Chapter 98: Chapter 98

CHAPTER 13

"Thank you." I say to the kind stranger who'd just driven me home. I'd lost control of the car, and thankfully there had been no accidents or injury.

"You're welcome." The young boy states, turning off the engine. We both come down. "Maybe you should see a doctor, Miss. you don't look okay."

"Please, if you ever need anything, let me know. This is my house." He hands me the key. I take it, and I turn to enter, but I pause. I couldn't go on because there was a possibility my guests were still present. I didn't want to see anyone, nor talk to anyone. I turn, and head to Rocket's house.

Ding Dong. I ring the bell. Ding Dong. I ring the bell again, and this time, I'm greeted with Rocket's face.

"Natty." He moves aside, making way for me to go in. I go into the house, my mind, replaying the images I'd seen just a few moments ago.

"Are you okay?"

"Make it stop." I whisper, sobbing. "Make it stop. It hurts." I sob, my heart aching.

"Natty?!" Rocket yells, and I look at him. It's Luke I see. I can't tell if I'm hallucinating or not, but immediately, I walk up to him and steal a kiss. The kiss begins to intensify. I kiss harder as the image of Lucas and Rose replays in my head, and the next thing I know, Rocket and I are on the couch, making love.

******

As I wake up, I still feel heavy headed. I run my hand over my face, and I pause as I realize my face is wet. My eyes are wet. I sit up, looking around me. I can tell that I'm in Rocket's bedroom. I am naked, so I walk into his closet, and I look around for something suitable to wear. There's a robe on the coat rack, so I pick it up and wear it.

**

Heading downstairs, I wonder where Rocket is. He didn't have stay in staff and his house was larger than mine so screaming his name would really do me no help. I begin to sniff the air as I smell something burnt. I look around, panicked. "What could be burning?" I mutter. I find my way to the kitchen, and I see Rocket there, standing with a bag of takeout. He looks at me. It's awkward for a moment.

"Hey." He says.

"About last night. . ."

"It was a mistake, right? That's what you want to say."

"Yes." I state, going to sit down. I felt guilty. I felt as though I'd cheated Lucas, but Rocket was in fact my husband, and Luke did in fact, have another woman whom he'd probably made love to the night before. The thought alone, crushed my spirit.

"I don't care if it's a mistake. All that matters is that you became mine, and I, yours, yesterday. The fact that you allowed me make love to you, knowing full well that it was a 'mistake', as you call it, means that there's something there, in your heart, for me."

"I'm still going through with the divorce. You asked me to sleep with you and you'd sign it. I've done my part even if that wasn't the reason for yesterday."

"Right. I said that. I'll do it." He says.

I look at him, confused. I eye him suspiciously, "You'll sign it?" I ask. He nods. He hands me the Kraft takeout bag.

"I remembered you used to love having Chinese. I got you some. I tried to make you breakfast but couldn't as you can see. Hehe."

"Thank you." I state, taking the bag. "How nice of you to remember."

"There's nothing I don't remember, especially when it's about you, Natty." He says. He continues, as I take out the food. "I remember every single detail, Natty. From the day we first met, to the day I asked you to be mine and on your birthday, when we first made love." Made love. . .that was what Lucas did. He betrayed me. He betrayed our love.

"Natty?" I hear, snapping out of my thoughts. "Why are you crying? I didn't mean to make you cry, I ju—

"No. It's not you. It's me. I've been so stupid all my life." I get up, my heart hurting as I cry. "I've been fooled, used, literally sold off, lied to, raped, betrayed, almost murdered, I've seen it all, and I keep on making the same bloody mistakes!" I yell.

"What? Natalie, you were what? Who raped you?" Rocket asks, rushing to my side. He grabs my arms. "Who's the bastard that raped you?!" He yells. I look at him, confused for a moment. What did I just say? I'd promised myself to never speak on what Lucas had done to me that evening. Although I knew what Lucas had done was very horrible, I forgave him, and the fact that I loved him, erased that one bad deed in my eyes.

"I didn't mean that. It's none of your business either." I state, jerking my arms off. I clean my tears.

"Was it Luke?" Rocket asks. "Did Luke do that to you?" He asks.

"Why do you want to know? I've told you to forget it, and Luke would never do such to me. Don't speak about him in such a manner, ever again."

