Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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ADRIAN’S POV
The basement was quiet. Still. The only sounds were my own breathing and the low hum of the ceiling light. I’d been sitting on the cold cement floor for over an hour, my back leaning against the wall, knees bent, head bowed.
In my hand was the only piece of peace I’d ever held on to–my mother’s photo. Her eyes stared back at me, just like they always did. Warm. Kind. Trusting. And somehow, looking into them now, I still didn’t feel the closure I thought I would.
I raised the photo and kissed it gently before sliding it back into the inner pocket of my blood–stained suit. My fingers lingered there for a moment, as if part of me didn’t want to let it go.
But it was time.
I stood slowly, my legs a little stiff from being crouched for so long. Taking a deep breath, I let the cool, metallic air of the basement fill my lungs. I was done. The justice I had craved–no, the vengeance I had planned for most of my life–was finally complete.
And yet… I didn’t feel free.
The two bodies tied to the chairs in front of me no longer moved. Lifeless. Drained. Their presence no longer screamed manipulation or cruelty. They were just… corpses now. And if I’m being honest, looking at them in death irritated me more than when they were alive.
I didn’t want to stay in the same room as them any longer.
I cleared my throat firmly–loud enough for my men upstairs to hear–and, within seconds, Dan and the rest filed in. No words were exchanged. They didn’t need instructions. We had worked together long enough for them to read me like a book. Most days, they could tell what I wanted with just a gesture, a glance, or even the tension in my shoulders.
They weren’t perfect. Sometimes they fumbled. But I didn’t have the energy to train new men, to build trust from scratch. These were my guys, shortcomings and all.
I turned toward Dan, who was already awaiting command.
“These bodies,” I began, voice low but firm, “don’t bury them. Wrap them in something tight. Then burn them. Completely. After that, take whatever is left–ash, bones, all of it–and drive deep into the Pacific. I don’t want to hear they were dropped near the docks or some shallow cove. I mean deep. Somewhere no diver, no drone, and no investigation can ever reach. Am I clear?”
Dan gave a single, sharp nod. “We understand, boss.”
Without another word, I turned and left the room, my footsteps echoing down the basement corridor. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I didn’t stop until I reached my room.
Everything felt darker today. Colder, even though the air was still.
I stripped off my suit slowly. The once–pristine black fabric was ruined–soaked with blood and sweat. It no longer felt like a badge of power or identity. It just felt… dirty. Hleft it in a heap on the floor as I walked into the bathroom and turned the shower knob.
The rush of hot water hissed against the marble walls, steam curling around me like a fog, thick and suffocating. I stepped in and let the water hit my skin, standing still as the warmth poured over me. It should’ve felt familiar, but today it felt different. Today, the heat actually made me feel alive—for a- brief second.
I looked down, watching as streaks of red trailed from my arms and shoulders into the drain. That blood wasn’t just from the Graysons. It was from years of carrying this weight. Years of pain, abandonment, and mistrust. And now it was all washing off, circling the drain like it had never existed.
I had done something important today. Something irreversible. I’d fulfilled the promise I made to my mother. And yet… I felt nothing.
No triumph,
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09:08 Mon 23 Jun -GU
Chapter 159
No satisfaction
Just… silence.
And maybe it was because no one was here to witness it. No one who mattered, anyway. Dora might be around me, waiting for me to say something. Bot she wasn’t the one I wanted.
The first stop had been a shoe store–one of the high–end ones, of course–and I’d made sure I didn’t leave without trying on at least ten different pairs. Eventually, I picked out three that not only screamed luxury but also whispered elegance. Adrian had said I should get something for myself, and i was sure he didn’t mean one thing. He said something, not something. And honestly, with the kind of mood I was in, I was going to satisfy every need I had plus a few I didn’t even know I had until I saw them in a display window.
Now here I was, in a clothing store that could give Paris Fashion Week a run for its money. The lights were so and golden, the air smelled faintly of sandalwood and expensive fabric, and the dresses… my God, the dresses. Each one looked like it had been hand–stitched by angels.
We walked deeper into the store, past mannequins in glittering gowns and racks of silks, chiffons, and satins. Each step I took felt like a scene out of a movie. I could already imagine myself in one of those dresses, making an entrance that would leave mouths hanging open.
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