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Author's Note: I wrote this chapter to get over my writer's block. It is not edited in any way. Sorry for the mistakes. But please feel free to point them out.

Sleep was supposed to be peaceful and calming. A way for the body to get its much-needed rest. Regretfully for Adeline, that was not the case.

After Daniel left her in the living room alone, she quickly resorted to hiding in their unused guest room. A room she knew no one used or came by often. The guest room was in the back of the staircase, often forgotten as a part of the house.

For a short while, Adeline did wonder if she had hidden in the guest room. Then maybe she could have saved her daughter, but as soon as the thought came, she shook it off. She did not want to think about anything, and that included the incidents that took place prior.

That was another reason she chose the guest room. She had no recollection of those men coming to that side, or her having any encounters there. There were not many memories in that room and those things made her feel safe.

She thought she felt safe until she closed her eyes, and it was all back to how it was. But right now, as she sat on the bed, staring at the wall, she realised that she was not feeling anything.

Adeline sighed, not feeling anything felt a lot better than the emotions she had been feeling. Before she could ponder more, a continuous vibration travelled throughout her chest, making her sit up straighter, startled.

She looked around frantically as the vibration continued, and suddenly her hand flew to her chest as she remembered the burner phone Adrian had given her. He had told her to keep it hidden, and the cup of her bra seemed like the safest option.

'Guess I was right.' As she pulled the phone out, she thought to herself.

Accepting the call, she tiredly answered, "Yes?"

"Ah, my favourite murderer! How are you?"

Adeline thought she was numb, but one line from Adrian cleared her delusion within a few seconds. She was far from numb if a few words from a stranger invoked the most blood-boiling rag she had felt.

"I never shot my daughter. Adrian, please tell me, did you-"

"No, but I made my men place the gun there." Adeline's eyes grew wide at the nonchalant tone of Adrian, her heart beating frantically against her chest.

"What?" Adeline could only whisper as she spoke the words.

"Mhm, I kept that note, too. You should be concerned about how your husband could not recognise your handwriting, or cross-check it. Emotions really do dilute all the senses."

Adeline heard the words, but she felt unable to respond or feel. She did not know how to react. What could she say?

What could she do?

Adeline's face slowly started to change colours as Adrian's words kept playing in her mind. She knew Daniel had done something to anger these people, Adrian included, but what could he have done to make someone act so vile?

"I will tell you what he has done after you finish doing your work."

Adeline scowled, her cheeks getting redder as blood rushed through them, anger shimmering in her veins.

"I am tired."

Irrespective of Adeline's anger, all weakened as she felt herself sag against the bed frame. Her breathing slowed as she rested her head against the wall, her eyes mindlessly watching the duvet covering her lower body.

For a moment, Adeline thought that Adrian had cut the call as he spoke no words for a long time, but when she heard his voice next, she felt her heart clench with an unfamiliar emotion for him.

"I know that feeling, Lina. I have known it for a long time now."

Adeline did not recognise the voice in which Adrian spoke, but if she had to put a word for it, it would be sad.

"Then why are you making me do this?" Adeline's voice wavered as she spoke. Before Adrian could reply, she continued, "Where is my fault in everything, Adrian?"

Adrian sighed, and Adeline's heart squeezed in anticipation. "Your caught in the crossfire, Lina. I wish it did not come to this, but my thirst for revenge overpowers everything else."

Adeline hummed, and timidly she pulled her legs close to her, curling herself into a small shell. "At least you are self aware."

A throaty laugh came from the other side of the phone, and Adeline stopped breathing for a few seconds. That laugh...that laugh was familiar. Her fingers, which were squeezing the small phone, relaxed a little, and Adeline had a small smile on her lips.

"I know what I am doing, Lina. I assure you, you'll be free after this."

"But at what cost, Adrian?" Adeline mumbled slowly, as she traced the pattern which was over the duvet.

"Your relationship with Daniel."

