What a coincidence.


    Herman''s fling happened right here. This was the same spot where she lost her innocence all those years ago.


    Collin chimed in, "There was a woman who tried to pin responsibility on Herman, but it turned out she was in cahoots with Julie Brown. Honestly, it was my big mouth that got us into that mess..."


    Collin let out a loud belch, the smell of alcohol heavy in the air. Anastasia muttered, "Yeah, you really need to learn when to zip it."


    He was spilling secrets left and right. Anastasia hadn''t known about this incident before, and Herman hadn''t mentioned it either. But with Herman''s status, a one-night stand wasn''t exactly newsworthy. Plenty of women were eager to get into Herman''s bed. Now that she''d been recognized, Anastasia took off her mask, figuring there was no point in hiding. Seeing that Collin was truly stered, she helped him over to a couch in the lounge area and called a club attendant. "Could you bring him a cup of coffee?" Collin protested, "Anastasia, I don''t do coffee, I can still drink more. I''m not drunk."


    He barely finished his sentence before copsing onto the couch and passing out. Anastasia sighed. Leaving him here wasn''t an option. If something happened, she''d feel responsible.


    She told the attendant, "Could you keep an eye on him until he wakes up? I don''t want him causing any trouble while he''s drunk."


    The attendant nodded, "No problem."


    Collin was a regr here, treated like royalty. No one would dare neglect him. With Collin taken care of, Anastasia headed upstairs in the club. She wanted to find Trisha, the manager from back then. Trisha might have some leads. Anastasia asked around, but the club manager informed her that Trisha had left long ago. Another lead gone cold.


    Feeling defeated, Anastasia was about to leave when she heard amotion from a nearby private room. A sultry woman in a tight, strapless dress was kicked out by a man.


    The man, bald and clearly drunk, with a mean look on his face, pointed at her and spat, "You filthy whore, acting all high and mighty. You''re just selling yourself, don''t pretend otherwise."


    He threw a wad of cash at her, his voice full of anger, "Strip right here, or you''re not leaving."


    People from the room gathered to watch the spectacle, but the staff stayed back, probably used to such scenes. Here, the customer was king. Whatever they wanted, the staff had toply.


    The woman was battered and bruised, showing signs of abuse. As Anastasia moved closer, she realized the terrified woman was Daria. She had seen Daria when Melinda died and had encountered her a couple of times at the club. Daria pleaded desperately, "Joey, I''m not feeling well today. Please, let me go this time. You''re kind enough, just let me leave."


    "You''re sick, selling yourself and still saying you''re not well." Bald Joey kicked Daria again, and as if that wasn''t enough to vent his anger, he continued hitting her. Women like her were seen as less than human in the eyes of men like him. No one dared to intervene, and Joey''s friends looked on, entertained by the violence. Anastasia couldn''t watch any longer. As Joey went to kick Daria again, Anastasia stepped in, blocking his foot with a swift kick of her own. Furious, she said, "What kind of man hits a woman?"


    She had kicked with enough skill to almost cripple Joey''s leg. The onlookers were stunned by this unexpected turn of events. In this day and age, someone actually cared enough to step in?


    Joey winced in pain, rubbing his leg, his anger ring as he raised his hand to hit Anastasia. "You bitch, are you asking for trouble..."


    Just as his hand was about toe down, someone caught his arm. "Joey, you can''t hit her. She''s Herman''s wife, Anastasia. Do you have a death wish?"


    The one who stopped him was ke Ledford. ke had learned his lesson with Anastasia before. If it hadn''t been for a timely apology andpensation from the Ledford family, they''d have been finished by Herman. Joey took a good look at Anastasia''s face, and once he recognized her, his raised hand froze mid-air. His bravado disappeared, his booze-fueled courage evaporating as he sobered up quickly.