Chapter 112: Chapter 112

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

"It's perfect, James." I say, as I scan my face in the vanity mirror.

"I'm not the best for nothin', please." He states. I chuckle at his statement.

"How much is it?"

"It's 350, but I had to come outside work hours, so 400, sir." James responds to Luke.

"Here,"Luke says, handing James what I presume to be nothing less than £500.

"Woah. . .Thank you,"

"You're welcome. You may leave, I'd like to speak to my wife in public." Luke says.

"Thank you, James." I say, as he begins to pack his tools.

"Thank you."

******

"What are you doing today?" Luke asks me. "Do you need any help?"

"I have to make it up to someone."

"And that person is?"

"Alex." I respond, as I bring out my phone. I take a selfie of myself and I send it to Rocket's number.

"Do you need me to follow you from a distance?"

"No, honey. I don't." I respond, as I adjust my white ensemble, as I look into the mirror.

"What exactly did you say to Lucas that day, Luke?" I ask, genuinely curious. "It's unlike Rocket to stay away from me. He didn't bother me after that day, even when he knew I was carrying his child."

"I told him I'd harm you so you'd lose the baby if he came close to you again."

"Typical Carrington. I thought you had put your old ways behind you?"

"Not when it concerns you. I'm willing to be corrupt, bad, evil, just for you." He says, and he kisses my hands. My phone beeps, and beeps continuously. I check it, an I see ten text message replies from Rocket.

"I'll be on my way now. I'll be back hopefully before midnight. I have a lot to take care of today."

"I'll be waiting."

******

I respond to Rocket as soon as I get into the car. "The Petra Robinson private hangar, please." I tell the chauffeur.

I read his texts; What the hell?! Natty, are you okay?

Did Luke do this? Shit!

Where are you? I'll be right there! Can you call the police?

Hello? Did he take your phone? Is he hurting you?!

Please say something, Natty, you're driving me mad!

I don't even know where you are, are you still at the old house?!

I'm on my way

Natty?

Are you OK?! Please say something!! Anything!!

Oh, Rocket. If only you knew the mess you were about to be in. I respond to his text;

"He beat me up, but I've managed to escape. I've got my passport and I'm heading to America, where he's sent Louis. Please help me. I'm in danger. You're the only one I can rely on. I'm going to Alex's hangar. I'll be out of here soon." I respond to his text, and I turn on airplane mode on my phone.

"Can I borrow your phone, please?" I ask the chauffeur. He nods, and then hands me his phone. I copy Alex's number from mine to his, and I give him a call.

"The plan's on. I'll be at your hangar soon. Is everything ready? He needs to be sedated as soon as he enters the Jet, otherwise, he'd be quick to realize what's going on."

"It's handled, Natalie. I trust you'll handle everything perfectly. I'll see you when you get here."

******

On reaching Alex's private hangar, I walk towards the jet as quickly as I can, wearing my shades. I can tell Rocket hasn't arrived, because if he had, he'd have been all over me by now.

"Hello, ma'am," The flight attendant ushers me in.

"Natty!" I hear, and I turn around to see Rocket. He takes off the black helmet off his head, and begins to race toward me. I quickly look inside, looking for the person who would get knock him out.

"Who's—

"I will," Another flight attendant responds. I nod at her, as I walk into the jet properly.

"Natalie!" Rocket calls, as he enters. He grabs my arm, breathing heavily.

"What did that bastard do to you?! I'll kill him!" He says, dragging me to turn. "Take them off." He says, as he takes off my glasses. The flight attendant begins to walk closer to him, and I pray internally that she succeeds.

"How could he do this to you?" He asks, and she stabs him with the injection, injecting him with the sedative that would probably knock him out for hours.

"Who? Luke? Did I mention his name in the text?" I ask him, as he clutches his neck. He turns around trying to fight back, but he falls on his knees.

"Wha—t?"

"My makeup artist did this to me, you fool." I say, as I squat to see him eye to eye.

"Why?"

"Simple. You kept me away from Lucas, ruined my marriage, got Ashley pregnant for no good reason, and you alongside aunt Ruth put Alex in a psych ward. So, let's see, you've been a really, really bad boy, Rocky."

