Chapter 250 – Finding the Secret Daddy for My Baby Novel

Filed To Story: Finding the Secret Daddy for My Baby Novel

“Do you think I could leave you alone like this?” Elliot held onto Anastasia firmly, refusing to let her go.

The steel edge to her demeanor had returned, and when she spoke, it was in clear, unwavering tones. “I’ve survived for five years; I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine on my own for a night.”

Elliot pursed his lips and asked tentatively, “Is Jared really the child of that hooligan?”

Anastasia hated confronting the truth of Jared’s birth every time it came up, but reality was cruel, and there was nothing she could do to deny Jared’s father’s identity. “Yes,” she finally bit out through gritted teeth.

Elliot’s chest tightened. He understood that this was a painful topic for her, so he let it drop.

In the end, he got up and left after she insisted that he did. When the door closed behind him, an icy gleam flashed in his eyes as he vowed to uncover the wretched man’s identity even if Anastasia refused to speak of him. He needed to know what kind of a monster could bear to hurt her so badly.

Presently, Elliot waited at the door, but when he realized that Anastasia was not going to open it and invite him back into the house, he left.

The only way he could achieve a breakthrough in this case was to find out which clubhouse the incident had taken place in. Just because Anastasia was set on remaining tight-lipped about it, he was sure that others might have some idea as to what had happened on the night she was assaulted.

As he sat in the backseat of the car, he began to consider his options. Hayley knew about the details of that night, but he didn’t want to ask her about it. He sifted through the names in his mind, trying to pick the person most likely to give him some useful insight on the matter.

He settled on one person at last, and that was Erica, Anastasia’s half-sister. Given how she had brought up Jared’s birth the last time she threw a tantrum, there was a high chance that she knew about the incident. He was confident that she could provide him with some leads on this.

As he leaned into his seat, Elliot pulled out his phone and gave Rey a call. “I need you to arrange a meeting for me with someone.”

“Who would that be, President Presgrave?” Rey asked courteously.

“Erica.”

In the silence of the bedroom, Anastasia was holding a glass of water as she sat on the lounge listlessly. She felt guilty for having imagined Elliot as the man who had assaulted her five years ago while they were intimate. In truth, she was stunned as well that the trauma she thought she had buried deep inside her heart could be so easily brought to the surface with a single touch, triggering her fear of intimacy.

She suddenly felt that this was unfair to Elliot. If they really did work out as a couple and got married, she couldn’t possibly reject him for the rest of their lives and chain him to involuntary celibacy.

The next morning, Erica was still tucked under the covers when she suddenly received a phone call that made her bolt upright in bed. “What? Does young Master Elliot want to see me at noon?”

“Yes, President Presgrave has something he needs your help with. Would you be free to meet with him?”

Erica was so stunned that she couldn’t string words together, and she stammered, “O-Of course. I’d be free to meet with him.”

“In that case, will 11.30AM today do for you?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll be there,” she replied as she nodded vehemently.

When the call ended and she received the address for the restaurant where the meeting would be, she was so elated she could pass out. Never in her wildest dreams did she think Elliot would invite her for lunch.

“My goodness, what should I wear?” She leaped down from the bed and threw open her closet doors, rummaging through her clothes with fervor. She had but one goal in her mind, which was to seduce Elliot and make him her man.

She didn’t care that he was Anastasia’s supposed boyfriend, nor was she bothered by his history with Hayley. She was still dead set on bagging him because he was worth it.

She didn’t tell Naomi about the meeting. After picking out a figure-hugging dress, she put on a blazer over it, thinking that if Anastasia could win Elliot over while dressed in pantsuits, surely that meant he had a thing for professional career women.

Then, she sat down in front of the vanity and began to apply her make-up delicately, not allowing even the slightest flaw. She was determined to show her best self to Elliot.

Meanwhile, all the departments in Bourgeois were getting ready to move into their new company building. Since the offices in Presgrave Corporation were fully furnished with the most lavish of decorations, the only thing that the departments had to do was to pack up their files and equipment for the big move.

