?¡± Elliot spoke up in a hoarse voice and his expression was quite upset.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was lost in thought for a moment, but she then pushed him aside insistently.


    ¡°You know that I¡¯m not going to appreciate your gifts, so you should just stop giving me anything


    from now on. Otherwise, you¡¯re surely going to be upset again if I get rid of it.¡±


    Suddenly, Elliot took two steps backward and he continued to stare intently at her with his deep,


    dark eyes. His brows were furrowed and he looked as if his feelings


    were hurt.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes met his and she suddenly realized that her words were too scathing, At that


    moment, she apologized to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I apologize if my words hurt your feelings.¡±


    Instantly, the coldness dissipated from Elliot¡¯s eyes and there seemed to be a glimmer of warmth


    that shone through. However, he maintained a demanding tone of voice as hemanded,


    ¡°Anastasia, I don¡¯t want my efforts to be cast aside like trash again.¡±


    Feeling slightly stunned, Anastasia pulled open the door and merely responded, ¡°Then you¡¯d better


    not send me any gifts. I¡¯ll still choose to cast anything that you give me aside.¡±


    At that, the man left in the office stood there with a defeated look on his handsome face. He


    remained silent for a short while before walking off to stand in front of the full-length windows. His


    elongated and strapping figure exuded loneliness as he was basked under the dusk light from


    outside.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Anastasia went back to the working area and for a moment, her thoughts were all over the ce.


    Truth was, she found Elliot¡¯s behavior quite baffling. He¡¯s behaving quite abnormally today. Don¡¯t tell


    me that he likes me?! Well, I didn¡¯t expect him to personally pick the flowers he gave me! I mean,


    even though Nigel sent me flowers too, surely he would have just called the florist to ce an


    order? Nigel wouldn¡¯t take the time to go and pick out the flowers personally just like Elliot. I guess


    it¡¯s understandable that Elliot¡¯s mad because I didn¡¯t appreciate the flowers he sent me. But


    honestly, I never expected that he would have picked out every single stalk personally. Gosh!


    At that point, Anastasia held her head in her hands and she was significantly frustrated


    In the afternoon, Felicia came over to report the good news. The human resource department had


    contacted Belle Patisserie and the contract had been drafted. Once everything was signed, then


    Belle Patisserie would finally be able to move in. As such, they would be able to enjoy tasty pastries


    and cakes, as well as freshly brewed aromatic coffee for their tea break in the future.


    All of this was thanks to Anastasia and the entire office was quite aware of that.


    Suddenly, Anastasia¡¯s image in thepany went through aplete reversal and those


    colleagues who had secretly looked down on her in the past were now full of gratitude for her in


    public. After all, this was an awesome benefit.


    The only person quite unhappy about it was Alice. She had hoped fervently for the entire office to


    dislike Anastasia but unexpectedly, Anastasia had managed to win the people¡¯s hearts with just a


    single move.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Meanwhile, May was currently quite impatient and she quickly found a hiding spot outside the


    company as she dialed Hayley¡¯s number to inform Hayley about this incident.


    Hayley had just put on an act in front of Anastasia but unexpectedly, thetter had fought back so


    soon after that. Hayley had assumed that Anastasia was just putting up an act, and that Anastasia


    had done that to show Hayley how important she was to Elliot.


    At that moment, Hayley bit her lip and she felt as if she was about to lose her mind. She felt as if


    she was currently living in a darkened state, devoid of light. Her heart waspletely closed off and


    she couldn¡¯t see the light in her life at all. She was now fully consumed by hatred, jealousy, and all


    sorts of other negative feelings.


    Hayley¡¯s encounter with Elliot wasn¡¯t a good thing for her, as she found that he was a cmity in her


    life. After all, he was a spectacr individual while she wasn¡¯t exactly that great. As such, she had


    lost not only her true self but also her happiness. She hated Anastasia with a passion and now, the


    hatred consuined her. To Hayley, it was Anastasia that had ruined Hayley¡¯s life.


    In the afternoon, Anastasia handed over the initial draft for Felicia¡¯s perusal. Meanwhile, Felicia was


    quite pleased with it and asked Anastasia to refine some details before showing it to the female


    client tomorrow. If everything was eptable, then they could proceed to generate the end-product


    drawing. Subsequently, production could be initiated by handing over the end-product drawing to


    the factory.


    At about 4 PM, Anastasia was busy working on herputer as she put the finishing touches on


    her refined draft. Suddenly, she received a call on herndline, so she reached out to answer the


    phone. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Come to the underground parking lot in two minutes.¡± A man¡¯s low, clear voice rang out.


    Suddenly, Anastasia grabbed her cell phone to check the time and she gasped. She had been too


    busy with work to the extent that she had nearly forgotten that she had to go and fetch Jared.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there right away,¡± Anastasia instantly responded. Subsequently, she collected her


    belongings and switched off theputer before dashing out of the door.


    In the underground parking lot, Anastasia saw the car that was already with its ignition on, so she


    pulled open the door to the front passenger seat and entered the car. As she buckled her seatbelt,


    she murmured anxiously, ¡°Hurry up and get going. We¡¯re going to bete!¡±


    Meanwhile, Elliot was slightly speechless. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for his reminder, she would have


    completely forgotten that she had to pick Jared up.


    Despite that, the man stepped on the elerator to increase the speed and drove off in a rush.


    As for Anastasia, she nced outside of the window and breathed out slowly as she watched the


    traffic outside. She was in good spirits at the moment. After all, her work was going quite well and


    her family was safe and sound too. She found herself currently in an exceptionally rxed state that


    she hadn¡¯t experienced before.


    Suddenly, her cell phone rang and she took it in her hand to nce at it. Anastasia was caught by


    surprise for a moment as she turned to nce at the man next to her. ¡°It¡¯s your grandma on the


    line.¡±.


    Elliot shot her a look and responded with a low voice, ¡°Put her on speakerphone.¡±


    And so, Anastasia took a deep breath before hitting the speaker button and she answered the


    phone with a sweet and polite voice, ¡°Good evening, Old Madam Presgrave.¡±


    At that moment, Harriet responded in a warm, gentle voice, ¡°Anastasia! How have you been? Are


    you quite busytely?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ No, I¡¯m not too busy. Is there anything that you¡¯d like me to do?¡± Anastasia asked with a


    smile.


    ¡°Well, I wanted to treat you to lunch tomorrow. I didn¡¯t get to talk much to you during the dinner party


    the other time because it was just too hectic then. Will you be free tomorrow afternoon?¡±

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    ¡°Uh¡­ Y-Yes¡­ I¡¯m free tomorrow!¡± Anastasia replied while ncing at Elliot, who was driving


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re usually upied at night because you need to stay home to keep an eye on


    your child, so that¡¯s not a good time for you. That¡¯s why I asked you out in the afternoon. That¡¯s


    decided then. Let¡¯s have lunch together tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Old Madam Presgrave.¡± Anastasia naturally agreed to it. After all, this was the first time


    that Harriet had asked her out for a meal, so it would be quite rude to reject it.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll contact you tomorrow. You must be busy right now. That¡¯s all, then.¡±


    ¡°Sure, see you tomorrow.¡± After Anastasia had ended her sentence, she waited for Harriet to hang


    up the phone and she finally heaved a sigh of relief. At that moment, she nced at Elliot and


    asked, ¡°Do you know why your grandma asked me out for a meal? Does she actually just want to


    have a chat with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite likely that she wants to talk to you about the matter between you and Nigel.¡± Elliot kept his


    eyes in front of him and his handsome face remained expressionless.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Anastasia blinked her eyes in confusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s because Nigel proposed to you thest time and she¡¯s taken it seriously. It¡¯s quite likely that


    she wants to talk to you about the wedding preparation.¡±


    ¡°What?! Are you being serious?¡± Anastasia was indeed quite shocked upon hearing Elliot¡¯s words.


    Has Old Madam Presgrave actually taken the proposal seriously?


    ¡°This is the problem that you created yourself, so shouldn¡¯t you be prepared for the consequences?¡±


    Elliot coldly snorted in response.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia bit her red lip. Indeed, everyone had taken that proposal seriously. However,


    no one realized that she had privately exined the situation to Nigel.


    ¡°Then what should I do? I never intended to marry Nigel.¡± Anastasia heaved a resigned sigh. After


    all, she had no intention of disrupting Nigel¡¯s marriage prospects.


    ¡°Anastasia, you have to be frank here. How do you actually feel about Nigel? Do you


    like him or not?¡± Coincidentally, Elliot¡¯s car came to a stop at the traffic light and he directed his


    deep gaze intently at her.


    At that moment, Anastasia bit her lower lip. ¡°I only think of him as a friend. I like him for his witty and


    amusing personality. I also like the way he maintains such a carefree and rxed lifestyle, but I


    never thought of marrying him. I like him, but I don¡¯t love him.¡±


    As soon as Anastasia said that, she suddenly came to her senses and she turned to re at Elliot.


    ¡°Why am I telling you all these anyway?¡±


    Meanwhile, he curled his lips into a smile. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve spoken out so the reason shouldn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Elliot seemed to appear aloof, cold, and distant in front of the others but to Anastasia, he had


    somehow be someone she could confide in. She couldn¡¯t even figure out when this had


    happened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this. I¡¯m still trying to figure out how to exin the situation tomorrow.¡±


    Anastasia heaved a sigh as she found herself in a pickle.


    Upon hearing that, Elliot lifted his brows and suggested. ¡°I have a tip.¡±


    ¡°Out with it, then!¡± Anastasia couldn¡¯t wait to find out.


    He then suggested a foolproof n. ¡°Tomorrow, just confess your love toward me in front of Nigel


    and Grandma.¡±


    Suddenly, Anastasia¡¯s pretty eyes widened slightly and sheughed mockingly. ¡°In your dreams!¡±


    However, Elliot was unaffected by her reaction, and he wasn¡¯t the least bit upset or angered at all.


    On the contrary, the smile on his lips deepened. ¡°Otherwise, I could confess my love to you.¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t you dare do anything drastic! The situation isplicated enough, so please don¡¯t


    complicate things any further, alright?¡± Anastasia suddenly felt that he was just here to purposely


    create trouble for her.


    At that moment, Jared¡¯s school was within eyeshot and Elliot suddenly turned to her. ¡°I¡¯ll go inside


    and get Jared. You can wait in the car.¡±


    However, Anastasia was adamant not to bother Elliot, so she muttered, ¡°Jared¡¯s my son, so I¡¯ll go


    and get him.¡±


    ¡°I promised Jared in the morning that I woulde and pick him up personally in the afternoon, so I


    have to keep my word.¡± After Elliot said that, he pushed open the car door and got out of the car.


    As for Anastasia, she could only sit and wait in the car. Actually, she could have joined him and


    turned up at the school together, but she felt slightly diffident. After all, they were not an actual


    couple. Previously, Elliot had pretended to be Jared¡¯s father and he turned up for the sports event,


    so if any other parents initiated a conversation with them it would be quite awkward.


    And so, Anastasia decided to just stay put in the car. Shortly after that, she saw Jared walking out of


    the school hand-in-hand with Elliot. The boy was evidently quite happy as there was a spring to his


    step.


    As soon as Anastasia saw that, she couldn¡¯t contain the smile on her face. She was very joyful each


    time she saw Jared in a happy state.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Jared got into the car and sat in his car seat. Elliot leaned forward to buckle the seatbelt


    for him, and the current scene showed Elliot performing the exact role of a doting father.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Chapter 168


    Anastasia saw the scene in front of her and there was a sudden inexplicable feeling that arose


    within her. Should I continue to allow this man to be involved in our lives? What if Jared gets used to


    seeing him every day and bes dependent on his closepany? If he suddenly disappears


    from our life someday, would Jared feel disappointed then?


    ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s go grocery shopping, alright? I want to go to the mall.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s go together today.¡± Anastasia responded with a smile.


    And so, Elliot drove the car to arge mall by their house. In the supermarket, Anastasia was busy


    picking out some fresh vegetables while Elliot brought Jared to pick out some toys. Anastasia then


    walked off to the fruits section after picking out the vegetables. As soon as she saw some fresh


    durians, she couldn¡¯t help craving them as it had been quite a while since she had some.


    As such, she picked out one which was quite fleshy and went off to get it weighed. The price of the


    durian was quite exorbitant and she actually winced at the thought of it, but it was fine as an


    asional splurge.


    After that, Anastasia went to seek out Jared and Elliot, but she found that Elliot¡¯s trolley was full of


    presents. Though slightly resigned, she kept it to herself and thought, Is he trying to spoil Jared?


    That¡¯s too many presents there!


    ¡°Mommy, Mr. Presgrave bought all of these for me.¡± Jared sat in the trolley and showed it off to her.


    ¡°We can¡¯t have Mr. Presgrave spending so much money on you. Let¡¯s just pick one that you really


    like, alright?¡± Anastasia exined to Jared.


    Upon hearing that, Elliot spoke in a low voice. ¡°These are all my presents for Jared and the toys are


    educational.¡±


    ¡°I like all of them.¡± Jared pouted as well, as he wanted all of these toys.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia shook her head resignedly. ¡°It¡¯s just for this once, alright? Let¡¯s go and pay


    for it.¡±


    She was prepared to foot the bill herself but then before she could even reach out for her cell


    phone, Elliot had already paid for everything. It¡¯s such a shame that I didn¡¯t get more durians! IThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    would have bought two if I knew that he was going to fight to pay for the grocery bill.


    After entering the car, Jared instantly smelled the pungent scent. ¡°Mommy, did you buy some


    durian? It smells so good!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I bought the Musang King variety. Let¡¯s go home and enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°Yay! I love durian!¡± Jared had developed a liking for durian due to Anastasia¡¯s influence.


    On the other hand, Elliot, who was standing by the side, frowned slightly as there was a slight smell


    of durian inside the car.


    As soon as they arrived home, Anastasia quickly opened the fruit and the smell of it filled the entire


    house. She ced the flesh on a te and brought it out. Meanwhile, Jared had already washed


    his hands and he was waiting patiently on the couch to have some.


    Anastasia nced at Elliot, who was sitting on the couch too, and she generously offered, ¡°Come


    and have some too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this type of fruit,¡± Elliot rejected.


    However, Anastasia insistently handed him one. ¡°It¡¯s really good. Why don¡¯t you try some?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, do try some. It¡¯s really good!¡± Jared had one in his hand and he spoke while


    devouring it.


    If it was anyone else who had suggested for Elliot to try some, he would definitely reject them but


    because it was Anastasia and Jared, and they had a strong influence on Elliot, he overcame his


    disgust and reached out for a tiny piece before opening his mouth slightly to taste it.


    The taste of it was surprisingly better than he thought and as he tasted it carefully, the rich yet


    uncloying taste of it filled his taste buds. He found himself unable to resist the creamy texture of the


    fruit and his initial resistance went out of the window. He lifted his head and turned to nod at


    Anastasia. ¡°It¡¯s really good.¡±


    ¡°See? I told you it was yummy!¡± Inexplicably, Anastasia suddenly felt a sense of aplishment.


    She felt quite pleased to be able to force Elliot to try some durian.


    ¡°Is there any more in the kitchen? Is that all that you bought?¡± Elliot clearly expressed that it wasn¡¯t


    enough.


    In response, Anastasia blinked her eyes. ¡°The Musang King variety is very expensive! One of them


    is quite a splurge already. I dream of the day when I can finally achieve the freedom of having


    durians whenever I please!¡±


    ¡°I can easily grant your wish,¡± Elliotmented with narrowed eyes. I can supply you with as many


    durians as you wish to the point where you might get sick of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can earn more and buy it for myself!¡± After Anastasia said that, she nced at the


    clock and mentioned, ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare dinner now. Keep an eye on Jared for me.¡±


    Subsequently, Anastasia headed off to the kitchen as Elliot went along with Jared to the toy area to


    unbox the new toys. Meanwhile, Elliot¡¯s eyes shone with a doting expression as he watched Jared


    happily unbox his new toys. At that moment, Elliot felt as if he was truly Jared¡¯s father.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    Anastasia reached out a hand to ruffle Jared¡¯s hair and spoke in a rxed tone. ¡°I don¡¯t need


    anyone else but you. I¡¯m not going to marry anyone again in this lifetime.¡±


    That was because she didn¡¯t want to put a bet on an uncertain future. She just wanted to raise her


    son in a stable environment. Besides, Elliot clearly was doing all this as an expression of his


    gratitude. As such, such a rtionship was as fragile as a tiny bubble and it could disintegrate at


    any time.


    Anastasia was no longer a young girl, so she was quite conscious of what was going on. She would


    not be easily affected just because someone was kind to her, and she definitely wasn¡¯t going to


    sacrifice all of herself due to being touched by someone else¡¯s kindness. She was now a very level-


    headed and logical person.


    The next morning, Anastasia had just helped Jared ce his belongings into his school bag and


    was about to leave the house when the doorbell sounded. She looked through the peephole and


    was immediately stunned. Why is he here?


    Meanwhile, she opened the door to see Elliot standing outside. He was dressed impably in a


    suit and he looked exactly like an elitist standing there.


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave!¡± Jared happily clung to Elliot¡¯s thigh. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I came over to send you to school and send your mommy to work.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, you¡¯re such a nice person!¡± Jared kept his eyes on Elliot unblinkingly and the boy¡¯s


    expression was quite affectionate.


    At that moment, Elliot directed his gaze toward Anastasia with the hopes that she would react the


    same way as Jared. However, she felt quite shy to bother him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this next time. I don¡¯t want to take up too much of your precious time,¡±


    Anastasia suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to spend my time any way I prefer,¡± Elliot curled his lips into a smile and replied.


    Subsequently, he squatted down and took Jared into his arms before turning around to head toward


    the elevator.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was left slightly speechless. She really didn¡¯t want to waste the man¡¯s time,


    as he usually had business dealings that ran in the range of billions.


    After dropping off Jared at school, Anastasia suddenly recalled that she had a lunch


    date with Harriet in the afternoon, so she turned her head to nce at Elliot. ¡°Will you be attending


    the lunch appointment this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°My grandma didn¡¯t invite me along.¡± Elliot felt slightly upset too as he had waited the whole night


    for Harriet¡¯s phone call, but it was in vain. Evidently, he was not included in the lunch date.


    Anastasia pursed her lips in response. ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll try my best to exin the situation to her.¡±


    Elliot drove his car into the underground parking lot and Anastasia tried to quickly make a dash for it


    as she wanted to avoid entering the elevator at the same time as him.


    However, Elliot refused to let her have her way and he strode purposefully behind her on his long


    legs. Just as he was about to enter the elevator, Anastasia frantically pressed the button to shut the


    door while yelling toward him, who was still outside, ¡°Take the next one.¡±


    Unfortunately for her, he stretched out his hand. As soon as the sensors on the door sensed


    movement, they slid open instantly and Elliot made his way into the elevator gracefully.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia ced her palm on her forehead and inched closer to the corner of the


    elevator. Even if she had to be in the same lift, she was determined to stand as far away from him


    as possible.


    Indeed, there was a huge group of staff waiting to enter the elevator in the lobby. However, as soon


    as the doors to the elevator slid open, the anxious bunch of people outside suddenly stopped in


    their tracks. None of them dared to step foot into the elevator because Elliot was standing there.


    ¡°President Presgrave, you can go ahead. We¡¯ll take the next one.¡± Each of them said so fawningly


    with smiles on their faces.


    Soon after that, the doors to the elevator slid shut. Meanwhile, Anastasia was intent on admiring


    Elliot¡¯s strapping, attractive figure as she thought, He has the perfect figure that even a model


    couldn¡¯tpete against him! The clothes on him were perfectly molded to his body and he had the


    perfect figure that enhanced any outfit he wore. Elliot¡¯s figure was so perfect that he looked slim in


    any shirt he put on and yet when he took off his shirt, he was filled out in all the right ces.


    They arrived at the Department of Design and Anastasia quickly slipped past the man to get out of


    the elevator. However, at that moment, Elliot reached out and


    suddenly held her hand for a short while. Shocked, Anastasia shivered and she quickly flung off his


    hand as she fled the elevator. At the same time, she scanned her surroundings guiltily.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    She couldn¡¯t contain herself from blushing. How annoying!


    She arrived at her working area and instantly focused her efforts on her work. Although she had hurt


    her finger, she could only bear it and work with an injured finger. Luckily, she could operate


    everything by using theputer, so it made things much easier for her.


    She finally made finishing touches to the draft for the pair of nes and it was quite perfect in


    her eyes, so she sent it to Felicia for her to contact the customer. After all, this was an important


    commissioned piece, so Felicia was in on it too.


    At about 10 in the morning, Anastasia¡¯s cell phone suddenly rang and she reached out to answer


    the phone call. ¡°Hello, who¡¯s on the line?¡±


    ¡°Hi, is this Miss Anastasia Tillman? I¡¯m calling from the fruit shop. There¡¯s a customer who ordered


    a truckload of Musang King durian for you. Where would you like me to deliver it to?¡±


    ¡°What?! A truckload? How many would that be?¡±


    ¡°There are about two hundred of them.¡±


    At that point, Anastasia nearly had a heart attack. Elliot has too much money on his hands, huh?


    Why did he send me two hundred Musang King durians early in the morning anyway?!

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    ¡°Uh¡­ Can I return it?¡±


    ¡°Fruits are non-returnable goods! Don¡¯t worry, miss. We provide top-grade Musang King so it¡¯s


    definitely of good quality.¡± s?


    ¡°I know that and I do trust that your goods are of good quality, but I don¡¯t need that many.¡±


    ¡°Miss, I really can¡¯t process a return for this. Fruits are non-returnable once sold!¡± On the other end,


    the owner tried hard to express his keenness toplete the sale.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was at a loss for what to do. ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll make a phone call and get


    back to you.¡±


    As soon as Anastasia put down her cell phone, she instantly grabbed thendline and dialed the


    number to the office of a specific man.


    ¡°Hello?¡± The man answered the phone in a low voice.


    ¡°Did you order me a truckload of Musang King durians?¡± Anastasia questioned him immediately.


    ¡°Yup. You mentioned that you wanted the freedom to have durians whenever you crave them, so I¡¯ll


    help you achieve this wish today. You can have as many of them as you want.¡± Elliot spoke up and


    implied that the durians today were his treat.


    However, Anastasia was quite speechless and she thought, Doesn¡¯t he realize that one can¡¯t have


    too many durians? It¡¯s fine to have some asionally, but if too much is consumed in one day then


    there are a lot of side effects that would ur subsequently. The milder symptoms would be a sore


    throat and as for the worst-case scenario, one would even experience constipation!


    ¡°I think you should return it. I can¡¯t finish that many. I just had onest night so I can¡¯t have too many


    at a time.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± On the other end, the man clearly knew nothing about durians. Although he was a


    knowledgeable man, there were also some things that he was totally clueless


    of.


    ¡°That¡¯s because durians can cause sore throats. I can¡¯t have too much.¡± Anastasia could only try


    her best to exin, but the other side effect sounded slightly indecent so she


    didn¡¯t mention that.


    ¡°I never return any item that I¡¯ve paid for. You can decide how you want to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ You¡­¡±


    ¡°I have a meeting to attend now.¡± After Elliot said that, he hung up on her.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia had to return the call of the fruit store owner, yet the purchaser of the items


    refused to pay heed to her words, so she was in a dilemma at the moment. In the end, she thought


    to herself, I guess I¡¯ll just treat everyone to durians, then.


    Subsequently, she reached out and dialed Felicia¡¯s number to exin the situation. On the other


    end of the line, Felicia was ted. ¡°This is a simple matter. I¡¯ll arrange for everyone in the office to


    have one each.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Please make the arrangements, then, but don¡¯t say that this is my treat. Let them know that


    it¡¯s President Presgrave¡¯s treat.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Felicia burst intoughter. ¡°Are you sure that you want to let them know it¡¯s his


    treat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just say that. I don¡¯t want to take this credit,¡± Anastasia insisted.


    ¡°Sure! We¡¯ll leave it at that, then.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Ten minutester, the fruit store owner happily distributed durians by the entrance of the office, and


    every staff member of thepany who walked past was given one. This went on and no one was


    left out until every piece of fruit was gone.


    After all that, Grace came back upstairs in good spirits and she held two durians in her hands.


    Anastasia expressed her gratitude as Grace excitedly mentioned, ¡°Anastasia, do you know who


    treated us to this? It¡¯s President Presgrave! It¡¯s the Musang King variety too. Everyone¡¯s so happy.¡±


    At that moment, Anastasia tried to stifle herughter. ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m quite happy too.¡±


    After Grace had walked out of the room, Anastasia clutched at her stomach and ced her head on


    the tabletop. She was consumed with uncontrobleughter and she nearly fell to the ground. I


    wonder what Elliot¡¯s expression will be like if he finds out about this?!


    Meanwhile, in the meeting room at the Presgrave Group, the room was solemnly silent as Elliot sat


    at the head of the table. He gave out an air of dominance seen in a leader and under the


    illumination of the projectormp, he clearly gave out the feeling of a strong president.


    The people in attendance today were all the upper management team of the Presgrave Group, and


    each one of them was involved in running variousrge-scale projects all over the world. They had


    to report back to Elliot on the progress of their projects daily and there was no room for any errors


    or omissions.


