Room for You
Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Hayley's good mood instantly crashed as she thought, Anastasia’sgetting more shameless by the day! She's actually seducing Elliot inbroad daylight during work hours! She bit down on her lip and decidedthat it was time she resorted to desperate measures.

Hayley gave up on her shopping, ran back to the car and started theengine. She glanced at the low wall next to the parking lot, and withoutanother thought, she slammed on the accelerator and drove her carinto the structure. The reaction from the impact caused Hayley to knockher head against the steering wheel.

The pain that followed was so intense that she had to take severalsharp breaths to snap out of it. Now that she crashed the car and hadsufficient reason to cry, Hayley inhaled deeply and took her phonebefore dialing Elliot's number.

At that exact moment, Elliot's phone, which was connected to the car'ssystem, rang with an incoming call, thereby disrupting the silence in thevehicle.

Hayley’'s name appeared on the screen affixed to the dashboard.Anastasia was already feeling unsettled, and when she caught sight ofthe name, she felt even worse.

She turned away from the screen; it seemed as though looking at thename offended de her greatly. Elliot hesitated upon seeing this, but hedecided to answer the call

anyway. “Hey, Hayley. What's going on?”

“I crashed the car, Elliot!” Hayley let out a pained whimper. “I'm soscared. Could you come help me, please?” She started to sob andwhine for help.

The car slowed momentarily as Elliot pressed out of concern, “Are youhurt?”

“My head hurts, and I feel like I'm spinning. Elliot, I need you here. Itreally hurts...” Hayley sobbed miserably.

Sure enough, that prompted him to want to rush over to her location atonce. "Send me the address and I'll be right over.”

Next to him, Anastasia snorted when she heard Hayley's voice. It's beenfive years since we last saw each other, but even I have to say herdamsel-in-distress act is somewhat impressive.

Presently, Elliot hung up the call and glanced at the address Hayley hadsent him. He turned around and said to Anastasia in a low voice, “Mindif we take a detour?”

Anastasia shrugged in some sort of a half-hearted agreement. Shefigured she could go and take a look at the damage Hayley had done.Elliot steered the car toward the largest mall downtown and drovedown to the third floor of the basement parking lot. Hayley's Porschewas 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 themiddle. At that moment, she looked up and saw Elliot getting downfrom his car. She didn't seem the least bit surprised that Anastasia hadcome along, though.

At once, she flew into Elliot's arms like a stunned baby bird. “You'refinally here, Elliot..."

And here I was thinking that her head would be caved in and bleedingfrom the impact, but she’s hopping around just fine. What a shame thatthe car is the only thing damaged here, Anastasia thought bitterly.“What are you doing here, Anastasia?” Hayley asked, feigning surpriseas she tightened her arms around Elliot's waist.

Anastasia narrowed her eyes and pointed out mockingly, “It'sembarrassing to acknowledge you as a female road-user, Hayley. Didyou only get your driver's license through bribery or something?”Hayley chewed on her lip and stared at Anastasia with red-rimmed eyesas 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 aleg or something from the crash. In fact, I was going to light upfireworks to celebrate the joyous occasion of your fatal accident!”Anastasia scoffed.

Upon hearing this, Elliot frowned and turned to shoot her a look, asthough agreeing that her words were completely uncalled for.“Anastasia, you..” Hayley's eyes turned red at that moment, and shelooked like she could barely stand on her own feet. With a handclapped over her forehead, she swayed and stumbled into Elliot's arms.Possessed of lightning reflexes, he reached out and steadied her beforeasking frantically, “What's wrong, Hayley?”

“She's just putting on an act! She's perfectly fine,” Anastasia interjectedsardonically, 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 andwatch him coddle Hayley, she rolled her eyes and said, “I'll get goingthen.”

“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 timeto bring me home to see your grandmother?

Elliot looked down at Hayley and muttered, “Hayley, Rey is on his wayright now. I'll have him send you to the hospital so you can get a fullcheck-up, okay? If the doctor says you're fine, just go back home andget some rest.”