Stay (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 6)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Anastasia was shocked to see them all of a sudden after nearly a year. After her dad’s heart attack her mom had disappeared completely from their lives. There were no phone calls and no news of her at all. Anastasia had started to hope that they had left her all alone. So it was the biggest surprise of her life to see them at the doorstep. She was certain that they had come to get her.

Anastasia was tongue-tied seeing them. She didn’t know whether to invite them inside considering how her mom had fought with her dad the last time. With Anson still at the restaurant, and her dad resting, she was scared to face them.

“Mom? Madame Slovene, please come in,” she said hesitantly. They stormed into the house. 

“Start packing Anastasia. We’ve come to take you back to LA. Your training will start immediately since I’m not keeping well,” said Madame Slovene. Anastasia’s jaws dropped to the floor. She had no idea why she couldn’t train her mom instead of her! 

“I can’t go without informing dad and Anson. I need two days to pack at least,” said a helpless Anastasia, trying to buy time. 

“I’ll call my assistant, Freya to help you with the packing,” said Madame Slovene, picking up her phone. 

“Who are you talking to, Ana? Has Anson come home?” asked her dad, as he slowly climbed down the stairs. Her mom looked up with alarm while Anastasia went towards the staircase to help her dad. After the heart attack, his health had deteriorated considerably and therefore he didn’t go to the restaurant to work any longer. Anastasia didn’t answer him and waited for him to climb down the staircase before giving him the shocking news. 

“Who’s there, Ana?” asked her dad worriedly.

“Mom and Madame Slovene are here to take me away with them, dad. Please don’t react to them. I don’t want you falling sick again,” she said walking with him to the reception room but it seemed as if her dad couldn’t hear her. He was already agitated as he walked in, glaring at the duo sitting there. Anastasia sent a quick message to Anson asking him to come home as soon as possible. She dashed in immediately after her dad. 

“Ana isn’t going anywhere Bianca. She’s an adult. So let her decide what she wants to do with her life,” said her dad, making a valiant attempt to save her. Her mom looked angrily at him and was about to speak when Madame Slovene intervened. 

“Here I’m trying to give your daughter a chance at making something out of her dismal life, and all you can do is be ungrateful, Farrell? Do you want her to lead an average life like you are leading? Eat, sleep and be a mother of ten kids? Is that all you can think of? I’m really disappointed at your attitude, Farrell. I always knew Bianca had made a mistake in choosing you and now it’s proved. Look at you, neither do you have a job, nor business nor any income. What life will you give your daughter?” said Madame Slovene in a cold tone that made Anastasia’s blood boil with anger. 

“You don’t have the right to insult my dad. I’m willing to go with you. Stop attacking my dad unnecessarily. He isn’t well,” she cried out in desperation.

“Is that the way to talk to your mentor and guardian, Anastasia? I can see that staying here has made you forget all your etiquette,” scoffed her mom. Anastasia glared at her.

“I haven’t but if you both attack my dad all the time, I won’t at all go with you,” she protested. 

“It’s okay, Ana. I’m talking here. You aren’t going anywhere you don’t want to,” said her dad, calmly. 

“There’s nothing to talk about here, Farrell. You don’t have the financial capacity to give her the life I can give. She was adopted because of me and I’ve spent a lot on her till date. She has to come along with me, I’m not giving her a choice,” stated Madame Slovene.