It was almost dinnertime in Blue Rose Villa.
Adriana was feeling great.
"Pfft-" Adriana who was still home was in her bathtub with a glass of champagne in her hand laughed out loud.
What? Today had been a fantastic one!
She couldn't get over Mrs. Brooklyn's priceless expression. It was just so hilarious.
A few hours earlier:
Mrs. Brooklyn's hands were shaking, and she had no other way to calm herself down than to dig her nails into her own skin.
"Hey! You have a visitor." Her guard told her.
He then led her to an unfamiliar room—cuffed, of course.
She now had the name of a criminal.
Rumors said her husband was doing everything in his power to get her out, but she knew better than to believe in those lies. Her husband is probably celebrating right now.
She knew this because the guards took any chance they needed to taunt her.
The only hope, the only light she has right now is who she expected to see in the room.
She smiled as soon as she entered.
That smile faded when she noticed there was no one in the room.
She took her seat and waited anxiously.
The guard left, and she looked to the door, hoping her daughter would walk into it soon.
Instead, she heard heels clicking. A very familiar-looking woman, wearing a white beading off-shoulder ruched bodycon dress and had a purse in her hands.
Her hair had beautiful curls falling on her back, and she had colored her lips in red. A beautiful red that made her plump lips stand out.
The woman was sophisticated, elegant, and beautiful. She watched the woman take a seat in front of her with a small, calm expression.
Looking at how she was dressed, Mrs. Brooklyn could hear the clothes and accessories scream 'expensive' at her.
She frowned, "Did my daughter send you? Are you my lawyer?"
"Ha! No, you got me all wrong." Adriana crossed her legs and crossed her arms, staring at Mrs. Brooklyn's eyes without saying a word.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Mrs. Brooklyn awkwardly waited for the woman to say something.
"Pfft... I'm sorry. I... It's just so funny. It's like I'm having deja vu, looking at you in handcuffs. I always dreamed of this day, so maybe that's why."
Looking at how confused she looked, Adriana's mouth turned into an 'O'.
So she didn't recognize her as Adriana Price? Hmm, this would be so interesting.
She was planning to tell her she was paying for her daughter's sin, but that would be no fun. She would have to figure it out on her own with the hints she will receive. Right now she would reveal something else instead.
In the past, Mrs. Brooklyn and Adriana had 3 encounters. This is probably why she didn't recognize her.
One was when she and Noah got married. She had short hair back then, and her face was less mature.
The second was on Briana's birthday. They didn't have any conversation and only greeted each other.
And the third... well, she would remind Mrs. Brooklyn of that third meeting right now.
"Oh, so you don't remember me?" Adriana hummed.
"Who are you?" Lina Brooklyn asked, more confused than ever.
"February 14, 10:55 P. M. valentine's day. In the back of Little Flower cafe coney island. You were caught having sexual relations with a minor by a worker. As soon as you saw the phone in her hand, you misunderstood and thought she had taken a picture of both of you."
Mrs. Brooklyn's eyes turned wide at that dark memory of hers.
"You immediately panicked and-"
"No! Stop!"
"You panicked and grabbed her by the hair. You then forced her to give you her phone but when she refused, you bashed her head against a pole and left her this scar right here." Adriana placed her elbows on the table and touched the not so noticeable scar on her forehead.
"Please stop!" Mrs. Brooklyn covered her ears and yelled.
"She threatened to report you to the police. Once again you misunderstood thinking she would expose your little affair. But she just wanted you to get in trouble for the violence against her. Once again panicking, you dragged her to a side of the beach and pushed down a dangerous space full of sharp rocks."
"You pushed her into the water and when she tried to get up you-"
"Can you stop? Please, I- I didn't mean to. I'm sorry!"
"You fucking drowned her." Adriana continued.
"Or that's what you thought, right? She met you again at her own wedding, she wanted to report you so badly but- it was your word against an orphan girl. Only an idiot would try." Adriana calmly continued to smile.
"I'm sorry…" She lowered her head, tears flooding down her cheeks and her body trembling.
It scared Lina Brooklyn. She had enough crimes on her list; she didn't need one more.
"Did you know that she still has pictures of the injuries you cost her? She still has the hospital records and…. she still has a recording of the conversation you and your lover had about how there were no cameras in the area."
"About how the body was never found…."
Adriana sighed. "How many times do I need to fake my death for you all to leave me alone? You know, after the second time I wanted to make a new life for myself, but there you came and send someone to pierce a bullet through my heart."
"Do you have any idea how angry that makes me?"
"How many fucking times should I swallow all the wrongs Brooklyn had given me?"
