Thest time they met was the day Anastasia was pronounced dead on social media. They’d been trying to meet less because of the chances of being figured out by anyone.


    Bruce gulped down his alcohol in one shot, not exactly shocking Mr. Wace but thetter still looked at him with a weird expression.


    "You’re already in your sixties. You should learn to take less alcohol so you won’t die before your time," said Mr. Wace.


    Bruce chuckled under his breath. "Even if I take hundreds of these, I would still be unaffected by the consequences."


    Mr Wace could only hum.


    "By the way, why did you tell me to get here? Any new information?" He asked.


    "There’s thisdy, Jennifer Reyez, that Xander met at the anniversary of someone. She’s someone good with connections and would be helping us expand the baby factory business in Regalith," Bruce informed.


    Mr. Wace’s eyes widened in shock.


    "Regalith? Are you nning on having yourself beheaded? That city is too clean to be tainted with such an idea."


    Bruce went on to inform Mr Wace of the information <i>Jennifer </i>had provided on the day of their meeting and Mr Wace was shocked.


    "So, she’s someone that knows her way with connections then?" Mr Wace thought out loud. "To think that son of mine didn’t even inform me about this."


    "You know how your rtionship with him is so you shouldn’t be surprised. Besides, Anastasia is dead, so there’s no business between the both of you anymore. He has no reason to see you or talk to you anymore."


    Mr Wace couldn’t help but sigh.


    "I’ve been trying to get Xavier married, or at least, forget that woman but he wouldn’t yield. I’m getting too old for this and I need a grandchild. Doesn’t Xander have someone he’s talking to?" He asked.


    Bruce’s expression instantly turned sour for a second, recalling Xander’s and Samantha’s closeness. It may have all been in the past, but he could see they had that lingering tension between them, and thest thing he needed was for Xander to be intimate with Samantha in any sort of way.


    Xander had rejected Samantha’s love in the past and that was probably the best thing he’d wished for toe to pass. Xander may not be his flesh and blood, but he treasured him more than Samantha. The girl has been nothing but a bad omen to him, bringing him nothing but bad luck since the day she’d been born.


    "No one," Bruce replied. "Xander has no one and from the looks of things, he’s not going to have any love life anytime soon. He has buried his head at work and he’s never finding anyone soon."


    "Well, he’d better. He’s almost forty and needs to provide me with a grandchild," said Mr. Wace.


    Bruce simply gave him a look but didn’t say anything else.


    **


    <i>On the outskirts of Farmville</i>


    "Are you sure it’s alright for you to be here? Aren’t they going to be wondering where you are?" Anastasia asked Tracie as they took a walk around the house.


    The sun shone warmly, casting a golden glow over the surroundings, while a gentle breeze danced across their skin. The leaves rustled softly in the trees before drifting gracefully to the ground.


    It was a peaceful noon, the quietness broken only by soft murmurs. Half of the girls were napping, while the others yed games or engaged in quiet conversations.


    Seeing them recalled her time back at the sex ve house when she still had Angeline and Elizabeth by her side.


    "Not really, I told them I was going to mourwood to check up on what Fiona had been up to these past few days," Tracie replied.


    She had already informed Anastasia about the woman—the sole witness to what had happened to Xander’s high school ex-girlfriend, Arabe.


    "mourwood isn’t far from here anyway," she added.


    Anastasia nodded in understanding.


    This was their third time meeting, and she couldn’t help but be d she had someone by her side now. She wasn’t as lonely as she’d been the past few months.


    "I’m considering working with Xavier," she finally said and Tracie stopped in her tracks, believing she hadn’t heard that right.


    "Wait what?"


    "He needs to stop Xander; we both do. But we can’t just storm in and destroy everything he’s built. If we do, we’ll be putting the girls’ lives in danger and leaving them with nothing. That’s why I came up with an idea," she exined, her tone firm. "I’m trying to convince Xander to pay them. So, when it’s all over, they’ll have something to rebuild their lives."