It's always too late

After making sure the little bitch was dead, Briana made it look like an attempt at sexual assault. As much as she would have wanted to give her a slow, painful and ugly death, Briana couldn't be so gutsy.

It wouldn't be good for a dead body to be discovered in such a state, the investigations would be too deep. According to statistics, most sexual assault and r@pe were caused by men. And so she had made sure everything pointed to a large, powerful man trying to assault and take advantage of Olivia. How could they suspect a small and harmless woman like her right?

Besides, Oliva was her best friend…. was.

After cleaning herself up, Briana left the crime scene, which thankfully had no cameras, and the next camera that could spot her was blocked away.

She had prepared very well for this. She had made sure before time no one would catch. Is not the first time.

Was this her best kill? No. But it did not mean she would let herself get caught.

"This is for my greater good." She had told Olivia's body before she had wiped her hands clean and headed on as if nothing had happened.

Olivia's body was safely stashed in the garbage bin. They might not find it till 2 days when it's time for people to empty the trash bin. But that depended, she didn't care to be honest. If indeed she was put under suspicion, she had other ways to handle this.

For example…. Jacob, oh Jacob.

Why would she sleep with some random guy that she was attracted to? No, Briana was careful and calculative with her every move. Their relationship was a backup plan, but it fulfilled her physical needs.

It wasn't bad at all.

She took a shower and hoped the stench of blood would leave her. She showered herself in delicious fruity lotions and soap.

When she was done, she walked back into the room with a half-opened bathrobe. Hopping on the bed beside Jacob, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You're back." He whispered.

"Hmm, I had an endless talk with people from the company. They're so annoying, I'm already tired of even thinking about them."

"At this hour still? God, you need to rest Brie."

"So do you, Mr. Detective. You have lots of cases to solve, don't you?" She chuckled.

Inwardly cringing at herself. This was not her at all. This act, the act at the company, the act with Noah...

It was always so....exhausting.

"You're being awfully affectionate today." He commented, closing his eyes, and appreciating the circles she drew on his knuckles.

Briana tangled their feet together and closed her eyes.

"Well…. you're awfully delicious today so-" Cringe.

He turned around and captured her lips instantly.

Yuck.

"Ugh, no more. I'm still tired from the previous rounds and I have work early tomorrow…"

'You're not the one I want.'

She knew that from the beginning. She knew every man she invited to her bed was not the one. She knew it very damn well. But this one thing she badly wanted, she couldn't have.

Why is it so difficult with Noah Preston?

"Just cuddles then?" Jacob asked.

She hummed and accepted his embrace, not completely displeased by his company at least.

Sleep was peaceful. There was no reason for her to be disturbed tonight. She had just taken care of an immense headache. An annoying insect. What she felt was relief.

She was gone. Olivia was gone forever.

And soon enough she would do the same with the wench who had survived the past two attempts she did at killing her.

Now she just had to think about how she would do the things Olivia had reported to Adriana. Who knows how much she told! Briana was certainly going to take care of that soon.

'You're really such a cockroach, Adriana Price.' She thought to herself as she fell into a deep slumber.

___

Olivia's body did not take long to be found.

The area is known for being a common place where women are taken advantage of. Except, this was the first time a victim was actually killed. Investigations searched for the murderer from then on.

As soon as her corpse was identified, the news was sent to her loved ones.

She had been missing, but nobody thought of anything more than that since Olivia was a lone wolf. She would disappear often.

The only person who had actually concerned herself over the 'missing' situation was Adriana. After all, Olivia had not reported her with any additional information. This was all too suspicious. And so Adriana's task to find her had started with her men tracing down her steps to the bar that day, where she was found dead.

Inside Adriana's office, there was not a sound to be heard.

Ralf could swear his breathing stopped. There was nothing else to be said. It was all silent. Too silent. It was haunting and suffocating, but he didn't dare voice out his thoughts or concerns.

"Repeat everything."