"Fine. Then, who tried to kill you? Why didn't you say anything?! Someone tried to harm you, and I wasn't even aware. Natty!"

"Shut up, Rocket! Just shut up. Stop asking me questions, please." I state, irritated.

"Why won't you say anything? Are you trying to protect someone? Who was it?"

I look him in the eyes, "If you truly love me as you claim to, and if you respect me, you will stop with these questions."

He doesn't respond for a good minute. "Fine."

As I turn around to leave, flashes of Lucas and Rose replay in my head. I caress my temples, irritated and tired of remembering. I sigh. There was no way in hell that I'd forgive Lucas after what I'd seen. I hated him. He broke my heart over, and over again. He had stolen my happiness and my peace of mind. I despised him, because I could've been Natalie, the Natalie I once was. I could've been happy, working as an accountant or still studying, my father might've still been alive, and most importantly, I would have someone to love and someone to love me back unconditionally. I'd be happy and stable. Lucas stole all of that from me, and it was beginning to dawn on me, that maybe, just maybe, Lucas Carrington wasn't the one for me after all. I turn around and move closer to Rocket.

"I want to make that mistake again." I say, as I wait for Rocket to lean in for a kiss. He does. We kiss. I take off my robe, craving to forget about Lucas and put everything behind me. Rocket carries me and places me on the couch nearby. He hovers over me, and we share an eye lock.

"I'm not using you." I state.

"Even if you were, I wouldn't mind being used, Natty."

"Sign the divorce papers, and let's try to see where this leads us to." I say, unsure if I was making the right decision, but certain it was one I had to make.

"Are you suggesting we start afresh?" He asks. I nod. He kisses me, and I moan as he enters me. I hug him, trying to remember all the positive memories I had with Rocket. That ought to erase out the image of Rose and Luke etched into my memory. I hug Rocket as I accept his thrusts, forcing myself not to cry over losing Lucas. He had moved on, and I had to move on too.

It'd been a month already. Rocket and I were getting along, but I couldn't help but feel awkward, especially when he would say the three words. I had nothing to say to him in return. Yes, about six years ago when he first came into the manor, a part of me still loved him. Now, it was all just a blank space. I felt nothing for him, even when we were intimate, he failed to arouse me, his touch failed to excite me.

"Why did I have to change schools, mommy?" Louis asks, as I dress him up.

"My love, mommy had to do that. I just think your new school is much better. Do you want some grape juice?" I ask, trying to change the conversation.

"But what about my friends?" Louis whines. Oh, my son. How could I possibly tell you that I couldn't face your father and didn't want him around us again? How could I tell you that my feelings made me take such a decision?

"Mommy doesn't want to talk about it, Louis." I say, brushing his hair. I take his hand as we head downstairs.

"Hey," I say to Ashley, who seems to be heading out.

"Good morning!" She greets chirpily.

"You seem to be in a good mood, huh?"

"Yes, I am. I just got the results for my finals! I made a 4.4 GPA!"

"Oh, my God! That's so awesome! Congrats." I say, as we exchange hugs.

"Louis, won't you say congrats to auntie Ash?"

"Congrats!" My son responds, giving me butterflies. My child was the greatest and cutest little thing ever. I bend down, and I hug him as tight as I can. "I love you so much, my baby."

"Ow, mommy!" I feel him hold my hair. "I love you too."

"What?" I ask.

"You were choking me."

I gasp, acting hurt. "You don't like me, do you?"

"Of course, I do mommy. You're so pretty."

I almost shed a tear. "Thank you, my love."

****

After dropping Louis off at his new school, I'd been informed that I still had to get some transfer papers from his former school to round up the transfer process. I am on my way to Rose's school. My phone rings. I pick.

"Alex. I'm sorry, I haven't been able to come visit. When were you released?"

"About three days ago. I know, and I didn't want to bother you, you know."

"I don't understand, Alex. You'd never be a bother. Is it because of Rocket? He and I are—, I pause, my subconscious warning me to not let Alex know about the divorce. I didn't want him getting his hopes up, and honestly, I was tired of going round the triangle of Lucas, Rocket and Alex. "You should have called. Still." I say to him.

"Well. . . How about dinner tonight?"

