Anastasia looked up at Julian, a dangerous smile ying on the corners of her lips. Her eyes filled with contempt.


    This was what he’d always been worried about. That expression of hers worried him that she might have lost control of herself.


    "You don’t have to worry about anything Julian. I’m perfectly fine, and believe me when I say I can’t wait to meet them once again."


    She gave him an assuring smile before she turned to the vanity mirror to put on some lip gloss.


    "I’ll be just fine," she repeated, tapping on her cheeks a few times as if checking to see if they’d stiffen.


    Julian could only sigh. He was one step away from putting an end to this and sending Anastasia back to the family she deserved.


    However, the fear of facing Xavier’s wrath scared the ghost out of him.


    Not long after, they left the room.


    Julian had arranged for Anastasia to have a brand-new car, ensuring they wouldn’t arrive together at the party. Sharing a vehicle would raise too many suspicions, and caution was key.


    Besides, she was going to pose as a business woman, so she needed to have her own car.


    **


    Anastasia parked her car in front of a massive building, probably the tallest building she’d ever seen in Xattlewood. It didn’t look like apany or anything at all. Instead, it looked more like a house. A beautiful tall house that nearly took her breath away with how elegant it was.


    However, Anastasia didn’t let the beautypletely blind her eyes for she knows whatever is going on or ns to go on in that building was heinous.


    Taking a deep breath, Anastasia threw her keys to the valet and walked inside.


    Both she and Julian had arrived at a different time, so she concluded he was already waiting inside for her.


    Her heart hammered against her chest. As she walked into the building, it felt as if she was walking into a pit of fire that would burn her to death. However, she reminded herself she was the fire that was going to burn them till they died. Every single one of them.


    "Your invitation card, ma’am?" The security guards at the front asked.


    Anastasia reached into her pocket and pulled out a fancy blue envelope with a white ribbon on it. The security guard flipped it open, read the name, and flipped it close. Then he opened the door for her without saying anything.


    It might seem like a harmless check-in, but only God knew how rapid Anastasia’s heart was beating. It was so loud she feared that he might hear it.


    Anastasia had assumed the event would host fifty or maybe a hundred people at most. Yet, as she scanned the crowd, the sheer number of attendees—each shing their dazzling smiles—neared two hundred, if her estimation was correct.


    She looked up at the stage where a banner was hung. This was an anniversary ceremony for an old couple.


    Anastasia had been shocked when Julian had informed her of the ceremony. Even after what all these people had done, they still had the audacity to celebrate some nonsensical wedding anniversary.


    Everyone was smiling and happy while they ruined innocent people’s lives like it was nothing. She couldn’t help but wonder how they manage to sleep at night with the number of crimes theymit every day.


    Anastasia didn’t want to think too much about it because she was going to find out anyway.


    She sighted Julian speaking with a familiar person. She recognized the figure immediately at first nce. The one man who’d killed her friend, Angelina. It was Mr. Steven.


    "You know, Samantha texted me a few days ago, telling me there was a girl that’s exactly my type. I really can’t wait to see the girl already." Mr Steven giggled like a teenage boy, happy to lose his virginity to a hot senior at school. His voice irritated Anastasia to the core.


    She swiftly grabbed a drink from a waiter like it was nothing, then closed the distance between them which was only a few feet.


    "Samantha sure knows how to lure clients into her business," she said, grabbing their attention.


    Mr. Steven turned to look at her, his grin still stretching on his lips as he acknowledged her words. "That’s why I go to her when I need some girls. She knows my type better than the others."


    ’The others?" Anastasia stiffened for half a second before her smile returned to her face.


    "Indeed."


    "If I may ask, who are you? I’ve never actually seen you before." Mr. Steven asked, sizing her up.