Anastasia was nestled in the quiet of her office when Aliona suddenly walked through the door.

“Is there something you need, Miss Dora?” Anastasia asked curtly.

“Your efficiency in snagging President Presgrave is indeed commendable, Miss Tillman,” Aliona drawled sarcastically.

“I will only entertain conversations about work, Miss Dora,” Anastasia pointed out coolly. “The company is no place for us to talk about her personal affairs.”

“I just want to let you know that I will never give up on my feelings for Elliot,” Aliona said. She was here for no other reason than to try and get on Anastasia’s nerves after her own bitter resentment overwhelmed her. “For the rest of your life, you’ll have me as competition,” she added confidently. “I’m sure it’ll only be a matter of time before President Presgrave notices me and falls for me.”

Anastasia, however, was neither impressed nor intimidated. “Your non-achievements do not interest me, so take your gloating elsewhere,” she pointed out sarcastically.

Contempt flashed in Aliona’s eyes as she snorted and said haughtily, “We’ll see who the real winner will be!” Now that Father’s already plotting her demise, Elliot will be mine sooner or later once we get rid of her!

Anastasia, on the other hand, was admittedly affected by what Aliona said even though the latter had already left. It seemed as if Elliot constantly had a barrage of women who would not hesitate to seize even the slightest of chances to get close to him.

When noon rolled around, Anastasia made up her mind to invite Elliot out for a meal as an apology for what happened last night. If it hadn’t been for her overreaction, things might not have ended on such a tense note, and the night would have been perfectly wrapped up.

She picked up the phone on her desk and dialed Elliot’s extension. When he did not pick up, the call was automatically transferred to his assistant’s line.

“Hello, this is the president’s office,” the assistant greeted courteously.

“Hi, Lily. Is President Presgrave in at the moment?”

“Oh, Miss Tillman! It seems President Presgrave has already left for a lunch appointment.”

“I see. Alright, thanks.”

Anastasia hung up and sighed in frustration. Then, she asked Felicia to join her for lunch instead.

Meanwhile, Erica was on cloud nine as she made her way over to the restaurant. She checked herself in the mirror constantly just to make sure that she looked as flawless as she did when she left the house. In fact, the tiniest smudge of her make-up would set her off at this point.

She had to present her flawless side to Elliot today. She reckoned that something about her must have caught his eye, which explained why he would ask her out for lunch out of the blue. The thought of this gave her a rush. If things went well, she might even surpass Hayley and Anastasia to become Elliot’s new object of affection.

In every woman, there was buried confidence that would not dim under any circumstance.

Presently, Rey was waiting outside the restaurant for Erica, and when he registered her arrival, he led her up the stairs to the main dining atrium.

She was brought to a private dining room in which Elliot was already seated and waiting for her. Erica swallowed and felt her palms grow sweaty. At the same time, she nervously flipped her hair over her shoulder as she appraised the man shyly. After taking her seat, she asked, “Young Master Elliot, may I know why you’ve asked to see me today?”

Rey left to give them some privacy, and as soon as the door fell shut, Elliot slid a bank card across the table and said to her, “Miss Erica, there’s a million in this card. All you need to do is answer my questions, and the money’s yours.”

Erica was stunned as she gaped at the card in front of her. A million was a tempting offer, and she blinked to snap out of her reverie. “What do you want to know, Young Master Elliot?”

“You have to promise to answer all my questions honestly,” he said as he eyed her somberly.

Disappointment surged through her at that moment. Have I read too much into the lunch invitation? Did he not ask me to join him for a meal because he likes me? However, when she glanced at the bank card, the thought of having a million in her pocket comforted her. After all, it was enough to last her for a while. She nodded and said, “Fire away, Young Master Elliot.”

He gazed at her darkly and asked, “First question—do you know the name of the man who assaulted Anastasia five years ago?”

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