    The Presgrave Group was involved in various financial schemes worldwide, so thepany was, in


    fact, much more than just a leading business in the country. After Elliot¡¯s appointment as the


    president, he had kept close control of the development of thepany. He ended up leading the


    Presgrave Group toward a much brighter future than ever.


    Despite the Presgrave Group going through several financial crises, the giant corporation remained


    strong and continued to sail through the waves of the corporate world.


    The meeting ended at 11.30 AM and Elliot went back to his office after that. At that moment, Rey


    stood by his side with pursed lips, and he looked as if he had something to report on.


    Elliot nced at him and questioned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Rey had gone for facial expression management sses before but right now, he couldn¡¯t contain


    himself andughed out loud. ¡°President Presgrave, the truckload of Musang King durians that you


    ordered for Miss Tillman was distributed to the entirepany. The problem is, Miss Tillman gave


    the credit to you.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s handsome expression stiffened slightly when he heard that. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Anyway, everyone¡¯s full of gratitude for you.¡± As soon as Rey finished saying that, he


    instantly covered his lips and burst intoughter before quickly stifling hisughter while he covered


    his mouth once again.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine tough.¡± Elliot shot Rey a look. I just didn¡¯t expect her to be so generous and actually


    distribute everything.


    Suddenly, Elliot recalled something and he instantly took his cell phone and dialed his


    grandmother¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hello, Elliot. Do you have something to talk to me about?¡± Harriet¡¯s voice rang out.


    ¡°Grandma, I would like to have lunch with you today. We haven¡¯t seen each other for days.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to have dinner together. I have a lunch date today.¡±


    ¡°What sort of lunch date is it? Can I join you?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be convenient.¡± Harriet spoke up frankly.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a meal.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be frank with you. I have a lunch date with Nigel and Anastasia today. I wanted to talk to


    them about their engagement the other day. I¡¯ve decided that it¡¯s time to pick a date for them.¡±


    ¡°Include me for the lunch date, then! I want to join the meal too,¡± Elliot responded with a smile.


    ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t mind you joining us, but don¡¯t you dare mess things up!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do that.¡± Elliot curved his lips into a smile. I¡¯m not going to mess things up


    because this won¡¯t go to n anyway.


    in a blink of an eye, it was 11.20 AM and Anastasia nced at her cell phone from time to time as


    she waited for Harriet to call her regarding the lunch date.


    Just then, Anastasia¡¯s cell phone rang and she quickly grabbed it to take a look. Indeed, it was


    Harriet on the line, so she took a deep breath before answering the phone. ¡°Hello, Old Madam


    Presgrave.¡± ;


    ¡°Anastasia, you cane downstairs now. My car is about to reach the entrance of yourpany.¡±


    It turned out that Harriet hade in person to fetch Anastasia.


    At that moment, Anastasia felt quite ttered and she revealed a smile. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be downstairs


    shortly.¡±


    Anastasia walked out of the entrance to see a ck car parked by the entrance, and the dominantly


    disyed golden logo of the Rolls-Royce was unmistakable.


    The driver personally got out to open the door for Anastasia as she expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank


    you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Miss Tillman,¡± the driver replied.


    And so, Anastasia got into the back passenger seat and saw that Harriet was dressed elegantly in a


    dark purple dress lined with golden threads. The button of the dress was made out of ruby and it


    was clear to the eye that it was a hand-made,missioned piece.


    3


    ¡°Hello, Old Madam Presgrave!¡± Anastasia greeted Harriet.


    ¡°It¡¯s been days since west met. What happened to your finger?¡± Harriet instantly noticed


    Anastasia¡¯s bandaged finger.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I identally hurt myself.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Was it a bad cut?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too serious. It¡¯s just a minor cut.¡± Anastasia curled up her lips and smiled. Upon hearing


    that, Harriet nodded her head. ¡°Try to be more careful next time.¡± With that, the elderly woman


    nced out of the car window at the building in front. ¡°Do you work here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Elliot has taken over yourpany, so it¡¯s part of our family business now. It would be


    much easier for us to help you out in the future.¡±


    Meanwhile, Anastasia felt quite uneasy. Elliot had not only taken over Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier for


    the sake of helping a lowly staff like her, but he had actually bought over the world-renowned QR


    International Group that backed the Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier brand.


    ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, I¡¯m fine so there¡¯s no need to go all the way out to help me,¡± Anastasia


    expressed her sincere gratitude.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be shy, child. We are obliged to do that. I¡¯m also trying to redeem myself by


    helping you. It makes me feel slightly better by doing so.¡± Harriet¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed as she


    spoke. ¡°I am forever indebted to your mother and there¡¯s nothing I can do to fully repay her in this


    lifetime.¡±


    Surprised, Anastasia asked, ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, why would you say so?¡±


    ¡°You might not realize this, but both Elliot¡¯s parents¡¯ passed away at the same time back then and I


    had to single-handedly hold the fort for the entire Presgrave Group. At the same time, I had to bring


    up a young Elliot. At that point in life, I held all of my hopes upon Elliot, so if something bad had


    urred to him, I would have lost the remaining pir of strength in my life. Your mother¡¯s ultimate


    sacrifice gave us the Presgrave Group that we have today.¡±

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Anastasia¡¯s heart sank upon hearing that. She couldn¡¯t even imagine the state of Harriet¡¯s situation


    back then. Thetter was a fifty-year-old woman trying to cope with the sudden loss of her son and


    daughter-inw, and she had to step up to manage a multi-millionpany single-handedly.


    Furthermore, she had to raise a young grandson and back then, Elliot was her only hope.


    Right now, Elliot had grown up to be an independent man and he ran thepany well, so


    she could finally rx and enjoy a life of retirement.


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s a great woman and though I¡¯ve never spoken to her before, she has a mighty and


    heroic presence in my heart.¡±


    Anastasia was also quite young-barely two years old-back then, so her impression of her mother


    was just the exceptionally heroic-looking woman in the photos. At that time, her father had just


    started up his business, so Anastasia was raised by her maternal grandmother. Two yearster, her


    father had remarried and that was when Naomi joined their family. Naomi had brought along a


    daughter with her. After Anastasia¡¯s grandmother had passed away due to illness, her father finally


    brought Anastasia back home to care for her.


    At that point, Harriet quickly halted the current topic as she didn¡¯t want to bring up Anastasia¡¯s


    painful past, so she smiled and asked, ¡°Anastasia, why don¡¯t you make a guess as to who¡¯s the


    other person joining us for lunch?¡±


    In fact, Anastasia was quite confident that it was Nigel joining them for lunch, but she could only act


    confused. ¡°Did you invite another person to join us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Nigel. I asked the two of you out for lunch with me to have a proper discussion. It was totally


    beyond my expectation that you were the little girl who saved Nigel back then. It must be fate!¡±


    Anastasia curled up her lips and revealed a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that he was your grandson


    either.¡±


    Harriet requested for Anastasia to exin the process of how she saved Nigel in detail, so


    Anastasia eded to the former¡¯s request and thoroughly spoke about the ordeal. Anastasia also


    shared with Harriet some of her experiences with Nigel when they were overseas. Meanwhile,


    Harriet listened on and concluded in her mind that it was proof of Anastasia and Nigel¡¯s affectionate


    rtionship.


    As such, the elderly woman was very intent on bringing the couple together. Once


    Anastasia was part of the Manson Family, then Harriet could naturally continue to provide support


    andpensation for Anastasia in every aspect.


    At the moment, a gray-colored sports car was also heading in the direction of the restaurant. Nigel


    had received Harriet¡¯s phone call the previous night and she had instructed him to dress up well for


    lunch today, as Anastasia would be in attendance too.


    As a result, Nigel had woken up early to go to the barber¡¯s, and he had gotten a stylish haircut for


    today¡¯s lunch date. His originally quite good-looking face was much more handsome and full of vigor


    than ever after all the grooming.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Presently, Nigel had arrived at the restaurant and remained in his car. Taking a look at himself in the


    mirror, he cheered for himself. ¡°Nigel Manson, you must win Anastasia¡¯s heart today and get her to


    agree to your proposal. Good luck!¡±


    He then pushed open the car door and got out of the car to enter the restaurant. Subsequently, the


    waiter greeted him and escorted him to the direction of the private room as he waited there.


    Meanwhile, Harriet and Anastasia arrived at 11.50 AM. Throughout their journey, thetter was


    preupied with her thoughts as she tried to figure out how to exin the matter of the proposal to


    Harriet, so that Harriet could give up on the thought of making arrangements for their marriage.


    As soon as they entered the private room, Nigel instantly stood up to greet them and he lovingly


    addressed Harriet, ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re here!¡±


    After he had said that, he directed his affectionate almond-shaped eyes toward Anastasia.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    Meanwhile, Anastasia greeted him with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re quite early today.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to bete for lunch with you,¡± Nigel responded wittily.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia couldn¡¯t contain herself and sheughed upon hearing his words.


    Harriet watched their interaction and she was secretly quite pleased. They are indeed a perfect


    match for each other. They look sopatible!


    ¡°What happened to your finger? Let me have a look at it.¡± Nigel had noticed it almost instantly so he


    quickly reached out to hold her hand and check on her wound.


    In response, Anastasia hastily withdrew her hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I identally cut myself while I was


    cutting some vegetables.¡±


    TEST


    EST


    ¡°That¡¯s so careless of you. You should avoid cooking from now on. I¡¯ll treat you to your meals.¡±


    ¡°No, Jared¡¯s not used to eating out.¡±


    ¡°Come on and take a seat. Let¡¯s order our food.¡± Harriet sat at the head of the table and the


    manager of the restaurant came in personally to take their order. At the same time, he introduced to


    them the restaurant¡¯s specialties. Anastasia sat there and listened to him introduce their fresh and


    imported, luxurious ingredients, which were all air-flown to the restaurant, and she realized by


    listening to the way the ingredients were obtained that this was clearly not a restaurant that could be


    afforded by the general poption.


    ¡°Serve us one of each, then!¡± Harriet announced with a swagger.

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Chapter 174 ¡°Will it be just the three of you today?¡± the manager asked with a smile.


    At that moment, Harriet suddenly recalled that there was another person joining them, so she


    quickly responded, ¡°There will be four of us today.¡±


    M


    Instantly, Anastasia and Nigel exchanged looks with each other. Is there a mysterious guest? Who


    is it? Harriet, however, was busy chatting with the manager, so they didn¡¯t interrupt the


    conversation.


    All of a sudden, a waiter pushed open the door from the outside and a strapping, tall figure walked


    into the room. He had his suit jacket in his hand, and he was dressed in a white dress shirt paired


    with ck trousers. In short, his attire was minimalistic yet full of elegance.


    Anastasia¡¯s beautiful eyes widened upon seeing the man, and she was quite stunned to find that he


    was here too.


    The person who walked into the room was in fact Elliot-the man who had shamelessly mentioned


    he wanted to join the lunch date the night before.


    At the same time, Nigel narrowed his almond-shaped eyes too. Why did Grandma invite him along?


    He¡¯s just going to ruin everything!


    ¡°Elliot, howe you¡¯re here too? Don¡¯t you have any lunch conferences to attend?¡± Nigel lifted his


    brows and asked questioningly.


    Elliot pulled out a chair and purposely took a seat next to Anastasia before he responded with a


    smile, ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t invited to any lunch conferences, so I had no choice but to barge in and join


    your lunch date too.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! I¡¯m sure there are plenty of people keen to give you a treat.¡± Nigel didn¡¯t believe a single word


    that Elliot said. Furthermore, Nigel was quite sure that his cousin must have purposely turned up to


    mess things up.


    Meanwhile, Harriet smiled upon seeing both of her grandsons in attendance. ¡°Elliot mentioned to


    mest night that he didn¡¯t have any lunch ns for today, so I invited him along.¡±


    At that moment, Anastasia turned her head to nce at the man in question, and she noticed that


    his handsome face had stiffened slightly. Elliot clearly didn¡¯t expect that Harriet would expose his lie.


    In the end, he took his cup of tea into his hand and took a sip from it. At the same time, he peered


    across from the edge of his teacup, and his dark gaze went toward the woman next to him.


    As for Anastasia, she purposely turned in the other direction as soon as she sensed his eyes on


    her.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m sure that there¡¯s no need to introduce this person to you, right? He¡¯s my grandson,


    Elliot Presgrave. You guys must have encountered each other at the office, I believe?¡± Harriet asked


    with a smile.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia had a slightly abashed look on her face as she spoke up guiltily. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve


    met.¡± Not only have we met, but we¡¯ve also even kissed more than once! It was mainly because of


    Elliot¡¯s shameless personality, and that he had forcefully kissed her each time.


    At that moment, Nigel reached out to hold Harriet¡¯s hand. ¡°Grandma, why don¡¯t you hurry up and tell


    us the purpose of this lunch date today?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she heard that, and she turned to look at Harriet. At the same


    time, Harriet nced at Anastasia with a smile on her face before turning to nce at Nigel, who


    was seated next to Harriet. ¡°Anastasia and Nigel, I¡¯m very happy to know that the two of you are in


    a rtionship, so I¡¯ve asked the two of you out today to discuss the date for the wedding. That way,


    we can get the ceremony organized as soon as possible.¡±


    At that point, Anastasia thought to herself, Elliot was right in his guess! Harriet has actually taken


    the proposal for real!


    As for Nigel, he lifted his brows happily. ¡°Sure! Grandma, why don¡¯t you pick a date for us so that


    Anastasia and I can proceed with the wedding ceremony as soon as possible? Anastasia, how does


    that sound?¡±


    Meanwhile, Elliot crossed his arms together and looked at the woman next to him with a slightly


    gloating look on his face as he waited to see how she was going to handle this.


    On the other hand, Anastasia shot a resigned look at Nigel before she turned to speak to Harriet.


    ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, Nigel was just fooling around when he proposed to me that day. Don¡¯t take


    it seriously. We¡¯re just good friends.¡±


    ¡°What?! How can one fool around with a marriage proposal?!¡± Harriet stared at her with an aghast


    look before turning to look at Nigel.


    However, Nigel solemnly spoke up. ¡°Anastasia, I was quite serious during the marriage proposal. I


    would like to take your hand in marriage and have you as my wife. Please allow me to care for you


    for the rest of our lives.¡±


    At that point, Anastasia lifted her head and she saw Nigel¡¯s expectant and loving expression. She


    couldn¡¯t help panicking as she pursed her lips. All of a sudden, she couldn¡¯t seem to figure out how


    to express her rejection with Harriet present. After all, she was mindful of maintaining Nigel¡¯s


    reputation too.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    As for Elliot, he reached out and took a sip from his cup. His dark eyes were deep and mysterious,


    and one couldn¡¯t quite tell what was on his mind.


    In fact, he was also waiting for the woman next to him to express her stance.


    ¡°Look, Nigel¡¯s sincerely in love with you, Anastasia. He¡¯s a great guy and I do hope that you can


    consider him as a prospect.¡± Harriet tried to matchmake the two, as she really hoped that Anastasia


    could be a part of the family too.


    All of a sudden, Anastasia found herself in a rut as she mumbled, ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, I


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m sincere in my feelings. Ever since you saved my life, I made up my mind that my


    entire soul and self would belong solely to you.¡± Nigel took this opportunity to confess his true


    feelings. He also hoped that with Harriet present, Anastasia would no longer shy away from his


    sincere feelings.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    Anastasia¡¯s pair of beautiful eyes shifted from left to right. She also pursed her lips for a moment


    before biting on her lower lip. At that point, she looked deeply troubled as she struggled toe up


    with a decision.


    As for Elliot, he continued to hold his cup as he gracefully sipped some tea. His thick eyshes


    formed a dense canopy and his eyes were covered thus masking the intense, prating look in


    them.


    Anastasia suddenly turned to shoot him a fleeting yet pleading look, but she could only manage to


    catch his nonchnt look from his handsome side profile. He behaved as if this had nothing to do


    with him, and he clearly wasn¡¯t going to offer her any help at all.


    She merely shot him a quick look before lowering her eyes. At the same time, she was quite


    frustrated as she grumbled to herself, What did I expect from him anyway? He¡¯s just here today to


    watch me make a fool of myself, or perhaps he¡¯s just here to have some fun.


    ¡°Anastasia, do you find it quite hard to ept Nigel¡¯s marriage proposal?¡± Harriet¡¯s warm voice


    suddenly rang out.


    As for Nigel, the expectant look in his eyes was evident because he wanted an answer. It was


    obvious that he was mainly after a sincere reply from Anastasia.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t me Nigel for that because she knew that just like Elliot, Nigel¡¯s feelings toward


    her included a strong sense of gratitude. Even if he sincerely liked her, she couldn¡¯t ept him


    anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nigel, and I¡¯m sorry, Old Madam Presgrave. I can¡¯t ept Nigel¡¯s proposal.¡± Anastasia


    lifted her head and she had a clear look in her eyes as she spoke in a firm voice.


    Meanwhile, the man seated next to her, who was busy sipping tea, revealed a slight and


    unnoticeable smile.


    ¡°Why is that so?¡± Harriet eximed in surprise.


    Nigel¡¯s heart sank but he wasn¡¯t angry with Anastasia, because he had all the patience in the world


    for her. He was determined not to back down despite her multiple rejections all this while.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I have made up my mind to remain single for the rest of my life.¡± Anastasia¡¯s firm


    voice rang out once again.


    ¡°Pfft!¡± Suddenly, the man next to her, who was initially elegantly sipping his tea, choked on his drink.


    He quickly covered his mouth with hisrge palm as he hastily turned his head to stare at her.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia faced the stunned looks of the three individuals in front of her, and she


    exined in an exceptionally calm voice, ¡°I already have a child and he¡¯s my whole world. Old


    Madam Presgrave, I hope that you can understand my circumstances as a single mother. Even if I


    choose to remarry, I wouldn¡¯t have another child because I want to focus my love and efforts on my


    son. I think Nigel deserves a better woman.¡±


    LAN


    Anastasia knew that her words would definitely garner Harriet¡¯s support. After all, thetter was a


    woman, so she would naturally be able to understand the situation of a mother¡¯s refusal to build a


    new family with a kid in tow. If she conceived a second


    child, then it was inevitable for the first child to experience some suffering.


    Upon hearing that, Nigel instantly expressed himself, ¡°Anastasia, Jared¡¯s just like my own flesh and


    blood, and I¡¯ll definitely treat him the same way as I would treat my own son. Also, I¡¯m willing to


    respect your wishes and we don¡¯t need to have another child. I¡¯ll focus on raising Jared with you.


    What do you think of that?¡±


    Meanwhile, Harriet was quite frantic though she didn¡¯t show it. How can that be fine? Nigel¡¯s father


    is not going to agree to that, and my daughter definitely won¡¯t allow that too! The Manson Family


    line needs to be passed on.


    At that moment, Elliot frowned and turned to speak to Nigel. ¡°Nigel, stop being ridiculous. You have


    to respect your parents¡¯ wishes too.¡±


    ¡°Elliot, I can make my own decision on this matter,¡± Nigel replied calmly, as he intentionally wanted


    to show Elliot how determined he was in pursuing Anastasia.


    ¡°Nigel, I¡¯m very ttered by your sincere feelings, but I¡¯ve made up my mind to remain single for the


    rest of my life. I¡¯m not going to enter into a marriage with any other man, and you¡¯re no exception.¡±


    Anastasia made her stance clear and there was no going back on her words because these were


    her actual thoughts too.


    Elliot¡¯s expression instantly darkened as soon as she finished her sentence. He was seated next to


    her, and he turned to re at her, ¡°Miss Tillman, you shouldn¡¯t speak so rashly just yet. You should


    give yourself some room for changing your mind just in case. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing


    for you if you changed your mind in the future.¡±


    In response, Anastasia red at him. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely do as I said, so there¡¯s no need for you to be


    concerned, President Presgrave.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Suddenly, Harriet was taken aback. What does Elliot mean by that? I don¡¯t get it.


    At that moment, their food arrived and Harriet noticed that the atmosphere seemed quite tense so


    she quickly gestured at Anastasia. ¡°Come on, girl. Let¡¯s stop chatting and grab a bite. We can talk


    as we eat.¡±


    ¡°Here, Anastasia. Try this.¡± Nigel reached out and served some sd onto her te over the table.


    Upon seeing that, Anastasia politely thanked him. ¡°Thanks, Nigel. I¡¯ll help myself.¡±


    Meanwhile, Harriet suddenlymented, ¡°Anastasia, it must have been destined for us to meet, so I


    sincerely hope that we cane together and be family members.¡±

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Chapter 176 ¡°I¡¯m blessed to have made acquaintance with all of you too.¡±


    ¡°Your mother sacrificed herself to save Elliot and you saved Nigel¡¯s life while overseas, so I¡¯ve


    already regarded you as my family after these two huge acts of kindness.¡±


    Suddenly, Nigel was caught by surprise as he lifted his head and eximed, ¡°Grandma, what did


    you just say? Anastasia¡¯s mom saved Elliot¡¯s life? What happened back then?¡±


    Meanwhile, Harriet turned in his direction and replied, ¡°You¡¯ve been overseas all these years, so it¡¯s


    quite normal for you to be unaware of this incident. Elliot was kidnapped when he was six years old,


    and Anastasia¡¯s mother sacrificed her life to save him. We¡¯re forever indebted to Anastasia and her


    family.¡±


    Nigel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise a? he couldn¡¯t quite believe his ears. It was beyond his wildest


    dreams that Anastasia and Elliot also had such a great act of kindness linking the two of them. Is


    that why Elliot steadfastly stays by Anastasia¡¯s side? Is he also intent on repaying Anastasia for


    everything that she had done, just like me?Elliot¡¯s actions of taking control of the QR Jewelry Group


    and the current situation with him being permanently stationed at the office of Bourgeois Jewelry


    Atelier clearly is his way of repaying Anastasia for her great act!


    Suddenly, Harriet mentioned, ¡°I need to go to the washroom.¡±


    ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Anastasia quickly ced down her cutlery and got up to


    escort Harriet from her seat. Meanwhile, Harriet happily walked with Anastasia to the washroom.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    As soon as the door swung shut after them, Nigel turned to Elliot with a sharp look in his eyes.


    ¡°Elliot, are you pursuing Anastasia?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Elliot answered the question without flinching. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you just trying to repay her kind act, or are you truly fond of her?¡± Nigel interrogated Elliot


    bluntly.


    ¡°Both of the reasons are valid to me.¡± Elliot voiced out in a low voice. In all honesty, he was indeed


    quite reluctant to go after the same girl as his cousin.


    ¡°I went after Anastasia first, so you shouldn¡¯t fight me for her affections.¡± Nigel said


    that while clenching his fist tightly.


    ¡°Precedence doesn¡¯t mean anything in this. The deserving person of her affections should be


    whoever that¡¯s more capable. Or perhaps, to be more urate, she¡¯s the one who gets to have a


    say.¡±


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯spete equally for her affections and see which one of us manages to win her


    heart. If you seed, then I¡¯ll acknowledge her as my sister-inw, and vice versa if I win. What do


    you say?¡± Nigel bluntly announced that they shouldpete equally with each other. As such, if he


    failed in his bid and the other party was Elliot, then he would admit his defeat graciously.


    After all, Nigel knew that he was not as capable as his cousin, but he refused to give up without a


    fight and he wanted to try and make a bid at it.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯spete equally, then!¡± Elliot agreed to this solution as this was the best way that


    wouldn¡¯t affect their kinship.


    Shortly after that, Harriet and Anastasia came back from the washroom, and the two men


    immediately acted as if nothing had happened. They continued to enjoy their meal and sip from


    their teacups, and the confrontational vibe from earlier dissipated without a trace.


    ¡°Anastasia, I would like to propose a toast with this cup of tea in ce of champagne.¡± Harriet held


    a teacup in her hand and walked toward Anastasia.


    Extremely ttered, Anastasia quickly got up to toast Harriet. ¡°Here¡¯s a toast to you too!¡±


    ¡°Next time, bring Jared over to our house to have some fun. I would very much like to meet him,¡±


    Harriet announced.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll bring him over to pay you a visit once we¡¯re free.¡± Anastasia agreed without any


    hesitation.


    Just then, Anastasia was engrossed in enjoying her meal when she suddenly sensed someone


    serving something to her te. She assumed that it was Nigel but it seemed to being from


    another direction, so she looked up and found out that it was Elliot looking at her. It turned out that


    he was the one who had served her some food.


    Instantly, she anxiously nced at him and shot him a warning look. She didn¡¯t want to appear too


    intimate with him around Harriet.


    Meanwhile, Nigel saw everything and he couldn¡¯t contain the desteness that arose within him.


    He felt as if he was one step behind in everything. He couldn¡¯t help wishing that he had taken over


    the Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier so that Anastasia could work for him and subsequently, he would be


    able to court her every day during working hours. However, she was now Elliot¡¯s subordinate and he


    had the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation.


    At that point, Nigel was quite downcast so he found the meal quite nd and tasteless. It felt as if


    every bite turned to sawdust.


