Night of Destiny

Elliot cut her off by pushing the flat 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 clambered 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 umbrella. 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.From NôvelDrama.Org.

“Mr. Connell, can | 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 hour later, 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 become 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.

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 a lady 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 planned on seeing Anastasia today, but this unexpected guest certainly had her guessing. Who in the world is this girl?