"So, to escape that hellhole of a house, I decided to give Michelle exactly what she wanted. I tricked you—and you fell for it. She pulled her strings with Xander, and here I am, just like she promised. Because you see..." Avery leaned closer, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper near Anastasia’s ear. "I despise that house more than anyone. It holds memories that make me want to kill every single person there. But then again, if I did, who would I y with?"


    "And now, you think escaping is that easy?" Avery sneered, raising the crowbar high, her eyes gleaming with malice. "I’ve been stuck here longer than you, and you think I’ll just let you leave?"


    Before Avery could swing the crowbar, something hard mmed into her temple with surprising force. Her head snapped to the side, and she staggered, clutching the spot. Anastasia stood a few feet away, panting heavily, her trembling hand gripping a jagged stone.


    "You shouldn’t be here. You should rather be in a psychiatric hospital since that’s where you belong!" Anastasia’s hands clutched hard on the rock, wondering if she should go back. But she was already close to her freedom and Avery just had to interrupt.


    It hadn’t been long since she arrived at the gate and sent Julian a text, so the people he’d informed should pick her up must be on their way. Besides if she left now, no doubt Avery was going to report to Samantha about her ns. Then she would get punished mercilessly once again. Her life would be worse that it already was.


    Anastasia didn’t want any more chances. She was already there and she was going to be there until Julian’s people showed up. She just needed to defeat Avery so thetter wouldn’t scream.


    Come to think of it, Avery hadn’t yelled out to gain the attention of the henchmen. What could she be nning?


    A dark smile pulled on Avery’s lips, her hand palming her severely injured temple. The blood oozed out like an unscrewed pipe, dripping down her neck and staining her clothes.


    Then sheughed, a very horrendousugh that caused Anastasia to panic. She walked towards Avery, ready to shut her up with another attack of the stone to the head but was met with an unexpected attack instead.


    Avery moved with rming speed, closing the distance between them before Anastasia could react. With a quick swing, she struck Anastasia across the face again, the force sending her stumbling backward.


    Pain radiated through Anastasia’s cheek as her skin split open, blood oozing from the wound in a steady, unstoppable stream. She pressed a trembling hand to her face, her vision blurring from the shock and pain. Avery’s smirk widened, her eyes alight with sadistic delight.


    The next thing Anastasia knew was she was on the ground, her blood pooling on the ground as she tried to catch her breath with her mouth open since Avery had crushed her nose.


    "Now, isn’t this beautiful?" She heard Avery speak, but couldn’t quite decipher what she was saying since her ears rang like a bell was close to her. "The art I created on your face is so amazing. It looks so good on you."


    Anastasia’s vision had turned blurry, making it impossible to see Avery well anymore.


    "But I’m not satisfied yet." Avery hit Anastasia once again, eliciting a painful cry from thetter.


    Now was the time she wished any of those henchmen would see them and help her out of her current predicament.


    Tears had pooled in her eyes as she endured the pain that coursed through her body like an electric volt.


    Her bones cracked each time Avery hit her. But Anastasia didn’t want to give up yet.


    She mustered as much strength as she could, even if it was thest one before she died to hold the crowbar in midair.


    Avery was shocked to find that Anastasia still had strength before a grin pulled on her lips.


    "You want to struggle, puppet? You can’t overpower me."


    Anastasia didn’t bother to pay attention to Avery’s lips to understand what she was saying because she didn’t care.


    She pulled the crowbar towards her face, dragging Avery along with the force before kicking thetter away with her feet.


    With a swift motion, she got up from the ground, straddled Avery, and smashed her head with the crowbar as many times as possible until thetter stopped breathing.