And so he did,

"Miss Olivia left the cafe early in the afternoon. She headed to her apartment and spent the afternoon there until late at night. She took her motorcycle to the bar. The bartender says she had drunk little despite having been there for almost 4 hours. This was recorded as unusual since Miss Olivia tends to leave the bar drunk every time. The security cameras saw her leave through the backdoor and that's where the footage ends."

That was the fifth time he repeated his report. And the fifth try Adriana had taken to find clues. Anything helpful.

"No cameras or witnesses regarding what happened in the alley?"

"No. None at all." Ralf replied to Adriana's question with full certainty.

"Is there a way for me to dismiss the detective in charge?"

"Would you like to continue investigating yourself?" Ralf asked.

"Correct. So, is there a way?"

"No Ma'am. You specialize in another area, yet because of your badge, they allowed you to be updated first amongst everyone else. Your influence only goes so far."

Adriana cursed.

She took a deep breath in and tossed her head back, rubbing the space between her eyebrows.

"This was no sexual assault. The killer went there and knew exactly what he/she wanted. They were careful with the security cameras, too careful. On the way and on the way back." She said, more to herself.

"Contact them." She said, referring to the police.

"I'm going to visit and examine the corpse. I will also take part in the investigation, not…. lead it but be involved in it."

"I can try." Ralf's words cut deep.

It was still not enough.

'Your influence only goes so far.'

Not enough.

Aside from protection, she should have also asked for the ability to take cases for herself. But she doubted they would give her a regular civilian murder case, the ones they assigned to her were bigger. Involving organizations. Such a small thing would not be deemed necessary in her hands.

Adriana squared her jaw and nodded.

"Ma'am, there's an upcoming fashion show. We cannot let you leave for New York, at least not yet."

"We're rescheduling it then. Speed up the process. I can't stay here forever, not when there's so much happening over there."

Ralf waited, knowing she was struggling to find the words. Struggling to keep her head in the game, after the shock she had just received. Her composure was simply admirable despite the struggle.

"The kids... the birthday dinner," Adriana said to herself.

Olivia was supposed to come. Once she completed her task, she...was supposed to come.

They were supposed to celebrate, sit down and have a light dinner.

The kids didn't want birthday parties with a bunch of kids. They did two things every year and two things only: cut a cake with their school friends, and have dinner here with their 'aunts' and 'uncles'.

How would she break the news to them?

How would she recover from this blow?

It was very easy to have those questions at a moment like this. But it was even harder to navigate through grief.

Adriana didn't even know if she COULD mourn.

"About the funeral, what have they said?"

"It won't be in New York. They are burying her in England. She had spoken about where she wanted to be buried with a loved one. They have followed her will."

"Send a message, I'll be covering all the costs."

"All the costs have been covered."

"Who?" Was her only question.

She was barely even listening.

"Noah Preston." Was his response.

Adriana only nodded and dismissed him.

She didn't know how long it took her to stand from her chair and walk towards her locked minibar. She then poured herself more wine than usual.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath in.

She didn't cry; she doubted it would come to that point.

Olivia was a lot of things to Adriana.

Quite a lot.

It was a complicated matter. She had been betrayed by her; she had been befriended by her, and once Olivia had been family. Adriana was loyal to her family. Adriana never had a family of her own, and when she and the others came along, she had treasured it deeply.

And she was broken when that family did not treasure her back.

She was devastated. This is why she couldn't find the right emotions, the right thoughts for Olivia.

But what hurt her deeply? What really tugged at her heartstrings was the fact that she had welcomed Olivia back into her life. She had spared a seat for her in her new family. She had let Olivia buy her kids' presents. She had invited her on family outings. Whether or not she liked it, Adriana had unknowingly forgiven her and given her a new spot in her heart.

Forgiveness was no easy word for her. Adriana had lost a sense of it and what it meant.

But now that it was too late, she had realized it.

"It's always after they're dead." She whispered.

"It's always when it's too late."

Adriana gulped down her drink to the last drop and opened her eyes.

She then shoved all those complicated feelings deep down. As deep as she could push.

___

A/N: I think I can relate a little too much with Adriana about shoving things deep inside and pretending you're fine. What about you?