“You’re hurt, Mommy!” Jared exclaimed, 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 placed 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 welcome.” 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. Similarly, 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.
She lay 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 become 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’s company. In any case, he understood that Erica had a role to play in
allowing Jared to go missing yesterday.
Nonetheless, 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 consolation, “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-blame. 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, seemingly comforted 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 blanched 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 slapped you last 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’s coming! 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 similar. 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.
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