Chapter 108: Chapter 108

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

I'm standing by my window, watching outside as though I was expecting someone. I feel a hand around my shoulder and I turn to look. It's aunt Ruth, draping my shoulders with a scarf.

"A cup of tea for you." She says, handing me a mug.

"You look so pale and sick, Natalie."

"Well, it's because I'm sick, aren't I?"

"You're not. You're only doing this to yourself and the baby. Calm down, have a seat. You standing by the window everyday won't make them get anything on him."

"It's been over a week. How couldn't they have found anything?

"Lucas is a smart man. If he has something to hide, with his resources, he'd do a perfect job at it."

"Do I even want to know what he's hiding? Do I?"

"I had warned you from the beginning. Had you listened to me, you wouldn't be in this mess. You'd be happy with Rocket, finally."

I look at her, confused. "You know I'd never be cap— my phone rings, stealing my attention. I jump up, rushing to get it. I pick it up from the bed. It's the PI aunt Ruth got me. We exchange knowing looks. I accept the call and put it on speaker phone.

"Good day, Ms Richardson. Are you listening?" He asks.

"Yes?"

"It seems like your ex husband is having an affair." He says.

I exhale, "I know that."

"She's pregnant." He says, and my eyes widen in shock. I sit on the bed to avoid losing my balance.

"Pregnant?" I ask, in a bid to confirm. I gasp. "How far long is she?"

"I can't tell, but her belly is a bit big. Ver big." He says in Scottish accent. I look at aunt Ruth. She doesn't look surprised.

"Did you get a photo?" Aunt Ruth asks, collecting the phone from me as my mind begins to imagine a million things.

"No. She had on a face cap and a nose mask. She's got black hair though. Falls right back through her shoulders."

"Laurel, Natalie?"

"No. It can't be, Laurel's a brunette. Who is she?"

"She could've dyed her hair." Aunt Ruth comments.

"Did he just see them?" I ask.

"Did you just see them?" Aunt Ruth asks him.

"Yeah. They're at Antarctica. I can see them from where I'm standing."

I get up from my bed, heading to my closet.

"Natalie?" Aunt calls, but I ignore, picking my coat, skirt and boots.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?"

I ignore her, changing into my clothes as fast as I can. I take my phone from her. "Text me the address, please." I say to him.

"You're coming here?" He asks.

"Do what I say!" I bark. Aunt grabs my hand.

"Natalie!"

"Aunt, let me go. I have to see for myself. It's the only way I can be at peace. It's the only way I can get closure."

******

I get down from my car as fast as I can. I do not bother searching for the PI. I go straight into the bookstore and scan the room. I don't see them around. In fact, the place is quite empty.

"Hello. I'm looking for a man and a woman. Uh, he's tall, she's wearing a hat and a mask." I ask the barista.

"Who are you? Why are you looking for them?" She asks.

"His wife." I respond.

Her jaw drops. She points at the opposite side. "The other exit." She says, and I turn around, rushing to the door. I open it, and I see Lucas opposite, preparing to enter his car. I look forward, and then, I see her. My heartbeat increases. I begin to run after her.

"Wait! I said wait!" I call. She looks back, and immediately, she begins to run off. Bloody hell. "Stop running! Wait!" I yell, but she ignores. She gets to her car and begins to drive off. I divert, and find my way to my car. I start the engine and begin to go after her. I horn at her, but she pays me no attention.

"Ow," I wince, the cramp increasing. I continue chasing after her until I overtake her. I get down and go to her car. I open the door and drag her out. She turns her face away, but I drag her neck and take off her hat. I drag her mask off. I let go of the hat and I stagger backwards as I realize who it is. No way. I must be dreaming. She holds my hand so I do not fall. I look down at her stomach. I stretch my hand out to touch it, but I stop. It looked like she would be due any minute now.

"Lydia." I say, my heart palpitating.

"Na-Natalie, it's not what it looks like. I promise."

I begin to laugh, as I remember seeing her in the store. I remember her number ringing. "It was you," I laugh, piecing everything together. I continue, "This whole time, it was you!"

"If you would just—

"How long have you been here? Did you even leave at all? How long has it been since the both of you have been fooling me?!" I yell at her. My heart was hurt. It felt as though my heart had been ripped right out of my chest. She doesn't respond, instead she begins to cry.