    Finally, the meal ended and Elliot took a look at the time before mentioning to Harriet, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll


    head back to the office now.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you leaving so soon?¡± Harriet was quite surprised to hear that.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll send Miss Tillman back too, since we¡¯re heading in the same direction.¡± As soon as Elliot


    finished saying that, he turned to Anastasia, who was still in her seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he urged.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was momentarily stunned before she quickly grabbed her bag and bade


    Harriet farewell. ¡°Old Madam Presgrave, I¡¯ll see you next time.¡±

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    With that, Anastasia turned to Elliot and casuallymented, ¡°Thanks for the kind offer, President


    Presgrave.¡±


    However, Nigel hurriedly got up from his seat and offered, ¡°Anastasia, I can give you a ride.¡±


    At that point, Anastasia quickly turned around. ¡°Nigel, do stay on and finish the meal with your


    grandmother. I¡¯ll catch a ride with President Presgrave as we¡¯re heading in the same direction


    anyway.¡±


    After that, Nigel could only watch helplessly as the two of them left together, and he couldn¡¯t contain


    the desteness that rose up within him. Is Anastasia interested in Elliot?


    Upon entering the elevator, Anastasia keenly sensed that the man next to her was in a horrible


    mood. Elliot had a dark expression on his face and it was as if he had suffered a huge loss in his


    business. Instantly, she became quite reluctant to catch a ride with him so as soon as the doors to


    the elevator slid open with a ping¡¯, she turned to him and immediately said, ¡°President Presgrave,


    thanks for your offer but I¡¯ll just catch a cab.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Elliot shot her a look.


    Why?! It¡¯s because you¡¯re obviously in a bad mood so I¡¯d better avoid courting trouble!


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I just want to catch a cab;¡± Anastasia lifted her head and replied before quickly


    walking off in the direction of the street. Suddenly, arge palm reached out and possessively


    grabbed hold of her wrist before dragging her to the direction of a car. Elliot pulled open the door to


    the front passenger seat and gestured for her to get into his car.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia frowned. This guy is too domineering! Can¡¯t I go back by myself without


    catching a ride with him?!


    In the end, Anastasia ended up getting into the car and Elliot entered the driver¡¯s seat too.


    Subsequently, the ck car drove off and merged slowly into the traffic.


    Anastasia was quite perplexed as to why Elliot suddenly lost his temper but despite racking her


    brain for the reason, she couldn¡¯t quite figure it out. He was an unfathomable individual and his


    emotions were quite unpredictable most of the time.


    All of a sudden, Elliot¡¯s low, interrogating voice rang out. ¡°You mentioned earlier that you intend to


    remain single for the rest of your life. Are you serious about that?¡±


    At that point, Anastasia was stunned and she turned her head to stare at his handsome side profile.


    Simrly, he turned his head too and shot a look at her.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m being serious! I have no intention of getting married anyway.¡± Anastasia wasn¡¯t


    ustomed to telling lies and she was quite happy and content with the life she had with her son


    right now, so she found it pointless to add trouble to her peaceful life.


    Getting married didn¡¯t necessarily guarantee a blessed life and likewise, remaining single didn¡¯t


    mean that one¡¯s life would definitely be an unhappy one.


    ¡°If Jared also likes the guy who pursues you, then would you still maintain your stance of not getting


    married?¡± Elliot continued to direct questions at her. Coincidentally, their car came to a stop in front


    of the traffic light, so he kept his piercing eyes on her.


    Instantly, Anastasia realized that the person Elliot was referring to was himself.


    She gulped and turned her head in the other direction to look out of the window. At the same time,


    she shook her head firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t n to get married. I n to raise Jared by myself.¡±


    Suddenly, Elliot felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his heart upon hearing her words. She knows that I¡¯m


    referring to myself and yet, she still insists on giving such a ruthless reply.


    ¡°Anastasia, could you consider things from another person¡¯s point of view? Don¡¯t keep hiding in your


    own world and avoid another¡¯s feelings.¡± Elliot spoke through gritted teeth as he directed his deep


    eyes at her. He seemed to be extremely angry at the moment.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia turned her head to look at him. His current expression was exceptionally


    forbidding and his gaze was full of frustration.


    ¡°Elliot, you don¡¯t even know what I¡¯ve been through and you don¡¯t know me at all, so don¡¯t you dare


    jump to conclusions about me!¡± Anastasia was also slightly angered at that point and after finishing


    her sentence, she remained quite annoyed so she continued on her tirade, ¡°I told you this before. I


    don¡¯t need you to repay me for anything, so could you please suppress your feelings for me?


    Nothing wille out of this rtionship. Stop the car. I want to get out of the car.¡±


    Meanwhile, Elliot, who was holding onto the steering wheel, evidently tightened his


    Tip. There had never been any woman who could easily trigger his anger with just a few mere


    sentences.


    However, he didn¡¯t pull over. He continued to keep his eyes on the road and his anger suddenly


    dissipated as he calmly responded, ¡°I¡¯ll send you back to the office.¡±


    At that point, Anastasia was stunned so she turned to look at him, who was currently busy driving


    by her side. She could feel the coldness and the distant feeling that came from within him, and she


    thought, Have I gone too far with my earlier sentence?


    ¡°Elliot, why don¡¯t you tell me about you and Hayley? I would like to know more.¡± Anastasia tried to


    change the topic.


    However, unexpectedly, she had hit a sore spot and this was a topic he had no intention of bringing


    up, so he coldly responded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    In the end, Anastasia had no choice but to keep her mouth shut. She found Elliot quite


    unpredictable indeed.

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    By then they had arrived in front of thepany, so Anastasia instantly voiced out, ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    pull over right here? I¡¯ll get down now.¡±


    It was the peak hour during lunch, so she didn¡¯t want anyone to see her getting out of Elliot¡¯s car.


    Upon hearing that, Elliot pulled over and Anastasia quickly grabbed her bag and got out of the car in


    a rush.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    It was quite obvious that she was afraid of being seen by anyone else. Meanwhile, he continued to


    drive in the direction of the underground parking lot.


    As soon as Anastasia got back to the office, she received a phone call from Felicia saying that the


    client was quite pleased with her design, so there were no changes necessary. They could now


    proceed to send it to the factory to get it customized. Felicia had also confirmed with the client the


    details of it, such as the grade of the diamond preferred, so Anastasia felt quite relieved.


    At that moment, Grace walked in with her cell phone in hand and there was an excited look on her


    face. ¡°Anastasia, look at this! The news of President Presgrave¡¯s treat of Musang King durians from


    yesterday has gone viral! Furthermore, it¡¯s one of the top three trending topics. The title is ¡°The


    president of the Presgrave Group treated their staff to Musang King durians. They are so fortunate!¡±


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was significantly speechless. After all, it wasn¡¯t even a significant piece of


    news, but the media had deemed it important enough to publish it. The news published was in fact


    detrimental to Elliot, as it definitely reflected badly on his esteemed status.


    Right before work ended, Anastasia realized that it was time to go and pick Jared up from school.


    Suddenly, herndline rang and she subsequently picked up the phone. ¡°Hello, who¡¯s on the line?¡±


    ¡°Come to the underground parking lot.¡± An abrupt male voice rang out.


    At that instance, Anastasia hesitated for a few seconds before mentioning, ¡°President Presgrave,


    there¡¯s no need to bother with this. I can go and pick Jared up by myself. I¡¯ve hurt my finger too and


    I can¡¯t cook for you for the time being, so I would like to take a break for one week.¡±


    Essentially, this meant that Anastasia didn¡¯t want to see the man for theing week.


    ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡± Elliot¡¯s voice deepened and it turned colder too.


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t one prone to self-deception, so she responded, ¡°Yes. From now on, we shouldn¡¯t


    meet up unless necessary. That would be the best for both of us. Goodbye.¡±


    After Anastasia said that, she hung up the phone. Subsequently, she decided to go and pick Jared


    up.


    And so, she hailed a cab to his school and as soon as she entered the schoolpound, his


    teacher eximed in surprise, ¡°Oh-you¡¯re Jared¡¯s mother, right? Why are you here? Jared¡¯s father


    came and picked him up earlier.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Anastasia was caught by surprise.


    Elliot came before me to pick up my son?! What the heck is he doing?! How can he do that? Darn it!


    At that point, Anastasia could only grab her cell phone and dial Elliot¡¯s number. Fortunately, he


    swiftly answered the phone. ¡°I picked Jared up and we¡¯re having dinner.¡±


    ¡°Where are you taking my son to? Send him back home right now.¡±


    ¡°Make your own arrangements for dinner. I¡¯ll sort out Jared¡¯s meal.¡± After Elliot said that, he hung up


    immediately.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was at a loss for words. He took off with my son and I¡¯m not included? Gosh!


    Suddenly, she received a phone call from her father. ¡°Hi, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, are you free this Friday night?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mypany¡¯s twenty-fifth anniversary this Friday, and I would like to invite you and Jared along


    to join in the celebration.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take Jared along then.¡± Anastasia was definitely attending it, so she agreed to the request.


    ¡°Great! Make sure to dress up nicely on Friday night. I¡¯ll introduce you to some of thepany¡¯s


    management personnel.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± she replied.


    After she got off the phone with her father, Anastasia contemted the situation. She was in fact


    quite reluctant to bring Jared along to such asions, because Naomi and Erica would definitely be


    in attendance and she didn¡¯t want Jared to meet them.


    In the end, a lonely Anastasia ended up having a dinner of sandwiches by herself in a tiny


    restaurant. Each bite she took of her meal, she pretended as if she was biting into Elliot¡¯s flesh. How


    dare he take off with my son? How annoying!


    In the end, Anastasia got back home at about 7.30 PM and watched the clock tick by as she waited


    for Jared to arrive home. Meanwhile, her thoughts were filled with Elliot and she recalled everything


    that he had done to her. Suddenly, she felt her face gradually flush red. What¡¯s going on? Why do I


    keep thinking of that man? He¡¯s such a horrible and despicable person!


    At about 8.40 PM, the doorbell sounded and she practically leaped up from the couch as she


    hurried to pull open the front door.


    On the doorsteps, Jared held Elliot¡¯s hand and the boy happily greeted her, ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re back!¡±

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    ¡°Where have you guys been? Why are you back solite? Anastasia red at Elliot angrily as he


    spoke


    Meanwhile, the man couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I brought Jared to get some dinner and then we went


    to an arcade nearby. Jared had a good time.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s really fun. I want to go again!¡± The boy was clearly quite drawn to the arcade and it


    was still on his mind.


    ¡°Okay, we can go there and have some fun next time when I¡¯m free. Now, it¡¯s time to go back and


    freshen up, then you need to get ready for bedtime.¡± After Anastasia had said that, she turned to


    Elliot and voiced out, ¡°President Presgrave, it¡¯s quitete now so I won¡¯t keep you any longer. You


    should go back.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, couldn¡¯t you allow Mr. Presgrave toe in and have something to drink?¡± Jared


    suddenly felt that Anastasia was quite heartless to kick Elliot out just like that.


    Upon hearing that, Elliot chimed in as he didn¡¯t want to leave just yet, ¡°I won¡¯t stay on for too long.¡±


    In response, Anastasia nodded after considering the fact that he had spent the night having fun with


    Jared. ¡°Okay. Come on inside to have something to drink.¡±


    Anastasia noticed the sweat on Jared¡¯s forehead, so she walked into his room to get his pajamas.


    ¡°Jared, let¡¯s get you ready for bed first.¡±


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    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, I¡¯ll go and take a shower now.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± Elliot then sat on the couch. Anastasia¡¯s house wasn¡¯t exactly a mansion, but it was warm


    and cozy. He couldn¡¯t help wanting to stay on longer as it was veryfortable here.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia helped Jared freshen up, and she listened to him talk about the fun he had at


    the arcade. Furthermore, Elliot had allocated four bodyguards to keep a close eye on the boy, and


    he had done a great job at making sure of Jared¡¯s safety.


    Although Elliot had taken off with Jared without her permission today, Anastasia was surprisingly at


    ease with it and she wasn¡¯t worried about Jared being in Elliot¡¯s care. Since when did I develop this


    trust in him? Anastasia herself hadn¡¯t even realized this.


    After Jared was finally done in the shower and he had also washed his hair, he ran out dressed in


    his pajamas to Elliot¡¯s side. Holding a Rubik¡¯s Cube in his hand, he asked, ¡°Mr. Presgrave, could


    you show me how to solve this?¡±


    Elliot took the Rubik¡¯s Cube in his hand and the little cube suddenly seemed toe alive in his


    hands as his slender fingers deftly rotated it. His actions were quite elegant and dashing and into


    time, he hadpleted all six sides of the Rubik¡¯s Cube.


    Anastasia walked past while putting away some clothes, and she couldn¡¯t help silently apuding


    as she saw Elliot¡¯s speed at solving the Rubik¡¯s Cube. Indeed, this man is great in every aspect. If


    Jared interacts with him and learns from him, then perhaps he will turn out to be very smart too!


    Suddenly. Anastasia came to her senses. What sort of nonsense am I thinking about? I can¡¯t


    possibly hand Jared over to Elliot for him to bring up!


    Right on the dot at 9.30 PM, Anastasia turned to Jared, who was sitting on the couch. ¡°Jared, look


    at the time. What are you supposed to be doing by now?¡± she prompted.


    The boy then lifted his head to nce at the clock on the wall and puffed up his cheeks. ¡°Mommy,


    can I have another ten minutes, please?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s time for you to read a bedtime story and then go to bed. Mr. Presgrave needs to go home


    too. It¡¯s gettingte now.¡± Anastasia¡¯s main purpose was for Jared to stop bothering Elliot so that


    The man could leave.


    However, Jared nced at Elliot with a torn look in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Presgrave, I¡¯ll go to bed now.¡±


    ¡°Go on, then. It¡¯s great to get into the habit of maintaining a healthy lifestyle!¡± Elliot praised Jared.


    In the end, Jared was ted with the encouragement and he happily went to his room. Anastasia


    went along with him and tucked him into bed. Subsequently, she adjusted the air conditioner


    temperature before shutting the door behind her.


    The man on the couch had unbuttoned the first three buttons on his shirt, and his delicate cor


    bones were revealed. At the same time, Jared was not around, so Elliot¡¯s expression changed


    because right now, he could focus his eyes on the person he wanted to look at without any restraint.


    His primitive gaze was quite explicit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a chat.¡± Truth was, Elliot wanted to continue the topic they hadn¡¯t quite finished in the


    car from earlier. He wanted to talk to Anastasia about her vow to remain single for the rest of her


    life, because he was adamant to dispel that notion from her mind.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia saw that Jared had fallen asleep and she wanted to take a shower and turn


    in for the night, so she tidied up the living room and spoke without lifting her head. ¡°I¡¯m not in the


    mood to chat. You should go home.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Elliot narrowed his eyes. The light from the chandelier illuminated his figure and


    he seemed to exude a cold elegance from within. He looked like Prince Charming who had just


    ¡°Can we talk about Jared¡¯s father? I would like to know more about him,¡± Elliot suddenlymented


    in a low voice.

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    wanasia suddenly paused in her action of wiping the table and her expression changer slirati This


    was a topic that she didn¡¯t want to talk about either, so she rejected outright, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk


    about that.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, so you should be open about it and let it go. Jared¡¯s old enough now, so there¡¯s


    no need to be so fixated upon it,¡± Elliot advised her. He thought that Anastasia¡¯s decision to remain


    single from now on was due to the hurt she had experienced in the past.


    On the other hand, Anastasia knew that he was just being kind and wanted tofort her, but she


    didn¡¯t need that at all. She lifted her head and stared at him with clear eyes and she reminded him,


    ¡°President Presgrave, it¡¯s quitete now.¡±


    However, Elliot remained seated on the couch and he looked at her with a deep expression before


    cing his elbows on the armrest. He then nonchntly tapped his long and slender index and


    middle finger on the couch, and he didn¡¯t seem to have the intention to leave at all.


    ¡°Elliot, it¡¯s nearly ten now. How long are you going to continue this?¡± Anastasia could only urge him


    to leave. Doesn¡¯t he have to go home and get some sleep?


    At that point, he finally got up and then he purposely left his car keys on the couch. He then headed


    in the direction of the entrance before turning around to speak to Anastasia, who was in


    the living room, ¡°Hand me my car keys please.¡±


    Anastasia nced at the car keys on the couch and she quickly grabbed them to bring them to the


    entrance, but he refused to take them from her too. In the end, she could only take a step out of the


    house and reached out to hand them to him.


    Suddenly, Elliot stretched his arm then she was dragged out of the doorway by him. Instantly after


    that, she was engulfed by a man¡¯s scent as a strapping figure approached her. At that moment, she


    could feel her body stiffen significantly. Anastasia lifted her head, and her eyes met Elliot¡¯s


    smoldering look. The aggressiveness in his eyes was quite obvious too.


    Right after that, he leaned forward and pressed a steamy, hot kiss on her lips, and he didn¡¯t give her


    a chance to reject him at all as he pushed on aggressively.


    For a moment, Anastasia was quite breathless and slightly stunned from his prolonged, aggressive


    kiss. After she hade back to her senses, she tried to push him aside but at that point, Elliot


    ced his head against her forehead and his warm breath hit her cheek as he panted slightly. ¡°It is


    only now that I¡¯m content enough to leave the ce.¡±


    Meanwhile, Anastasia angrily lifted her head to re at him. So he¡¯s not content to leave without


    taking advantage of me?! What¡¯s on his mind anyway? It seems to be full of obscene thoughts!


    ¡°Just leave!¡± She shoved him hard and turned around to walk into her room. Subsequently, she


    mmed the door shut after her.


    At that moment, her heart thudded frantically and she could still taste him on her lips. IlowT.


    she couldn¡¯tprehend her feelings. What¡¯s up with me anyway?! I don¡¯t seem to hate it and


    surprisingly it feels quite pleasant?!


    Anastasia seemed to be in a daze and she quickly forced herself to dispel the thoughts in her mind.


    After that, she grabbed her clothes and went to take a shower.


    At the same time, she was adamant not to invite Elliot into her house from now on. After all, he was


    a beast who couldn¡¯t seem to keep his hands off her. He¡¯s so rich and it wouldn¡¯t take much effort


    for him to get any woman he¡¯s afier, so why does he refuse to leave me alone?


    That night, Anastasia had trouble sleeping as shey on her bed and her thoughts kept going to the


    kiss she had with Elliot by the door. At the same time, she realized that he was indeed a cunning


    person. He had purposely left his car keys on the couch to force her to bring them out for him. As


    such, he took advantage of the situation subsequently. How annoying!Undeniably though, he¡¯s


    really good at being provocative.


    One would find such a man hard to resist if the person didn¡¯t have a firm heart. However, Anastasia


    trusted that she could definitely resist the temptation and she wouldn¡¯t be affected by his


    provocations at all.


    Meanwhile at the Tillman Residence, Erica finally had something to do. She could finally prepare for


    the twenty-fifth anniversary of her father¡¯spany. On that day itself, she intended to dress up in a


    pretty dress and wow the crowd by being the most attractive person in attendance. This was a great


    chance for her to showcase herself and she definitely wouldn¡¯t let it go to waste.


    At that moment, Naomi was in her room and she was busy discussing with Francis the allowance


    for her attire for the event. She intended to get a stunning gown for Erica so that Francis¡¯ image


    could be upheld.


    Finally, Francis relented after her countless pleas and whines, and he decided to allocate an


    allowance of two hundred thousand for the mother-daughter duo to doll up for the event.


    Naturally, Naomi found the amount insufficient, but it was good enough that she had managed to


    gain this amount from Francis. She decided that she would take Erica and pick a gown the next day


    as well as the day after that. After she had heard Francis mention that he had also invited Anastasia


    to the event, Naomi decided that she had to make sure that Anastasia didn¡¯t steal the show. Erica


    simply had to be the only star of the show.


    The next morning, Anastasia chatted with Jared about them attending the anniversary dinner as she


    sent him to school.

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll behave myself at home. You can go.¡± The little guy meekly nodded. He disliked Erica


    as well, because he was able to feel her ill will toward him although he was but a little boy.


    Therefore, he chose to not tag along to prevent causing trouble for his mother. However, instead of


    having Grace to keep himpany on that night like how Anastasia had suggested, Jared thought


    that Elliot might be a better candidate for the task.


    Anastasia went to the office after dropping her son off. She barely sat for a few minutes on her seat


    before Grace knocked on her door and pushed it open, inviting a flower delivery man toe in.


    ¡°This is Miss Tillman. Please send the flowers in!¡±


    The bouquet of blue roses stunned Anastasia for a few seconds. Who sent this?


    ¡°Miss Tillman, here¡¯s your flowers. Do sign and acknowledge it.¡±


    And so, Anastasia signed the paper. Then, she reached out for the card in the bouquet and flipped it


    open. Instead of finding romantic words, she found a domineering order written on it. Do not give


    the flowers away. Yours sincerely, Presgrave.


    Anastasia was rendered speechless. Why did he send me flowers again? He even prohibits me


    from giving it away.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, the flowers are gorgeous. They are obviously imported ones!¡± Grace came over to


    admire the flowers. .


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia pursed her lips and let out a helpless smile. I don¡¯t want to receive it


    no matter how pretty it is!


    ¡°Miss Tillman, your admirer must be super rich!¡± Grace guessed in envy.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my admirer,¡± Anastasia vaguely replied before she returned to her seat. In the next couple


    of hours, she intermittently stared at the bouquet of blue roses and fell into a daze.


    At 11.30 AM, Nigel showed up at her office to invite her to lunch-it was in invitation that allowed no


    room for rejection.


    When he saw the bouquet of flowers on the couch, he instantly knew who the sender


    was. He felt frustrated with himself for being too busy with the renovation that he had forgotten


    about sending flowers.


    However, Anastasia was embarrassed to have him treat her to lunch every day, so she announced,


    ¡°Let me treat you to lunchter!¡±


    Nigel merely wanted to have a meal with her, so he didn¡¯t mind who would be paying the bill. In the


    end, they went to a western restaurant together. During the meal, he talked about his office


    renovation and asked Anastasia about her opinion.


    However, no matter what she suggested, Nigel agreed to all her ideas and decided to adopt them.


    As a result, she dared not give any hasty suggestions. Otherwise, she would be guilty if the


    renovation turned out awful.


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    ¡°Anastasia, what do you think about my cousin?¡± Nigel suddenly asked. Anastasia¡¯s hand trembled


    at the question, causing the spoonful of food that she scooped to fall back onto her te.


    ¡°Uh¡­ h-he¡¯s my boss and he¡¯s a nice person, of course,¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°Between him and I, who do you think is better?¡± Nigel stared at her intently, determined to get an


    answer out of her.


    At that, Anastasia put down her cutlery and looked straight into his eyes. ¡°Nigel, what exactly are


    you angling at?¡±


    On the other hand, Nigel pursed his thin lips and decided that he shouldn¡¯t avoid the question he


    had been pondering any longer. And so, he exhaled and uttered, ¡°I know that he¡¯s pursuing you and


    he¡¯s repaying your kindness at the same time. Anastasia, in regards to our rtionship, I hope


    that¡­ you can give me a chance to be with you.¡± He lowered his head as he knew that chances


    were slim.


    ¡°Nigel, it¡¯s great to be your friend. We can have meals together and meet up sometimes. Besides,


    you know that I have no intention to remarry. I¡¯m really sorry!¡± She sincerely apologized, then


    added, ¡°Please don¡¯t waste your time on me, Nigel. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­you are the only woman in my heart. There is no one else.¡± He raised his head and looked at


    the woman before him. Although she wasn¡¯t the most beautiful woman, she was the most unique


    view that he had ever gazed upon.


    Truth was, his words moved Anastasia¡¯s heart, but she remained straight-faced and sighed. ¡°In that


    case, I guess we can¡¯t even be friends.¡±


    His expression stiffened and then fell. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that to happen.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, let¡¯s remain as friends.¡± However, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help feeling guilty when she said


    that. Seems like I have to avoid meeting up with Nigel too often after this. I don¡¯t want to ruin his life.


    Instead of wasting his time and effort on me, he should go and pursue other women.

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    Chapter 182


    ¡°Will you say the same if it¡¯s my cousin who pursued you?¡± Nigel pouted and asked. feeling a little


    depressed.


    Something shed across Anastasia¡¯s eyes at that question. Elliot was never an obedient


    gentleman like Nigel. Instead, he had a strong and overbearing character, somewhat like a bandit¡¯s.


    He would ignore her rejection and warnings.


    Upon seeing her reaction, Nigel couldn¡¯t help feeling jealous. It seems like she gives Elliot special


    treatment.


    In the end, she didn¡¯t answer his question and she muttered, ¡°After lunch, I have to return to the


    office for a meeting. You should go about your renovation.¡±


    In the evening, Anastasia went to pick up her son before a certain someone did so. Otherwise, the


    child would be taken away by him yet again.


    This time, she sessfully picked Jared up. She even brought him to the mall and had a stroll near


    her office. She also bought some dumplings home to cook. However, when she was buying them,


    the little boy kept asking her to buy more. ¡°Mommy, that¡¯s not enough. I want more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enough. In fact, it¡¯s more than enough for the two of us,¡± she helplessly replied.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not enough.¡± He used a smalldle and continued filling the frozen dumplings into the bag.


    In the end, Anastasia brought arge bag of frozen dumplings home. As they were unable to finish


    them, she had to keep them in the fridge.


    After they reached home and while Anastasia was at the balcony, the boy took her phone. Finding


    Elliot¡¯s number, he sent the man a message. ¡®Mr. Presgrave,e over to have some dumplings!¡±


    All that was done quickly and easily.