"You're sick."

"Sick with disgust for you. Now, shut up and let the medicine work." I warn him, as he begins to lose consciousness.

"N-Nat. . ." I ignore, as I sit down a few feet away from him, watching him as he finally becomes unconscious.

*******

We'd gotten to France already, and coincidentally, Rocket wakes up as we are about to land. Thankfully, he's been bound with cuffs, both legs and hands.

"What? Where am I? Where am I? Natty, I had a horrible dream." I hear him say, as I eat my grapes.

"Let me guess. You dreamt that I kidnapped you, right?" I ask, looking at him, a grin plastered on my face. From his expression, I could tell. I chuckle, "That's incorrect. I didn't kidnap you. You came here willingly, hm?" I tell him.

"They're waiting for you, ma'am." The flight attendant tells me.

I nod at her. "Get him out." I say.

"What the hell, Natalie?! Have you gone mad? What is this? Let go of me! Do you know who I am?" He yells, as he's dragged out of the jet.

The wind blows heavily, as I approach Alex with Rocket.

"What's happening here?! Let me go!" Rocket shouts.

"Hey." Alex says, as we finally see each other after a long time.

"Hey." I respond. "Were you that angry that you never came to see me once when I was in a coma?"

"I wasn't allowed to. Luke didn't let me, and I knew you'd certainly wake up, and here you are." He responds.

I sigh. "I'm sorry for everything I did to you. I used you, took advantage of your feelings and pretended severally to be oblivious about how you felt. I was never a good friend to you, but you were always one to me. And, please, tell Rose that I'm very sorry and Luke is too. I can only imagine how she must feel."

"Apology accepted. You getting Rocket to me is more than enough, and as for Rose, I'll certainly do that. She'll be fine eventually."

"Thank you. If Lucas and I weren't together, I'd be with you. You're a good man, Alexander."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" He asks, and we laugh. "I hope I never see you again, Natalie." He says.

"I hope so too." I respond. We shake. I smile at him, and I watch, as Rocket is dragged away, in a straight jacket.

"Natalie, don't leave me! Natty! Please! Natty!" He yells as he's dragged away. I turn around, heading back to the jet.

Rocket's bad decisions had come back to haunt him. He had gotten Alexander, who was innocent, locked up for 4 years, against his will. Alex was nothing but a victim in Rocket and Aunt Ruth's sick and twisted plans to separate me from Luke. Karma was indeed, a bitch.

I didn't know anything about Alex's plans, but one thing I knew for sure was that Rocket was going to suffer, oblivious to where he was and what would happen next. It was what he deserved.

********

Ding Dong. Ding Dong. I ring the bell to my house. Aunt Ruth still lived there. How shameless. The door opens.

"Natalie." I can see the shock all over her face. Her eyes become watery, as she begins to cry. Spare me the bullshit, please.

"Hello, aunt. It's been a long time. May I come in?" I ask. Before she can answer, I jump in, "Forget I asked that. I'd rather not."

She nods, obviously at a loss for words. "Please, come in. I need to explain myself," She says.

"I want to hear from you too, aunt." I say. "I just can't believe a word their saying. You have to admit to my face, that you're guilty of everything they said you did." I say, misleading her.

"Yes, I didn't–

"Wait." I stop her from talking. "Don't say anything now. I'd like for us to have some fun, just incase the outcome of this isn't pretty."

"What do you mean?"

"Incase I have to stay away from you, aunt. I'd like for us to spend a few hours together. Is that okay?" I ask her.

"My sweet girl," She hugs me. I return the hug. "Of course. Of course." She responds.

"Where can we go to? It's quite late." She asks.

"I have an idea. My car's out."

*****

"We've come to the docks. Are we in the right place?" She asks. I can hear a bit of anxiousness in her voice.

"I wanted you to show me something first. Come on." I say, and get down from the car. She gets down, glued to that particular spot.

The driver reverses and drives off. "Wait!" She yells.

"Natalie! Why did you bring me here? I want to leave here right this instant!" She yells, and then turns to leave.

"Don't you dare do that. Look around you, do yo think it's a smart thing to do?"

