Maxwell’s body was extremely battered from being punched around. His face was filled with bruises and his eyes were puffed up so hard he could hardly see. Despite his pitiful state, one could see the regret on his face.


    "I thought you were the one," he managed to say.


    Two days ago, when Anastasia had been kidnapped by Mr Wace, Maxwell had been at the hideout as usual when he was suddenly attacked by Kace who knocked him out unconscious. And that was when he realized that he’d been figured out, and everything that he’d always believed had been nothing but lies.


    His cousin hadn’t died in the hands of his best friend but in the hands of the person he’d been working for.


    "I’m sorry," Maxwell apologized. "I wanted revenge, so when Xander contacted me, I saw the opportunity to make you pay for killing her, except that..." he stalled, unable toplete his sentence.


    He’d been going after the wrong person, and so had Xander.


    "I’m not surprised that you were going to betray Xavier," Kace chimed in, tearing open a pack of snacks and grabbing a handful to stuff in his mouth. "Since the disappearance of Anastasia, you’ve been doing things more on your own—but my suspicion only got worse when you suddenly popped out of nowhere after that trade where Tracie found Anastasia."


    Kace leaned on the chair he was sitting on and continued, "Not shocked but rather disappointed."


    "You saw how worried I was about finding Anastasia," Xavier added.


    He suddenly became confused—confused about how he should handle the situation. Kill Maxwell or let him live.


    "What Maxwell did was all my fault. I was the one who convinced him to work with me," Xander interrupted, feeling his own shared pang of guilt.


    Xavier simply decided to leave, but Xander trailed right behind him.


    "About what I asked you to do..."


    "I’ve started taking care of it. Once the construction is over in Regalith, the women will be moving there," Xander replied.


    Two days ago, Xavier had demanded Xander destroy every single hideout he had, including his factory.


    However, it wasn’t easy to get that done within two days, so Xander had to wait for the construction in Regalith to bepleted. As requested by Xavier, he wanted the ce to be burnt down to ashes and nothing should be left untouched.


    Xander didn’t think twice before agreeing, not because he was scared of his life since Xavier could kill him if he wanted to, but because he was disgusted he ever started such a thing. He’d been young when Bruce had enrolled him into military training then when he got older, he told him about his <i>family </i>business since Mr Wace had a hand in starting up the human trafficking ring.


    Now he felt utterly disgusted for killing women daily.


    "I know you haven’t forgiven me—"


    "I’m d you do, so don’t expect any forgiveness. What you did to my wife was unforgivable." Xavier paused for a second. "You had her raped!" His jaws clenched as he resisted the temptation to break Xander’s jaws once again. "She might bring herself to forgive youter in the future, but I certainly won’t," he promised.


    Before Xander could say anything else, Xavier cuts him off once again, "The list of men that gang raped her, I want you to bring them to me. They may be politicians, soldiers, or even presidents, I don’t care how you will get them, but I want you to bring them to me. Anastasia has stained her hands with so much blood while I wasn’t around, but not anymore. I’ll take care of things from now on."


    Xander sighed as he nodded his head in understanding.


    "I’ll find them," he responded. He also made a mental note to get rid of his other business partners and expose every other president who had been into what he did, or those who supported him.


    Bruce’spany in mourwood was going bankrupt soon because the man only spent time in the club drinking and plotting with Mr. Wace, and Xander made no attempt to save it.


    Xander turned to leave, but Xavier stopped him. "Mother wants to invite you for dinner tonight."


    Xander’s heart instantly warmed up. Despite everything, his mother still cared for him.


    "I’ll be there," he replied, a faint smile on his lips. He was happy because there was another chance he might get to spend time with Xavier, and Kace most especially because he could feel thetter seething in rage whenever he made eye contact with him, but Kace never said anything yet.