Adeline tilted her head to the other side and pulled her legs closer to her chest, wanting to feel the comfort of her own presence.

"You are terrible."

Adeline heard another throaty laugh, but this one felt deeper than the last one.

"I know," Adrian sighed and continued, "Do what you need to, and then take your time to grieve. See you on the flip side, Lina."

Adeline's lip parted as she heard the last words, 'See you on the flip side, Lina'. She remembered those words from the past. But she did not let the memories of the past resurface. She wanted to be free, and she wanted to rest. With that in mind, she put the phone back inside her bra and got up from the bed.

Her movements were albeit slow and shaky, but after taking thirty controlled breaths, she readied herself and checked the camera that was inside the locket she was wearing.

Adrian had installed the camera inside the heart-shaped locket she always wore. It used to hold the pictures of her parents at one side, and the picture of Daniel, Natalie and her, together. But now it held a big black dot.

Adeline was supposed to click the small button that was on top of the locket and according to Adrian, it would start taking pictures and send the hard copy directly to Adrian's technician who had made this device.

Adeline wanted to know about the engineering behind this, but Adrian had kindly told her to fuck off.

Sighing once again, she trudged out of the room, her feet light over the marbled tiles. Usually, she would look around and take in her surroundings, but right now, she just wanted to get this over with.

It was not until she heard the low voices of Daniel and another man that she realised she had reached Daniel's office door. Adeline softly crept up and laid the left side of her face against the wonder door, her ears pressed against it, as she tried to hear what they were talking about.

"She is not telling the truth," Daniel sighed, and Adeline's eyes blurred. She slowly breathed out through her nose and kept on hearing the conversation.

"How can you say that, man? It's Adeline!" Another voice spoke, and it killed Adeline, but she could not place a face on that voice.

"It's because I know her, Cam."

"But-but she was attacked too!"

"I know she was attacked, and I know she did not have a choice.... I know that, and maybe if she would have told me the truth, the actual truth, it would have been fine, somehow. But she's hiding something. I can see it in her eyes, her body language. And...I don't know what to do." The last part came out as a broken whisper from Daniel and Adeline bit her lips to stop the sob that was threatening to break out.

She slowly pulled back from the door, as the exchange of words kept happening on the other side of the door. Her heart hurt, it hurt so badly, and the real reason it hurt was that she knew he was right.

God, she knew her Daniel. Her partner.

It hurt because she knew he was right.

She slowly backed away from the conversation and went to the kitchen, but stopped as she looked at the living room where everything had happened.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, her lungs expanding to take in the onslaught of air. She let go of the air that she was holding.

'This is the only way.'

She kept repeating that to herself and made her way to the kitchen and sat on the stool. She had to wait for the men to leave the study...she wanted this to be over.

__

She had no idea how long she lay there, but when her eyes opened, the outside was dark. She looked around and sat up straight, trying to hear any sound or voice from the house, but when she could not hear any, she quickly sat up from the chair she was sitting in.

She rushed towards the study, her breath caught in her throat, praying that she was alone in the house. When she walked closer to the study, she tried to walk slower, afraid that if anyone was around, they would hear her.

But for once, luck was in her favour, and no one was around.

Adeline slowly pushed the door, only to be met with resistance. A quiet grunt left her lips, and a wave of frustration washed over her.

For a moment, a part of her wanted to scream, throw her fists at the door, and kick the door open. But as soon as the thought passed through her mind, she shook her head at how ridiculous it was. Her 5'5 stature could never break down a door, and such a strong one at that.

'Maybe if I had hidden here, they could not...'

Adeline shook her head again. No, she could not go there. Daniel always kept his study locked, and that day was no different.

She quickly scanned her surroundings and attempted to find a solution to open the door, but all she encountered was silence and grey walls.

'Were the colors of the wall always grey?'

She thought to herself and frowned. She had no idea why such bizarre thoughts were creeping into her mind, but she pushed them all away.