She scans the area, and she begins to quiver as she sees she's surrounded. There are three men, heavily armed, aiming guns at her.

"Shoot!" I demand, and they begin to shoot. My aim wasn't to kill her. I wanted to scare her. I wanted her to feel what Luke's family must've felt the day they were murdered in cold blood. I watch her, as she kneels on the floor, shaking.

"Just as you deceived me all these years, I've just deceived you too. How does it feel?" I ask her, as I look down at her. She looks at me, sobbing.

"I'm sorry." She sobs.

"I really should hit myself for ever comparing you to my mother. My mother might've not been all that, but she's far better than you in every aspect. At least, her one wrong decision gave me the best thing I have today. You disgust me so much, I could puke right now." I say.

"No, please. Hear me out—

"Don't touch me with those filthy hands of yours. Now, I understand why God took the gift of motherhood away from you. You're a monster. You don't deserve to be a mother, aunt. You are the worst of the worst." I tell her, and she begins to sob profusely.

"Can you come here for a second?" I say, to one of the men. He runs over.

"Take her into that boat there and turn it on." I tell him, and he obliges. She doesn't try to argue or fight back, as he's armed.

I follow closely behind them, as they head to the speed boat.

"What's happening?" She asks, shaking. The man starts the engine.

"Come on out." I tell him. He comes out, pointing the gun at her. "It's fine. Don't do that." I say, just as he comes out.

"Did you think I was going to kill you? I'm not goin to kill you, aunt. I'm not a murderer like you." I say, squatting to untie the boat.

"N-Natalie! What are you doing?! No, don't you—

"Shut up, will you?" I warn her. She looks at me, shocked.

"I'm not killing you, although I and my husband should! The boat has been tampered with, and once it takes you far away, deep into the ocean, it'll stop. You'll be stranded in the middle of nowhere, with no one to call out to or help you."

"And you say you're not killing me?! Have you gone insane?!"

"No. I'm not killing you. Don't you get it? Whatever happens to you after I let go of this rope is your business and yours alone. You made your choices, so now you'll have to deal with the consequences of those choices. I hope you're strong enough to survive out there, otherwise. . .Go to hell." I tell her, as I let go of the rope. The boat takes off immediately, and I hear her cries and pleas from afar, as I walk away.

******

On getting home, I find Luke on the couch, fast asleep. I look at the clock. It's exactly 12 midnight. I go and sit beside him. I caress his head, and he wakes up.

"Hey," I whisper.

"You're back." He says, and I nod. He sits up. "How did it go? Did you make it up to Alex?" Lucas asks.

"I did." I tell him.

"What are we going to do about your aunt? Do you want us to leave her be?"

"No. You don't have to worry about her again, Luke. I already took care of her."

"What did you do?" He asks, shocked.

"I didn't harm her, don't worry." I say, as I hug him. He hugs me.

"The detective called. Caleb's dead. He was poisoned to death."

"Hm. How sad." I respond.

He chuckles, giving me a knowing look. "How sad." He responds.

Finally, the tears I'd held in for so long begin to fall out of my eyes. I begin to sob, remembering the night I'd lost Emily. My husband holds me.

"Let it all out. Let it all out." He says, as he pats my back, and as my sobbing intensifies.

**************

Many days later...........

It was finally here. The day I really never got to have all these years. It was my wedding day. Luke and I had been married already, under the law, but this was more of a blessing of our union. We never got to have a white wedding. This would be our first, and hopefully, our last wedding with and to each other, for the rest of our lives.

My mother hands me over to Lucas, as we reach the alter.

"I know you'll take good care of my only child. She's all I have left, and I apologize, for everything that I've done to you, Natalie."

"Mom, can you please let me get married before you start crying? Don't make me cry too, please." I say to her, as everyone bursts out laughing.

The priest blesses us, after we take our vows, yet again.

"You may now kiss the bride." The priest says, and I hold my husband. My Lucas. My Jack. My Carrington. My. Lover.

"I'm so happy to be Mrs. Jack Hugh Gray. It's my own fairytale. My happy ending."

"We're just like Bonnie and Clyde. It's our happy ending, Mrs. Hugh Gray. Ours." He says, and we share a long, deep, intimate kiss.