Chapter 54: Chapter 54

CHAPTER 11

Alex, the guy who'd lied about the CCTV footage was who Luke wanted to merge the company with. I couldn't understand why. Why would he go to such lengths? A merger wasn't child's play. It wasn't like he was completely bankrupt or the company was suffering bankruptcy. What was Lucas trying to achieve by merging his company with Alex's? I had to find out exactly what his plans were and thwart them. I could never allow that merger take place, absolutely not.

I wake up with a splitting headache. I'd drowned myself in a pool of thoughts before managing to get a few hours of sleep. I wasn't going in for work today, I'd call in sick. Finding out about Luke's plan had disorientated me completely.

My attorney, Jean-Ann had called me the night before, informing me that she'd been able to file the cases and Luke had been subpoenaed. The first hearing would be today, by 12PM.

I go to Louis’ room to check up on him. He's awake. "My love," I say as I carry him out of his crib. "Oh." I say, as I realize he'd made a mess. "That stinks baby, you know that?"

I take out his onesie and diaper. I clean him up. "It's time for a bath, hm?"

"Good morning, ma'am." Ashley enters.

I smile, "Ashley. Good morning. How are you? Your night?" I ask as I get Louis into the sink. He opens his growing teeth at me, smiling. I chuckle.

"It was great. Yours?"

"Well, not too good. Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes, pancakes and bacon."

"Can I have some?" I ask. I am a bit hungry.

"Definitely, I'll go make you some, ma'am."

***

"I miss you more, you should come over you know? Your godson misses you too. Right, my love?" I say as I clean spit of Louis mouth and use my right shoulder to hold my phone as I speak to Lydia. I put Louis on the counter, holding him with my left hand. "Well, then it's settled. I'll text you the address. Please, can you get me a burger on your way? I'm starving." I tell her. I end the call and quickly text Lydia my address. Louis touches my breasts, meaning he was hungry. "You'll have a bottle. With milk. You're a big boy, you need to stop eating from mommy." I say, and as though he understood what I'd said, he begins to cry. I close my eyes and massage my temples for a second, then I reach out to carry him. Being a mother wasn't an easy task, I'd learned it. "I wonder how Judith treated me as a child," I say as I pat Louis back and reach for the pancakes Ashley'd made for me.

"Can you please pass me the Hershey's syrup? The pink one?" I sit down on the counter chair. "Louis you have to learn how to feed from a bottle. Ashley, can you please warm up a bottle of milk for him?" I begin to devour my pancakes when I hear a strangely familiar and annoying voice.

"Yes, ma'am." Ashley responds.

"Hello, grandson!" Her loud laughter follows afterwards. "Natalie. Why do you have eye bags?"

I roll my eyes and drop my fork. "Think of the devil and she arrives." I murmur.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, mom. You're here."

"Of course I am. Where else would I be? I'm standing right in front of you!" She says as she stretches her hands for Louis.

"Right. Why are you here?" I ask, giving her Louis. I shouldn't be surprised she showed up, she was fond of barging in whenever she felt like or whenever she needed money.

"Please, Natalie, I beg you, I'm here to see my grandson and his mother. Don't tire me with questions."

"Ashley, please can we have a moment?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ashley responds.

"Mom, can you please just tell me exactly why you're here?"

"But I just told you. I'm here for you and my grandson.”

"Okay." I say as I get off the chair. I'm already walking away when she finally comes clean. "And!" She says. I turn, my arms folded. I raise an eyebrow up, waiting for her to say what she wanted.

"I heard you took over C.I and there's a soirée at the Robinson's. . .” She goes mute.

"Mother!"

"I might've bragged about my daughter coming to the party. . .”

"And what, mom? Finish the sentence."

"I might've added that you'd be accompanied by your fiancée."

My mouth drops open. "I beg your pardon? What?"

She scoots over to me, "It's okay, it's okay, you can just show up and tell them he couldn't make it." She says, holding my arm. She’s smiling. Smiling as though she hadn't done something crazy. I was at a loss for words. It seemed like a joke to her. I take Louis out of her hands. I turn to leave, ignoring her completely. I take Louis empty feeder from him. We head to my bedroom. I can hear my mother nag behind me but I pay no attention to her.

As soon as we enter my room, I quickly lock the door.

"For the love of Christ, open the door. How can you lock your mother out?"

I drop Louis inside his playpen crib. I sigh as I give into the tiredness I feel, and in a few seconds, I'm dragged into nothingness.

**

The continuous ringing of my phone wakes me. It's Lydia. I get up. "Oh, no.” I mutter, as I take the call. "I'm so sorry, I slept off. Thank goodness, I'll be at the door in a minute." I say as I get up.

I'm greeted with Lydia's fair face as soon as I open the door.

"Chardonnay for the ladies!"  She says, handing me a bottle of ribbon wrapped wine. I laugh. We hug. "Here's your burger."

"Thank you." I say as I collect the wrapped burger. "Your hair smells so nice." I say as I touch her hair.

"Well, yours? Tsk. Not so much." Lydia says. I can hear her deep Yorkshire accent. We both laugh. "I haven't had a bath. I've been so exhausted."

"I can tell. You have eye bags. You never have eye bags."

"Well, my mom said that too."

"Your mom? Judith was here?"

"Mhm. You just missed her." I say, leading her to my bedroom. We enter. She hands me her coat.

"Louis!" She rushes towards him and picks him up. She spreads kisses all over his face. "You've really gotten bigger, my word."

"He has, hasn't he? I'm so grateful to God that I have Louis in my life. He's everything."

"You should. Children are blessings." She says. I smile. "You want to talk about it? You haven't really updated me on what happened after the night at my house, you know?"

I massage my temples as I head for the bathroom. I can hear Lydia follow closely behind me. I take off my robe and nightgown. I enter the tub. She walks in, Louis in her arms.

"I'm taking him to court."

"I figured. For attempted rape?"

I nod. "Yes, but I won't let it get too complicated. I need Luke out of prison to carry out my plans."

"That's why you look dejected?"

I look at her. "No. I'm just exhausted. I am mentally tired, emotionally tired and physically tired. Luke has caused so much havoc in my life, and every single day, I keep finding out about the nasty things he's either done in the past, or while we were together or even in the present. I love my son, and I will die for him and fight for him till my very last breath, but it makes me sick to my stomach that he is Louis’ father. If I could change that, I would."

"I can't say I understand your pain, but I understand you. I know where you're coming from. Natalie, the best advice I can give to you is to find love. Find happiness again. You can. As much as it breaks my heart to say this, if possible, forget about this revenge. Luke will suffer the consequences of all he's done."

"Find love? The one person I loved more than life itself betrayed me. I don't think I can love anyone again. Luke destroyed my ability to love."

"What about Rocky? Didn't you love him back in college?"

"I do love Rocky, but as a friend. Don't forget, he's the reason why I'm in this situation in the first place."

"And he's also the reason why you found out who a Luke truly is."

"I wish I was spared from finding out the truth. I'd have preferred to live a lie than to turn into a conniving and manipulative person as I am now. I've become someone I don't even recognize."

"Well, do you still love Luke?" Lydia asks. I look at her as I remember the night Lucas threw me out of the manor.

"I still love him. Deeply." I begin to rinse my body. "But my hatred for him, outweighs that love by far."