Before she even realized it, Adriana was already across the table, holding Mrs. Brooklyn's neck in her hand and choking her mercilessly.
Looking at the woman gasping for breath below her, Adriana didn't even flinch.
"I can't kill you…. what a pity. You still have a use for me." Letting go of her, Adriana pushed her to the ground.
Kicking the chair aside, she watched Lina Brooklyn cover herself with her arms, still trembling in fear. No words could come out of her mouth, and she was too pale and completely frozen.
Looking down at the woman in silence, Adriana's lips twitched.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She finally spoke.
"I just wanted a peaceful life and had such a simple dream. I wanted to graduate, marry with the love of my life. A career woman is what I wanted to be. Being an orphan was hard. I was constantly fucked over by people like you. God, how I hated rich people."
"Do you know why the world is so fucked up? Because of people like you. You deserve every bit of pain that's coming your way."
"Y-you can't do this. You're in a police station." The woman gathered her courage.
A roar of laughter escaped Adriana's lips.
She stepped on the woman's hand and crushed her fingers.
Her painful screams should have reached the ears of the guards, but no one came inside.
"Why do you think no one has come inside yet?" She asked.
Lina gulped.
"Isn't this what your kind does. Bribe and kill your way out of shit?"
"But don't worry…." Kneeling beside her, she grabbed her chin and lifted it.
"I'm going to exterminate every single one of you. Including your daughter of course."
'Ah, such a long speech! But did it work?' Adriana wondered inwardly... Her mood differed completely from the one she was showing on the outside.
Yes, it was all an act.
Duh.
"No. Not my daughter. Do what you want with me, but please spare my daughter! She's different!"
Adriana raised an eyebrow at that.
Sure she is.
She's way worse.
Anyway….
"I can do that…" Adriana tilted her head and shrugged.
"But…. it's going to cost you."
"What.... what do I do?"
"You admit it. All of it, except the fact that you tried to drown me, okay? Well, keep that to ourselves." For now.
"Yes! Yes!" She nodded her head furiously.
"Ay! You're so pathetic. I'm kidding, obviously."
Looking at how Lina Brooklyn's expression changed, Adriana burst out in a round of laughter.
She walked towards the other end of the room and wiped her hands with a tissue.
"How disgusting."
'That face is priceless... I wish I could frame it.' She thought to herself.
Taking deep breaths in Lina knelt, and she lowered her head. "I beg you! Please, I will do anything."
Adriana turned around and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, how truly pathetic." She uttered humorlessly.
"Fine, since you got on your knees, I'll let it slide. But I want you to admit everything to your daughter. Tell her the truth about her family about your relationship with your husband."
"I can't-"
"Oh....it's fine! The deal is over then!"
"No, I will do it! As long as she stays alive and well, I will do it!" Lina Brooklyn was sure this woman was behind it all. She couldn't take her chances.
"Nice." Adriana flashed her a charming smile and rubbed her hands with hand sanitizer.
"Sorry, you're just... dirty." She continued smiling.
"Well, Mrs. Lina Brooklyn, you got yourself a deal. Enjoy your time in prison." Adriana picked up her purse and left.
Lina heard the conversation between Adriana and the guards since the door was left open and her body trembled.
"Clean her up. Don't let her daughter see her unless she looks in a perfectly excellent condition. And... make sure she has a fun time in prison."
"Yes, boss."
The guards then walked inside and took her to a nurse where her injuries were covered up and they prepared her to meet her daughter and to confess everything she had done.
Except drowning an orphan girl outside a cafe….
That...
Adriana didn't want the fun to end too quickly. And so she had prepared another awesome speech to give on the day of Mrs. Brooklyn's trial.
She had so much worse prepared for them.
Look how much effort they put in trying to kill her!
Shouldn't she return the favor?
Leaving that room was hard for Adriana. She just wanted to strangle Mrs.Brooklyn already!
Even before she got involved with Noah they were already targeting her.
All of the pent-up anger was starting to making her impatient.
She wanted them to suffer, now!
*****
Finishing her bath, Adriana put on a bathrobe and dried her hair with a towel.
Looking at the silver gift box on her nightstand, she furrowed her eyebrows.
She was planning to give it to Aria after dinner, but that wasn't fair for James. Coming up with a better idea, she fetched her phone and bit her lip.
"The more favors I ask, the more shameless I get."
With a deep sigh, she dialed Noah's number and nervously paced around her room.
"I swear if you hang-"
[What are you going to do?]
She swallowed when his voice reached her ears.
"I need a favor." She stated in a neutral tone.
