The Bound Between Us

Chapter 226

Anastasia parked her butt in the lounge area of Neon Dreams, waiting for Herman. She whipped out her phone and started googling recent news on Rainbow Haven, hoping to dig up any dirt on her daughter.

Just then, two gals sashayed in through the entrance, chatting and giggling. One of them, a curly-haired babe, spotted Anastasia in the lounge and froze like a deer in headlights.

“What’s up? Hurry up, if the man’s kept waiting, he’ll blow a gasket,” the other woman chirped.

“I think I recognize that gal over there, but I’m not sure,” the curly-haired woman said, squinting at Anastasia. “Hold your horses, I’ll go check her out.”

As she approached Anastasia, she gave her a once-over and asked tentatively, “Are you…Anastasia?”

Anastasia looked up at the woman, a puzzled look on her face. “Do I know you?” She didn’t have a clue who this woman was.

Hearing Anastasia’s response, the woman let out a chuckle and took a seat. “I’m Melinda, don’t you remember? It’s been five years since we last saw each other. You’re still as young and pretty as ever, not a day older. But me, I’ve aged a lot, so you probably can’t recognize

me.”

when she’d made

look at Melinda, who appeared to be in her late twenties. Despite the chilly weather, she was wearing a

me out of a bind. Mr. Winchester was forcing me to drink.

wouldn’t have remembered her. Mr. Winchester was known to be a lecherous and perverted man. Melinda had been abused by him and almost lost her life. She was terrified of

before?” Anastasia

Anastasia’s confusion, Melinda asked, “Anastasia, you really don’t remember?”

and said half-jokingly, “I had a head injury a few years ago, so there are some things I can’t remember. But when I walked in here, the entrance did look

were taken away by him, I looked for you all night, but then you were gone. I thought something bad had happened to you. I’ve been feeling guilty all these years. Now that I see you’re ok, I can finally

taken away’ by that man. That was five years

Could it be that the child was hers

he took me away that night?”

drunk at the time, I’m afraid… I’m afraid… Anastasia, really, I’m so grateful to you. If it weren’t for your help, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”