    ¡®Sure! I¡¯m on my way, Elliot replied.


    The boy put down the phone happily. As expected, Mr. Presgrave wille.


    When Anastasia saw that it was gettingte, she went to cook the dumplings.


    ¡°Mommy, you have to cook all the dumplings!¡± the little boy reminded her


    ¡°It¡¯s too much. It¡¯s a waste if we can¡¯t finish them.¡±


    ¡°I can finish them. I want to eat 50 dumplings!¡± he announced loudly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t fill 50 of them in your little tummy!¡± She chuckled as she said that.


    ¡°I can!¡± He put on a straight face as hemented, ¡°Mommy, just cook them.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll cook two tes first, and I¡¯ll make some more if it¡¯s not enough, okay?¡± she conceded


    with a smile.


    ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t forget to cook more if it¡¯s not enough!¡± Mommy can cook more when Mr. Presgrave


    is here, Jared thought.


    Thereafter, Anastasia went to the kitchen to cook some dumplings. Meanwhile, the little boy waited


    and stared at the door as he listened to the footsteps outside intently.


    Ten minutester, Anastasia received a message on her phone. The boy quickly took a nce at it.


    Open the door


    He giggled and immediately turned the door handle. Standing outside the door was none other than


    Elliot. The man was dressed like an elite who had just exited from a meeting room, and he


    emanated the presence of someone powerful and influential.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Mr. Presgrave, we are having dumplings tonight.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Elliot grinned.


    Anastasia, who exited the kitchen to get something from the fridge, was startled to see the man in


    the living room.


    ¡°W-Why are you here?¡± Her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Mommy, I invited Mr. Presgrave over to eat dumplings,¡± the boy exined on behalf of Elliot, for


    fear that Anastasia would be mad.


    Anastasia narrowed her eyes. At that instant, the reason behind Jared¡¯s actions of insisting on


    getting extra dumplings and asking her to cook 50 of them dawned upon her. It turned out that her


    son had included Elliot¡¯s portion since the very beginning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t put him on the spot. I wanted toe myself¡± Elliot chimed in.


    There was nothing that Anastasia could do at that point since he had shown up.


    ¡°Alright, then. Since we have enough dumplings¡­¡± Looking at her son¡¯srge innocent eyes, she


    couldn¡¯t bring herself to scold him.


    It¡¯s a good thing that he took the initiative to think about others. It shows that he has be a more


    mature kid, she thought.


    ¡°Have a seat. I¡¯ll go and cook the dumplings.¡± After Anastasia said that, she returned to the kitchen.


    Subsequently, the first thing that came to Jared¡¯s mind was to ask for Elliot¡¯s permission. ¡°Mr.


    Presgrave, Mommy is going to attend Grandpa¡¯s banquet tomorrow night. Can I go to your house to


    y?¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Won¡¯t she be taking you along?¡± Elliot asked with a frown.


    ¡°Nope! Mommy said that it¡¯s not convenient for me to be there because there will be a lot of people.


    She is going to get Grace to look after me, but I want to spend time with you.¡±

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    Chapter 183


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll go and pick you up tomorrow at school.¡± Elliot was more than willing to take care of him, of


    course.


    Thereafter, Jared asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Presgrave, will there be many men at the banquet? I¡¯m


    worried that Grandpa may introduce other men to Mommy. I hope that you can be there at the


    banquet so that Grandpa can meet you too.¡±


    Elliot narrowed his eyes. Could it be that Francis is going to find a partner for the woman at the


    banquet tomorrow? In that case, how can I miss that? At that instant, he thought of another suitable


    candidate who could take care of the kid.


    ¡°Jared, if I¡¯m going to attend your Grandpa¡¯s banquet tomorrow night, is it okay if I get Nigel to take


    care of you? But can we keep this a secret for now?¡± Elliot didn¡¯t want his n to be ruined, so he


    couldn¡¯t afford to let Anastasia and Nigel know about this.


    ¡°Okay, sure!¡± It was obvious that the boy had now be Elliot¡¯s ¡®partner in crime!


    Little did the pitiful Nigel know that he would soon be the babysitter who helped his cousin to


    pursue Anastasia.


    Anastasia served two tes of dumplings at the table before she returned to the kitchen to make


    two more tes. Meanwhile, Elliot and Jared, who were sitting at the table, started dipping the


    dumplings into the premade sauce and eating them.


    Anastasia cooked all the dumplings that she had bought that day, and the portion happened to be


    just sufficient for the three of them. After the meal, Elliot took Jared downstairs to take a stroll, while


    Anastasia cleaned the house. After she was done with the chores, she sat on the couch and fell into


    a daze. Why do I feel as though we are a family of three?


    She suddenly recalled that Elliot had slept with Hayley before this, and Anastasia felt an


    indescribable feeling welling up inside her.


    She recalled how Hayley had described their night together when Hayley was hugging Elliot at the


    garden of the Presgrave Residence. She had talked about how wild Elliot had been above her. It


    was apparent that it had been an incredibly passionate night that had be one that was


    unforgettable to Hayley.


    Anastasia shut her eyes abruptly, attempting to shrug off the thoughts that appeared in her head. It


    reminded her of the night five years ago that she had spent with a male escort that she had known


    nothing about. She did not know his name nor his


    face, although she had beenpletely conscious when everything had happened that night.


    She had felt that the male escort had arge and burly build, with strength so strong that she could


    hardly resist. He had lost his reasoning at that time, and he resembled a beast that had no sense of


    humanity at all.


    Whenever she remembered that night, Anastasia could feel her body tremble all over, and this


    incident caused her to bear a heartfelt disgust toward the carnal desire between a man and a


    woman. She refused to get married, not only because of the mental repulsion she felt toward such


    matters, but also because the incident had traumatized her physically.


    When Anastasia was engrossed in her painful memories, the sudden sound of the door being


    unlocked snapped her back to her senses. She inhaled a deep breath.


    ¡°You guys are back?¡± Anastasia smiled at Jared, who was running into the house. When she saw


    her son¡¯s adorable and beautiful face, she could feel her earlier agony diminish.


    ¡°Mommy, this is for you!¡± The boy came back carrying Anastasia¡¯s favorite beverage.


    ¡°You guys went out and bought something?¡± she asked with a smile.


    ¡°I was thirsty, so Mr. Presgrave bought me a drink. I remembered that you like this, so I bought you


    a bottle.¡±


    At that, Anastasia looked up at the tall man and thanked him. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I feel so hot! I want to take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help you to take a shower. Go and find yourself a set of pajamas.¡± She looked at her son


    and he returned to his room.


    Just then, Anastasia looked at Elliot and said, ¡°President Presgrave, it¡¯s gettingte. You should


    leave.¡±


    The man¡¯s gazended on her face, his eyes beguiling as he murmured, ¡°I want to stay for a little


    longer.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Do not think that you can take advantage of me. It won¡¯t happen again,¡± she calmly announced: I


    won¡¯t fall for his tricks again.


    Elliot himself was aware that he couldn¡¯t possibly be so lucky to manage toy his


    hands on her every time. However, at the thought that he would be able to see her the next day, he


    curled up the corner of his lips. ¡°See you tomorrow at the office, then.¡±


    With that, he pushed the door open and left the house.


    In the end, Anastasia exhaled in relief and quickly entered the room to help her son to shower.


    The next morning, the Department of Design had an early-morning meeting.


    As Anastasia walked into the meeting room groggily, she abruptly saw a charming and noble figure


    sitting in the seat next to hers, and the usually noisy atmosphere in the office suddenly became


    particrly serious.

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    Chapter 184


    Elliot¡¯s here!


    Although all the female designers knew that Elliot was there for Anastasia, they still couldn¡¯t hold


    back their little gestures in hopes to catch his attention. Thedies flicked their hair and pursed their


    lips. Some tried to make eye contact with him, while others even attempted to undo a button at their


    low-cut cor to further expose their cleavage.


    When Anastasia took a seat, someone sent coffee into the room.


    Everyone was surprised that each of them got a cup of coffee, and it was Felicia who revealed the


    mystery. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s thank President Presgrave for treating us to a cup of coffee.¡±


    The lot of them looked at Elliot in gratitude. Some female designers even purred, ¡°Thank you


    President Presgrave! I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    However, Elliot¡¯s gaze rested on the woman next to him, causing Anastasia to receive full attention


    from the crowd. The female employees suddenly felt that the coffee in their hands didn¡¯t taste as


    well as it had seconds ago, because they now realized that Anastasia was the main reason they


    were able to drink the coffee in the first ce!


    Meanwhile, Anastasia, who was skimming through the store sales analysis report, took a sip of


    coffee. This led a hint of smile to creep into the eyes of the man beside her. Everyone at the scene


    clearly took in his reaction.


    ¡°At present, the price war in the market is very intense. Our recent store sales have increased by


    5%pared to the previous month. Thepany has decided to promote an associate director to


    supervise the entire Department of Design alongside me.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened at that mention. She felt as though the position would have to belong to her


    and nobody could take it away from her.


    On the contrary, Anastasia, whose full attention was on design and nothing else, was uninterested


    with this management position.


    ¡°How much will the sry increment be when one is promoted to be an associate director?¡± One of


    the designers went straight to the crux of matter.


    ¡°The person who is promoted to be the associate director shall have a sry


    increment of 5,000 to 10,000 on top of his or her original basic sry, depending on this person¡¯s


    capability,¡± Felicia announced.


    Anastasia, who had been initially uninterested with the promotion, heard that, and her stunning eyes


    lit up and her interest was instantly piqued. ¡°What are the conditions that one must fulfill in order to


    be entitled for the promotion?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, one must have worked with thepany for more than 5 years. Secondly, we will review


    their design skills. Thirdly, one must possess a teamwork spirit, understand the market direction,


    and be able to analyze the market needs.


    The light in Anastasia¡¯s eyes dimmed when she heard that, while Alice, who was sitting opposite


    her, smiled and deliberately reminded her, ¡°Anastasia, you merely worked with thepany for two


    months. You don¡¯t fit the first condition.¡±


    Although Anastasia was disgruntled, she said nothing. Just then, a low yet firm male voice rang out


    beside her. ¡°Anastasia will be promoted as the associate director.¡±


    Anastasia abruptly jerked her head toward him, but Elliot was seen looking at Felicia as he ordered,


    ¡°Notify the Human Resource Department about this.¡±


    Felicia, who didn¡¯t expect the boss to promote Anastasia with just a statement, revealed an


    awkward smile. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll notify the Human Resource Department about the change in her position.¡±


    At that, Alice, who was sitting opposite them, was so mad that her face nched, while the other


    designers were astounded. Does Anastasia have such a powerful background? Could it be that the


    reason President Presgrave attended the meeting today is just to promote her as the associate


    director in front of all of us?


    ¡°But that¡¯s unfair, President Presgrave! Shouldn¡¯t other employees be given a fair chance?¡± Alice


    boldly refuted. ¡°It will be difficult to convince the others if you make an exception and grant her a


    promotion like this.¡±


    As soon as Alice voiced out her disapproval, the air in the meeting room instantly became heavy.


    Elliot furrowed his brows, darting a sharp gaze at her. ¡°Are you objecting to my decision?¡±


    ¡°N-No¡­ I-I just think that t-this is apany, and thepany should have rules and


    regtions¡­¡± Alice was so frightened that she started stammering and her face flushed crimson.


    Anastasia suddenly didn¡¯t find the position of the associate director attractive anymore. It would be


    alright if she earned the position with her own effort, but an exceptional promotion like this was


    indeed unfair to the others, let alone when she didn¡¯t want to owe the man any favors in the first


    ce.


    ¡°President Presgrave, I refuse to ept the position. Please allow Felicia to pick someone more


    suitable!¡± Anastasia chimed in reasonably.


    Elliot¡¯s cold gaze that had initially been on Alice nownded on Anastasia, but there currently was a


    hint of frustration in them. Why is she concerned about all those irrelevant matters? Doesn¡¯t she


    want to earn more money?


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it this way, then. Anastasia gains the right topete for the position because her


    capability is undeniably outstanding. Alice, Anastasia and Alexia are the suitable candidates for this


    position. I¡¯ll assign tasks to the three of you to assess your capabilities.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    Chapter 185


    ¡°You guys can take it from here,¡± Elliot calmly announced. It was apparent that he had no intention


    to participate in the meeting further, so he rose up from his seat and left.


    As soon as he had left, everyone in the meeting room exhaled in relief. The heavy atmosphere


    earlier had been suffocating.


    ¡°Anastasia, we will fight for the position in a fair and square manner. If you can beat me, I¡¯ll give you


    the position!¡± Alice sneered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to give it to me. Let¡¯s each do our best,¡± Anastasia coldly refuted.


    ¡°Other than the three people whose names were called earlier, the others may leave.¡± Felicia asked


    them to leave, as she wanted to have a private talk with the trio.


    In the task this time, all three of them would be responsible for one of the stores under thepany.


    Whoever attained the best sales performance the next month would be crowned the champion.


    However, they were not allowed to request their friends or family members to make bulk orders.


    Only sales from free-will customers would be taken into ount.


    ¡°You three may liaise with the store managers, or you may take care of the store in person.


    Ultimately, the three of you have the right to do anything in the store. The total sales next month will


    be the deciding factor.¡±


    All three of them, including Anastasia, blindly picked a store. Since she had decided to participate in


    thepetition, she wouldn¡¯t give up that easily.


    ¡°Anastasia, I dare you to not rely on President Presgrave¡¯s influence andpete with us fair and


    square.¡±


    ¡°I would have epted the position if I were to rely on his influence, no?¡± Anastasia refuted.


    ¡°Anastasia, what in the world did you do to make President Presgrave treat you so differently?


    Could it be that you are hooking up with him?¡± Alice sneered in disdain.


    Anastasia merely looked at the other woman coldly without saying a word. Upon hearing that,


    Felicia tried to make peace between them. ¡°Alright, we are all colleagues. Please speak to each


    other politely.¡±


    In the end, Alice tossed the documents on the table and announced, ¡°Anastasia, I won¡¯t lose to


    you!¡± With that, she arrogantly left the scene.


    After Anastasia returned to her office, she received a call from her father. When Francis heard that


    she wouldn¡¯t be bringing her son along, he asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you bringing Jared?¡±


    ¡°Dad, there are many people at the banquet. I¡¯m worried that Jared would wander off. Besides, I¡¯ve


    made arrangements for him.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Since you have made arrangements, just leave him at home, then.¡± Ever since the incident


    when Jared had been lost, Francis dared not show the slightest negligence when it came to the


    matter about the kid.


    ¡°And do remember to dress prettier,¡± Francis reminded in the end.


    At that, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but look down at what she was wearing that day. It was regr


    office attire-a gray blouse paired with a tight-fitting skirt, and she didn¡¯t prepare any other clothes.


    At noon, Anastasia had lunch with Felicia. Thetter told her that the mold for the custom-made


    jewelry had been produced by the factory. What came next would be the craftspeople doing their


    jobs, and the final product would bepleted by the end of the month.


    A sense of achievement bubbled up inside Anastasia upon hearing that. She, too, hoped to bring


    more profit to thepany.


    At 3.00 PM, Anastasia called Grace over to her office. She instructed her to help her to look after


    Jared, to which Grace happily agreed.


    At 4.50 PM, Anastasia took Grace to the kindergarten to pick up her son. The moment she stepped


    into the ssroom, the young female teacher asked in surprise, ¡°Miss Tillman, why are you here?


    Jared has been picked up by his father.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she asked, ¡°Are you sure that¡­ it was his father who picked


    him up?¡±


    The female teacher was certain. ¡°Yes, it was his father who came in person to pick him up.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± Anastasia felt annoyed at that. Why did Elliot pick my son up without informing


    me?


    ¡°Miss Tillman, what does Jared¡¯s father do?¡± Grace immediately asked curiously. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Uh¡­ He¡¯s in the finance industry.¡±


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s so cool! I wish to see what Jared¡¯s father looks like someday. Jared is so good-


    looking, so I reckon that his dad must be very handsome!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s face flushed red as she exined, ¡°He¡¯s a busy man, so you won¡¯t be able to see him


    most of the time.¡± After she said that, she added, ¡°Grace, I won¡¯t be troubling you tonight, then. You


    may get off work.¡±


    Grace nodded, feeling a little sad that she wouldn¡¯t be caring for the kid that night.


    As Anastasia walked toward the road to hail a cab, she dialed a man¡¯s number.


    The call went through. ¡°Hello.¡±.


    ¡°Elliot, where did you take my son to?¡±


    ¡°Jared told me that you will be attending your father¡¯spany banquet tonight. Since you won¡¯t


    have the time to take care of him, you can just leave him in my care!¡±

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    Chapter 186


    Anastasia didn¡¯t expect that her son would tell Elliot about the banquet. Since things hade to


    that point, she had no choice but to trouble the man with taking care of Jared. And so, she


    immediately reced her initially angry tone with her usual one. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much of a hassle to


    you, please take care of him for me tonight. I¡¯ll go and pick him up at around 9.00 PM.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Elliot unhesitatingly agreed and hung up the call.


    Gazing at the sunset in the distance, Anastasia fell into a daze, wondering whether it was a good


    thing that her son relied on Elliot so much.


    Oftentimes, the choices avable were limited. On one hand, she didn¡¯t want Jared to depend on


    that man too much but on the other hand, she couldn¡¯t help feeling relieved when the man took care


    of her son. In fact, she even trusted that man unconditionally.


    After Elliot ended the call with Anastasia, he instantly called another person.


    ¡°Hello, Elliot! How can I help you?¡± Nigel¡¯s voice rang from the other end of the call.


    Although the two men had made a bet, it didn¡¯t affect the rtionship between them.


    ¡°I need a favor from you. Will you help me to take care of a child?¡±


    ¡°Whose child?¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Where else? My father¡¯spany, of course.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send him over right now.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me whose kid is that! And I don¡¯t like to babysit,¡± Nigel grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s Anastasia¡¯s boy. Are you not going to babysit him?¡± Elliot muttered in exasperation.


    ¡°What? Jared? Jared¡¯s with you now?¡± Nigel asked in surprise, then he rejoiced. ¡°Send him over! I


    don¡¯t like other kids, but Jared¡¯s different.¡±


    Elliot ended the call on his Bluetooth earpiece before he said to the kid in the back


    seat. ¡°I¡¯m sending you to Nigel¡¯s ce now, alright?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mr. Presgrave. You have to keep an eye on Mommy tonight and make sure that no man


    snatches her away!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll certainly keep a close eye on her.¡± Elliot chuckled. No men would be able to take her away


    under his watch.


    Soon, they arrived at a 7-star hotel, and Nigel was waiting downstairs to get the kid. When the car


    came to a stop, Nigel pulled open the car door of the back seat. He was surprised when he saw a


    child car seat in Elliot¡¯s car and the little boy was safely strapped on the seat.


    ¡°Mr. Nigel!¡± Jared politely greeted him.


    Meanwhile, Elliot walked up to Nigel and said, ¡°Anastasia is tied up with something, so she asked


    me to send Jared to your ce. I¡¯ll have to trouble you with him tonight.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Nigel felt a little displeased. I would go and pick Jared up if Anastasia gave me a


    call, so why did she get Elliot to send Jared over? Could it be that in her heart, I¡¯m not as reliable as


    Elliot?


    ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Presgrave.¡± As Jared held Nigel¡¯s hand, the boy looked behind and winked at Elliot,


    hinting thetter about the secret that only the two of them knew.


    ¡ª


    CA


    In the end, Nigel led Jared to his office. The more the former thought about it, the more frustrated he


    felt. Instead of asking Elliot to send Jared over to me, why didn¡¯t


    Anastasia contact me directly to go and pick Jared up?


    Nigel turned to look at the little guy, who was sitting on the couch with his little feet dangling in the


    air. Suddenly, Nigel noticed that Jared¡¯s beautiful facial features had started to be sharp, which


    caused the man to widen his almond-shaped eyes. What¡¯s going on? Why do I find that Jared


    seems to look a little like Elliot?


    Jared¡¯s features and demeanor were very simr to Elliot¡¯s. The next instant, Nigel seemed to recall


    something, and he took out his phone to scroll through his photo album. He remembered that he


    had kept a photo of Elliot as a child-it was a photo that had been taken when he was with Elliot.


    After searching through a few albums, Nigel finally found the photo. Nigel looked at the little boy in


    the photo who had his arms around Nigel¡¯s shoulder. At that point, Nigel¡¯s eyes nearly fell out of his


    sockets.


    In the photo, Elliot was a five-year-old kid and he looked exactly like the little boy who was currently


    sitting on the couch. They had faces so simr that one seemed to be a duplicate of the other.


    What kind of strange phenomenon is this? Anastasia¡¯s son looks exactly the same as Elliot when he


    was a kid! Nigel looked at himself in the photo, at the boy who had Elliot¡¯s arm around his shoulder.


    Although he had been an adorable kid as well, he had looked nothing like Jared.


    At that moment, Nigel felt as though he was burning in rage and jealousy. Is this a hint from God?


    That Elliot is going to beat me in this rtionship?


    Nigel nced at the kid on the couch again, and the love he had for Anastasia was still strong. If I


    were to marry Anastasia, I wouldn¡¯t ever make the little guy sad, nor would I give him any younger


    brothers or sisters!


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Chapter 187


    ¡°Jared, where did your mommy go?¡±


    ¡°Mommy has something else to do.¡±


    And so, Nigel came to the conclusion that Anastasia had to work overtime, so she had brought


    Jared to the office, then had Elliot send Jared over to him. Nigel was certain that that was the truth.


    At that moment, Anastasia was in a cab on the way to the hotel where her father¡¯spany event


    would be held.


    Her father¡¯spany wasn¡¯t exactly arge establishment, so the celebration this time was


    organized in a regr 5-star hotel.


    The attendees of the event were not required to go through the hassle of registration before


    entering the venue. Anastasia saw a sign at the lobby that stated, ¡®Attendees of


    Tillman Construction¡¯s banquet, please proceed to the third floor.


    As soon as Anastasia exited from the lift, she followed the sign and arrived at a hall that was


    decorated with numerous tables and chairs. She saw her father standing among a few elderly men,


    and he looked radiant as he beamed gleefully. He seemed to be in high spirits as he raised his


    ss and chatted with the people around him.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Anastasia walked up to him and greeted him.


    ¡°Hey! This is my elder daughter, Anastasia.¡± Upon seeing her, Francis introduced her to his peers


    standing around him.


    One of them couldn¡¯t help butpliment, ¡°Tillman, you are so lucky to have such a gorgeous


    daughter!¡±


    ¡°Not only does she have the looks, I heard that she is quite a capabledy as well,¡± another man


    praised.


    Anastasia felt embarrassed upon hearing that. It seemed like her father had often mentioned her in


    front of his friends. Still, she was d that she made her father proud.


    ¡°Good evening.¡± She smiled and greeted them.


    Meanwhile, Francis was surveying the hall, seemingly looking for someone. Just then,


    a vigorous young man in a suit entered the hall, and Francis immediately called out to him, ¡°Alex,


    come here.¡±


    Alex Hunter was about 28 or 29 years old, definitely below his thirties. Currently, he was emanating


    the youthful vibe of a young man. Upon hearing his boss¡¯ summon, he quickly strode over. At that


    instant, he saw Anastasia, who turned to face him, and he waspletely in awe.


    Anastasia appraised him with her stunning eyes. This man must be Dad¡¯s employee!


    ¡°Anastasia, let me introduce you to him. This is Alex Hunter, a recently promoted Finance Manager


    of our firm. He¡¯s young and capable, and he¡¯s a graduate from a renowned university,¡± Francis


    commended, his eyes full ofpliments.


    Anastasia greeted him with a smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. Hunter.¡±


    Alex ruffled his hair in embarrassment. ¡°You must be Miss Tillman! It¡¯s nice to finally meet you in


    person. President Tillman mentions you often.¡±


    ¡°Alex, this is my elder daughter, Anastasia. I¡¯ve always wanted to introduce you to each other.


    Please take good care of her on my behalf tonight,¡± Francis chimed in. It was apparent from his


    gaze that he had other ns.


    Alex was both surprised and excited. At that point, he seemed a little flustered as he was afraid that


    he would offend or upset Anastasia.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, do you want to drink anything?¡±


    On the contrary, Anastasia remained calm andposed. She apanied Alex to a table and


    smiled at him. ¡°Mr. Hunter, I¡¯ll help myself. You should go about with your things.¡±


    Alex was personally trained by Francis to be his right-hand man. Thetter even handed Alex the


    power over the most important department, which was the Finance Department. That night, Francis


    had the intention to set up Alex and his elder daughter, Anastasia. When Anastasia took over the


    company in the future, it would be much easier for her with Alex as her husband.


    Francis had been cracking his head to keep hisrge business going when he had no son. Hence,


    the best way was to make Alex his son-inw.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I¡¯ve often heard your father mentioning you. He said that you are a jewelry designer


    of a jewelry atelier. You are such a talented young woman.¡± Alex seemed embarrassed, but he was


    eager to present himself before the woman he had


    fallen for at first sight.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a designer. You are the one who is amazing!¡± Anastasia praised him. He was a valuable


    employee of her father, so she naturally treated him politely.