[Just one?]
She pursed her lips and hesitated before answering. "I won't ask for much."
[This is the third? Fourth favor? You repaid none of them.] He replied.
After talking with Weston, he came back to work. Initially, he was going to work from home so that he could continue his investigations at the same time.
But after hearing the huge possibility that Aria might be his, he wanted to bury his thoughts with work.
It was just so hard.
How could this woman talk to him with no guilt?
He might not know what happened in the past, but remembering the incident at school with Aria, it felt too cruel.
Still, he remained calm and patient, knowing she's protecting their daughter.
Their daughter.
Even that was hard to process.
'I just don't want to get my hopes up for nothing.'
And as if he wasn't struggling enough, she called him.
He was too patient with her, and it was becoming a problem.
"It's important."
[How important?]
"Very."
[I'll help.]
"Than-" She was about to thank him until she heard what he had to say next.
[But it depends.]
Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "On what?"
[I don't know, how do you plan to repay me? As I mentioned, this isn't the only favor you have asked from me.]
Sitting down on the bed, Adriana took a deep breath in.
"What do you want?" She asked.
[Sorry, what?]
Groaning, she rephrased her words.
"What can I help you with?" She uttered in a sweet tone.
Standing up again, she started looking for some clothes to wear.
[I'm not sure, what can you offer.]
She wanted to roll her eyes. He was definitely playing her!
After putting her underwear on, she pulled up a simple light blue dress.
"Can you please get straight to the point?"
[One call.]
"We are already on a call…."
[One call a day.]
"..." No! She's supposed to be ignoring him! If this weren't for the sake of their son, she wouldn't have even called.
Noah smirked at her silence.
[Not from you, I don't want to talk to you.] He added.
Adriana's silence was loud.
LOUD LOUD VERY EXTREMELY LOUD
[One call a day from Aria. That's all I ask, and I will forget your past debts. The payment for this favor I will collect later.]
'Businessman at his finest.' She thought.
"Deal…. and for the record, I don't want to talk to you either."
Noah pursed his lips, suppressing a laugh.
[Did you like the roses?] He asked.
"Yes, I loved them so much they went straight to the trash." Adriana smiled sarcastically and rolled her eyes.
[Hmm, what is it I can help you with?]
"There's this watch. Connects with someone's home and it serves for safety as well. I want it, but I need you to sing your name on the back of it. I know there's only 5 in stock right now and it's your latest technology but I seriously need it."
This watch was much more than what she described, but she wasn't going to get into details. She knew Noah would understand as soon as he heard her.
[The watch or my signature? You could have just asked for an autograph.] He mumbled.
"..." Does he think he's funny? All of the things she said, this is what he assumes?
"I'm going to send you an image of what I want to be engraved behind it."
She wouldn't be asking if she had the right connections to get it herself. This watch was not even on the market yet. She only knew about it because she did investigations on Noah's conglomerate and Preston Group.
[Should I ask how you know about this watch?]
She could hear the clicking of his pen from the other end of the call and she pursed her lips.
Putting the phone on speaker and down on the table, she wrote what she needed and took a picture before sending it to him.
"CAN you do it?"
[I can. I need a guarantee on your part though.]
"How the hell am I-"
"Dearest mommy! Food is ready~" Aria burst the door open with an enormous smile and her mouth covered in chocolate.
Adriana faced palmed and immediately walked up to her.
It was stupid of her not to hang up, but just looking at Aria's mouth made her pick up some wipes from her drawer and clean her up.
"Thank you, mommy."
"Aria?"
Adriana stilled.
Aria's eyes lit up. "Is it uncle Noah?" She asked.
Adriana nodded.
"Do you want to talk to him?"
"Hmmm." Aria nodded her head.
Sighing, Adriana picked up her phone. And texted him.
.....
[Don't mention your gift.]
[Why not?]
[Just do as I say.]
[Are you jealous? Did you not like yours.]
[Shut it.]
.....
She then passed Aria the phone.
Sitting on her mommy's bed, Aria removed the speaker and started talking to her uncle Noah.
The more Noah heard her say, 'uncle Noah', the worse he felt.
Will he remain an 'uncle' forever?
As she brushed her hair, Adriana's eyes would always find her way to Aria.
She was giggling and talking with a bright smile.
At some point, she watched Aria's uncontrollable laughter. It seems Noah had told her something hilarious.
A sad smile lingered on her lips.
She had to pretend that Noah had sent James a gift as well.
Even if it was her who planned it all, but anyway... she didn't want her son to feel left out.
This whole situation was driving her crazy because Aria and James don't deserve this.