"You know what? I’m not going to say anything about that. Xander and I have simr goals which is to get revenge on the people that have done us wrong, and Anastasia just happened to be the perfect tool for that." Mr. Wace finally walked to the counter with calcted steps and poured himself a drink.


    "Do you think he’ll continue this revenge when he finds out the truth?" Bruce asked, and Mr Wace paused.


    "You’ve said <i>the truth</i> twice already." Mr Wace faced Bruce. "Don’t threaten me with <i>the truth."</i>


    As soon as those words left his lips, Xander entered the room, startling the both of them. Thetter nced between the two old men, wondering why they were looking at him so intensely.


    "What’s wrong?" He asked. They stared at him for a few more seconds before their shoulders rxed, confirming he didn’t hear what they’d been talking about a few seconds ago.


    "It’s nothing." Mr Wace shook his head horizontally.


    Xander studied them both for another three seconds before he tore his gaze from them.


    "I need to go take care of something." He said. He grabbed his coat, wore it, and left the room, leaving Bruce and Mr. Wace to release the breath they’d been holding since Xander unexpectedly walked inside.


    "I don’t think he overheard anything," said Mr Wace, gulping down his drink in one go.


    "And if he did, you would be in so much trouble," Bruce retorted.


    Mr Wace sighed. "I only did what I did in the past to protect my reputation."


    "You’d better pray Xander doesn’t find out that truth, else it would be over for the both of us."


    "He won’t," Mr Wace assured. "His hatred is on Xavier because he thinks he was the one that took his happiness away, and it’s best we leave it at that."


    **


    At the house, Michelle was humming a song as she braided her hair in front of the mirror. Then she grabbed the rubber band and tied it around the knot.


    "Now, don’t I look pretty today?" She asked herself, marveling over her reflection in the mirror. She stared down at her red tainted lips, a satisfied grin stretched on the corners as she stood up, grabbed her phone, and stepped out of the room.


    It’s been ten days since the crimson hunt game, and the house was looking emptier than usual because the girls that were chosen by their future masters had already gone to their new homes with them, and they were already trying to settle in.


    As Michelle descended the stairs, the girls who hadn’t been chosen passed her with bowed heads, murmuring respectful greetings. Each lowered gaze fed her pride, fueling her belief that she was destined to be the futuredy of the estate. All she needed was to secure Xander’s heart and rid herself of Samantha.


    Michelle sighed in delight, then settled on the chair, and turned on the television but she didn’t feel satisfied at all. Turac and Tibo were napping on the opposite couch like pig, causing Michelle to shiver in irritation.


    "Call me Anastasia," she ordered one of the girls who were passing by. The poor girl jolted in fear—she was one of the girls who felt pity for Anastasia at the crimson hunt game during her punishment. She quickly nodded, then bolted out of there to do as she was told.


    The girl ran up the stairs as her heart hammered against her rips, wondering what Michelle would possibly want from Anastasia this time around.


    The girl knocked on the door of Anastasia’s room before she slightly pushed it open.


    On the bed was Anastasia, hugging her knees to her chest with her head buried below them. She looked like she was asleep, but the girl knew that Anastasia wasn’t asleep.


    "Ana," the girl called, her voice as soft as silk but Anastasia’s skin was too ruffled to feel anyfort from them. "Michelle wants you downstairs."


    It took a few seconds before Anastasia lifted her head and met the gaze of the girl—her lifeless blue eyes meeting the brown caramel ones that belonged to the girl.


    "What does she want?" Anastasia’s tone was so sharp, it cut through the air, making the girl shiver in fright.


    "S-she didn’t s-say," the girl managed to answer, forcing her saliva down her throat which seemed to have be a difficult task.


    Anastasia rested her back on the wall as she nced around the room. She was the only one sleeping there now since Angelina was dead.


    "Let’s go."