    ¡°You are ttering me, Miss Tillman. President Tillman thinks well of me, so he gave me the


    position,¡± Alex replied humbly.


    Anastasia then turned to survey the other guests, but Alex couldn¡¯t help but gaze fixedly at her. Her


    every movement seemed to capture his heart. It seemed that he had really fallen for Anastasia at


    first sight.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

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    Chapter 188


    Chapter 188


    Alex was well aware of the fact that Anastasia most likely would be francis¡¯ sessor in the future,


    Truth was, Alex had his own thoughts as well. After all, everyone in the world would dream of


    having an casier life,


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was borcd, so she took out her phone to check her messages, while Alex


    went to get her some snacks. He had made up his mind to stick with Anastasia no matter where she


    was that night.


    She was curious about what her son was doing at that moment, so she sent Elliot a text. ¡®What¡¯s


    Jared doing?¡¯


    After she sent the message, she didn¡¯t receive any reply even after waiting for more than ten


    minutes, so she thought that the man must have missed her message.


    Just then, a mother-daughter duo hurried into the hotel lobby-it was none other than Naomi and


    Erica, who had just arrived due to the terrible traffic. Erica wore a burgundy evening gown that night.


    As she entered the hall while lifting her skirt, she suddenly thought of something and turned to her


    mother, ¡°Mom, I left my phone in the car. Could you go and get it for me?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Naomi agreed resignedly. ¡°You go sit on that couch for a while. I¡¯ll go get you


    your phone now. Don¡¯t y with your phone all the time in the car in future.¡±


    And so, Erica lifted her skirt and took a seat on the couch while waiting for her mother. At that


    moment, a ck vehicle stopped at the main entrance of the hotel. Under the light from the hallway,


    a man pushed open the car door of the back seat and alighted from the car. Standing at six feet


    two, he had an imposing bearing. After tidying his suit, he strode into the hotel with his long slender


    legs.


    He had Rey following by his side carrying his briefcase. However, Rey, who was also a handsome,


    white-cored elite, seemed inconspicuous as he stood next to Elliot.


    When Erica was staring at the door waiting for her mother to get her phone, she suddenly spotted


    the man and her heart started pounding wildly. Oh, God! How can there be such a dashing, elegant


    man in this world? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The man who entered the premises under the bright lights had a cold and noble bearing. Dressed in


    a fitted suit, he emanated a stern yet intimidating aura that made it obvious he was someone with a


    high and mighty position.


    Erica¡¯s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. He¡¯s so handsome and sexy!


    Elliot¡¯s gaze swept across the signboard and he saw that the banquet of Tillman Construction was


    held on the third floor. He then entered the elevator together with Rey and pressed on the button to


    the third floor.


    Upon seeing that the lift stopped at the third floor, Erica couldn¡¯t help but hold her chest excitedly.


    Could it be that the man is here to attend Dad¡¯spany event? Does this mean that I¡¯U have the


    chance to get to know him?


    Erica was exhrated and she felt as if she had met the love of her life. She wanted to know him


    very badly, and she had even thought about the names for their future kids.


    When Naomi saw Erica staring at the elevator in a daze, she called out to her, ¡°Erica, what are you


    staring at?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I just saw a super handsome man! He seems to be heading to Dad¡¯spany event. I want


    to get to know him. I have to know him!¡±


    Upon seeing how crazy her daughter was for that man, Naomi thought to herself, A handsome face


    will be useless if he¡¯s poor. I won¡¯t agree for my daughter to marry a poor man or even a man with


    an ordinary background. My daughter has to marry the wealthiest man.


    Meanwhile, Elliot stepped out of the elevator and into the hall. At one nce, he spotted Anastasia,


    as well as the existence of a man beside her. That man was chatting with her, while she had one


    hand on her chin and a curve at the corner of her lips. She looked as though she was having a


    great time.


    Elliot narrowed his eyes menacingly. As expected, this woman attracts the gaze of men no matter


    where she goes.


    Upon seeing Francis among the crowd, Elliot walked up to him. Francis was chatting with his friends


    when he suddenly heard a pleasant male voice beside him. ¡°Hello, Mr. Tillman.¡±


    Francis turned to look at him and was stunned for a few seconds. ¡°And you are?¡±


    Rey immediately handed him Elliot¡¯s business card. ¡°This is President Presgrave¡¯s business card.


    Please have a look.¡±


    Francis took the name card before he nced at it and his pupils dted at that instant. He then


    stared at the young man before him in disbelief. Is he the young master of the Presgrave Family,


    whom my ex-wife sacrificed herself to rescue back then?

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    Chapter 189


    With Elliot¡¯s powerful status in the business world, as well as the influence of the Presgrave Family,


    Francis instantly weed him excitedly. ¡°Young Master Presgrave, you actually have the time to


    join us! It¡¯s an honor to have you here!¡±


    Although his wife had saved him, Francis still viewed this man as a powerful figure that he couldn¡¯t


    afford to offend or mess with.


    ¡°Mr. Tillman, you are being too courteous. I heard that today is the celebration for yourpany¡¯s


    20th anniversary. I hope that you will forgive me foring uninvited.¡±


    ¡°You are overthinking it! I¡¯m really d that you cane, Young Master Presgrave. I¡¯m really


    excited, in fact!¡± Francis was genuinely delighted, and hispanions were equally astonished as


    well-none of them had expected to see the legendary mysterious head of the Presgrave Family at


    Francis¡¯pany celebration.


    ¡°Mr. Tillman, I reckon that you don¡¯t know that President Presgrave is the employer of your


    daughter, Miss Anastasia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anastasia is working in President Presgrave¡¯spany?¡± Francis initially didn¡¯t know how


    he should entertain the young master of the Presgrave Family, but now that he knew that his


    daughter worked for Elliot, he thought that it would be a great idea to have her apany him.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was sitting in the hall chatting with Alex about her father¡¯spany¡¯s recent


    affairs. Alex was telling her everything that he knew, while Anastasia listened to him attentively.


    Suddenly, she heard her father calling for her. ¡°Anastasia! Anastasia,e over.¡±


    She inadvertently looked up in her father¡¯s direction. She saw her father at first, but her eyes soon


    met another man¡¯s pair of cold, piercing eyes. Although there was a distance between them, the


    man¡¯s gaze resembled a deadly sharp de when he peered at her.


    If the gaze were tond on someone else, this person would be scared out of their wits. However,


    upon seeing the noble man next to her father, not only was Anastasia not afraid, she was even


    enraged.


    Didn¡¯t he say that he would take care of Jared?! Why is he here at Dad¡¯spany event? HowAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    about my son?


    In the end, she pulled her chair back and headed over to her father.


    ¡°Anastasia,e here. We have an honorable guest. Please help me to entertain Young Master


    Presgrave.¡± Francis waved at her to gesture at her toe over.


    When Anastasia stood in front of her father, she immediately calmed down, as she didn¡¯t want her


    father to know about her rtionship with Elliot.


    ¡°Hello, President Presgrave, wee to my father¡¯spany event.¡± She held her hand out in a


    distant yet polite manner.


    Elliot extended his hand to hold hers, an unfathomable smile ying by his lips.


    ¡°Dad, let me entertain President Presgrave. You should go about with your business. President


    Presgrave, this way, please.¡± She gestured at Elliot toe with her.


    Elliot raised his head and looked in front. He was currently heading in the direction of the VIP tables


    while Anastasia followed behind him. When she gauged that her father wouldn¡¯t be able to hear


    their conversation from where they were now, she anxiously asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Jared?¡±


    Elliot looked back and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve handed him to Nigel.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here at my father¡¯spany event?¡± she asked, staring at his back.


    ¡°To congratte him, of course.¡± The man curved up the corner of his lips and he turned around to


    look at her.


    At that moment, the two of them had arrived at the table. Elliot pulled the chair back and took a


    seat, while Anastasia sat down beside him, a look of frustration on her face.


    ¡°Your arrival gave my father a fright! You were not supposed to show up here with your identity.¡±


    She red at him helplessly.


    ¡°What identity should I show up with, then? How about his elder daughter¡¯s boyfriend?¡± Elliot asked


    with a charming smile.


    Anastasia nearly jumped to her feet as she denied in a fluster, ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Tm not here as a mere guest. I would like to talk to your father about a business project.¡± He raised


    his brow at her. Of course, he wouldn¡¯te over for nothing.


    Anastasia was stunned to hear that. Any random project that Elliot had in his hands


    would allow her father to make a profit for at least a few years toe. However, Elliot¡¯s true


    intention was to repay kindness, and she didn¡¯t wish to see her father interact with him too much.


    Just then, Erica entered the hall holding her mother¡¯s arm while gazing around anxiously. Suddenly,


    she took notice of the handsome charming figure at the first table from the left in front of the stage.


    Although she only saw his back, it was enough to make her heart race.


    Soon, she noticed a familiar figure sitting next to that man. At that instant, jealousy and anger


    started raging inside her. Isn¡¯t that Anastasia?

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    Chapter 190


    She actually hooked up with that hot man ahead of me? This won¡¯t do! I cannot allow Anastasia to


    snatch away the man I have my eyes on!


    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s the man. Do go and ask Dad who he is!¡± Erica pointed at where Elliot


    was.


    Naomi raised her eyes and looked in that direction. It was the figure of a young man, and he


    seemed tall and decent from his back, so he should have handsome looks.


    Therefore, Naomi held Erica¡¯s arm and headed toward her husband. After greeting him, she


    dragged Francis to one side and asked, ¡°Francis, who¡¯s that guest?¡± She pointed in the direction of


    Elliot.


    Francisughed. ¡°He¡¯s the young master of the Presgrave Family, the most honorable guest


    tonight.¡±


    ¡°The young master of the Presgrave Family? Which Presgrave Family?¡± asked Naomi in


    puzzlement. She was unfamiliar with the people of the business world.


    ¡°Which else? Theirpany is situated in the tallest office building in the city center. Don¡¯t you


    always see it when you go shopping?¡± Francis exined Elliot¡¯s identity in the simplest and easiest


    manner.


    At that instant, Naomi and Erica exchanged nces. They instantaneously understood who he was


    referring to. After all, that building was andmark, the most iconic structure at the city center.


    ¡°Oh, God! The Presgrave Corporation belongs to him? He¡¯s super rich!¡±


    ¡°His wealth is on par with a nation¡¯s! Hispany is in global business,¡± Francis eximed


    ¡°Mom, I have to get to know him! I have to get to know Young Master Presgrave!¡± Erica was so


    excited that she nearly went crazy. Never in a million years did she think that she would meet the


    President of the Presgrave Corporation at her father¡¯spany event.


    Just then, Naomi narrowed her eyes in displeasure. ¡°Is that Anastasia apanying Young Master


    Presgrave? Why is she with him?¡±


    ¡°I just found out that Anastasia actually works in a jewelrypany under Young


    Master Presgrave, so I asked her to entertain him,¡± Francis replied.


    ¡°Dad, why didn¡¯t you ask me to entertain him instead? I¡¯m your daughter too!¡± Erica immediately felt


    jealous of Anastasia. Did Dad intentionally give Anastasia a chance to spend time with Young


    Master Presgrave?


    ¡°Ask you to go? What can you talk to him about? Even I myself don¡¯t know how I should entertain


    him,¡± Francis reprimanded helplessly.


    It was fortunate that his elder daughter could entertain the guest on his behalf. Truth was, Francis


    had nced in that direction a few times and found that Anastasia seemed to be getting along well


    with Elliot.


    However, nobody knew what they were actually talking about. In fact, nobody could guess how


    displeased Anastasia was with Elliot¡¯s presence. She was currently persuading him to leave if he


    had no other business there. Unfortunately, the thick skinned man insisted on staying.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell my father that you have to leave because of something urgent. He won¡¯t me you for that,¡±


    she urged.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, are you driving away your father¡¯s guest? If you continue to try to drive me out, I¡¯ll


    comin to your father and have him uphold justice.¡± The man elegantly held a teacup and took a


    sip of the tea that he disliked.


    Anastasia bit her red lips. ¡°Elliot, I¡¯m begging you. Stop repaying my dad. He doesn¡¯t know that you


    are actually repaying kindness, so it won¡¯t be fair to him.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, let me tell you something-someone has their eyes on your father¡¯s business. They are


    trying to carry out their n of acquiring a few small-scaled construction materialpanies, and


    your father¡¯s firm is one of them. Do you still think that I shouldn¡¯t help out your father now?¡± he


    leaned in and whispered at her.


    Anastasia was startled by the news. She raised her head and looked into the man¡¯s serious eyes


    that suggested that what he had said was not a lie. ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The industry of construction material has always been a profitable industry. Besides, there will


    always be investors wherever there is profit,¡± he nonchntlymented.


    Anastasia was stunned to hear that. She knew that the business world was always treacherous withCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    a set of harsh survival rules, but she never thought that it would happen to her father.


    At present, someone was looking at her with a disappointed gaze from a distance not far away from


    them. After barely getting to know her, Alex found that Anastasia had an outstanding man by her


    side. He had just heard from the others that the man who looked even younger than him was


    actually Elliot Presgrave, the high and mighty leader of the Presgrave Corporation.

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    Chapter 191


    Even though Alex self-admittingly thought that he was an outstanding individual, he knew he did not


    hold a candle to Elliot.


    Hailing from a poor background, Alex always acknowledged that the world wasn¡¯t fair. He had


    sacrificed a lot to reach the top, but some people were simply born up at the very top.


    Anastasia was a girl that he liked the first moment heid eyes on her, and she made him feel


    intoxicated through the short conversation they had. With every breath and smile that she took, it


    served only to make him fall for her deeper and deeper.


    Yet at that moment, Alex could only look on, clenching his fists as the one he loved was by Elliot¡¯s


    side.


    Failing to make Elliot budge, Anastasia was about to give up when a middle-aged woman¡¯s voice


    called to her, ¡°Oh-Anastasia, there you are! Come help me out for a bit.¡±


    What Anastasia saw was Naomi had a kind and warm smile at that moment, something the former


    didn¡¯t see everyday.


    ¡°Is there anything you need help with?¡± Anastasia asked as Elliot also turned over to look at Naomi.


    Upon seeing his face, Naomi felt her heart actually skipped a bit over how perfect the man¡¯s face


    was. The only w was the distant and cold aura he emanated that made him feel like an invisible


    barrier was surrounding him.


    ¡°And this must be the honorable guest your father mentioned, Young Master Elliot!¡± Hastily, Naomi


    greeted him, ¡°Hello, Young Master Elliot. I¡¯m Francis¡¯ wife, Naomi Lowell. I hope you¡¯ll find it in your


    heart to forgive us if there¡¯s anything inadequate at the venue!¡±


    To this, Elliot only returned a subtle nod. Thinking back on how the mother daughter duo bullied


    Anastasia back then at thepany, he wouldn¡¯t even have upheldmon courtesy if not for the


    celebration taking ce right then.


    ¡°Anastasia,e with me for a second. I have something urgent that could use your help,¡± Naomi


    announced, pretending to look like something urgent was going on.


    Since it was her father¡¯spany celebration today, Anastasia didn¡¯t want to ck off This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    either, so she said to Elliot, ¡°President Presgrave, I¡¯ll be stepping away for a bit. Please make


    yourselffortable.¡±


    Stating that, Anastasia then stood up and left. At the instant Naomi turned around, the older woman


    quickly hinted at her daughter.


    The actual reason Naomi came was just to make Anastasia leave so that a chance could open up


    for her daughter, as Elliot was their real target for tonight.


    Meanwhile, Erica, who was standing not far away, saw her mother¡¯s hint. Immediately, she became


    anxious and excited, wanting to run right to Elliot¡¯s side Using the mirror at the side, she looked at


    herself for a few seconds before purposefully lowering her neckline and pushing her chest up,


    thereafter walking toward him seductively.


    Upon closing in on him, Erica could feel her breath being taken away as she looked at the man¡¯s


    sharp silhouette. With every look at his clean-cut sideburns and his stunning side profile, she was


    falling deeper for the charismatic man.


    After a deep breath, she mustered up the sweetest tone she could and said, ¡°Hello, Young Master


    Elliot, Since my sister is busy with something else, my father asked me to apany you for a bit.¡±


    Saying that, Erica naturally sat on Anastasia¡¯s seat. Her brain instantly turned into mush the second


    she made eye contact with Elliot, and she did not know what to say next.


    At that moment, Erica, who wanted to transform into a princess just to show him her most elegant


    side, was unaware that the man sitting in front of her had witnessed the fight between her and


    Anastasia a month ago.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anypany, thank you.¡± Finishing his sentence, Elliot then picked up his phone and


    began scrolling through it, all the while emitting a distant feel.


    ¡°What about some drinks, Young Master Elliot? I can bring you some, if you so wish.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±


    ¡°Fruits? There¡¯s some freshly cut fruits there. I can¨C¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Elliot cut her off without even moving his gaze away from his phone.


    Even though Erica knew that Elliot was hard to approach and cold, she wasn¡¯t just giving up yet, as


    she was satisfied by just staying close to him. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll just


    stay here with you. Do let me know if you have any needs.¡± Propping up her chin, she looked at


    him, her expression lovestruck.


    As Elliot couldn¡¯t make her go away, he just left such a lovestruck looking person be.


    On the other side, Anastasia, who was called to the pantry, was a bit puzzled as no help was


    actually needed. There were even a few workers who could be seen sitting down and chatting.

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    Chapter 192


    ¡°What is there to help out with?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, help me take a look if the amount of wine here is correct or not. As you know, the


    employees in hotels can have less than desirable habits sometimes.¡± Naomi¡¯s loud voice attracted


    the ire of nearby waiters.


    Feeling extremely humiliated, Anastasia wished she wasn¡¯t acquainted with the woman. In the end,


    she said calmly, ¡°This is a five-star hotel, so no such thing would happen. Now, if there isn¡¯t anything


    else, then I¡¯ll be excusing myself first.¡±


    After that, Anastasia was going to open the door and go out, but Naomi made a move to grab onto


    her. ¡°Wait! Anastasia, I have something to say to you.¡±


    Feeling slightly disgusted, Anastasia avoided her touch. ¡°You can say whatever you want to without


    having to touch me.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you know that Erica has also bought a house recently, right? After your dad bought one


    for you, he insisted on buying one for her too. I couldn¡¯t even persuade him not to do so,¡± Naomi


    said frustratingly.


    Smirking deep down, Anastasia kept up a calm fa?ade as she countered, ¡°That¡¯s between you


    people. You don¡¯t need to tell me that.¡±


    ¡°Of course I have to tell you that! Do you know how hard it is for your father to be the sole


    breadwinner of the family? On top of that, thepany isn¡¯t going through its best period recently,


    so don¡¯t disturb him if you don¡¯t have much going on. Also, don¡¯t try to borrow money from him


    these days. Just try to spend within your means.¡± Everything that Naomi said pointed to one


    message-Anastasia had better not further spend any of Francis¡¯ money.


    Even if Naomi did not state this, Anastasia knew all this herself.


    ¡°Your dad hasn¡¯t been sleeping all that well these nights. I think it might be due to the stress.¡±


    The guilt started to well up within Anastasia, as the house that her dad bought for her did cost a


    pretty penny. Maybe Dad really is quite stressed nowadays.


    ¡°Anastasia, I heard from your father that you¡¯re now working under Young Master Elliot, right? Could


    I trouble you to ask if he¡¯s still hiring? Erica is also hoping tond a job in hispany,¡± Naomi


    immediately murmured.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia sneered deep down as she could see right through Naomi¡¯s little trick.


    I think she just wants Erica to get close to Elliot!


    With that thought, she then opened the door and looked to the great hall. As expected, Erica had


    already made herselffortable on Anastasia¡¯s original seat beside Elliot.


    S


    Anastasia then realized that Naomi was just calling her away as a distraction. And so, the former


    opened the door fully and left.


    ¡°Hey! Anastasia, I haven¡¯t even finished yet! Do you have any manners? I¡¯m your senior! You


    should be respecting me!¡± Behind her, Naomi was so livid she started to stomp her foot


    At that point, practically all the guests had arrived, with Elliot¡¯s table being the only one that had just


    one person sitting at it. This was probably because nobody dared to sit there.


    Weaving through the various tables, Anastasia was making her way back when another voice called


    out to her. ¡°Miss Tillman, can I have the honor of sitting with


    you?¡±


    Turning back, she saw that it was Alex, so she instantly smiled and replied, ¡°Of course you can!


    Let¡¯s go over to that table.¡±


    Gleefully, he nodded and followed Anastasia to Elliot¡¯s table.


    Seeing how Anastasia¡¯wasing over, Erica could not help the hint of revolt that shed across


    her gaze, as she thought that a high and mighty man like Elliot wouldn¡¯t even spare an extra nce


    at Anastasia, like he did to herself.


    Hearing the footsteps, Elliot finally drew his gaze from his phone, He coincidentally saw Anastasia


    sitting down together with a man opposite him. It was the same man that was chatting happily along


    with her just now.


    ¡°President Presgrave, this is Mr. Alex Hunter. He¡¯s responsible for the financial department in my


    dad¡¯spany.¡± Then, she continued, ¡°And this is mypany¡¯s boss, Mr. Elliot Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Presgrave,¡± Alex courteously greeted.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Raising his eyebrows slightly, Elliot gave off a feeling of a sessful man that nobody at the


    venue could match up to.


    ¡°Anastasia, have you seen Mr. Presgrave at thepany before?¡± Erica asked smilingly, as she


    thought that a normal employee wouldn¡¯t have any chances to catch a glimpse of the boss.


    Anastasia sneered in response. ¡°President Presgrave is extremely busy. How would I be able to see


    him?¡±


    Meanwhile, Elliot was looking at Anastasia with his deep gaze as she spun tales. At that instant, he


    could not help the loving smile that yed on his lips.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    Chapter 193


    ¡°Anastasia, why didn¡¯t you bring your son along?¡± Erica immediately exposed the fact that


    Anastasia had a son.


    Bluntly, thetter replied, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. My son is being taken care of just


    fine.¡±


    ¡°President Presgrave, do you know that my sister has a kid? He¡¯s already four now. It was quite


    tough on her, having to raise him all on her own.¡± At that point, Erica wanted to just spill the fact that


    Anastasia was a single mother.


    Since Alex already knew that Anastasia had a child, he thought that he stood a better chance at


    being with her due to a single mother¡¯s lowered standard in choosing her partner.


    In turn, Anastasia only smirked while looking at Erica¡¯s little show.


    On the other hand, Erica kept thinking that Elliot would ask her something out of sheer curiosity.


    Never in a million years did she think that he wouldn¡¯t care about this at all, with him not even


    listening to her.


    Coughing awkwardly, she then kept quiet.


    Meanwhile, Alex was trying to find a topic to chat with Anastasia, so he asked, ¡°Miss Tillman, you


    said that you wanted a tour of thepany, right? When are you free? I¡¯d love to bring you around.¡±


    When facing Alex, Anastasia always smiled politely back. This made a certain man feel jealous


    inside, as she did not even smile at him like that from the start.


    D


    The only things that she showed him were her temper, stubbornness and willfulness, all of which


    were bad sides.


    But now, she actually left her best smile, sweetest voice and best side of her to a stranger that she


    just met.


    ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll contact you if I¡¯m ever in Dad¡¯spany.¡± Anastasia then proceeded to exchange


    numbers with Alex.


    ¡°Sure thing!¡± Happiness was written all over Alex¡¯s face when he said that.


    Anastasia¡¯s gaze then met with a chilling, upset one, and her smile froze in ce


    before disappearing altogether. In the end, she picked up her goblet and averted her gaze.


    At that moment, Francis brought a few of his friends over to the table, and he said to Anastasia as


    soon as he came over, ¡°Anastasia, why are you sitting here? Quickly now! Go and sit beside


    President Presgrave.¡±


    Left with no choice, Anastasia could only relocate her seat beside Elliot¡¯s. Now, Elliot was


    surrounded by both of Francis¡¯ daughters.


    Hurriedly, Alex also switched seats and sat beside Anastasia.


    ¡°President Presgrave, I¡¯m sorry for thisck of proper treatment. Please, if you have anything, just


    order Anastasia to do it for you!¡±


    ¡°I will be sure to do so, Mr. Tillman!¡± Smiling, Elliot exuded the aura of an elitist.


    Remembering something, Anastasia stood up and walked to her father¡¯s side, whispering, ¡°Dad,


    when you¡¯re giving the speechter, be sure to not expose President Presgrave¡¯s identity. He wants


    to keep a low-profile.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Francis nodded.


    And so, Anastasia returned to her seat. Before long, Francis was invited on stage by the host. After


    he somewhat excitedly drank a big gulp from a can of beer and adjusted his suit, he went up to the


    stage.


    Looking at how happy her father was, Anastasia was very calm inside as she pped and looked


    admiringly at him speaking excitedly on stage.


    On the other hand, Elliot gave a stretch and looked between the woman beside him and Francis. At


    that moment, Elliot could feel the charm of what family was due to the obvious love Anastasia


    showed for her father.


    On stage, Francis did not mention Elliot¡¯s real identity. If his daughter did not tell him to do so, he


    would¡¯ve given Elliot a grand introduction.


    After Francis¡¯ speech, it was time for the banquet to start. Because Francis himself was in the blue-


    cor field, his guests tonight were all his employees and they upied over fifty tables. The scene


    was very lively, even though it did not match the elegance of the upper society.