"Answer me, you bitch!" I yell, my blood boiling. I hated her. I hated Luke. I hated them all. "You were more than a friend! I thought you were my family. . . My sister. But you've been nothing more than a common backstabber. I would call you a common home breaker, but it seems like we're one and the same, isn't it?" I begin to laugh, unable to control myself.

"Eh," I cry, as the cramp worsens. "Don't you dare touch me." I warn her, just as another car arrives. I hold my stomach as I try to bear the pain. Lucas begins to run towards us.

"Natalie, what's wrong?" He asks, coming closer.

"Stay the hell away from me."

"You don't look so well, and your belly. Let me take you to the doctor, please?" Lydia asks.

"I'd rather die." I respond, standing straight. I turn, and begin to walk back to my car. I had nothing left to say to Lucas. Everything was over now.

"Natalie!" Lucas holds me, as I fall into blackness.

I am conscious as the Doctor checks me. She prescribes some drugs and checks the baby. "Thankfully, you're perfectly fine, Ms. Richardson. You need to improve on your eating, however. Remember you're eating for two." She says. I get up and nod at her. Luke's presence was highly irking. The doctor leaves, and I follow right behind her.

"Natalie, wait." He says, but ignore. I do not want to hear his voice, nor do I wish to be around him.

"I'm talking to you! Can't you hear me?!" He yells, and suddenly grabs my arm. I look at him, annoyed.

"Security? Security!" I call, ready to cause a scene.

"You're blinded by your anger, if you would just sit down to think and listen to what I have to say!"

"Now that you got caught, you're in quite in a hurry to tell the truth, aren't you? Would you have, if I didn't find out?"

"I'll agree that I got caught, but not for what you're thinking! Do you think so low of me?"

"Don't you dare try to manipulate me into thinking I am wrong, you hear me? You're the wrong one!" I yell. I continue, "You were having an affair with my best friend, and God knows if you're responsible for that thing in her."

He nods, "I can't believe this. You can't imagine how much your words are hurting me."

"Go to hell. I've seen all the proof I need. Just stay the hell away from me, and my family. You don't deserve Louis' love, nor do you deserve mine."

"Stop it already! Just stop it!" I hear Lydia speak from behind me. I turn around, fuming. She continues, "You want the truth. I'll tell you the truth."

"Lydia—

"No!" She barks at him, and I scoff, amazed at their familiarity. She continues again, "Lucas is not the father of my child, and we never had an affair. It was all a lie concocted by Rose, and Lucas' only fault was going with it."

"Do you think I'm going to fall for your lies?" I ask her.

"It's not a lie, and I'm sure you know deep down that it isn't. I don't know why you've convinced yourself of this, or who's feeding you with such vile things, but I assure you, Natalie. Lucas has never been with any woman in the last four years. Can you say the same for yourself?" She asks, looking at my belly.

"What?" I respond.

"Four years ago, I found out about what Caleb was planning to do to all of you. David told me. Apparently, word gets to them in prison too. But I didn't know when exactly it would happen, so I called Rocket and had him meet Caleb. Rocket saved Luke, and they were able to stop the bombs planted at the manor. After I saw you in the hospital, I felt guilty. Especially, knowing that you lost your baby. I felt like I could've prevented that, and I couldn't be around you, knowing I had failed as your friend, so I left for Italy. Then I traveled to Rome, where I met Rose's father at a church. We got to know each other, and apparently, the both of us were running from the sins we had committed. We formed a bond, but it wasn't love. After finding out about me and my family history, he called it quits. Paid me off like I was some cheap beggar because he thought I was after his money since my husband was sent to prison." She says, and my jaw drops. I'm about to speak, but she stops me.

