"Actually, I wanted to say something for a very long time but I couldn't. My coincidence pricked me. I owe Adriana so much. She believed in me. She still trusted that I would side by her when everyone turned against her. But what did I do Noah? What did I do? What did Chris do? Simon? Olivia? Your mother? What side did they take?"
"And you…"
"Shut up! I did side by her. I did face all the criticism and I definitely trusted her words! But what did I get? I got nothing but betrayal." Noah sent him a glare.
Angel pursed his lips and stayed silent.
Noah scoffed. "Call the hypnotists. Tell him I will be there in 30 minutes."
Angel was the one to glare at him this time. "Wow, I thought that after seeing her alive and happy you would stop trying to erase her from your memories. I can't help but be disappointed. You claim to want an explanation but in the end, you are just a coward who prefers to forget then to confront the truth."
His lip's twitched and he walked towards the door. "Betrayal? Are you really sure about that Noah? I'm no expert in love but I don't think she faked all of what you two shared." He said that and closed the door shut.
Silence covered the entire room.
*****
Noah looked down at the man kneeling before him.
"Is what you say true?"
"Y-yes she instructed me to erase every single thing about that woman in your memory. She wanted me to replace them but I don't know what. She said that once they were completely erased she would tell me what to replace them with."
"Is that so?" Noah tilted his head with his hand supporting his head on the chair he was sitting on.
His calmness highlighted his anger and disappointment.
____
A night ago:
"Where am I?" Dawson asked as soon as he regained his consciousness.
The door opened and a young woman came inside. She was wearing a beautiful but simple white sundress. She looked extremely pretty to him almost like an angel who came to save him. Especially since the darkroom suddenly lit up.
When his eyes finally focused he looked up at her with confusion.
Adriana walked towards him and crossed her arms.
"You don't recognize me?" She asked.
He frowned in confusion as she got closer to him.
Adriana nodded with a smile. "Okay, I guess you only recognize the painful scream of your victims."
She bent her knees and held her head. She screamed loudly. "STOP! PLEASE I BEG YOU STOP!" She yelled.
Tears instantly flowing down her cheeks like a flooding river.
"Did that refresh your memory?" She lifted her head as if nothing happened. As if she had not just scared his soul out of his body with the unexpected action.
He was quiet, left in stupidity.
"No? Should I try again?"
She walked towards him and stretched her hand out. "Please beg you….let me go!"
His eyes went open wide. "It's you!"
He was shocked and he instantly recognized her face!
"Oh, so did it come back to you?" Adriana wiped her tears away and grinned. "That's great! Things will be a lot easier from now on!"
"Weren't you…"
"Dead? No, I guess death itself doesn't like me." She shrugged.
"But we are not here about me anyway. We have some...other important business to discuss." Adriana smiled at him so calmly.
It made his skin crawl.
"Shall we get started?"
"Mr.Dawson….tell me more about your recent patient Noah Preston. What were Ms.Brooklyn's orders this time?"
"I-I it can't be…."
"It can. Now let's get things going, shall we? Unfortunately, I can't really touch you right now. We wouldn't want any suspicious attention drawn to me now would we?" She gave him gentle smile and handed him his phone.
"I have installed a virus in here. Basically, when HE arrives for another visit you will text me and then I'll erase all the information on your phone so no one can trace me. Got it?"
He nodded hoping that if he cooperated with her he would be free to go.
"Great! Now, just remember to spill the beans but not too much. Just enough to cause a trust crisis between them." Adriana explained to him carefully what he had to do and then she left him after a good scare.
Hmm, this should be enough for now. As long as she leaves Briana in crisis before she exits the country everything should go smoothly after that.
...
Adriana looked down at her phone and smiled when she received a message from Dawson.
"Did something good happen?" Her little princess asked. She smiled and patted her head. "Yes, everything is going great."
Indeed...things were going great maybe too great. Or maybe she's just overthinking like always.
Well, if it all does go smoothly wouldn't that be boring? Where's the fun in that?
Ha!
Ralf parked outside the meeting place they choose.
Adriana opened the door for Aria and helped her down. A strong cool breeze hit them when they came out.
Aria glanced at her mother worriedly. She managed to convince her to wear a warm jacket but she didn't know if it would be enough. Now that she thought about it more carefully, the jacket was thin and didn't seem too warm. Actually, hers was way warmer.
But what could she do? That's the warmest jacket her mother brought.
They were supposed to go to the par 1k for a walk but the weather seemed to just get colder.
Adriana sighed. She hated it when there was irregular weather in New York. It made a lot of people sick and she was one of them.
"I'm sorry, I thought it would be super sunny today. I arranged a change of plan if you guys don't mind." Kimberly apologized while she brought Aria into her arms and hugged her.
"My lovely niece." She pinched her little cheeks and kissed her forehead.
"Auntie if you keep stretching my skin like that my flesh will fall out like the woman in the movie." She complained lightly.
Highlighting the word 'flesh' to show off how her vocabulary expanded thanks to the movie she watched.
Kimberly seemed quite Impressed by it.
"Oh, so you did watch the movie without my permission."
Aria turned to her mother and smiled innocently, knowing she was caught because of her slip of tongue. "Mommy of course not! I only watched the trailer and saw how scary it was. "I would never!" She swore.
"Mhmm." Adriana crossed her arms giving her a suspicious glance.
"Your so naughty." Kimberly giggled, lifting her in the air.
"Ah, look mommy I'm flying!" Aria stretched her arms out and pretended to be a bird.
Adrian smiled.
"Okay, what is the change of plans?"
"So, there is this place like 50 minutes away. It's like an escape room but with candy on it. It's quite fun and cute for kids. I'm sure Aria will enjoy it."
"Alright, let's go." Adriana agreed and they got into the car again. Kimberly gave Ralf the address and they headed towards the place.
Adriana held back the urge to sneeze but she couldn't help it in the end.
"Mommy I will give you my jacket so you don't get sick."