    Everybody just wanted to fill their stomachs and drink until they dropped. In short, having a good


    night was their only aim. When Francis was still on stage, someone


    even requested that he sing a song, so in a state of being forced and submitting to it, he decided to


    sing a ssic to help liven up the atmosphere even further. Francis even sang with great vigor.


    Off stage, Anastasia had been howling withughter at this sc¨¨ne, and she alternated between


    covering her mouth and giving her father a thumbs up. Seeing how his daughter loved listening to


    him sing, Francis put in even more effort.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    Chapter 194


    Fuior byd narrowed his eyes as he had never felt this kind of atmosphere before. The woman¡¯s


    sweet smile became his view, and her happiness directly affected him as he became very happy


    too.


    Erica had caught Elliot looking at Anastasia a few times, and this made the former green with envy.


    So, she also intentionallyughed out loud, yet she failed to elicit a response from him.


    Sitting off to the side, Alex carefully hid his love for Anastasia as he knew that Elliot also liked her


    very much, judging from the man¡¯s gaze.


    After singing, Francis got back to the table and immediately raised his ss to toast Elliot. ¡°Young


    Master Elliot, I¡¯ll toast you on behalf of mecking as a host.¡±


    Quickly, Elliot stood up to reciprocate his toast. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Tillman.¡±


    Upon seeing Francis down his ss entirely, Elliot, whose ss was also filled with beer, did the


    same and finished it too.


    ¡°Anastasia, quickly refill the president¡¯s ss. Make it full,¡± said Francis.


    However, Erica, who was beside them, had a bottle of red wine ready. ¡°Let me pour it, Dad!¡±


    Not in the mood to argue over this, Anastasia let the woman fill Elliot¡¯s ss to the brim. Upon


    seeing that, Elliot frowned.


    ¡°President Presgrave, I¡¯m a close friend of Francis. It¡¯s rare to see such a capable young individual


    like yourself, so I would like to toast you too.¡± The man beside Francis stood up and raised his


    ss, his voice full of pride.


    Standing up again, Elliot raised his ss half-heartedly, with the man adding, ¡°I¡¯ll finish my ss,


    but you can drink howevermuch you want.¡±


    Since it was a close friend of Francis, he would also be considered a senior to Elliot. So, out of


    respect, thetter also finished his ss as well.


    Seeing him drink two full sses of alcohol made Anastasia immediately recall that he had a weak


    stomach, yet Erica was already refilling his ss yet again.


    As Anastasia tugged on his sleeve, Elliot naturally leaned toward her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t drink so much. You have a weak stomach, remember? You might just upset it again,¡± said


    Anastasia caringly.


    A smile appeared in Elliot¡¯s gaze when he heard that. ¡°Miss-Tillman, are you worried about me right


    now?¡±


    Looking at him, Anastasia then saw another senior beside her father had stood up, and her heart


    skipped a beat. Don¡¯t tell me that every one of Dad¡¯s friends is going to toast Elliot?!


    Elliot came from a distinguished background. Meanwhile, these people were likely alcoholics from


    the looks of their beer bellies. In this kind of situation, it was customary to always toast the


    wealthiest around the table, as a person of stature was a respected person. Hence, Elliot became


    their target to toast to.


    ¡°P-President Presgrave, I¡¯m not good with words, but I would like to propose a toast to you. Here¡¯s


    to your health, and hoping that yourpany will prosper!¡±


    Even Elliot did not think that he would be targeted like this. However, due to them all being Francis


    friends and that Francis himself would be his future father-inw, Elliot, as the junior, couldn¡¯t afford


    to offend him.


    Standing up again, Elliot gracefully held his ss as he raised it. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Anastasia could only look on as the man finished another ss. Panic slowly hit her and she


    thought to herself, If seven or eight of dad¡¯s seniors were to all toast with him, wouldn¡¯t he just ck


    out on the spot?


    And Elliot was raised on high-end imported red wine as well. With the beers on the table being sold


    for less than ten on the market, Anastasia was afraid that something might happen to him if this


    continued.


    ¡°Young Master Presgrave, it¡¯s a rare opportunity to be able to drink with you at the same table.


    Here, a toast!¡± Another senior stood up and said that.


    Anastasia could clearly see Elliot getting tipsy, but she knew that it would be disrespectful to the


    person who proposed the toast if Elliot did not drink it. So, in the heat of the moment, she took his


    ss and said to the senior, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the president has a weak stomach. Hence, I¡¯ll be


    epting this toast on his behalf.¡±


    After that, she drank it in one shot amidst everybody¡¯s shock. Then, she tugged at the dazed man


    beside him and said, ¡°President Presgrave, don¡¯t you still have something very important to attend


    to? We have to go now.¡±


    To this, Elliot only blinked in response. Having little choice at this point, Anastasia could only pull the


    chair away as she said to her father, ¡°Dad, President Presgrave and I will be excusing ourselves


    first. Please enjoy your meals.¡±


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    Room for You Chapter 195


    Elliot did not even have the chance to react to what had transpired when Anastasia wrapped her


    arms around him and pulled him up forcefully. ¡°Dad, everyone, please enjoy your meals. We have


    something else that we need to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Erica called out hurriedly.


    As Elliot was being pulled out of the venue, he suddenly realized that the woman was afraid he


    might get drunk, hence the excuse to drag him away. She even helped him drink!


    She really does care about me.


    Finally, they reached the third floor¡¯s elevator and they bumped into Rey, who was just preparing to


    eat. Seeing that his boss was about to leave, he quickly ate two mouthfuls and got up.


    ¡°President Presgrave, are we leaving now?¡±


    ¡°He was constantly being toasted, so I was afraid there might be some problems. Rey, how about


    you take him back first?¡± Anastasia asked him.


    Upon hearing that, Elliot shot a nce at Rey, hinting quite clearly at what he wanted.


    Intentionally looking at his wristwatch, Rey then replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Tillman, but I can¡¯t send the


    president home. My father was just admitted to the hospital.¡±


    This stunned Anastasia. ¡°What? Go there quickly, then!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital now.¡±


    Reaching the ground floor, the trio exited the elevator, with Rey hailing for a taxi and leaving in a


    hurry. Then, Anastasia said to Elliot, ¡°Where¡¯s your car?¡±


    At that moment, his bodyguard drove the car over, and she opened the door. ¡°Get in the car and go


    home.¡±


    ¡°Apany me.¡± Elliot held onto her arm, preventing her from leaving.


    Seeing that it was already 7.40 PM and that she also had to go pick up her son, Anastasia nodded


    in agreement. ¡°Alright.¡±


    And so, she got into the car before Elliot followed her in. The door was shut, and the ck sedan


    slowly left.


    At the banquet, Erica was left disappointed with no appetite, because however extravagant she


    dressed and however exquisite her makeup was, it all amounted to nothing, as Elliot¡¯s departure


    had taken away her heart and soul.


    Alex was also drinking away his sorrows by the side after clearly seeing that Anastasia was finding


    an excuse just to help Elliot drink. It seemed like she cared very much for this big shot.


    In the car, the atmosphere was a bit stuffy, with the scent of alcohol wafting in the air. Taking off his


    suit jacket, Elliot then loosened his necktie and opened the top three buttons of his shirt to let off


    some heat.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ncing at him, Anastasia noticed the impably tailored shirt entuated the man¡¯s strong and


    tight forearms and slightly exhibited the sharp lines of his cor bones. Paired with his charismatic


    gaze, he gave off a sort of roguish feel.


    ¡°You¡¯d better go home first. I can take a taxi to go pick up Jaredter,¡± Anastasia murmured to him.


    Upon hearing that, Elliot narrowed his eyes and questioned, ¡°Are you not going to take care of me?¡±


    Feeling somewhat speechless, she looked at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you fine? Why do you want me to take


    care of you?¡±


    ¡°Who told you that I was fine? I¡¯m a bit drunk and feeling some difort right now,¡± Elliot muttered


    as he pretended to be weak.


    Truthfully, he did feel a bit nauseous due to all the alcohol tumbling inside his stomach.


    At that, Anastasia turned around immediately and asked, ¡°Where do you feel difort?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the worst to drink on an empty stomach. Don¡¯t you still have stomach medicine at your ce?


    I¡¯ll go over now to take two.¡± With that, Elliot told the bodyguard her address.


    Not even allowed the time to rebuke, she could only say somewhat resignedly, ¡°This stomach


    medicine could be bought anywhere, so why do you need toe to my. house for it? Don¡¯t you


    have it at your own home?¡±


    ¡°I want you to take care of me.¡± Saying that, Elliot leaned back and shut his eyes as he furrowed his


    brows deeply, looking as if he was enduring something.


    Seeing his expression, Anastasia could not help but lean toward him. In a concerned tone, she


    murmured, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°My stomach is acting up again,¡± said the man while still shutting his eyes.


    Right then, the bodyguard was driving in her home¡¯s direction, and they would likely reach in a few


    minutes. Observing that Elliot was not making this up, Anastasia thought that she should let him


    rest for a while at her ce.


    Beneath the lights, one could observe a thinyer of sweat on his scalp, as if the pain had really


    started to hit him. This made her say gently, ¡°Take two of the pillster at my house, then.¡±

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    Chapter 196 Elliot opened his eyes but he looked lost, obviously meaning that he was still


    tipsy.


    It was due to too much alcohol in such a short amount of time that caused him to be like this.


    Stopping the car at Anastasia¡¯smunity entrance, the bodyguard came to open the door


    immediately, while simultaneously reaching to help Elliot up. Not wanting his help, Elliot shook away


    his arm. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t need any help.¡±


    Even though Elliot was drunk, he still cared about maintaining his strong image in front of


    Anastasia, as he did not want her to think that he was already at his limit.


    ¡°Sir, please don¡¯t leave first. You¡¯ll have to send him backter,¡± said Anastasia to the bodyguard, to


    which the bodyguard nodded in response.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll stay here and wait for the president.¡±


    Just as Elliot began to walk, Anastasia came over to help him. ¡°Watch your step.¡±


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t drunk to the point of not being able to walk properly, but the slender arm


    holding him made him happy. Hence, he didn¡¯t struggle, as showing the asional weakness in


    front of this woman was necessary.


    Passing through the romantic garden under the moonlight, they reached the elevator and went up to


    her floor. Opening the door, Elliot then walked inside her house.


    Although it was just a small two room apartment, it had a strange attraction that made him feel even


    more at home than his own house.


    Using his arm as a pillow, Elliotid downzily on the sofa, and he looked at the woman that was


    pouring water and searching for the medicine.


    ¡°I remember it was here! Where has it gone now? Did I throw it away?¡± The sound of the woman


    mumbling to herself came from the cab.


    Meanwhile, Elliot was not in a hurry and he wished that she wouldn¡¯t find the medicine anytime


    soon. That way, he could have a reason to stay for the whole night.


    Because of the amount of work she had, Anastasia had some of her memories jumbled up. Finally,


    she remembered that she kept the medicine inside the cab of her room. Rushing over quickly,


    she found them, just as she expected.


    After reading the instructions, she took three pills and poured a cup of warm water for him.


    ¡°Here are the pills. There you go.¡± Setting them down on the coffee table, Anastasia watched as the


    man took it.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Standing up, Elliot took the pills without any hesitation. After taking them, he continued to lie on the


    sofa, watching her. ¡°I want to rest for a bit more.¡±


    On the other hand, Anastasia couldn¡¯t chase him right away too, due to his current state being


    caused by him attending her father¡¯s banquet.


    Under the light, it was obvious that Elliot had a flush on his handsome face, showing the signs of


    being drunk.


    Even Anastasia, who drank a ss of alcohol on his behalf, was feeling the burn of the alcohol in


    her stomach, which was why her heart ached for Elliot, who had downed a few sses.


    ¡°Why did you drink that for me just now? You really do care about me, don¡¯t you?¡± Elliot asked in his


    low baritone.


    ncing at him, Anastasia replied, ¡°You think too much of yourself. I just don¡¯t want anything to


    happen to you at my father¡¯s banquet.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Elliot was a bit speechless by the woman who kept running away from her own


    feelings. ¡°Is it that hard for you to admit that you care about me?¡±


    Snorting, Anastasia rolled her eyes in response. ¡°President Presgrave, you really do like to indulge


    in your own fantasies, don¡¯t you?¡±


    However, Elliot suddenly hissed as he clutched his chest.


    Anastasia, who was just snorting at him, immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    As she asked that, she walked over to the side of the sofa, leaning down to look at his face. ¡°Is


    there anywhere else that hurts?¡±


    But at that instant, Elliot caught hold of her wrist and with a tug, he pulled her into his embrace. The


    next second, he flipped over and pressed her against the sofa.


    Seeing the man¡¯s sly smile made Anastasia realize that she had been tricked.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°And you say you don¡¯t care for me. Aren¡¯t you showing plenty of care right now?¡± Elliot smirked as


    he wasn¡¯t going to let her escape that easily.


    ¡°You¡­ Get off me! Who said that I was concerned for you? I-I just didn¡¯t want anything that


    happened to you to implicate my dad too.¡± Anastasia simply picked an excuse and went with it.


    But in Elliot¡¯s eyes, that was all just nonsense.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    ¡°Anastasia, is there any meaning to you avoiding your feelings like this? Just say that you care


    about me and that you like me. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll make a joke out of this.¡± Elliot stared at her small face,


    his gaze full of love.


    Anastasia was stunned momentarily and she was about to react when his other hand held onto her


    jaw and he forcefully kissed her.


    Wide-eyed, Anastasia grunted in surprise. Is this man trying to take advantage of me again?Why do


    I not watch out for things like this more? I can¡¯t seem to escape the fate of getting forcefully kissed


    every time by him. Gosh!


    The smell of alcohol stilling from him made her feel faint, and his powerful kiss was like him


    trying to imprint himself onto her.


    Without her son at home, the whole ce had be somewhere the man could let out his


    desires, with the kisssting till Elliot thought it was enough. Panting, he then finally let her go


    because if they were to continue, he would be the one that would suffer.


    Anastasia wasn¡¯t better off either as she was panting with a flushed face. She raised her hand,


    nning on pping him. However, just as she was about to do it, she stared angrily into his


    lovestruck eyes.


    His deep stare reflected her face clearly and for some reason, she could actually see the love in his


    gaze.


    ¡°Anastasia, I like you.¡± From the man¡¯s hoarse voice came a confession.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    In the end, the hand that was raised mid-way did notnd on his handsome face, and she put it


    away stiffly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have it in your heart to hit me anymore?¡± Elliot smiled slyly.


    ¡°Elliot, I don¡¯t like you,¡± Anastasia replied loudly as she stared at him wide-eyed.


    His expression darken upon hearing this. ¡°Is it that I¡¯ve not done enough, or is it that I¡¯ve somehow


    made you angry?¡±


    ¡°Taking advantage of me while forcing me to like you? Do you think that I would ever like you under


    such circumstances?¡± Anastasia sneered. Is he really that conpdent that every woman he meets will


    fall in love with him at the very first sight?


    Yet, Elliot did not let go of her and still pinned her down in a suggestive way. He tried to control


    himself, but his gentle gaze held a hint of desire and possessiveness.


    Just like that, he kept staring and attacking her with his gaze.


    In the end, Anastasia, who could no longer look him in the eye, started to panic. And so, she


    reached out to try to push him away. ¡°Get up, Elliot.¡±


    It was as if there was a strong magic in his stare and one would sumb to his charms if one


    looked into his gaze for too long. Even though Anastasia was staring at him angrily, Elliot still would


    not get up, instead staring back at her with eyes full of desire.


    Struggling in vain, Anastasia felt the heat, as well as the danger radiating off the man, making her


    panic for real.


    ¡°Elliot, I¡¯m going to count to three now¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m your son? Do you think I can be threatened like this?¡± Smirking, Elliot dismissed


    her threats with just that sentence.


    This made Anastasia speechless.


    He really is a devil in disguise!


    ¡°If you don¡¯t get up now, I¡¯ll call the cops.¡±


    ¡°It was you who brought me into your home of your own volition. And with me being your boss and


    you being my employee, things would be quite hard to exin at the police station.¡± Smirking


    even more, Elliot continued, ¡°What do you think they will believe? You seducing me? Or me


    seducing you?¡±


    Although the man was arguing against her right now, he had a loving smile, making Anastasia itch


    to hit him in the face.


    Probably because he had teased her enough and didn¡¯t actually want to make her mad, Elliot


    suddenly leaned over and gave her a peck on the lips. ¡°Anastasia, please try and open up your


    heart to me. I promise you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±


    Hope shed in his eyes and he pleaded at her with a hoarse voice. For people who were born with


    a golden spoon like Elliot, it was rare for him to plead with someone.


    Finally, the man got up, leaving Anastasia stunned for a few seconds before sitting up. Then, she


    proceeded to open the entrance door without any hesitation. ¡°You¡¯d


    better leave. I don¡¯t want you staying any further.¡±


    Suddenly, pain shed across Elliot¡¯s eyes, and he clutched his stomach as cold sweat covered his


    forehead. Thereafter, he stumbled and crashed onto the sofa.


    Meanwhile, an icy Anastasia was about to send him away. However, seeing him like this made her


    close the door and rush over to his side in the blink of an eye. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡±

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    ¡°My stomach hurts¡­ Do you have anything to eat at home?¡± Elliot raised his head and asked. After


    drinking so much alcohol tonight, his stomach, which has always sustained itself on high grade


    whole foods, naturally could not take it.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll cook some noodles for you.¡± With that, Anastasia then went to the kitchen.


    Sitting on the sofa, he smiled warmly as he watched the person in the kitchen busying herself.


    No matter what she said, she still cared about him. It was just that she did not want to admit it.


    After ten minutes, Anastasia came out holding a bowl of noodles, of which the noodles were of low


    sodium. Normally, she would cook this for her son, but she now used it all to feed the man.


    Walking over, Elliot ate it without hesitation. Looking at the man under the light, it was even more


    evident that Jared¡¯s face resembled his.


    Wait! What nonsense am I thinking about? They just have simr looking features, that¡¯s all.


    While Elliot was eating the noodles, Anastasia went to clean up her room. Suddenly, her heart


    skipped a beat upon discovering that it was already 9 PM. Goodness! I haven¡¯t even picked up my


    son yet!


    ¡°Elliot, you¡¯ll have to leave after eating. I need to go pick Jared up,¡± urged Anastasia.


    ¡°I can let Rey go pick him up. It¡¯s not safe for you, going out ale at night,¡± Elliot immediately


    replied.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Rey¡¯s father hospitalized?¡±


    Upon realizing that fact, Elliot paused for a few seconds before stating, ¡°I¡¯ll let my bodyguard pick


    him up.¡±


    Just then, Anastasia¡¯s phone rang. Nigel¡¯s calling me? Picking it up, she said, ¡°Hello, Nigel. I¡¯lle


    pick Jared up now.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. The little rascal has already fallen asleep here. Just let him stay over at


    my ce.¡± On the other end of the line, Nigelughed, obviously happy


    to have the boy apany him.


    ¡°What? Jared¡¯s already asleep? I¡¯d hate to burden you, though.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just let me try to be his father and sleep with him for one night!¡± Truth was, this was


    exactly what Nigel wanted.


    It was after a long while until Anastasia finally agreed. ¡°A-Alright then. I¡¯ll let Jared sleepover just for


    tonight. I¡¯ll pick him up first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Are you done with work? Are you outside or at home right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at home.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Anastasia, I found out that Jared really looks like me, and his face resembles mine exactly


    when I was young. Say, don¡¯t you think this is some special fate between him and I?¡± Nigel started


    to hint at her again.


    While talking, Anastasia slowly made her way to the balcony. Sheughed as shemented,


    ¡°Jared resembles you when you were a child? How is that possible, though?¡±


    ¡°He really does. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can send my childhood pictures for you to see. The


    resemnce is uncanny!¡± Nigel kept emphasizing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I believe you. As long as you looked good as a child, that means that my son


    looks handsome too!¡±


    ¡°Are you implying that I¡¯m handsome too?¡±


    ¡°You always were handsome.¡±


    ¡°You like handsome guys, right? With me being so handsome, that means you like me too.¡± Nigel


    laughed out happily on the other end of the line.


    Anastasia, who was teased toughter by his joke, alsoughed out loud.


    Yet, at that moment, the man who was still eating the noodles at the table suddenly found the food


    to be nd and tasteless after hearing their conversation.


    Whenever this woman was with him, she would act like she was facing her mortal enemy, but when


    she was doing anything else with another man, she would always put on a smile and talk in a sweet


    voice.


    Do I really not deserve to see her smile?


    Meanwhile, Anastasia did not want to chat anymore and told Nigel. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you then,


    Nigel. I¡¯m going to take a bath now, so I¡¯ll be hanging up first **


    ¡°Alright. Remember to think about me.¡±


    ¡°I will. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal next time.¡±


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Goodbye.¡± Anastasia then hung up after that and just enjoyed the cool breeze on the


    balcony when suddenly, a cold husky voice came from behind her. ¡°Someone had a grand old time


    with Nigel!¡±


    Looking back at the man who suddenly appeared on the balcony, she raised her eyebrows. ¡°Have


    you finished your noodles?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡±


    ¡°Then you best be going! It¡¯s getting quitete now. Oh¡ªand I¡¯m not going to pick Jared up tonight


    as he¡¯ll be sleeping over at Nigel¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    ¡°So that means that you¡¯ll be sleeping alone tonight?¡± A roguish look shed across the man¡¯s eyes.


    Instantly, Anastasia was on high alert as she looked at him and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. It¡¯s just that I want to sleep on your bed.¡±


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck. Go back to sleep at your own home. Otherwise, I¡¯ll ban you from ever eating


    over here again.¡±


    ¡°Your dad looked very happy tonight, but the time left until hispany is taken over is only three


    months away. If you want your dad to still look this happy in the future, just let me sleep here for the


    night,¡± Elliot uttered the cruel words while looking at the faraway lights.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia was left in disbelief by his words and she froze for a second.


    ¡°The opposition this time is very strong. If I don¡¯t interfere, no one has the ability to save your


    father¡¯spany. Maybe your father can go around asking for favors and using his connections, but


    it won¡¯t change the fate of hispany being taken over in the end.¡±


    Feeling as though all the energy had left her body, Anastasia was stuck in a dilemma. She did not


    want anything to happen to her father¡¯spany, yet she also did not want to beg Elliot.


    ¡°Maybe my dad would be luckier, maybe hispany¡­¡± However, Anastasia could not continue, as


    she knew that her father¡¯s ¡®luck¡¯ all these years was actually just Elliot helping him out behind the


    scenes.


    ¡°Anastasia, do you think that it would be better for your father to go beg someone else, or do you


    think that it would be better if you begged me on his behalf?¡± His voice growing hoarse, Elliot then


    continued, ¡°Even if I¡¯m not obligated to do so, I am still very willing to help you and your father out.¡±


    Hearing this, Anastasia could only look at the city¡¯s nightlights, and she had the sudden feeling that


    even the sky was not big enough to fit her troubles. How did things spiral to this point?


    The man she did not want to beg the most turned out to be the man who could solve


    all her problems.


    In the end, it was all because she was not tough enough, yet she also did not want to see her father


    go around begging people, so Anastasia bit her lip and looked at Elliot. ¡°Do you want to sleep in my


    son¡¯s or my bed?¡±


    Smirking, the man answered definitively, ¡°Your bed.¡±


    The moment the words left her mouth, Anastasia felt as if she had trampled all over her principles.


    In the end, she hung her head low and despised how she was acting at the moment.


    Guessing her thoughts, Elliot suddenly hugged her. ¡°Anastasia, I won¡¯t permit you to look down on


    yourself. Even if you didn¡¯t beg me, I would still have helped your father. I promise that in this life, I


    will make sure that you and your father will live in peace and never have to worry about money ever


    again.¡±


    Admittingly, the man had a power to easily pick on her softest spot at her most vulnerable moments.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Reaching out, Anastasia tried to push him away, but Elliot would not let her do so.


    At that point, he dropped a loving kiss to her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here to protect


    you.¡±


    This sentence made Anastasia think that he was omnipotent, and that he could block anything from


    harming her and her family.


    For some unknown reason, she stayed in his embrace without struggling, and she did not know if it


    was because the feeling of being protected by him was very nice or that she did not have the


    strength to struggle anymore.


    They stayed this way until her phone rang again. Taking it out, she saw it was from Nigel, so she


    broke free from Elliot¡¯s embrace whileposing herself. Just as Anastasia was about to answer


    the call, the man snatched it away from her and turned on the loudspeaker.


    ¡°Hello, Anastasia. Are you afraid of sleeping alone? Do you want to chat for a while?¡±


    The lovesick voice of Nigel echoed around the silent balcony.


    This made Anastasia¡¯s face blush. This evil man! Why did he turn on the loudspeaker? Yet, since


    the phone was in Elliot¡¯s hands, she couldn¡¯t snatch it back even if she wanted


    to.


    *Uh¡­ There¡¯s no need for that. Nigel, just go to sleep. Goodnight!¡± Anastasia just wanted to end the


    conversation as soon as possible.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. I¡¯m thinking of you, you know?¡± At this point, Nigel was still unaware that his flirtatious


    words were being overheard by a third party.