"No, let me. By then, we were already back in Canada, when I'd told him. One evening, he called me up to warn me about his ex wife. He didn't want her to find out about us, and apparently, she had my photos already and was watching me. I was leaving his house when I bumped into Luke. For some odd reason, we pretended not to know each other, but I waited out for him, and fortunately he found me. A few weeks later, I heard Lucas was married to his daughter. Rose. I found out I was pregnant then too. I couldn't let him find out because he would've done something to me, killed my baby probably, and you know. . ." She breaks down crying. "I've always had issues conceiving with David, and I couldn't risk his life. So, I kept it. Rose's father then left for Rome again, and Lucas kept coming to see me, checking up on me, and together, we would read your letters, and stalk you online. Rose found out about us, and she started accusing me of being his mistress, and he, being a cheater. He never denied, but it was never true." She says, and I find my way to the chair by the water dispenser. Bloody hell. What had I done?

"Lucas was gathering evidence little by little, and Rose's father helped him clear his name too, that was the main reason he agreed to marry Rose. The plan was to stay away, until he found out who Caleb's partner was, but he lost it when he found out you were marrying Rocket. That's why he came back. Although, he couldn't stop the wedding, we knew that seeing him would at least make you leave Rocket and understand that he was still alive. He needed you to wait for him. I came back not too long after because I wanted to reconcile and reconnect with David. He was ready to accept my baby. That's why I returned. We didn't tell you because we didn't want to risk Rose or her father finding out about it. I wanted to have my baby first safely, before coming out to anyone."

I'm unable to say a word, as I just sit there in silence. I am beyond embarrassed.

"I understand the emotional turmoil you must have been in, and our actions pushed you to assume. Anybody would've believed it because, I mean, we set the path. I'm sorry, Natalie for causing trouble between the both of you. I never intended to. I'm sorry. I'll leave now, and you'll never see me again." She says, and walks off. I begin to cry. Luke sits beside me.

"Do you believe me now?" He asks.

"I'm sorry." I weep, facing him. "Rose made me believe that you had been cheating on her for the longest, and you kept hiding things from me, and telling lies—

"That's the point, Natalie. I never lied to you. I've been one hundred percent honest and transparent with you. I just didn't tell you about Lydia because she was scared for her and her child's safety. It's only natural that I obliged."

"Can you ever forgive me? I can't live without you, Luke. . ." I wail, feeling burdened. I weep like a child as my husband whom I'd wrongly accused, pacifies me.

"I've done worse and you've forgiven me each and every time. What's this, that I can't forgive you for?" He says, raising my head. He cleans my tears and wipes off my catarrh. "Go after Lydia. That's the most important thing right now. Go." He says, and I nod.

*****

"Lydia!" I find her car, and begin to bang the window. She winds down.

"Lydia, Lydia, please. Don't go. Please. I'm sorry, and I didn't mean those awful things I said. I was blinded by my anger and jealousy. I'm so, so, so sorry. Forgive me, please." I beg, holding her hand.

"Let go." She states, and flings my hand. I look at her, surprised. I deserved it. I deserved it.

"I- I- I," I stutter, unable to speak. She gets down from the car.

"Let go, so I can come down and hug you." She states, and we both burst into tears. We try to hug, but cannot as our bellies are both big. She chuckles. I laugh.

"I can't believe we're both pregnant at the same time." She says.

"Me neither. I can't believe you're here, in front of me, after so long." I respond, holding her hand.

"I missed you, Natalie. I always have loved you, and I always will."

"As I do too, and I'll always be there for you. I can walk you through your first pregnancy." I chuckle.

She giggles, "I'm having a boy. I can't wait to meet him!"

"And, you'll know the gender of yours once you open this envelope." Lucas says from behind. I turn around, surprised.

"How?" I ask.

"I wanted to ask the doctor a few more questions, and then, she said she knew the baby's gender. I had a write it on a piece of paper and just put it in an envelope, for you."

"Oh, my God." I respond, nervous. What would it be? A girl? Another boy? I was excited to see. I'm about to take the envelope, when Lydia grabs it. I look at her, confused.

"Let's plan a gender reveal! I haven't been to a party in ages. This might as well be my chance. What do you say?" She asks me.

I smile, "Well, have you had your baby shower? It could be a double celebration. I mean, we ought to." I respond. I am happy. I am glad and grateful, for these people. My family.

"Sunday's perfect. You plan the party, Lydia, I'll go keep my wife some company. Can you drive yourself?"

"Of course. See you on Sunday then." She says. Finally, I was at peace. The burden had been lifted. It felt good, extremely good.