Stay (Love In Montana Book 5)

The next day, Anastasia eagerly waited for Ryder. He had stopped by for five minutes to wish her on his way to college, handing her a fresh red rose. The whole day, Anastasia gazed at the rose, wondering why he had given it to her. A red rose denoted love! Then why did Ryder give it to her? Renée had called her before going to college and was surprised to know that she would be celebrating her birthday. Anastasia, of course, didn’t inform her anything about Ryder’s involvement. After that talk with her mom last night, Anastasia had been a little upset and she didn’t go to attend her classes. She was at a loss. Should she leave immediately or after a month? She needed a month at least to herself before being sacrificed to Madame Slovene and losing her freedom forever. 

When Anastasia was two years old, the Farrell family had adopted her. They wanted a female child and at the orphanage where Anastasia lived, she was the youngest one available. Anastasia had never seen her biological mom. She had been abandoned at birth at the doorstep of the orphanage along with some money. The people at the orphanage had brought her up. Life was too difficult at the orphanage so when she was adopted by rich people, she was relieved. However as she grew up, she realized that life wasn’t all that rosy, she realized their true motive behind adopting her. 

Her adoptive mom, Bianca Elizabeth Farrell was six years old when she was adopted by the super rich, single, queen of haute couture, Madame Slovene,  who was the owner and Founder of Vida, a famous fashion brand in the world. Unmarried, eclectic and elusive, Vida Slovene brought up Bianca to train her to take over the reins of her empire but she eloped with an architect who was fresh out of college. It broke Madame Slovene’s heart and she sent her detectives to seek them out from wherever they were hiding. It was only when Bianca announced her pregnancy did Madame Slovene accept her relationship with David Farrell, Anastasia’s adoptive father. Madame Slovene wanted the child to be the sole heir to her empire, she wanted to train it just like she had trained Bianca. She wanted the child in return for its mother, Bianca. 

However, the child born was a short tempered male child, Anson Farrell, who at eight was quite a restless and snappy child. Madame Slovene was disappointed and wanted a girl child with a sweet temperament. Bianca Farrell was at a loss when she was unable to conceive another child. So they opted for adoption. She had to clear the debt to Madame Slovene and the only way was to give her a girl child whom she could train just as she had trained her. It was a very rigid philosophy that you need to be married to your career, to the business empire to be successful. Bianca Farrell tried to convince Madame Slovene to change her mindset and allow her to take up the responsibility of Vida. So what if she was married and settled in Las Vegas? But Madame Slovene didn’t budge even an inch, she wanted the sweet girl, Anastasia, she wanted to mold and train her to run her empire. Therefore, Bianca stuffed Anastasia’s head with the thought that she would have to pay off the debt that Bianca had on her head. It was the only way Anastasia could repay the Farrell family for whatever they had done for her. When Anastasia was younger, the pressure wasn’t so much as it was now. With her eighteenth birthday, she knew that she would have to leave everything soon and go to LA, her prison for life. 

“Where are you lost, sweetie? It’s well past lunchtime and yet you’re here at the window. Go and have your lunch. Ryder might come in anytime, “ said granny. It brought Anastasia out of her reverie. 

“Yes, granny,” she said, walking towards the kitchen to get her food. She just couldn’t understand what was holding up Ryder. She had never waited for someone so impatiently as she waited for Ryder. 

“He’ll come soon, don’t look so worried,” chuckled her grandpa. Anastasia blushed at being caught.

“I wasn’t thinking about that,” she told him. 

“I know. I’m just kidding. Don’t be upset with your mom. She’s under tremendous pressure from that adoptive parent of hers,” said grandpa. Anastasia nodded but didn’t say a word. She was upset. It was okay to be under pressure but does that make you forget your daughter’s birthday? She remembered the yearly birthday celebrations hosted by her parents for her brother. They never forgot his birthday! Is it only hers that they forgot? 

“Hmm, I understand, “ she lied. What else could she say? She didn’t want to make her grandparents unhappy! As it is they were guilty and upset for not being able to celebrate her birthday the way they wanted. If it weren’t for Ryder’s initiative, there wouldn’t be any birthday celebration for her. She finished her lunch and rinsed the dishes when she heard a car pull up right onto their front yard. Jumping with excitement, Anastasia ran to the front door and opened it wide. Her eyes connected with the familiar blue ones of her Blue, her Ryder, standing at her doorstep with an armful of goodies. Anastasia grinned at him and then her mind realized what it had been thinking. Her Ryder? Her Blue? Shaking away her thoughts, she looked at Ryder. 

“My arms will fall off. Can I please come inside?” asked Ryder melodramatically. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. Please come inside,” she gasped, moving aside and giving him space to walk into the house. Ryder strode into her house and left the goodies on the dining table. Granny and grandpa came to inspect what he had got. Ryder went back to his car to get more. He came back with an armful of goodies. He handed a bag out to Anastasia. 

“Your dress. See if you like it,” said Ryder. Anastasia took the dress from his hands, looking touched and overwhelmed. 

“Thank you, Blue,” she said with a happy smile on her face. 

“Try it on. If it doesn’t fit, I have to get it replaced, “ said Ryder. Anastasia nodded and she ran to her room to check. It was an ivory white, lace applique, sleeveless dress with a round neckline.  The sheer beauty of it made it look like bridal wear. Anastasia tried it on, it was perfect! She stared at her reflection with wide eyes and with awe. With her glowing cheeks and full, red lips, and twinkling eyes, she looked no less than a bride, Ryder’s bride, maybe? Anastasia gasped at the direction of her thoughts. Was she going crazy? How could she come up with such strange thoughts? Quickly changing out of the dress, she wore her regular clothes and dashed downstairs. Ryder was explaining to her grandparents what all he had bought. He looked at her the moment she walked into the living room. 

His face looked disappointed as if he was expecting her to wear the dress he had bought for her. He had thought maybe she’d show him how she looked in it. “So, did you, like it?” he asked expectantly. 

“Yes, it’s absolutely fantastic. I love it,” said Anastasia with an excited grin. 

“So, I’ll be going home now, granny. Hope the food's sufficient!” said Ryder. 

“You have to take the money for all this. You’ve spend so much and I can’t relax till I pay you,” said Anastasia’s grandpa.

“We’ll share the cost, grandpa,” said Ryder. 

“No, son. If you were earning, I would have shared the cost but not now. You can pay for the dress as a birthday gift for Ana,” said grandpa. 

“Okay, grandpa. As you say,” said Ryder, producing all the bills from his pocket and placing them on the table. Then he made a quick calculation and explained the expenditures to grandpa. After grandpa paid him, he nodded at Anastasia and left. Anastasia wanted to follow him outside but granny wanted her to help her carry all the food items to the kitchen. So she reluctantly helped granny. She heard Ryder drive away. She wanted to know when he would come back but didn’t get the opportunity to ask him. In another three hours, all her guests would come over and there was a lot to be done. 

The next few hours,  she was busy helping granny arrange the house for the party. They decorated the area with flowers and cleaned up everything. Granny brought out her fancy crockery and cutlery. It was just half an hour to go when granny pushed her to her room. “Go and get ready. The guests would be here in half an hour,” said granny. Anastasia excitedly ran to her room to get ready.

She took a quick shower and blow dried her hair, taking pains to get the right hairstyle. She put on the dress that Ryder had got for her, a giddy smile permanently fixed in her lips. Why had he bought her this one? Why white and not any other color? For the first time in her life, she applied a little makeup. She wanted to look good for Ryder! Why? She had no idea!