Since her arrival at the factory, Anastasia hadn’t seen Michelle anywhere. For a brief moment, she considered the possibility that Michelle might not have ess to the ce. But then again, it was Michelle—someone who always found a way to insert herself into Anastasia’s suffering.


    The more likely reason for her absence, Anastasia thought, was that Michelle was busy plotting new ways to turn her life into an even darker nightmare.


    "Me? Working with Michelle? Why would you think such a thing?" Avery questioned back but that smirk still lingered faintly on her lips.


    She certainly wasn’t denying the usation which only meant Anastasia was right. But how?


    Michelle was working with Avery—a girl who murdered girls all because of jealousy—just to harm Anastasia.


    "I’ve always thought you were dumb, but you keep proving me wrong," Avery said, stretching her arms as if winding down for the night. Her tone was casual, but her words carried a venom that made Anastasia’s stomach twist.


    "What can I say? I itch to kill someone again, and you’re my target." Avery’s lips curved into a wicked smile. "I wonder how Xander and Samantha would react when they find your lifeless body tucked neatly under a bloody nket. Would they reward me? Or just discard you and move on like nothing happened?"


    Anastasia felt a cold wave of fear grip her, but she pressed her lips tightly, refusing to let them tremble.


    "But don’t worry," Avery continued, her voice light, almost cheerful. "I don’t feel like killing you anytime soon. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow. Maybe not. Sweet dreams."


    Then Avery turned to leave as if she was done talking with Anastasia for the night.


    "Good night and sleep with one eye open," she wished as she headed back down the stairs.


    Without wasting a second, Anastasia pushed the door open, entered, and closed it shut.


    She despised the way Avery could easily brag about her kills as if she was killing animals, animals whose lives were of no value.


    Avery had long been among the people she wanted to get revenge on when she seeded in fleeing from there. But now, Anastasia promised herself to make Avery suffer along with Michelle, Samantha, and Xander included.


    She promised to make their lives a living hell for them when she escaped.


    **


    mourwood Airport was bustling with people from different sections, be it people from the departure or arrival section. The airport bustled as people tried to get to their flight before it was toote.


    Tracie took off her sses when she recognized her target, the person she’d been waiting for all day. It was Fiona, Xander’s early years admirer and the same woman whom Xavier had tried to contact after the death of Arabe. She passed through the crowds with her bodyguards right behind her.


    Tracie spat out the gum she’d been chewing into some waste bin as she followed behind Fiona.


    Immediately after deciding to be in charge of monitoring Fiona and getting some answers out of her, Tracie hacked into the airport system to find Fiona’s flight who was justing back from another country after settling some business matters.


    Tracie quickly reached out to Fiona before thetter could enter her car and zoom off.


    "Fiona!" Tracie called and Fiona stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at Tracie, a glimmer of shock passing through her eyes before they disappeared. "I would like to talk to you."


    Fiona could see that her bodyguards were about to object, so she quickly stopped them.


    "It’s alright," she said. She gave them an assuring look before she walked away with Tracie. "Tracie rk right? I’m a huge fan of your work," she started but Tracie held out her hand forward, stopping her in her tracks.


    "I want to talk to you about something that urred two decades ago." Tracie brought out a picture and showed it to Fiona. As soon as Fiona’s eyesnded on the picture, her face paled.


    Tracie immediately noticed the change in her expression and confirmed her suspicions against Fiona.


    "Judging from the look on your face, you recognize thedy in this picture."


    "What do you want from me?" Fiona questioned, immediately on guard now as she nced around to check if her bodyguards were still around or if Tracie had her men disguising themselves in the buzzing crowd.


    Fortunately, Tracie likes to work alone. She doesn’t like having Ezekiel’s men following her about all in the name of protection when she’s a trained assassin.


    "I only want to ask you a few questions regarding the death of Arabe Santos. If you want, we can talk here or go to a private restaurant. Your choice."


    "I’m not going anywhere with you," Fiona imed. "And I’m not talking to you about anything."


    Tracie chuckled lightly. "Are you the one that killed Arabe Santos and pinned the me on Xavier Wace?"