    ¡°Nigel¡­ Nigel, stop talking right now and just go to sleep! I¡¯m going to hang up now.¡±


    However, Nigel began to act spoiled. ¡°Sing a song for me, then. It can even be a children¡¯s song


    used to humor Jared. If you do it, then I¡¯ll sleep. If you don¡¯t, then I won¡¯t.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s expression became thunderous when he heard those words, while Anastasia¡¯s face became


    as red as a tomato.


    Why did she have to encounter such a thing?

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    ¡°Nigel, stop fooling around now and go to sleep! I really am going to hang up now.¡± Saying that,


    Anastasia rushed over to snatch her phone back.


    However, Elliot did not want to give it back.


    Anastasia did not dare get too loud, as it would be hard to exin if Nigel found out that another


    man was at her house. It would definitely damage her reputation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Quick, just one song. I¡¯m waiting for you!¡± Obviously, they could hear that Nigel had


    turned over and was waiting patiently.


    Seeing how high Elliot¡¯s hand was, Anastasia jumped in order to reach her phone but the very next


    second, she found her waist suddenly hugged by an arm, as the man pressed her against the


    balcony and urately kissed her while still raising his other hand.


    Anastasia¡¯s mind went nk and she was humiliated to the extreme. Is he doing this on purpose?


    ¡°Anastasia, sing for me. Humor this big baby to sleep!¡± Nigel was still begging on the other end of


    the line.


    This almost drove her crazy. How can I do that? I¡¯m being kissed by this b*stard of a man right now!


    An idea suddenly came to her in the heat of the moment and she circled her arms around Elliot¡¯s


    neck, pretending to immerse herself in the kiss. Seeing his hand slowly lowering as expected,


    Anastasia quickly snatched her phone back and went to the side, slightly panting.


    ¡°Nigel, just go to sleep. I¡¯ll hang up now!¡± Anastasia shouted down the line before she ended the


    call. After that, she stared at the evil man. ¡°Was that fun?¡±


    To this, Elliot only innocently replied, ¡°I was just agitated.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Not wanting to bother with him any longer, Anastasia would have chased him out of the


    house if it weren¡¯t for her father¡¯s problems needing Elliot¡¯s help.


    If. Nigel knew that Anastasia was actually being kissed for a good ten seconds while they were on


    the phone, he would have most likely lost his mind, because that meant that he would¡¯ve lost to his


    shameless cousin.


    After taking her important belongings out of her room, Anastasia said to the man who was sitting on


    the sofa before going to sleep in her son¡¯s room, ¡°You should go to bed earlier. And do not disturb


    me while I¡¯m sleeping.¡±


    ¡°But you haven¡¯t even bathed yet!¡± Elliot raised his eyebrows at that.


    ¡°Whether I bathe or not is none of your business.¡± As Anastasia did not want to chance the man


    doing something despicable, she was content to scroll through her phone in her son¡¯s room. After


    all, she wouldn¡¯t stink to high heaven just from not showering a day.


    That night, Elliot got his wish of sleeping on her bed again.


    The next morning, Anastasia opened her eyes dazedly. It was only then that she realized she had


    been sleeping in her son¡¯s room and remembered that her room was being used by Elliot.


    Opening the door, she saw that it was only 7AM. Since it was a Saturday, Anastasia did not think


    that Elliot would be up, so she stretched while walking to the balcony, seeing as today was a day


    where she could actually rx.


    On the weekend, the city had a rxed feeling to it, as the quiet streets did not have the usual


    hustle and bustle of the morning traffic.


    Pouring a cup of water for herself, Anastasia thought about what to have for breakfast, and when


    she should go pick up her son.


    Just then, the sound of the main door suddenly being opened surprised her, and she turned around


    to find Ellioting back with breakfast in his hands.


    ¡°You¡­ were up already?¡± A stunned Anastasia looked at the man.


    ¡°I¡¯m an early bird by habit.¡± Setting down the breakfast on the table, Elliot then said, ¡°Come and


    eat!¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Looking at him, she was a bit surprised, thinking that sessful men really do have a firm grip on


    their time and that he actually did not sleep in.


    While Anastasia sat down and ate with him, Elliot elegantly held a piece of bread while saying


    nonchntly, ¡°I can apany you to pick Jared upter.¡±


    Immediately, she rejected his notion by waving her hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll go by


    myself.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of Nigel seeing us together?¡± Elliot asked while peering at her.


    For reasons unbeknownst to herself, Anastasia just did not want anybody to know how close she


    was with Elliot.


    ¡°By the way, President Presgrave, you are going to keep the promise of helping my father out,


    right?¡± Changing the subject, Anastasia thought that since she had already let Elliot sleep on her


    bed, he had better honor his promise.


    ¡°Of course I will.¡± Smiling, Elliot continued, ¡°Whatever promises I make to you, I will always honor


    them.¡±


    Unable to look into his charismatic eyes, Anastasia could only look down and continue to munch on


    her bread. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201


    Chapter 201


    After breakfast, Anastasia grabbed her purse and made her way to the door. As she did so she


    raised a brow and nced at the man on the couch before saying, ¡°President Presgrave. I¡¯m coing


    to pick up Jared now. Are you nning 10 stay here?¡±


    Exasperation filled Elliot when he heard this. He wanted to go with her, but the woman clearly had


    no intention of letting him apany her.


    He rose from the couch and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off at Nigel¡¯s ce.¡± He didn¡¯t sound like he would


    take ¡®no¡¯ for an answer.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I can get a cab.¡±


    ¡°My car is right downstairs.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°I know where Nigel lives!¡± Elliot shot her a defiant look.


    It was then that she realized she had indeed forgotten to ask for Nigel¡¯s address. She looked at the


    time, and upon seeing that it was only 7.30AM, she didn¡¯t want to call Nigel.


    ¡°Well, only if you¡¯re free. I don¡¯t want to impose-¡°*


    ¡°I am.¡± With that, Elliot turned and walked out the door.


    Downstairs was Rey, who had already driven the car over. Elliot slid into the backseat while


    Anastasia followed suit.


    Then, Anastasia addressed Rey out of concern, ¡°Mr. Osbourne, I hope your father¡¯s doing alright!¡±


    He replied with ease, ¡°Thank you for asking, Miss Tillman. The surgery went very well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that,¡± she said with a genuinely happy smile.


    Then, she noticed that the man next to her had put on a change of clothes. He was no longer


    dressed in the white shirt he had worn yesterday, but a gray one. She frowned slightly. Perhaps Rey


    brought him a change of clothes. Being the clean freak he is, he would never wear something from


    the night before.


    Upon thinking about this, she wondered whether it meant that Elliot had taken a shower in her


    bathroom. Perhaps he showeredst night, but did he sleep in my bed without any clothes?!


    It was as if her mind imploded at that moment. She swallowed and while she wanted to ask him


    about it, she didn¡¯t want to do it in front of Rey.


    Instead, she reached for her phone and texted her question to Elliot.


    In the silence of the car, Elliot¡¯s phone chimed once with a new message. He picked up his phone


    and looked at the screen, on which was a text from Anastasia that read, ¡®Did you sleep in my bed


    without clothesst night?¡¯


    A smirk curled on his lips as he turned to give her a cryptic look.


    Anastasia took that as confirmation and glowered at him angrily. Ugh, who said he could sleep


    naked in my bed?!


    The man replied to her text with a devilish ir, ¡®Don¡¯t worry. My personal life is as spotless as it is


    orderly and I won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡¯


    As she read this, she felt rage well up in her, and she wanted nothing more than to beat him


    senseless.


    The fact that he had history with Hayley irked her to no end, and her face was somber as she


    replied, ¡®Don¡¯t ever do it again.


    When he saw her stormy expression, he knew that he couldn¡¯t afford to aggravate her anymore, so


    he typed, ¡®I didn¡¯t showerst night, and all I did was put on a change of clothes. Also, I didn¡¯t sleep


    naked in your bed.


    Anastasia cast Elliot a skeptical look when she saw this.


    Meanwhile, Rey couldn¡¯t help feeling awkward when he realized that the both of them were texting


    each other in the backseat. Do they want to talk about something that I¡¯m not supposed to be privy


    to? If that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t mind stopping the car somewhere and getting down to give


    them some privacy.


    Elliot emphasized with another message, ¡®It¡¯s true. I never lie. With that, he turned to gaze at


    Anastasia steadily.


    She blinked, choosing to believe him in the end.


    Nigel¡¯s house was in a very fashionable and prestigious vi neighborhood where all the young


    scions of the city made their home. The vis featured state-of-the-art facilities, and they faced the


    quayside where a neat row of luxurious yachts had been docked.


    Rey parked the car outside a grand-looking vi. Anastasia looked around and sighed, for she was


    sure that she would have been lost if she came into the area alone.


    ¡°Thank you, President Presgrave. Have a safe journey back,¡± she said politely. Then, she opened


    the car door to get down.


    However, she had only just stepped out of the vehicle when she saw that Elliot had gotten out as


    well. She gaped at him as if to silently ask him what he was doing.


    He saw the question in her eyes and shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t been by Nigel¡¯s ce for a while. I think a


    cup of tea with an old friend would do nicely!¡± With that, he strode up to the front door like he owned


    the ce.


    Anastasia hurried after him and bit out in hushed tones, ¡°President Presgrave, don¡¯t you think you


    shoulde by for tea some other day?¡±


    She was going to have a lot of exining to do if she were to be seen showing up at Nigel¡¯s house


    with Elliot.


    ¡°No,¡± Elliot answered imperiously before he reached out to ring the doorbell.


    Right then, Anastasia wished she could dig a hole in the ground and bury herself in it. She should


    have known better than to take Elliot up on his offer to drop her here. It was clear to see that he was


    trying to give Nigel the wrong impression on purpose!


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202


    Chapter 202


    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± Nigel¡¯s voice came from the video inte


    Anastasia quickly moved to block the camera and crossed her arms as she began to think about


    how she was going to exin herself to Nigel. It was frustrating that Elliot consistently put her in


    such sticky situations.


    There was a beeping sound that came from the door as it unlocked, and Elliot put his hand on the


    doorknob. He was just about to go in when he nced at the woman who had her back turned to


    him. With a raised brow, he then asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t youing in?¡±


    WI


    ¡°You go ahead. I need to make a phone call,¡± said Anastasia as she took out her phone to dial a


    number, but he saw through her act and reached out to snatch her phone away.


    ¡°Come in with me,¡± he said in amanding tone.


    ¡°Give me back my phone, Elliot,¡± she demanded incredulously.


    However, he walked into the house with her phone in hand. She tried to make it look as if they had


    arrived separately by dawdling on the front step, but seeing as her phone was with him, there was


    little to no point in putting up pretenses.


    As such, she stormed after him and made her way into the exquisite ss-walled vi.


    Nigel had only just put on his clothes, and he was making his way downstairs when he saw the man


    and woman in his living room. Astonished, he thought, Elliot? Anastasia? Why are they both here at


    the same time?


    He recalled only seeing Elliot¡¯s figure in the video inte just now, though he did see the


    silhouette of a woman whose back had been turned to the camera. Nigel had believed her to be


    Elliot¡¯s assistant or something, but as it turned out, it was Anastasia all along. Confusion dawned


    upon him as he blinked and asked hesitantly, ¡°D-Did you bothe here together?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ No, we came in separate cars and ran into each other at your front doorstep, so we decided


    toe in together. This is all pretty coincidental,¡± Anastasia exined anxiously.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Nigel bought it.


    ¡°Actually, I went to Miss Tillman¡¯s father¡¯s banquetst night and ended up getting drunk, so I slept


    over at her ce. I¡¯m just tagging along while she picks up Jared.¡± All it took was one sentence for


    Elliot to reveal the truth, and Anastasia turned a bright shade of red as she quickly shot the man a


    deadly re. He didn¡¯t even think how this might affect me!


    Nigel, on the other hand, was stunned for a few seconds. Then, he gaped at Anastasia


    incredulously. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about your father¡¯s banquet? I should have gone and


    celebrated, too, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was only a small celebration,¡± she exined as she averted his gaze guiltily.


    ¡°Jared is still sleeping, so it might be a while before he wakes up,¡± Nigel said. Then, he met Elliot¡¯s


    eyes, and the both of them were suddenly locked in a wordless battle.


    Elliot¡¯s gaze was steady as he said, ¡°Thank you for taking care of Jaredst night, Nigel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it,¡± Nigel said through gritted teeth. He couldn¡¯t believe that Elliot had dropped Jared


    offst night and secretly attended Francis¡¯ celebration. He even got drunk and slept over at


    Anastasia¡¯s ce. He was starting to look at this cousin of his differently, for only men could


    understand what other men were thinking. Elliot set this whole thing up right from the beginning!


    ¡°Anastasia, why don¡¯t you go upstairs?¡± Having said that, Nigel gave Elliot a dark look and said as


    he turned to walk toward the balcony, ¡°Elliot, there¡¯s something I need to talk to you about.¡±


    Elliot fell in step behind him. Anastasia didn¡¯t think too much of this, believing that they really had


    something important to discuss.


    Over on the balcony, there was a confrontational gleam in Nigel¡¯s eyes as he looked at Elliot. He


    had never questioned Elliot quite so seriously as he did at that moment. ¡°Are you serious about


    Anastasia, or is she just a new notch in your belt?¡± he asked.


    Elliot¡¯s expression grew somber as he looked at the younger man darkly and said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m


    dead serious about her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? All of this isn¡¯t just stemming from the gratitude you have toward her mother after she


    sacrificed her life to save yours?¡±


    There had been a time when Elliot thought whatever affection and fondness he had for Anastasia


    was born out of his gratitude, but after spending all this time with her, he realized that he had aBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    special ce for her in his heart that had nothing to do with her mother¡¯s sacrifice.


    ¡°Nigel, I really like her. You have to believe me,¡± Elliot said softly, but there was no mistaking the


    steely edge to his voice.


    ¡°In that case, would you be able to ept Jared even though he isn¡¯t your kid? Will you treat him as


    your own?¡± Nigel pressed further as his gaze burned into Elliot¡¯s. He knew he didn¡¯t stand a chance


    with Anastasia, but that wouldn¡¯t stop him from being her gatekeeper and evaluating the man who


    would eventually spend forever with her.

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203


    Chapter 203


    ¡°I will,¡± Elliot promised solemnly with a nod. He understood where Nigel wasing from, and the


    reverse was also true.


    ¡°What if you marry her tonight and she tells you that she doesn¡¯t want any more kids? Will you


    choose to respect her decision?¡± Nigel went on to ask, wishing desperately that Elliot could do all


    the things for Anastasia that he couldn¡¯t.


    Once again, Elliot nodded and said, ¡°I will respect every single one of her thoughts and decisions.¡±


    Nigel¡¯s gaze was piercing as he eyed his cousin somberly. ¡°Also, do you promise that you¡¯ll protect


    her, take care of her, and love her forever?¡±


    Elliot could tell how much Nigel loved Anastasia. As his heart sank, he pped a hand on Nigel¡¯s


    shoulder. ¡°Nigel, you¡¯ve known me since we were kids, and you know what I¡¯m like as a person.¡± An


    apologetic look shed in his eyes as he added quietly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nigel.¡±


    They had been as close as brothers since they were little, and now that they were in love with the


    same woman, it couldn¡¯t be easy for Nigel to let go.


    Nigel, on the other hand, leaned against the balcony rail behind him as a bitter smile yed on his


    lips. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. I know Anastasia has always seen me as nothing more than a


    friend, and there are far worse things than to see you treat her right and love her in all the ways I


    can¡¯t.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Elliot reached out to pat his shoulder, but he couldn¡¯t find the words tofort


    him.


    At that moment, they fixed their gazes on the woman who was seated on the living room couch.


    While these two men were talking about their feelings for her, Anastasia was entirely oblivious as


    she admired the interesting and somewhat whimsical painting on the wall. She looked dazzling and


    alluring in the morning light, and she looked like she could make anywhere her own space.


    Nigel was reluctant to give up his feelings for her, but at the same time, he was incredibly relieved.


    He nced at Elliot and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave her to you, Elliot.¡±


    Elliot¡¯s smoldering gaze was still on Anastasia, and there was no mistaking the possessiveness that


    burned in his obsidian orbs. He acknowledged what Nigel said. She can only be mine, and I won¡¯t


    allow any other man to get close to her.


    Presently, Anastasia watched as the two men walked up to her, their silhouettes backlit under the


    morning sun. She found herself staring at them like how one might be captivated by stunning works


    of art. The Presgraves have such outrageous genes. she mused.


    Both cousins were tall and broad-shouldered, and their trimmed waistlines, as well as mile-long


    legs, made them incredibly fine specimens. In particr, Elliot, who was the taller of the two, looked


    like a Greek god in the morning light.


    When she caught herself daydreaming, she quickly retracted her gaze. She could feel nothing when


    she stared at Nigel, but her heart would inexplicably start beating wildly whenever she looked at


    Elliot. What¡¯s going on?


    D


    She ignored the butterflies in her stomach as she asked aloud, ¡°Hey, Nigel, can I go up and check


    on Jared?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. He bunked in with me in the master bedroomst night,¡± Nigel replied casually with a


    smile.


    When Elliot heard this, he frowned and quickly stopped Anastasia. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go and get him.¡±


    Nigel didn¡¯t want to miss an opportunity to aggravate Elliot, so he said, ¡°Ignore him, Anastasia. Just


    go up and take a look around my room.¡±


    ¡°What is there to look at in your room?¡± Elliot shot his cousin a dark look as jealousy seized him.


    Anastasia had no idea why they were bickering all of a sudden, but before she could say anything,


    Elliot had already walked up the stairs. She didn¡¯t want to go with him, so she turned and said to


    Nigel instead, ¡°Thanks for babysitting Jaredst night.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re family, after all.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Nigel¡¯s eyes widened as he frantically exined, ¡°Oh! I mean, uh, we¡¯re kind of like a family


    anyway.¡±


    She smiled when she heard this. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re already like an uncle to Jared!¡±


    Exasperation welled up in him. All I¡¯ll ever get to be is his uncle! It¡¯s not like I have a choice now.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Elliot descended the stairs with Jared in his arms.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Jared greeted happily when he saw his mother in the living room.


    Anastasia beamed at him lovingly, and there was a gentle look in her eyes as she reached out to


    hold him.


    However, Elliot seemed intent on keeping the little boy in his arms as he turned to say to Nigel,


    ¡°We¡¯ll get going then.¡±


    Nigel could only nod as he walked them to the door. Then, he stood on the front step and watched


    the three of them leave. He found himself thinking that they looked just like a family. I hope things


    work out between you and Anastasia, Elliot. I can¡¯t wait to have her as a cousin-inw.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204


    Chapter 204


    ¡°Good luck, Elliot!¡± Nigel yelled from across the yard and put up a fist in the air in a show of moral


    support.


    Elliot¡¯s eyes crinkled as he nodded at the younger man.


    Anastasia, on the other hand, was helping Jared fasten his seatbelt, so she didn¡¯t notice anything


    strange going on between the two cousins.


    After that, Elliot took the passenger seat while Anastasia sat in the back with Jared, grateful for the


    ample leg room in the sedan. They first had lunch at a high-end restaurant, where Jared ate his


    food in high spirits. When they were done, the little boy suddenly asked to go to the museum, and


    Elliot agreed to it without a second thought.


    As such, Anastasia could only go along with them. Rey went as well to keep an eye on Jared,


    thinking that he could babysit the boy and give Elliot and Anastasia a break to enjoy some quality


    time together.


    er


    Presently, Anastasia had only just stepped into the museum when her phone rang. Upon seeing


    that it was a call from Francis, she picked it up and greeted, ¡°Hey, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Is Young Master Elliot alright? I hope he didn¡¯t get a hangover this morning,¡± Francis said worriedly


    on the other line. ¡°My friends shouldn¡¯t have forced him to drink all that liquor.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. He¡¯s fine,¡± she reassured.


    ¡°By the way, I was wondering if Bourgeois is still hiring at the moment. Erica is thinking about going


    to work at yourpany.¡±


    Anastasia resisted the urge to snort at this. Yeah, right, as if Erica wants to work! She just wants to


    get close to Elliot, and the only way to do that is by working in thepany.


    ¡°Sorry, Dad, but I don¡¯t think Erica is a suitable candidate for thepany.¡±


    ¡°I know she¡¯s no designer, but she could be a clerk or an assistant or something. It¡¯s not every day


    she ims that she wants to be a working girl, after all. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could help me ask


    President Presgrave about this; perhaps he can make some arrangements for her.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Dad, I can¡¯t just ask him about these things. He¡¯s not even the one in charge of recruitment,¡±


    Anastasia argued. After all, she did not want to see Erica loitering around her workce.


    Francis sighed. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to call him myself. He gave me his name cardst night.¡±


    She faltered, and it looked like her father was dead set on having Erica work in Bourgeois. Guess


    he¡¯s getting tired of bankrolling for her. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll ask him about it! Don¡¯t go calling him on your own,


    Dad,¡± she said tiredly, knowing that Francis wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer at this point.


    ¡°Great. Give me a call and tell me how the discussion went. Erica¡¯s finally taking life seriously, and


    we have to help her get a good head start, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Anastasia replied emotionlessly.


    After she hung up the call, she looked up at the man who was currently bringing her son from one


    exhibit to the next. She let out a sigh and brisk-walked up to them.


    a


    Elliot had brought Jared to his favorite part of the museum, which was the dinosaur exhibit. While


    Anastasia had brought him here before, Jared was still excited, and he was having a whale of a


    time.


    She watched as he trotted alongside Elliot¡¯s towering frame, and she thought they looked like father


    and son. Elliot would asionally pick him up, and there were moments when he would let Jared


    pull him around the museum. Jared would also tilt his head to one side curiously while he asked


    questions about the artifacts.


    Elliot, on the other hand, yed the role of the ever-patient father who borated on the history and


    the scientific evolution of the dinosaurs, and Jared was all ears.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, isn¡¯t it wonderful how President Presgrave and Jared get along so well?¡± Rey asked


    as he came over to where Anastasia was standing,


    She smiled and nodded. ¡°It is! Jared really likes him.¡±


    ¡°I think President Presgrave would make an excellent father,¡± Rey added meaningfully.


    The implication behind his words did not escape Anastasia, but she knew that she and Elliot could


    never work out, and Jared¡¯s affections for him were only temporary.


    When they left the dinosaur exhibit, they ventured into other exhibits that Jared


    liked. Eventually, they found themselves on the third floor of the museum. When Rey walked up to


    her, Anastasia said, ¡°Could you help me look after Jared for a bit? I need to speak with President


    Presgrave alone.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Rey said with a polite smile.


    Anastasia then sauntered over to Elliot. ¡°President Presgrave, there¡¯s something I need to talk to


    you about. Rey can keep an eye on Jared for a while.¡±


    Elliot nced over at Rey and instructed coolly, ¡°Don¡¯t let him out of your sight.¡±


    When all was settled, Anastasia led him over to the more quiet end of the gallery where there were


    hardly any visitors. As Elliot drew closer to her, she pursed her lips and thought about how she was


    going to phrase things. She didn¡¯t want to owe him any more favors, but it seemed unavoidable


    right now.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked softly as he fixed his dark gaze on her.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing-my dad wants to know if Bourgeois is still hiring. He wants my sister, Erica, to find


    work there,¡± Anastasia exined and looked up at Elliot. Even in the dim lighting, she could still see


    the chiseled nes and angles of his handsome features, and for a moment, she thought she could


    drown in those maic, obsidian eyes of his.

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    Chapter 205


    Chapter 205


    Elliot smiled as he eyed her teasingly. ¡°Are you asking me for a favor?¡±


    Anastasia shrugged nonchntly and said, ¡°I¡¯m only doing this on behalf of my dad.¡±


    ¡°Well, seeing as he¡¯s your dad, I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be right of me to refuse him the favor. Get your sister


    toe into work on Monday,¡± he dered readily.


    She gaped at him in astonishment and realized that he was granting favors out of his gratitude


    again.


    Just then, he tipped his head to the side and nced at whatever was behind her, drawling, ¡°You¡¯ve


    got guts bringing me here, though.¡±


    Upon hearing this, she turned around, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the


    amphibians and reptiles that were preserved in formalin. She shuddered and shrunk against Elliot


    like she wanted to put as much distance as she could between herself and the morbid exhibit.


    Elliot seized the chance to wrap an arm around her. She gasped, but before she could react, she


    found herself in his embrace. She could smell the fresh and pleasant scent of him, and she pushed


    him away as she snapped, ¡°Contain yourself, Elliot.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you were the one who pressed up against me first,¡± he pointed out with a grin. When he saw


    that there was nobody around this section of the exhibit, he dipped his head and ced a chaste


    kiss on her lips. Then, he broke into a mischievous smirk as he muttered, ¡°Consider this a


    repayment for the favor just now.¡±


    Blood rushed to Anastasia¡¯s face as she shoved him aside, and she thanked the heavens that


    Jared and Rey weren¡¯t nearby.


    After that, she gave Francis a call to tell him that Erica could start work on Monday.


    Over at the Tillman Residence, Erica had just gotten off the phone with Francis. Then, she flew


    down the staircase gleefully and found her mother. ¡°Mom! Mom, I¡¯m going to start working at


    Bourgeois on Monday! President Presgrave was the one who personally hired me!¡±


    Naomi was ted to hear this. Does this mean Erica has a chance to get close to Elliot now?