"That's fine. Seven ish. . .?" I ask. "But you do know that I shouldn't be going on dinner dates with you, right? As I'm married to Rocket." I state purposely, hoping to kill whatever ideas or plans he might've been weaving.

"I actually want us to talk so you can plan my party."

"Party? You can get the best event planners in London— England, even. Why would you want me?"

"Well, who hasn't seen the parties thrown by Natalie Devaux Richardson?" He asks, and I chuckle. If there was one thing I got from Judith, it was the art of throwing parties.

"Fine. I'll do it only because I enjoy it. Now, what are you celebrating? Did you find a fiancée?"

He gives a soft laugh. "My freedom, Natalie."

"As you should. I mean, you've been through a whole lot."

"Seven it is then."

******

"The head mistress is still presiding over the PTA meeting, ma'am. She has access to the documents." One of the teachers informs me.

"A PTA meeting? Well, I don't have all day so if you would just call her for me, I'd be grateful."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that, ma'am." She retorts. There's a moment of awkwardness. I smile wryly. "Well, why don't I go meet her myself then?" I say to her, determined to meet Rose.

"Ma'am! Ma'am, you can't!" I ignore her pleas, and walk off, screaming Rose, as I go.

**

"Heh." I smile. "Here you are." I say, as I enter a room filled with women, who are from the elitist class in London. Rose is seated at the head of the table, presiding over the meeting.

"Natalie." I hear multiple choruses as I approach the table.

"How do you do, Ladies?" Luckily, I find that there's and empty seat beside Rose. I take it and sit.

"Hmph, Dom for a PTA meeting, isn't that a bit too. . . Shallow?"

"It's always some drama with you, Natalie. What exactly do you want? I mean, what do you gain from being so perverse?" Rose asks.

I scoff. "Drama?" I ask, about to give her a piece of my mind, but I restrain myself. "Give me Louis' final transfer documents."

"Wait, your son is in this school?" A woman asks. I don't even know her.

"Yes. Was." I respond.

"How come over never seen you at one of these meetings?"

"Well, how can you? When she's too busy chasing my husband." I hear Rose say, and my blood boils. I turn to look at her as the women gasp. I chuckle, unsure of what to respond with. At this moment, I wanted to smack her across the face and tell her the one thing she was so bent on believing; the man she believed to be her darling husband Richard was actually my ex husband, and the father of my son, Lucas. I take a glass of Dom, and I gulp the entire glass down. I take the glass and turn to leave, but I pause. I scan the flute, and in a second, I throw the flute forwards, aiming it at the glass mirror. I watch it shatter as the women gasp and scream collectively. I heave a sigh of relief. "My assistant will be here shortly. Give her the files and pass on the bill for that. I'll gift you double."

*****

"So, shortly after, I signed off my shares at your company back to your mother. That's what happened."

"She mentioned that, but it's still shocking, Natalie. For four good years, you were bed ridden. Unable to walk, hold your son. . . It must've been horrible."

"Indeed, Alex. Indeed. It was. I mean, I would see Louis about to fall and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help him. I'd have to scream for someone to come help him. It's a miracle I have my legs back, honestly. I think God healed me for a reason."

"I am so sorry, Natalie." He says, as I eat out of my pasta. The restaurant was chilly.

"Well, Laurel should be. Wherever the hell she is."

"She shot you, right?"

"Yeah. She did." I respond.

"So, you got shot, I got locked up, and Lucas. . .he died. Seems like he's the unlucky one out of us all." He says, and I pause.

"Come again?"

"Huh?"

"What did you say?"

"You got shot, I got locked up, and Lucas died." He repeats, and then it hits me. Something wasn't right. Something happened to all three of us, the main owners of CI. Could there be a connection between Luke's disappearance, my shooting and Alex's lock up? Was Caleb behind it all? Did he plan it with Laurel? Or is there an even greater enemy that we do not even know of? Was that a possible reason for Luke's pretense? Was he onto something, or was he sending me a message? One that I'd failed to get? I want to blurt it all out to Alex, but something stops me. If Lucas was pretending, it meant he couldn't trust anyone, and I definitely couldn't. I couldn't say a word to anyone, not even Aunt Ruth.

"What is it?" Alex asks.

"Nothing. You were right. He was the unlucky one."