Too Much To Hide || EDITING

c.12

     The blunt statement takes me by utter shock.

      "What?" I whisper, completely bemused. He doesn't say a word back, just stares up at the intricate plaster carvings on top.

      I clear my throat to get his attention, but also to stop the rush of panic rising in my chest. "How do you know?" 

      Finally, he meets my gaze. He looks annoyed, pissed even—as if an important plan has been ruined. Not as if his wife has been killed in some way. But then again, I'm mindful to the fact that he didn't actually love her. 

      "My team has been searching for her for months. Since you found James yesterday, they've gotten a lot more leads and—" he sucks in a sharp breath, "they found her body near a brothel in an abandoned neighborhood."

      This new information is very hard to digest. I swallow thickly, imagining the sight of her beautiful ocean eyes, wide open and lifeless; her red hair dirty and matted on the wet ground.

      "We got an autopsy done and it confirmed that it's her," A twinge of disappointment hints in his voice. "It's hard not to recognize her hair anyway."

      "I'm sorry," I say at a loss for words. Honestly speaking, I don't know what else I can say. James only has his dad now and Adrian...

      A furious grimace forms on his face as he growls and forcefully lands a loud punch on his desk. I jump from the outburst, eyes widening at his violent nature.

      "What the fuck am I supposed to do now? James... he..." 

      He turns around and leans against the wood, burying his face in his hands. I am overwhelmed by the sadness and pity I feel for Adrian right now. Not to mention his motherless son. My heart clenches at that reality.

      I slowly travel along the edge of the desk and end up next to Adrian, wrapping a gentle hand around his wrist and bringing his bruised knuckles forward.

      "Hurting yourself more isn't going to fix this," I tell him quietly and inspect the growing red blood-spots appearing under his pale skin. Fully aware of his burning gaze, I stroke my thumb over them and squeeze his shoulder with my other hand.

      When I look up, I see the distress flashing before his blue eyes. Something that wants him to fix all the wrongs, something that wants him to make everything right but for once... he's at a dead end.

      I sigh, keeping my hold on his hand. "Maybe you can ask a relative to help look after James—"

      He perks up at my suggestion. "Why not you?"

      My eyes widen.

      "You can't be serious, Adrian," I let go and step back, slightly surprised by his proposition. 

      "You think I'm not?" His frown reappears, his earlier wistfulness dissolving, "You really think I'm fucking around right now, Elizabeth?"

      The hostility in his voice makes me shudder but I push past the anxiety and shake my head. "I didn't mean it like that,"

      "I need to think about James' well-being. He's way too young and he needs his mom. But the selfish woman went and ran off, resulting in these turn of events," He groans and turns away from me again, frustrated. 

      "And you think I can look after him? Adrian, think practically. How can I do that?" I ask indignantly.

      "How you've been doing it since last night!" He rages.