    ¡°Dad told me that President Presgrave himself agreed to this. Do you think it¡¯s because I made a


    really good impressionst night?¡± Erica asked happily and somewhat delusionally.


    Naomi thought the same thing. Erica had sat next to Elliot during the banquetst night, and there


    was no denying how gorgeous she had looked in her evening dress! ¡°Erica,¡± she began. ¡°Make sure


    to seize every opportunity there is while you¡¯re at Bourgeois.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that if I get a chance to run into President Presgrave often enough, I could make him fall


    for me,¡± Erica said confidently. She vowed to use everyst trick in the book to see this n


    through.


    She couldn¡¯t care less about making an honest living by working at Bourgeois; instead, she wanted


    to seduce Elliot so that she could one day marry rich and have a jet-setting lifestyle.


    At that moment, Naomi clutched her daughter¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Erica, there¡¯s something I have to


    tell you.¡±


    Erica blinked. ¡°What is it, Mom?¡±


    ¡°You see, Elliot actually owes our family a huge favor. I¡¯ve never told you this, but Anastasia¡¯s


    mother only died because she sacrificed herself to save Elliot. Without her, he would have died


    when he was a toddler!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Erica¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She knew that Anastasia¡¯s mother was a cop who had


    died while on duty, but she didn¡¯t think that the reason for her death was a great sacrifice to save


    Elliot¡¯s life.


    ¡°Given that the Presgraves owe Anastasia big time, you¡¯ll have to watch your back at Bourgeois. It


    might only be child¡¯s y for her to snag Young Master Elliot.¡±


    A vicious look shed in Erica¡¯s eyes as she seethed, ¡°I ought to tell President Presgrave about the


    time Anastasia got screwed over at Abyss Club. No man in their right mind would think of her so


    greatly after they hear about that.¡±


    Naomi wasn¡¯t the least bit worried that Erica would let her down, for she was certain that her


    daughter had picked up her skills and affinity for schemes. ¡°You just have to remember that we¡¯ll be


    in deep trouble if Anastasia ends up marrying into the Presgraves. Erica, once you get into the


    company, you have to do everything in your power to stop her from marrying Elliot, even if it means


    that you won¡¯t be able to marry him yourself.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Both mother and daughter were on the same page about this. However, neither of them knew that


    Erica only got the job at Bourgeois courtesy of Anastasia, seeing as Francis withheld this detail from


    them.


    Meanwhile, following their excursion to the museum, Elliot dropped Anastasia and Jared home. He


    watched them walk into the apartment building and left to take care of his work.


    Having had azy Sunday, Anastasia started to pour herself intopeting for the position of


    associate director. She heard that Alice had already gone to the shop she had chosen to survey it


    last Friday night.


    As things were, Alice seemed intent on beating Anastasia out for the promotion.

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    Chapter 206


    Anastasia dropped Jared off at kindergarten early that morning. As the little guy made his way


    through the doors, he turned around and blew her a kiss. Empowered by his sweet gesture, she


    vowed that she would get the promotion and be associate director so that she could finally


    have better pav.


    It wasn¡¯t until after she had arrived at thepany and sat down in her office that she remembered


    Erica wasing into work today. At the thought of this, she dialed Grace¡¯s extension and asked


    her to look into this.


    Not long after, Grace came running into Anastasia¡¯s office with the information. ¡°Miss Anastasia,


    your


    sister has been arranged to work as a receptionist at the front desk.¡±


    Well, seeing as she doesn¡¯t have any corporate experience whatsoever, I guess manning the front


    desk suits her, Anastasia thought.


    Apparently, Erica hade into work early and started her job at the front desk. She had brought


    lipsticks as gifts for the other receptionists, who were easily won over and got along with her right off


    the bat. She wasn¡¯t short of money, and because of that, she had given them all limited edition


    lipsticks, thereby collecting brownie points.


    After she settled down at the front desk, Erica picked up the receiver and found Anastasia¡¯s


    extension before dialing it.


    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working at yourpany now! Are you surprised?¡± Erica bragged with a smile on her face.


    Anastasia was rendered speechless. Looks like Dad didn¡¯t tell her how she got the job in the first


    ce. ¡°In that case, make sure you do your best and stop making Dad worry about you incessantly.¡±


    ¡°Like I need you to point that out to me? Don¡¯t tell anyone in thepany that we¡¯re sisters; I don¡¯t


    want them to think that I only got the job because of you,¡± Erica said snidely.


    ¡°I should be the one saying that,¡± Anastasia replied dryly.


    With an indignant scoff, Erica hung up the phone.


    When the call ended, Anastasia put the receiver down and got up to leave. She had to go into the


    shop and see how things were going, but just as she was heading out, Felicia told her that the


    competition was fierce. Both her rivals would soon start rallying support from friends and rtives,


    and Anastasia was advised to do the same.


    However, there was no way Anastasia could rally support when she didn¡¯t even have that many


    friends or family to begin with. All she had on her side were luck and innate talent.


    Meanwhile, in the main conference room at Presgrave Corporation, the man who was chairing the


    weekly meeting appeared somber as usual.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for the weekly report, President Presgrave. Is there anything else you¡¯d like for us to do?¡±


    Elliot scanned the executives in the meeting and loosened up in his seat to assume a more casual


    stance. Then, he said in a low and grave tone, ¡°I need all your help with something.¡±


    The audience immediately stiffened at this. All this while, they had only ever heard disparaging


    remarks from him for their ipetence, but never a request for their help.


    ¡°What is it, President Presgrave? We¡¯ll be sure to help you in whatever ways we can.¡±


    ¡°I have a friend who works in a jewelry store, and she¡¯s running a little low on sales this month. I


    need


    each of you to drop by her shop once, and your expenditure must not be less than a million.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the executives in the room let out a collective sigh of relief. This was the first time


    they had heard the president make such a strange request, but given their annual ie, it was


    easy enough for them to do as he said.


    ¡°If you know anyone interested in buying jewelry, it would be great if you could get them to drop by


    the shop as well,¡± Elliot added.


    ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all, President Presgrave. We¡¯ll drop by your friend¡¯s store and give her sales a


    boost.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go all at once, though,¡± Elliot interjected. ¡°Rey, draw up a schedule for Lance; we want those


    sales to look credible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Presgrave,¡± Rey replied as he tried to keep himself fromughing. There were


    several moments where he had to p a hand over his mouth and look down to hide his


    amusement.


    President Presgrave is pulling out all the stops just to rally support for Miss Tillman! All she wants to


    do ispete for the position of associate director, and President Presgrave already has all the


    executives in the corporation on board to boost her sales.


    While this was happening, Anastasia dropped by the shop and spoke to the manager about the


    sales


    for the past two days. Due to the less-than-strategic location of the shop, their sales weren¡¯t looking


    so good.


    ¡°Is there no other way we can gain more sales, Miss Chastain?¡± she asked the manager.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, if you¡¯re suggesting that we advertise, then we¡¯re going to need a much more flexible


    budget. That said, if yourpany is willing to fork out the money, you can consider getting one of


    those socialites or influencers to market the jewelry, but you¡¯ll have to be able to pay them for it.¡±


    Anastasia fell into deep thought. She knew this would be a gamble since there were plenty of


    examples where hiring influencers to market the products ended up as a failed venture. Besides,


    she would have to pay out of her own pocket if she wanted to go along with this, for thepany


    would never approve a budget for something like this. She had always been a mere designer, and


    right now, she was being confronted by herck of marketing skills


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207


    Chapter 207


    At the end of the day, thepetition for the position of associate director was starting to feel like a


    competition to see who had more friends that were richer. The one who won in both of these


    categories would already be at an advantage, and this didn¡¯t include their actual sales from the


    store.


    Anastasia learned the hard way that she was falling behind. She had been abroad for five years,


    and she hadn¡¯t kept in touch with any of her old friends and rtives for a while now. To add salt to


    injury, even if she was able to get ahold of her friends and rtives, they might not be able to afford


    the expensive jewelry


    She sighed as she sat in the manager¡¯s office and browsed through various marketing strategies,


    only to conclude that most of them would not work out for her.


    Presently, six cars had pulled up outside the Bourgeois store, and men and women dressed in


    different styles came walking through the doors.


    The sales assistants who were chatting among themselves broke apart and sauntered over to greet


    the customers. What surprised them the most was that these customers had chosen jewelry pieces


    from high-end collections.


    Not even ten minutester, two of these customers left with millions worth of jewelry, and within half


    an hour, the sales for the store shot up to a staggering eight million.


    ¡°Miss Tillman, great news! There was a group of customers who came by the shop earlier, and they


    took an interest in the items from the main collection. Our sales broke through to eight million just


    now! We¡¯ll have to get more inventory from headquarters, pronto.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anastasia was so stunned that she stood up. No way. Am I really that lucky?


    That afternoon, she and the manager worked out two separate strategies in light of the sudden


    spike in sales. Given that the shop still had gift items in stock, they put up a sign outside the door to


    promote a giveaway activity. The second n they came up with was for Anastasia to pay 30,000


    out of her own pocket for a one-month advertisement in all the major shopping malls.


    At 4.00PM, Anastasia left work to pick Jared up from school. The moment she got off the car, sheThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    instinctively turned to sweep her gaze across the parking lot next to the kindergarten.


    She immediately noticed a familiar Rolls-Royce parked at the side, and the license te was just as


    unique as the vehicle itself. The only person who could own this car was Elliot.


    Much to her frustration, the man hade to pick Jared up from school again, and she began to


    wonder what he was trying to prove.


    She was still simmering in disgruntlement when she saw Jared skipping out of the school gates in


    her direction while holding onto Elliot¡¯s hand. ¡°Mommy, Mommy!¡± he greeted as he bounded up to


    her.


    Anastasia beamed and put out her arms as if to catch him.


    ¡°Mommy, Mr. Presgrave said he¡¯s going to buy us dinner tonight,¡± Jared informed cheerily.


    Upon hearing this, she looked up at Elliot and waved her hand as she declined the offer. ¡°No, that


    won¡¯t be necessary. I can manage dinner now that my hand is all better. You should get going if you


    have


    important things to attend to, President Presgrave.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Let¡¯s go back to your ce for dinner,¡± Elliot suggested. When he saw the tired look on her


    face, he added empathetically, ¡°We can always go out for dinner if you¡¯re tired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Besides, I prefer cooking my own meals anyway,¡± Anastasia replied, not wanting this man


    to spoil Jaredn¡¯s pte with expensive food.


    ¡°Very well, then. We¡¯ll go pick up groceries together.¡± With that, he carried Jared in his arms and


    headed for his car.


    Anastasia was just about to leave with them when a mother rushed up to her and said enviously,


    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, Anastasia! You have such a rich and handsome husband who helps you out with


    your kid! He¡¯s nothing like that deadbeat husband of mine; I don¡¯t even remember thest time I


    saw him around the house.¡±


    Anastasia forced out a smile, rendered speechless by this.


    The mother went on to say, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as good-looking as your husband! I think he¡¯s


    far better-looking than all those celebrities out there. Be careful, though-you have to keep an eye on


    a handsome man like him. After all, you never know if a woman is lurking in the shadows waiting to


    pounce on him!¡±


    ¡¤


    The smile on Anastasia¡¯s face stiffened, but she nodded and said graciously, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll keep that in


    mind.¡±


    Jared was already in his car seat by the time she got into the vehicle. Right now, she was


    somewhat torn, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good thing for her and Elliot to go on like this.


    She cooked up a few dishes for dinner that evening, and both Elliot and Jared polished their tes


    clean. They even devoured the oxtail stew that she was sure she had messed up.


    Jared liked going down to themunal yground after dinner, and while Anastasia was


    distracted, Elliot decided to take him there.


    It was 8.30PM by the time Anastasia was done clearing the dishes and tidying up around the house.


    She brought a ss of water out to the balcony, but just as she was qulping it down, she suddenly


    realized, with no small amount of exasperation, that she was drinking out of the same ss Elliot


    had used earlier.

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208


    Chapter 208


    Anastasia had been meaning to get disposable cups, but she always forgot about them. To date,


    she wasn¡¯t sure how many times she had drunk out of the same ss as Elliot.


    She was pulled out of her thoughts when her phone suddenly rang. She reached for it and put the


    call through after ncing at the caller ID. ¡°Hello, Miss Chastain.¡±


    ¡°Miss Tillman, I¡¯vee bearing good news! We rounded up the sales for today at fifteen million.


    While the customers didn¡¯te in droves, they each bought more than a million¡¯s worth of jewelry.


    Never have I seen such staggering business since I started working here!¡±


    Surprise filled Anastasia¡¯s pretty eyes when she heard this. She wondered how these customers


    came upon her shop in the first ce. She was sure that she didn¡¯t rally her friends or family for


    support, and she had yet to advertise the shop and the products. Could these just be customers


    who happened to drop by the shop?


    It went without saying that she was ted by how things had turned out. She would like to think that


    fate was being kind to her. As the night breeze picked up, she suddenly remembered that they were


    in the depths of autumn now. To think that she had returned to this country in August, and in the


    blink of an eye, November was right around the corner.


    Far too many things had happened in thest few months, the biggest of which was how Elliot had


    integrated himself into her life. He had shown up without warning like a storm no one could


    anticipate, and he was so demanding that he would not stand for rejection on her part.


    The most frustrating thing about him, perhaps, was how he could make her feel like she was being


    devoured in mes, yet she didn¡¯t mind it at all. She wanted him to do all those things to her; she


    wanted such pleasure to crawl under her skin and consume her. Am I truly so desperate to feel a


    man¡¯s touch?


    She started to wonder if her loneliness had made her feel such primal urges whenever they were


    alone, and she also questioned if the same would apply if she was with another man. If that were


    the case, it would only go to show that she was lonely and that this had nothing to do with Elliot¡¯s


    own charisma


    At the thought of this, she suddenly became inspired to find a decent man that she liked and have a


    fling with him. It could be a tonic fling, and it would be sufficient to distract her from the effects


    that Elliot had on her. That way, she wouldn¡¯t spend every waking moment thinking about that man.


    She was already terrified that she might be overly dependent on him one day.


    When it was around 9.00PM, Elliot returned to the apartment with Jared in tow. The little boy was


    already drenched in his own sweat, but he was clearly enamored with ytime, for he turned to look


    at Elliot seriously as he said, ¡°Mr. Presgrave, you have to bring me to the yground again


    tomorrow. I want to try out the monkey bars!¡±


    ¡°I promise I will,¡± Elliot said with a gentle smile.


    Anastasia walked up to them and pointed out, ¡°Jared, you can¡¯t have Mr. Presgraveing over


    every day just to y with you. He¡¯s a busy man, and it isn¡¯t right for us to take up his time, okay?¡±


    She had only just said this when she felt a sharp look being thrown her way.


    Elliot was a sensitive man, and while she had kept her words vague, he could still pick out the


    implication behind them. She was trying to stop him from getting too close to Jared.


    ¡°Really? Alright then,¡± Jared replied with an obedient nod.


    Anastasia took his hand and said, ¡°Come on, go get your pajamas before I give you a bath.¡±


    The little boy went into his room to do as he was told.


    Presently, Anastasia turned around to see that Elliot had taken the full ss of water she had


    poured out earlier, and he was drinking it thirstily.


    She blushed and decided that she was going to have to get him a mug if these visits were going to


    be frequent.


    ¡°President Presgrave, it¡¯ste, and you should be getting home,¡± she reminded firmly but


    courteously.


    ¡°Why do you keep calling me President Presgrave? You can just call me by my name when we¡¯re


    alone,¡± he said unhappily, not at all liking how she kept up formalities with him.


    There was a steely look in her eyes as she insisted and said, ¡°I will not. As far as I¡¯m concerned,


    you are my superior, and this is the only way I see you.¡±


    Elliot found her exasperating at times. He couldn¡¯t lecture nor argue with her, and he couldn¡¯t even


    be too harsh with his words for fear that she would only retaliate even more passive-aggressively.


    However, for some reason, he was extraordinarily patient with her even when she was snapping at


    him or being stubborn.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be leaving now. Give me a call if you need anything,¡± he said. When he sauntered


    over to her, she felt her chest tighten, but thankfully, he didn¡¯t do anything to her and merely opened


    the door to leave.


    When the door fell shut behind him, she let out a sigh of relief. She went on to bathe Jared and


    tucked him into bed with a bedtime story. Atst, he fell into an easy sleep in her arms.


    It was only during moments like these when her son had fallen asleep that she could stare at his


    little face and let her mind wander for a bit.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209


    Chapter 209


    After all, her son had a handsome face.


    ¡°Why does he look like him? Can¡¯t he look like me?¡± Anastasia mumbled in dismay. Why would her


    son take after Elliot¡¯s looks?


    Meanwhile, the poor child didn¡¯t know that his own mother wasining about him.


    After sending her son to school the next morning, Anastasia didn¡¯t return to thepany. Instead,


    she went to the shop. Just as she got out of the car, she saw a row of luxurious cars parked in front


    of Bourgeois Jewelry Atelier. The few ateliers next to it had no business, while Bourgeois¡¯ gship


    store was currently flooded with customers. Not only that, every customer who came out of the shop


    carried a bag.


    Anastasia wanted to look for the shop manager, Miss Chastain, but thetter was so upied that


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t even spot her. In fact, she was busy transferring the products, and they were


    short of many high-end pieces!


    Therefore, Anastasia could only return to thepany first. When she arrived, Anastasia saw Erica


    sitting in the lobby, but thetter pulled a cold expression and pretended not to know her. With that,


    k-walked to the elevator. The moment she arrived at the office, Felicia quickly came up to her.


    ¡°Good job, Anastasia! Your family and friends have been a huge support!¡± Felicia bent down slightly


    and praised in a whisper.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t know what she meant by that.


    ¡°I heard that the shop you selected is doing really well! Although it¡¯s only been a few days into the


    month, our sales have exceeded two million!¡±


    Anastasia was a little surprised, so she bit her lip and denied, ¡°They are not my friends and family,


    though.¡±


    ¡°Alice¡¯s team has only umted four to five million sales. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be securing the


    associate director¡¯s position this time!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m just doing my best. I¡¯m not trying to aim for the associate director¡¯s position or anything,¡±


    replied Anastasia helplessly. She just wanted to get her sry increment!


    If that position didn¡¯te with a sry increment, she wouldn¡¯t have even applied.


    Alice pushed the door open and entered the office with a long face shortly after Felicia left. Once


    she arrived, she said mockingly, ¡°Anastasia, didn¡¯t we agree not to depend on our family and


    friends? Why did you do it?¡±


    Anastasia blinked her eyes at her question. Isn¡¯t she using the same method as well? How dare she


    use me?


    ¡°I¡¯m not depending on my family and friends. They are just normal customers.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Who are you trying to fool? Some of the customers who went to your shop are major


    shareholders of Presgrave Group. There were also some high-ranking managers there. Did you


    think I wouldn¡¯t find out that you used your connections to bring in President Presgrave¡¯s family and


    friends!!


    Anastasia¡¯s mind instantly exploded. As she stared nkly at Alice for a few seconds, she was


    rendered speechless. Now, she finally understood why there was arge number of customers at


    her shop spending millions. Did all of theme from Elliot?


    ¡°You promised a fairpetition, Anastasia. Aren¡¯t you afraid of beingughed at for cheating?¡±


    ¡°If you call this cheating, why can you do it but I can¡¯t?¡± Anastasia retorted.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Alice huffed as a shade of crimson crept up her neck and her face.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t bother arguing with her anymore. Since Alice wasn¡¯t particrly fond of her as well,


    Anastasia stood up and said, ¡°I have to work now. Please leave.¡±


    ¡°You will regret this!¡± Alice spat before stomping out the door.


    Once Alice left, Anastasia wrapped her arms around her head in frustration. Why did Elliot help her?


    She didn¡¯t want to owe him any favors!


    With that, Anastasia dialed the number to Elliot¡¯s office, but no one picked up.


    Instead of giving up, Anastasia called Elliot¡¯s personal number. This time, the call was answered.


    ¡°Hello?¡± His baritone and husky voice sounded as charming as ever.


    However, that didn¡¯t affect Anastasia¡¯s impolite tone as she scolded in frustration, ¡°Are you the one


    helping me pull customers to my shop, Elliot Presgrave?!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I have so much free time on my hands?¡± Elliot tossed the question back at her. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. Someone recognized the customers that went to the store and said they were


    shareholders and managers from yourpany.¡± Anastasia exposed him mercilessly.


    After remaining silent for a while, Elliot uttered indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s their choice. It has nothing to do


    with me.¡±


    Elliot was obviously lying, for he didn¡¯t want to admit that he had helped her.


    Once again, Anastasia was speechless.

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210


    Chapter 210


    Although Anastasia didn¡¯t know what to say, she was honestly moved.


    ¡°Thank you, but I hope that you won¡¯t ask them to visit my shop anymore. I¡¯ve given up the position


    of associate director.¡± She sighed.


    ¡°Why is that so?¡± Elliot inquired anxiously.


    ¡°I just want to focus on designing. I don¡¯t have any management skills, so I don¡¯t want to hold the


    company back.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you confident with your skills? Don¡¯t you want to get the sry increment?¡±


    ¡°There is a limit to my ability and I only deserve my current sry. Thank you for your concern, Mr.


    Presgrave. You may ask your family and friends to stoping by the shop!¡±


    Anastasia hung up the call after saying thest sentence. She breathed a sigh of relief before


    calling Felicia to tell her about her decision, and thetter respected her wish to do so.


    After spending the past few months with Anastasia, Felicia came to realize that she was a


    straightforward and honest girl. Hence, Felicia liked the girl a lot.


    Meanwhile, someone started to spread rumors about this exact topic at the front desk and it


    instantly became the talk of the entirepany.


    ¡°I heard that Anastasia will be the associate director of the Department of Design this time,¡±


    said ady at the front desk who had just heard the gossip.


    ¡°Why is it her?¡± Erica immediately leaned over and joined the conversation.


    ¡°I heard that the three designers in the Department of Design arepeting for the position this


    time. They have each selected a store and will bepeting based on this month¡¯s sales turnover. I


    also heard that all of them have received support from their family and friends, but Anastasia went


    to a whole new level.¡±


    Someone else inquired, ¡°Where did her connectionse from?¡±


    ¡°Who else could there be? It¡¯s President Presgrave, of course. He has personally asked his upper


    management to visit Anastasia¡¯s shop!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    The otherdies at the front desk were so amazed that they let out surprised gasps, but Erica¡¯s face


    was pale. If she hadn¡¯te to thepany today, she wouldn¡¯t even have known that Anastasia


    had been hooking up with Elliot Presgrave. Now that Elliot wanted to help Anastasia get promoted


    and receive a sry increment, he was willing to suppress his pride and ask his upper management


    to support her.


    How close were they that he was willing to do that for her? Erica wasn¡¯t going to believe that


    Anastasia never slept with Elliot.


    ¡°What a shameless person Anastasia is. How could she seduce the president?¡± Erica scoffed.


    The otherdies at the front desk admired her courage. After all, no one in thepany dared to


    scold Anastasia, let alone offend her.


    ¡°Hmph! She¡¯s such a filthy woman. Does she even deserve President Presgrave? What a nasty


    woman,¡± Erica spat through gritted teeth in desperation to curse the hell out of Anastasia.


    ¡°Erica, why do you say so? Tell us about it! How do you know that Anastasia is a filthy woman?¡±


    ¡°She has an illegitimate child, and that child was born five years ago as a result of sleeping with


    another man. She has worked at a club, served customers, and slept with them just to study


    abroad. She was kicked out of her house eventually, though.¡±


    ¡°How do you know all these?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of my father¡¯s ex-wife!¡± Erica decided not to hide her identity anymore.


    ¡°What?!¡± Everyone at the front desk eximed in shock. That was a juicy scoop from Erica! No


    wonder Anastasia was capable of getting support from President Presgrave-this all came from the


    practice of seducing men five years ago!


    When she saw that the front deskdies were intrigued by her words, Erica vividly recounted


    Anastasia¡¯s past to them with exaggeration. She mentioned Anastasia being called ¡®Princess of


    Abyss¡¯, ¡®Most Popr Hostess¡¯, and whatever terms she could think of at that time.


    Thedies at the front desk were serial gossipers and they quietly whispered to every person they


    encountered about Anastasia¡¯s past. By that evening, Anastasia¡¯s reputation was ruined once


    again.


    While everyone was curious about how Anastasia managed to pull Elliot¡¯s connections, most ofAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    them assumed that she had slept with him. Now that they heard about her scandal five years ago,


    everything seemed to make sense. Just like that, Anastasia was known as the woman of easy


    virtue in thepany


    However, Anastasia, who was in her office, didn¡¯t know what was going on at all.


    When Alice heard that Anastasia had withdrawn from thepetition, she was even more


    motivated to secure the position of associate director.


    Meanwhile, a luxurious car was parked in the garage. Rey followed Elliot as they took the elevator,


    but when it stopped at the sixth floor of the Department of Design, he turned to Rey and said, ¡°Head


    up first.¡±


    Rey nodded in response. Just as Elliot strode out of the elevator and was about to look for


    Anastasia, he passed by the pantry and overheard a conversation behind the ss window.

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211


    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 exudingBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    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

    Chapter 212


    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.


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