"Like you said, in the past," she sneered, her voice sharp. "Don’t think I’ll ever let you have your way with me again. Have you forgotten who did this to you?" She nodded toward his hands, now stumps, that had been cruelly chopped off. He could barely function, needing Mrs. Wace to feed him during dinner. "Or do you need a reminder?" Her words were like knives, cutting deep, as she stared at him with cold satisfaction.


    Richard’s frown deepened, and without warning, he delivered a swift kick to Anastasia’s belly. A painful yelp escaped her lips as she doubled over, clutching her stomach. But he wasn’t satisfied. He kicked her again, harder this time, sending her crumpling to the floor in agony. The room filled with a tense, oppressive silence as she gasped for air, the pain radiating through her body.


    "You truly have grown wings, and you’ve forgotten whom you are speaking with," he bit out. He attempted pulling her hair. Sadly, he didn’t have the fingers to do that, while Anastasia grabbed her belly and she fought to stand. "Just because you are with Xavier now? Well, let me remind you. You are a whore and will always be a whore."


    He squatted to her level when Anastasia had already fallen on the ground. "You let your Mr Harrison, Jack and I have fun with you. You are a slut. And by the looks of things, I’m guessing Xavier doesn’t know about it.


    "Now, what do you think will happen when he finds out that you’re a slut like every girl in the brothel, spreading their legs for men to do as they pleased?" He spat all over her face.


    He grinned when he saw Anastasia struggling to steady her breath. "You are still a weakling. Having Xavier by your side doesn’t make a difference."


    "So what do you n to do? Tell him how you used me?" Anastasia questioned. "You never really learn your lessons, do you? However, I don’t me you. It’s my fault for showing you pity when I could have just roasted your body and fed you to the dogs."


    Anastasia smirked when she saw the smile on his face falter.


    "What? Are you scared?" She asked.


    Suddenly, the door burst open, and Tracie stormed into the room, her eyes zing with fury. Without hesitation, she clenched her fist and delivered a powerful punch across Richard’s face. The impact sent him flying backward, crashing onto the bed beside Anastasia.


    "Who are you to say such things to her? So you are one of the monsters that made her life a living hell?" She questioned, sending punch after punch across his body, not giving him even the littlest second to catch his breath.


    Anastasia stood up, baffled to see Tracie hitting Richard, but she didn’t interrupt.


    Due to the groaning sound made by Tracie as she continued to beat Richard up, the rest of the family hurried up to the room.


    "What the hell—" Nora cursed while Mrs. Wace covered her mouth as she gasped.


    Ezekiel and Kael immediately rushed to separate Tracie from Richard which was a tough task since Tracie seemed to have vowed not to let Richard go.


    When they were finally able to separate the both of them, Richard’s face waspletely bruised up. His nose and lips were painted with his own blood, as he red down at Tracie.


    "How dare you?!" Richard bellowed, attempting to attack Tracie but Ezekiel stepped between the both as he fired Richard a scowl which had thetter instinctively take a few steps back. "Oh I see, you people had nned to gang up against me for this bitch? This little slut right over here?" He pointed at Anastasia whose face was still etched with pain.


    "Say that one more time," Tracie growled, her voice trembling with rage, "and I promise you, you won’t leave this ce alive!" She struggled against Kael’s grip, trying to break free, her eyes locked on Richard with a deadly promise. Despite Kael’s attempts to restrain her, the fire in her eyes made it clear she was ready to carry out her threat.


    Kael held a tired expression since he was unable to keep Tracie in one ce.


    Ezekiel was aware he couldn’t let that happen. If Kael set Tracie free, she could kill Richard and use his skin as a human handbag. She was very much capable of doing that.


    "You people are all the same! Family of sluts!!"


    Tracie could only see red at the moment. With one hand, she set herself free from Kael’s grip. But before she could reach Richard and quench her thirst for blood, Richard was already on the ground, his facepletely painted with blood this time around.


    Everyone’s heads turned to stare at Xavier, whose fist was painted with his brother’s blood.


    "For once, I thought you might use your brain," Xavier said with a sneer. "But I forgot—you’ve got nothing up there." He strode toward Richard with calm precision beforending one final punch to his jaw, sending himpletely unconscious. Xavier stood over him, his eyes cold, as the room settled into an eerie silence.