It’s gone 2:30 a.m. and I’ve been hiding out in Adriana’s house, waiting for Ethan to arrive home. I’m guessing he’ll be high on drugs and booze, the way he normally is after a big night out. Perhaps more so after what happened recently. He told Adriana it was his firm’s Christmas ball and that she shouldn’t switch the alarm on because it was likely they’d move on to a club after and he’d therefore be back at some ungodly hour. He hadn’t said it in a friendly manner. Rather, his tone had been terse. As had hers. Hardly surprising given their heated argument yesterday. Adriana told Ethan she wanted him out by the end of the month. I delighted in watching her do this on the recording I made, standing up for herself for once. He hadn’t expected it, that much was clear from the shock on his face, once again proving his arrogance. Despite trying to make out that he was hurt. He’s a good actor, I’ll give him that.
I’m banking on him being off his face when he finally rolls in. Because if he’s not, it’ll derail my plan, and I’ll then have to think up something else. It disgusts me the way he abuses his body, and I know it riles Adriana, but as usual she’s too nice a person to say anything. Too forgiving. It’s her biggest downfall. But I’m grateful for his lack of discipline on this occasion, because it will work to my advantage.
She was distraught when he admitted to speaking to Stella next door. That stupid lush had fed him lies about Adriana. She was sorely mistaken in what she thought she’d seen all those years ago, but there was no way of Adriana convincing Ethan otherwise short of telling him everything. A complete no-no what with him being a lawyer. She pleaded with him to let it go, but then he held up what he claimed was proof that she was far from the angelic widow she made out to be. I watched her freeze on the spot, horrified that he’d been snooping around in her study. He said he’d discovered it while she’d been out at a charity event. His actions motivated by her increasingly odd behaviour, by the way she’d become defensive when he asked her about her past. The bastard knew she’d be away for some time, and it gave him ample opportunity to poke around. How he had the nerve to throw it in her face and question her about it I’ll never know. Like he was some hotshot lawyer cross-examining a poor defenceless witness in the box. Her eyes had been awash with alarm and hurt. Because it was the ultimate violation. She couldn’t tell him the truth, of course. He’d never understand, and she’d be risking her freedom. It was careless of her to document what happened. Just as it was careless to allow herself to get close to Ethan. Intimacy comes with all sorts of risks. She should have known better by now.
As I played back the recording, I watched Adriana tell him that he’d killed their friendship, broken the trust between them, and that there was nothing he could say or do to repair the damage he had caused. I don’t trust him either – I’m also cross with myself for missing the footage of him snooping around, it was slack of me – and that’s why I have no choice but to take action of a drastic nature before things spiral out of control. Seeing the way Adriana manically paced the bedroom after he left, not knowing what to do, how to silence him, made things clear for me. I realised I cannot leave things to her. Once again, I must take matters into my own hands. Her kicking him out of the house isn’t enough. He won’t stop, I know it. Ultimately, he’ll discover the truth, and when that happens he’ll go to the police and Adriana’s life will be over.
I fish out my phone, type a WhatsApp.
I nearly vomit on reading my own words back, they’re so sickly-sweet. I press send, then start creeping up the stairs, certain Ethan will waste no time in staggering up to the roof. For one, he’s trollied, and two, despite his inebriation, he’ll be keen to know what Adriana has to say about her past. At least, I hope he will be. And that I haven’t misjudged things and he’ll decide to ignore her and bugger off to bed.
I reach the roof, then hide behind the wall, waiting for him to appear. Before long he does, and my stomach fizzes with excitement just thinking about what I am about to do. I feel no regret, because he pushed me to the limit. And when that happens, I can’t be responsible for my actions. I simply do what must be done. He calls out Adriana’s name, slurring his words, stumbling all over the place. I will him to stagger over to the east-facing wall, the best place to look out and admire the view. To my delight, he does, and that’s when I get up from my crouching position, and start moving in his direction. The rooftop has garden sensor lights which automatically come on with movement. He hears my footsteps as I approach, turns around, and for a moment we lock eyes, exchange a few words. His glazed eyes are suddenly filled with alarm when I tell him who I am, and that’s when I glance to my right for a split second and make out someone on the roof next door. I can’t see a face, but there’s no doubt it’s her neighbour Stella – who else could it be? – spying on us. She spots me, although hopefully can’t make out my face, just as I cannot decipher hers. Unlike her, I’m wearing a cap, dark loose-fitting joggers and a black anorak, making it that much harder to see me. Ethan starts to say something, but I don’t give him time to finish his sentence. I spring on him with all the force I can muster. He’s too pissed to react quickly and defend himself, allowing me to push him hard at which point he stumbles back and over the edge of the wall. I stand there stock-still. Watch his body crash to the ground below.
And then I wait a few seconds, just to check for any signs of life. But there are none. My mission is complete.
I breathe a sigh of relief, then steal away, remembering to delete my WhatsApp message to Ethan from both our accounts. That way it can never be traced.
Once again, I have done what I need to do to keep her safe.