Her Final Act
Adrianna sat in the same chair, but this time, there was something different about her. The harsh lights overhead revealed a woman no longer disheveled and defeated. Her hair was styled, her face was cleaned, and makeup covered the bruises and tears. To anyone, she might have looked like the Adrianna Jackson they all knew and adored.
But to those in the room, she was a puppet—a woman bound, not by ropes but by her own sins.
Serena stood in front of her, holding Adrianna’s phone high so that the camera would capture everything—everything that would soon unravel in front of millions of her fans.
Alessandro stood beside Serena, a gun in his hand, pointed straight at Adrianna. He smiled darkly, a glint of something cruel in his eyes.
"Just like we rehearsed, okay?" he said, his voice low and cold.
Adrianna nodded, her shoulders trembling slightly under the weight of what was coming. She didn’t speak. She couldn’t. The weight of everything was pressing in on her chest, and all she could do was hold her breath.
Alessandro’s gaze never wavered as he gave Serena a subtle nod. The signal was clear. Serena pressed the record button on the phone.
Adrianna inhaled deeply, eyes flickering toward the camera, and then she spoke.
Her voice was shaky at first, but it gained strength as she continued.
“Hey… everyone... It’s me. I'm making this video right now cause there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now. I–I just didn't have the courage to do it up until now.”
She paused. Her breath was hitching, and she wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to steady herself.
“I... I’ve been struggling. Mentally. Emotionally. For the past few months, it’s been eating at me. I’ve been…” Her voice cracked and she broke into a sob, gasping for air as tears streamed down her face. “I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. My conscience... my conscience is killing me.”
The camera caught her in raw vulnerability.
Adrianna closed her eyes briefly, wiping the tears away. “I can’t keep hiding it anymore. It’s been eating away at me for way too long.”
The room was eerily quiet except for the sound of her sobs, each one jagged and loud as she continued.
“Eight years ago, when Aaron and I started dating, everything changed. I wasn’t doing well at the time. That was my Diamond Heart Era and my career was falling apart. I was desperate. I needed help. Aaron told me about a group—a club of powerful, influential people who could help me. But…” She paused, shaking her head. “But there was a price.”
Adrianna’s voice shook. “The Gilded Veil. That’s the name of the club. It’s... a powerful, dangerous group of people. I was too desperate to care about what came with it.” She sobbed again, pausing to catch her breath. “I didn’t want to believe what he said, but I went along with it. And I... I joined.”
She wiped her eyes again, her voice faltering. “And that was when everything went downhill. The Gilded Veil. They... they’re involved in things. Bad things. Human trafficking. Sex trafficking. Organ harvesting... They host private sex parties. And they... they force children into these rings. I... I'm part of that world. I didn’t want to believe it but I saw it. I was in it. And now... I’m paying the price.”
Her breath hitched as she looked into the camera, directly into the eyes of the people watching her.
“The Gilded Veil was supplied by La Rosa Nera, an Italian mafia. I—I didn’t know how deep I was in. How evil this all was. But I couldn’t get out. I couldn't... escape. I can't keep this secret anymore. I'm sure you've all heard about Maxwell Chen and the death of his family. M–maxwell and his wife were members of The Veil too."
Adrianna broke down completely, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I’m a fucking monster. I made all of you love and adore a fucking monster and I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”
She gasped, crying harder now. “I—I knocked Aaron out and dragged him here to an abandoned apartment... on 57th and Main Street. We—we’re going to pay for everything we’ve done."
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "And I want to apologize... to my fans, to everyone who ever loved me... I don’t deserve any of the things you've given me."
She wiped her face with the back of her hand, her eyes red and raw. “Goodbye.”
The recording stopped.
Adrianna slumped in her chair, completely broken. Her body shook with sobs. “Please… Please... I’ve done it. I’ve said what you wanted me to say. Just let me go.”
But there was no mercy in the room.
Adriano motioned to his men standing near the door, and they left the room for a moment. When they returned, they had Aaron with them.
They tossed him at Adrianna’s feet, the sight of his bruised and battered face another cruel reminder of the hell they had to pay.
Adrianna cried out, begging and pleading with them but her cries were cut off when more men entered the room, carrying heavy containers.
Fuel.
They opened the gallons with a sickening slosh and the liquid poured out, splashing over Adrianna’s body and Aaron’s.
“Wait... wait, stop! What are you doing?! What’s going on?!” Adrianna screamed. “I did what you wanted! You promised you’d let me go!”
Aaron was crying too, begging, his voice barely a whisper. “Please... don’t do this. Please. I’ve told you everything. Please let us go.”
But the men just kept pouring the fuel, drenching them both.
Adrianna’s eyes grew wild with terror. “NO! STOP! PLEASE!”
Diamond stood in the back, her expression cold. Her eyes were filled with tears but she didn’t feel pity for them. They deserved it. But the past few days, the emotions that came with everything and seeing Adrianna in this position, the idol she looked up to as a little girl—it was too much to bear.
More men brought in more containers. The smell of gasoline filled the room. The air grew heavy with the impending violence.
Alessandro stood in front of her, holding the phone that had recorded her confession. His finger hovered above the post button, a sick smile on his face.
“You know,” he said casually, almost conversationally, “I’ve never met a celebrity before. It was... really nice knowing you. We had a good time together, even if it was short.”
He clicked the post button.
The phone was turned and waved in her face, and Adrianna could see her life, her career, her legacy... all of it being uploaded in real-time for the world to witness.
“Go to hell,” Adrianna spat, but the words felt weak in her mouth.
Alessandro only smirked. Tossing the phone at her, he pulled out his golden lighter from a pocket with a cruel grin.
“After you.”
The lighter flew through the air, landing on Adrianna. The fire caught immediately, and Adrianna screamed in agony. The flames licked her skin, burning through her clothes. Just as quickly, Aaron too was consumed by the fire. His screams merged with hers, creating a horrific symphony of pain as the flames rose higher.
The team turned around and walked out of the room, their footsteps echoing as the fire consumed their captives. The sound of Adrianna and Aaron’s screams echoed out the warehouse for what felt like an eternity until the only thing left was the sound of the crackling of fire.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys 😁 hope you're enjoying this book so far! I'm really interested in knowing who your favorite characters are. And also, I'd like to announce that a book of mine is now available on GoodNovel. It's titled "FORBIDDEN ROMANCE: A KISS OF BLOOD AND MOONLIGHT." Read it and find out what happens when a Lycan Alpha finds out that his fated mate is a Vampire Princess. So head over to GoodNovel and show me some love 💕. Byeeee and have a great day♥️