Hunger gnawed at my insides, and I felt tears of desperation flood my eyes. I can’t even eat, could barely sip on water through a straw, but guess what I have in the bag next to me, food. A sudden thought hit me, and I flung the bag as far away from me as I could with what little strength I had left. If I could smell the food, then whatever was out there in these woods could too.
A new fear set in, and I dragged myself even closer to the tree as I held my breath and listened for any sound. Is that why he’d done it? Why he’d left me with a bagful of food that I couldn’t eat? What a diabolical fiend. I realized at that moment that I feared Gabe Russo more than anything that might be roaming these woods.
How had he brought me to this? He’d set me up in such a way that there was no turning back no matter what I told myself. I might have stood a chance if he were not in the picture, setting traps and snares to catch me at every turn. How had he learned all those things about me? Where had he found that Greta bitch when I couldn’t find hide nor hair of her in all these years?
Who else had helped him? The thought that all those snooty women had been waiting like vultures to pick over my carcass, that they were all now laughing at me, filled me with hate and rage. I thought of all the nice things I’d left behind, all that I’d lost in the blink of an eye. How had it come to this?
And where is Victoria while I’m out here suffering like this? I’d done it all for her, only for her to turn around and sell me out. Just wait; as soon as I get back on my feet, which I’m sure I will, I’ll take care of her. I’d done most of it for her after all. She’s the one who wanted to see Gia suffer; I’d only wanted a better life for us. A life without worry or fear of where our next meal was coming from.
I’m still young; I can always start over somewhere else. I raised my fingers to the bandages that wrapped around my head. I hadn’t even had the chance to see what that bitch Gia had done to me. Are my looks gone? I know I’d lost a few teeth, but how much damage had she really done? I couldn’t tell; I couldn’t feel anything through the bandages but pain.
My eyes started to drift closed, but I kept forcing them open with each sound. There was nowhere to hide if something did come after me, no weapon near to hand to defend myself. Just that thought alone was enough to make me wet myself, so I didn’t need my thoughts to drift to Adrienne, which they did.
I’ve never allowed myself to think about her before, so why now? It’s not like she was healthy with her whole life ahead of her when I helped her on her way to hell. I just put her out of her misery, is all. She would’ve wasted time and money trying to find a cure, selfish bitch. What’s so wrong with what I did? Anyone else would’ve done the same.
Her sickness had been like a gift. I’d been trying to find a way to get her out of the picture, anything short of murder, when that ripe plum fell into my lap. It was only after weeks of trying that I realized that her husband wasn’t the type to leave her for me. At first, I was going to seduce him, then use that as blackmail, but he never once gave me the time of day.
I was running out of options by then. The other women were already wary of me, so there was no way for me to set my sights on one of their men to work my magic, and just like an answer to a prayer, she’d fallen ill. I’d changed tact then and played the bereaved friend to the hilt, working my way closer to her. I’d even got her to distrust her friends, making sure she knew every time one of them said or did something against me.
I played the less privileged single mother who was down on her luck to the hilt because by then, I’d already peeped her game. She was one of those bleeding hearts who thought that giving back would help ease her guilt for being more privileged than most. She’s the main type of bitch I hate, those shrinking violet types who bemoan their wealth and the lifestyle it affords them, so they waste time and energy helping the less fortunate.
She didn’t know that while I sat by her bedside reading to her, running errands that she could no longer handle, that I was already spending her money and moving into her life. I wouldn’t have to get my hands dirty, which is something I’d already reserved myself to doing if it came to that. But it would be cleaner this way, easier.
I watched her dwindle away right before my eyes and knew that it was meant to be. That something or someone was making a way for me and my kid to finally have the life we deserved. Then the stupid bitch went hunting for a cure where there was supposed to be none. I didn’t have time to think of a plan. Otherwise, none of this would be happening.
If I’d been given more time, I would’ve made sure to get that nosy bitch out of the house before I did anything, but she was planning to leave for Europe in less than a day, so excited at the prospect of being cured. All I could see was my new life slipping away. I’d been working on Felix for weeks by that point, having learned that the way to his heart was by being there for his dying wife.
I’d spent countless hours taking care of her, putting in time and effort that I was sure would pay off in the end. The man who’d barely spared me a glance before was now smiling and chatting to me when he came home in the evenings, though it was always about her and what kind of day she’d had.
I didn’t mind, though, because I’d had it all planned out. By then, I’d ostracized the others in one way or another, keeping them away from the house. She was too sick to pay much attention to that, and each time they called, I made sure to get to the phone first with an excuse. I was the only one she saw, the only one she had to talk to.
I knew that given time, she would’ve asked me to take care of her child and husband when she was gone; that’s what I was aiming for. But then she hit me with the news that there was a chance she could be cured, and I saw it all drifting away again. I couldn’t go back to being the nobody I’d been, not after building those dreams in my head. I’d made a promise to my kid, one that I meant to keep.
It wasn’t that hard even, just a few more drops of the prescribed medication, so even if anyone looked, there wouldn’t be anything suspicious. No one would’ve suspected me of anything, but that bitch had to see more than she was supposed to. Now my life is being turned upside down. I know Felix, if there’s even a sliver of doubt, he’d never let me back in, not when it comes to his precious Adrienne.
We’d been man and wife longer than they had been, and still, he would never put me before her. I know, somewhere deep inside, I know that it’s over, but my mind refuses to give up. The thought of starting over again is tiring, but what can I do? I can’t just let it all end like this. I have to find a way; there must be a way to get out of this hole that Russo brat had dug for me.
GABRIEL
Moving people around like chess pieces shouldn’t be this easy, and yet it is. I almost wish I had more time to play, but Paris lingers on the horizon, and I have even bigger fish to fry. By now, Victoria should be settling into her new home, at least her home for the next little while, as long as is needed to keep her away from Gianna and give her a head start.
I have no doubt she’s smart enough to find her way back here somehow, but by the time she’s released, Gianna should be long gone from here and out of her reach. As for Becky, I have other plans for her. Ideally, she should be put away for life for the murder of Gianna’s mom, but to do that, we’d have to exhume Adrienne’s body, something I’m sure would haunt Gianna for the rest of her life. I can’t have that.