Her eyes suddenly widened as she remembered the hairpin that was in her hair. She took the pin out of her hair and furrowed her eyebrows. The last time she had picked the lock was when she was sixteen. It was years back, but it would not hurt to try.

She kneeled in front of the keyhole and manipulated the pin, bending it into a makeshift lock pick. Placing the hairpin into the keyhole, she began to work the pins inside the lock.

Adeline bit her lips as she slowed down her breathing. Her eyes strained at the small hole in which she was twisting the hairpin, leaning closer and listening to each sound that came from her movements. The muscles in her shoulders were in a tight knot as she held onto her breath, scared that if she let out a sound, someone would hear her.

The feeling was silly, but she could not help herself. Her skin felt hot, as sweat started to gather on her hairline, but the sound of a distinct click made her jump from her seated position.

A laugh bubbled inside her throat as she saw the door open a little. Her heart pounded against her chest as blood rushed from her shoulders to the tip of her fingers. A triumphant gleam in her eyes.

"Fuck, that felt good," she whispered to herself, as another laugh bubbled from her throat. Without wasting another moment, she pushed the door open and went inside.

She had been married to Daniel for five years and this was the first time she had entered his office. Daniel was a simple and kind man, irrespective of whatever side Adrian had painted of him. Daniel knew how to respect boundaries and never hesitated to let people know which were his boundaries, and one should respect those, no matter what.

Adeline had never had any issues respecting his space, his boundary. So, when Adeline stumbled inside Daniel's office, she wanted to turn back and run away. Files, pictures, sticky notes, markers, and two huge whiteboards filled the entire place. Slowly, she walked towards the whiteboard. Pictures were pasted all over them, and she squinted her eyes and moved closer. There were names underneath those pictures, but one particular name caught her eye.

Coterie

She glanced back at the picture and saw an attractive woman who was striding inside a big building. At least six men were surrounding her, and Adeline assumed this was the leader of the Coterie.

'So many guards, yet people took a picture of her.'

Her eyes went over the board and she saw several pictures of her, in different places, meeting with different men, but none of the pictures held a clear face of this woman. Adeline wanted to go and check on the other board when a vibration over her body made her jump back.

Quickly she took out the burner phone that was vibrating and took the call, muttering an irritated, 'Hello'.

"My men can't monitor the fucking house and cameras all day, Adeline. Take the pictures and send them, now."

Adeline shivered as she heard Adrian's deep voice. She had never heard him speak to her in that voice, and it scared her.

"Y-yes."

Not long did she whisper the words out Adrian had cut the call, and Adeline wanted to throw an obscene finger gesture at the cameras that were placed all around the room. But she knew if she did that, the chances of Adrian cutting her finger off were at a hundred per cent.

Without delaying further, she looked over the desk that was placed in the centre of the room. Adrian had told her the file name should be "C#*S8"

She found the file, buried under a few other folders, and started taking picture after picture, using the camera Adrian had given her.

Adeline promptly ignored the horrific images which were there in the file, knowing that if she started reading the contents of the file, she would be stuck there forever.

In a few minutes, she had taken all the pictures and rushed out of the study as the front door opened.

Adeline stopped in her tracks, her lips parting in fear. Guilt? Relief? She did not know.

However, as Noah strolled inside the living room, Adeline's heart fell. For a moment she had wished it was Daniel, that if she were to be caught by him, then maybe there was a chance...

"Cheer up, Del! I am just gonna lock the door and be out of your hair."

"What did you just call me?" Adeline spluttered out, shock covering her features.

"Del. I like the sound of it. Now, shoo." Noah waved his hand towards the room she was in and walked past her. Adeline scowled at his retreating and walked inside her room.

She closed the door and slowly made her way to the bed.

The moment she sat down, a tear slipped from her eye and ran down her cheek. She leaned back against the headboard as more tears came down her cheek.

But no sound came past her lips.