"The doctor did suggest that Anastasia should get facial reconstruction surgery. Her face was damaged by that Avery girl."


    Julian rose from the couch and approached the bed, his gaze settling on Anastasia. The bandage around her head had been reced, though blood still seeped through. Simr stains marred the wrappings on her face, arms, and legs, leaving her looking like a fragile, hibernating mummy. He couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired between her and Avery, but he chose not to dwell on it. What mattered was that she had survived—and Avery was gone.


    "He can go ahead and change her face. She needs it anyway," he responded after a few thoughts.


    "Do you n to give her back to her husband after she recovers? Currently, she’s in aatose state and we don’t know when she’ll be walking up. It would be best to contact her husband and give her to him—"


    "Xavier will kill me!" Julian blurted out, his voice sharp with panic. The remaining nurses exchanged uneasy nces before hastily excusing themselves, leaving the two men to their conversation. Julian rubbed the space between his eyebrows, exhaling in frustration. "I only helped her escape because what Xander was putting her through was beyond cruel. She wasn’t even the one who hurt him," he muttered. "Sure, what Xander did was unforgivable—killing his girlfriend back then out of jealousy—but this? None of it is her fault."


    "So then what do you n to do when she wakes up? Keep her here with you? And Emma? She’s going to ask questions."


    "I will know what to do by the time Anastasia wakes up. As for Emma, I’ve already figured that out."


    Alex sighed, his hands on his waist, already giving up on the matter. "I sure hope you do know what you’re doing." With that, he turned to leave the room


    **


    "Wait what?! Anastasia is dead?" Michelle questioned with shock evident in her expression as she found it unable to believe what spewed from Samantha’s lips. "That’s impossible!"


    "Are you saying I’m blind or something?" Samantha questioned with a re that forced Michelle to mp her lips together from saying anything that she might regretter on. "We saw her body in the forest and she was already dead. Same with Avery. They’re both dead."


    Michelle still found it hard to believe that the same Anastasia she was eager to see with a baby bump so she could mock her and step all over her was already dead. Just like that!


    Samantha had arrived at the house to clear out Anastasia’s room in preparation for the neers set to arrive from their other hideouts. Downstairs, the other girls who had lived alongside Avery and Anastasia listened closely. Though the conversation was faint, they managed to catch fragments of it, piecing together the grim reality. Tears welled in their eyes as the weight of what had happened sank in.


    They were d Avery was no more, but not Anastasia. They’d thought since she was taken to the factory, she wouldn’t experience any kind of torture anymore.


    "I just thought I should let you know," Samantha said, her toneced with mocking amusement, "since Xander was the one who brought you here to be part of her torture. But now that she’s gone, I can’t help but wonder—will he even bother keeping you around?" Her gaze rested on Michelle, whose expression was distant, as though she were lost in her own thoughts,pletely unmoved by Samantha’s taunts.


    After registering what Samantha had just said, she gulped down her saliva in fear.


    "Xander didn’t only bring me here just to torture Anastasia. I satisfy him very well in bed, better than you ever will in your lifetime."


    Michelle thought her words would hurt Samantha’s feelings but thetter surprised her by merely staring at her with a nk expression that confused her.


    "Sure, you satisfy him in bed," Samantha sneered, her voice dripping with condescension. "But it seems you’ve forgotten the real reason he brought you here—to be sold like every other girl." Her words hit Michelle like a ssh of cold water, sending a chill down her spine. Samantha smirked, watching the realization dawn on her. "Now that she’s gone, get ready to be treated just like the rest."


    With that, Samantha left the room after getting rid of everything she needed to get rid of before entering Avery’s room to continue.


    Michelle was left standing in the room as her thoughts flew over her head. Although Samantha’s words gave her a reality check, she still wondered if Anastasia was dead.


    ’She faked to be dead three years ago and hade back for revenge. Is that what’s going to happen this time around again?’ She wondered, subconsciously rubbing her chest to calm her racing heartbeat. ’Will Anastasiae back for revenge if she’s not dead?’