Chapter 244: No Rest
Gwendolyn’s POV
Gwendolyn had killed a man. That was something very serious. Any other person would have been all torn up about it. Believing that some part of their innocence had died with their victim. But Gwendolyn was not bothered in the least.
In fact, ever since getting rid of Bryce she’d been on a high. She had always been powerful, but now she felt like she’d just unlocked a new side of power, and she rather liked it.
She, with just her delicate build, and her brains had managed to kill a man. There was strength to her that she had not known that she possessed before. She rather liked the new side of herself that she had discovered.
Gwendolyn was so pleased with how she had handled the Bryce issue that she almost wanted to believe that nothing could ruin her good mood over the man’s death.
But that was not true.
Something was bothering her, and that something was the wait.
When she had been waiting to see whether or not Vivian Rose was dead, Gwendolyn had thought that she was stressed. But that had nothing on the way that she was currently feeling as though she could claw at herself just to get a bit of relief.
She had killed Bryce, that was a fact. Unlike him who had said ’pretty much’, when she had asked whether he was certain Vivian Rose was dead, Gwendolyn knew that the man was well and truly gone. She had stuck around until it was over for him, in order to make sure that that was the case.
What she was waiting for now was not to find out whether or not he was dead.
It was one of two things: either the body would go undiscovered. With Bryce ending up as a John Doe at some point in the distant future. Or someone would come across the body, and his death would immediately be ruled as suicide like she had set it up to look.
***
The best case scenario for Gwendolyn would have been for Bryce to never be discovered at all. Or maybe for him to be found twenty years down the line, with some hikers coming across his bones.
But as great as that outcome would have been for her, Gwendolyn had quickly realized that it was the most agonizing one. As the days had gone by without Bryce being discovered, she had actually started fighting with herself.
On most days, she had to keep her keys at a distance to make sure that during the time it took to move from her mirror room to them, she had gotten herself under control and was no longer feel the urge to go out there and check if Bryce was still there. Or if his body had somehow been disturbed and moved.
Now though Gwendolyn had finally been put out of her misery. She no longer had to sit around and wonder if the victim of her crime would be found. Someone had come across Bryce’s decaying corpse, and that was the best bit of news for her.
***
[Suicide Or Serial Killer?]
[Revolting Leaked photos of Dead Suicide Victim]
[Another Victim of the Economy?]
As she read various articles speculating over Bryce, something occurred to Gwendolyn.
She should have realized that the news saying that Vivian Rose was dead had been a lie.
Not a single one of those broadcasters had attached a photo of her, and there have been no leaked pictures showing her battered corpse. Instead there had just been words floating around. Statements that had sounded suspiciously similar, like they had all just been parroting the words of one person.
But when it came to Bryce, none of the odd things that had surrounded news on Vivian Rose were happening.
The opinions were varied, the ideas fresh. Now that the rest of the world knew that the man was gone, the story was being shared repeatedly. Some of the creepy sites in the dark net had managed to get pictures of Bryce’s decomposing form...ugly, ugly and some more ugly, that was all that Gwendolyn had to say on that matter.
But that was exactly what she had been hoping for, so despite her assaulting her eyes with the horridness she was glad to have not only the pictures, but to also know that the police were still ’investigating’.
With any luck, the matter would quickly be labeled as a suicide, and the case would be put to rest.
***
As relieved as she was over how things were unfolding, Gwendolyn could not help but feel her good mood dampen as she noticed something.
With word of Bryce’s death being out, the media should have been dragging Vivian at least a little bit. There should have been some people out there who were pointing out how Bryce was nothing but a heartbroken man who might have killed himself after his ex had moved on with a much richer man. Yet Vivian Rose’s name did not show up at all.
Had she not known of the connection between Bryce and Vivian, Gwendolyn would not have guessed that the decomposed body found had any links to Ryan Terrell’s girlfriend. The lack of information on that was a very clear sign of Ryan once again meddling with the media, it made Gwendolyn mad.
Ryan was clearly protecting her.
Just what was so great about that woman?!
Before her mood could be ruined all the way, Gwendolyn decided to think only happy thoughts.
She was as gorgeous as ever...something that always did wonders for her mood. She had killed Bryce, which had been an amazing experience. Now Bryce had been found, which meant she just had to wait a little while and his death would soon be ruled a suicide.
Once that happened she would have well and truly gotten away with murder.
Not only that, in killing Bryce she had tied up a loose end. With him gone, there was no longer any chance of Gwendolyn being tied up with the assault on Vivian Rose.
As far as the law went she was innocent. Laughing softly, Gwendolyn was just about to pour herself a glass of champagne in celebration when a thought occurred to her.
In a court of law, she would be set free...but what were the chances of Ryan believing the cops and letting her go? In the past she would have liked her odds. Trusting that the man’s soft spot for her would help her. But since the arrival of that man stealing preschool teacher Gwendolyn could not be too sure.
Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to set up some sensors and have an escape plan ready. Her good mood ruined, Gwendolyn was now stuck feeling paranoid. Fearful that Ryan would step out of the shadows as strangle her to death.