All Chapters of Beyond Rejection.: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

AnastasiaI rush to the bedroom upstairs, desperate to put enough distance between myself and them.My dignity is the only thing that keeps me from running. As soon as I get to the room, I close the door and lean against it.It was her. The same Athelia that had hated me so much.I thought she was far off in London, living her best life.And I had made an utter fool of myself. The way she had glanced at me like I was just another mistress or something - that’s what my desperation turned me into.He didn’t even try to defend me.I swat my forehead. Why would he?Their voices are as audible as though I were still below with them.Athelia’s upset. Crosswalk tries to calm her down.I run my hands through my hair.Still, I’m glad I shattered their wonderful night.The way he had looked at me still makes my toes curl.I shake my head at the direction of my thoughts.The door slams twice.The engine of his car roars to life. He’s leaving.My hands clench at my sides.“You shouldn’t care.” I

LeviShe blinks at my words.I suddenly feel like taking them back."Boundaries." She mutters, the word rolling off her tongue like a caress."Yes." I inch closer without realizing it.She follows me with her eyes."You just crossed one. Boundaries should be for people who don't already know they're breaking them." She muses aloud, her face smug.A sly grin curves my lips.She swims forward as well, water rippling over my polished shoes which are standing too close to the edge."That's the closest you've come to admitting it."She raises an eyebrow."Admitting what?""That you need them as much as I do."She laughs and swims away. The sweet sound makes something in my chest tighten. My fists clench at my sides."I'm not the one who left work to be here." She calls out from the other end of the pool.Her words slice through my facade of restraint."Come out of the water, Ana... Purrey." I catch myself before I slip.But, she heard it.She turns around, pinning me with wide eyes.She do

LeviI hate that she keeps hiding important things like this from me.Even Greta never mentioned it.Where do her loyalties lie? With me, her employer, or with Anastasia.I will chew the bloody nurse up when all this is over.I run a hand through my hair, closing the door behind me.The study has always been a sanctuary, but today, it feels like the only place that completely belongs to me.And she’s leaving tomorrow.It'll be three good weeks before I’ll have a tangible reason to see her. The house already feels empty just thinking of her departure.It stopped being an elegant cluster of furniture for entertaining private guests the day she came here.My phone buzzes.I pick up the phone. I forgot to switch on the Do-Not-Disturb feature.“Dad.”“You sound a bit troubled. What’s the matter?”I rub my forehead in soothing circles, perching myself at the edge of the mahogany desk. Jenna had drawn the heavy curtains to the sides. The floor-to-ceiling windows flood the room with light, h

AnastasiaMy voice vanishes at that point. The certainty in his gaze is unmistakable. How did he arrive at such an accurate conclusion? Was it because of what the doctor said?All I can do is shrug.“Don’t give me that, Purrey. Say the words and I’ll make sure you never have to cross paths with her again.”My throat tightens. His face is unreadable, his tone matter-of-fact. There was no hint of gentleness.“I’m not afraid of her.”“I never said you were.”I fold my arms across my chest. “I won’t dictate how you live your life, Crosswalk.”“And I won’t let you kill my son because of your pride, Purrey.”I wince - as if he just landed me a cold slap.Sighing, I pull the covers higher and turn away.His breath catches. Guilt.“I didn’t mean to offend-”“None taken.”The bed creaks as he settles down beside me. I glance over my shoulder, twisting myself uncomfortably. His hand moves to offer comfort but falls back to his side.“If it makes you feel better, Athelia and I are just friends.”

AnastasiaI didn’t sleep well last night. There are dark circles under my eyes.Greta had arrived earlier than usual to help me with my preparations. There wasn’t much to pack - I didn’t use the closet space he offered, mostly because I didn’t want to get too comfortable.Levi was nowhere to be seen that morning. He was supposed to drop me off - he had insisted on doing it himself.One thing was certain, he hadn’t gone to work. In fact, no one had seen him leave the house.Then, where the hell was he?The sun is shining brightly ahead, making the water fountain look like falling crystals.The gardener is diligently at work, trimming the flowers as he listens to music using his headphones.Alphonsus stands by the door with me, whistling quietly.“Where do you think he is?” I ask for the third time that morning.“Let’s be patient. It’s not in his nature to keep people waiting. He must be held back by something important.”I heave a sigh, glancing down at my wristwatch.It’s a quarter pa