"Samantha! Let go of me, else..." he warned. His tone carried so much fury it could put the house on fire.


    "You need to control yourself, Xander!" She yelled back at him, ignoring his threat and ring at him—eye to eye. She made it obvious with her words she wasn’t the least scared of him.


    Xander’s gazended on the blood dripping on her forehead, and his gaze softened for the littlest second before he pushed himself off the ground, away from trembling Anatasia who hugged her knees to her chest.


    "Julian has already made his im on her. And I’m sure he wouldn’t want to see bruises on her either," Michelle added when she took the hint that the show she was starting to enjoy wasn’t going to continue anymore.


    "Julian?" He questioned, his brows furrowed in confusion.


    "Yes, Julian! I took her to the party on the outskirts of Xattlewood, and he loves her. He wants to buy her after hunting her down in the crimson hunt," she exined.


    The room fell into silence as both Xander and Samantha stared at her with a huge frown on their face.


    "And who told you you could take Anastasia to the party? Did I ask you to do that, Michelle?!" Xander roared. Samantha had to take a few steps away from him since her head was already starting to spin.


    Michelle nced between the both of them, wondering what she could have done wrong.


    "W-well, Samantha mentioned today she would be participating in the crimson hunt that would be happening in a month from now. So, I thought I would help by taking her to the party and finding her a potential buyer. Besides, Julian is your—"


    Michelle didn’t get the chance toplete that sentence of hers when she suddenly felt a stinging pain on her cheeks that made it go numb.


    "I never asked you to do anything for me, Michelle! Stop acting like you know how you run a business like this better than me," Xander bellowed, his eyes flooded with palpable rage. "If I wanted Julian to be her buyer, I would have taken her to him already. I’ve warned you already, Michelle. Stay in yourne and stop trying to do better than the people here."


    He red at her for a few seconds before he departed from there, dragging his weak limb along with him.


    But Michelle made sure to return the gesture by ring at his back until he’d disappeared.


    "Get out of here!!" Samantha barked at Anastasia and thetter quickly ran up to her room. It was alreadyte at night, and with how quiet the house was, she concluded the others must have retired to their rooms.


    After Anastasia had left, Samantha turned to Michelle whose hands were still on her cheeks.


    "You really should stay in yournes, Michelle. Don’t forget you’re still a ve here, and with a snap of my fingers, I can convince Xander that you’re useless and worthless," Samantha spouted.


    Samantha’s insult felt like a thorn had pricked into Michelle’s skin, drawing out blood from the room, and she made sure to reply with the same tone.


    "And you’ll only do that because you’re jealous, aren’t you dear Samantha?" Michelle questioned. "You’re jealous Xander spends the night with me most of the time hees here and he doesn’t even bat an eysh in your direction. It must hurt, doesn’t it?"


    "Don’t bite off more than you can chew, Michelle," Samantha warned, her emerald eyes darkening with fury. "Sure, you spread your legs for him whenever you want—that’s all you’ve got to offer." The invisible thorn in Michelle’s chest twisted deeper. Samantha took a step closer, her voice dripping with disdain.


    "But when ites to brains? You’re miles behind. Just look at that pathetic stunt you just pulled—it proves there’s nothing going on upstairs. So don’t even think ofparing what Xander and I have to whatever it is you think you have. You’re just a tool, and you always will be."


    With a final nce at Michelle’s stricken face, Samantha adjusted her grip on her bleeding head and walked away, satisfaction flickering in her eyes.


    In the hall close to Anastasia’s room, she was about to push down the door knob so that she could enter the room, only for someone to creep behind her and touch her shoulder, eliciting a startled cry from her.


    Quickly, Anastasia turned to see who it was.


    "You must be hurt," she heard Avery say.


    Anastasia ignored the girl and intended to push the door open, but Avery stopped.


    "I’m sure with what you faced downstairs, you would want to escape from here," the girl continued, which had Anastasia stiffen for a second.


    "Why are you telling me this?" Anastasia questioned without looking back at Avery.


    "Because I can help you get out of this ce if you want," Avery sang.