The Final Revenge

|Thirtynine|

"Who does he think he is?" I scoff, annoyed and bewildered at the unveiling of Rocket's true mature. I slam his gate as hard as I can and begin to head to my home, when I freeze. I look to the opposite side of the road where a car is parked. I step back, shocked and a wave of fear creeping through my back, up to my spine. The woman winds up, smirking, and speeds off, leaving me shaking in fear.

"Laurel."

*****

I rush inside the house, panicked. I rush to my sons room and heave a sigh of relief as I find him in bed, fast asleep. I clutch my stomach, remembering how I lost my previous pregnancy due to Laurel's craziness. I shut Louis door, and begin to head to my room when Ashley approaches me. I try to ignore her and head my way, but she holds my hand. I stop.

"I'll move out, but before that, I want you to know that I am so, so, sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I never wanted to betray your trust either."

"But you did. Look, Ashley. I'm not mad that you had something to do with Rocket, but I'm mad that it's you of all people. I could care less who you slept with, but you probably did so under my nose, and to a man I was married to. Would you have done the same if it was Luke? Seduced him? Of which I know Luke would never do to me but. . . I thought we were like sisters."

"I didn't seduce him. Oh, my God. Is that what he told you?" She asks. I look away, uninterested. She continues, "That wasn't what happened. It happened a month ago. I was at the library when someone slipped an envelope under my desk. After seeing its contents, I didn't know whether to be happy or sad. So I went and grabbed a few drinks. By the time I came home, everyone had gone to bed, I think. I met Mr. Rocket here waiting for you. He kept asking me questions, which I can't even remember but I remember waking up by midnight and finding myself naked in my bed. I knew what had happened even though I couldn't remember it. I never even spoke of it again, even to Mr. Rocket himself."

"So he didn't rape you, even if he did, you wouldn't remember."

"I'm telling you the truth even though it doesn't sound believable. I didn't do it on purpose." She sobs, holding my hand.

"Honestly, I'm even more mad at Rocket. I believe you, and this just makes me hate him even more."

"I am so grateful for everything you've done for me. I mean, I was a poor little orphan, I had nothing but since you saw me at the store shoplifting that day, you've given me a family, money, happiness and everything I always wanted. I'm sorry to hurt you this way. I'll be gone by morning." She says and turns around to leave.

"Wait." I state. I continue, "You said you saw something. What was it?" I ask.

"Um, I can show you."

*****

I look at the photograph, confused. The face was oddly familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I'd seen the child from. "Just find him?" I ask, as the letter reads, "Find him." "Who could him be?" I ask her.

"I think it's my family." She responds plainly.

"Your family? That's good news! Why don't you sound enthusiastic about it?"

"Because they left me! If my family's alive, that means they abandoned me, to suffer and be all by myself. I can't forgive them for that."

"What if they lost you? What if it wasn't intentional? Don't you want the truth?"

"What truth? The lady at the orphanage told me a woman dropped me off there and said she didn't want me anymore. That's all she said and just left me there."

"What orphanage is this?"

"Greggings."

"She didn't leave a number? No contact information?"

"None." Ashley responds, leaving me speechless. I sigh.

"You don't have to go, Ashley. I mean, you have a baby to raise and what better way than raising your child where he's loved?"

"I can stay?" She asks, her voice breaking. "You're not— you're not mad at me?"

"Well, honestly, to an extent I am, but it's nothing. I would never blame the innocent child in your womb, however you did still betray me. But I understand the circumstances of which everything happened, so, you're free to stay here."

*******

Next day, The office

As I enter the building, I notice the staff looking in my direction and whispering. I look down at my stomach, I wasn't visible yet, or did I look fat?

I head to the elevator and go to my floor, luckily I see Diane standing by the rails, on a call.

"Diane!" I call out. She turns and drops the call. We meet up halfway.

"Hello. How's everything here? Anything I should know?"

"Good morning, ma'am. I didn't think you'd be out today given the circumstances. . ."

"What circumstances?"

"The um. . . The article." She says.

"What article?" I ask her.

"You don't know about it?"

"Know about what? What's happening?" I ask, confused. She opens her phone and hands it to me. I take it from her and scan the alleged article. My hands shake as I read the article. I scoff, shocked.

"Do you know who put this out?" I ask her. "No, ma'am. It's from an unknown source." She responds. I give her back her phone, about to leave and somewhat embarrassed.

"How interesting. You just can't stay off the news, can you?" I hear Caleb's annoying voice say.

"Leave us." I tell Diane. She does.

"Honestly, at some point, I beat myself up and wished I had you for myself instead of Kelly. You used to be so smart and always got ahead of the men. You were ambitious. Now, you're nothing but a fool." He chuckles, "And a whore." He says and my blood boils.

"Careful, now. Do not let your words become your undoing." I respond. I'd have asked if he was behind the article, but I knew all too well who was.

"No. You should be careful. You're the one sleeping with and hiding s fugitive with a fake identity. If you continue and don't give him up, you'll end up in jail with him." He says. This was his way of finding out if Richard Barnes was Lucas Carrington. He had no idea.

"I, too, wish he was Lucas, then he'd deal with you as he should have a long time ago."

"Dont deny it. It's obvious he's Lucas. Do you really think I bought that lie? Dying his hair and changing his eye color?"

"A DNA test was done for him and my son. St. Abigails. You can ask them to show you." I state, walking away.

"Natalie." He calls, and I halt.

"You look beautiful." He says, leaving me further irritated. I ignore and find my way to my office. Bloody Hell. What have you done, Rose?