The Final Revenge

|Forty|

"They're calling me names, Luke! Rose told the media that I'm cheating on Rocket with a married man, which is obviously you!" I yell on the phone.

Lucas responds on the other side of the phone, "I don't even know where she is, she's left the house since and hasn't returned."

"Ugh!" I yell. "I can't even be mad because I'm truly your mistress!" I say, breaking down. I begin to sob. "I'm such a horrible person."

"My love, you know that's not true," He tries to convince. I do not agree, neither do I believe his words. The truth was as plain as daylight. I was his mistress. I was fornicating with another woman's husband, and it killed me. The thought of others thinking and acknowledging him as her husband was like a hot sharp blade being pierced into my heart. I can hear him say things, but I block them out, refusing listen to him.

"Whore. Whore. Whore. Whore. Whore." Caleb's words echo in my ears. Was it the truth? Why did those words hurt me so much? I can feel my clothes soaked, wet from my sweat. I try to take my coat off, but I can't. I am weak, the room beginning to spin round. "Di- Diane. . .Diane. . ." I call, but there's no response. In the blink of an eye, I am dragged down into utter nothingness.

*****

"Where am I?" I ask, walking around in a foreign place. It seems like the woods, or somewhere near a lake.

"Natalie." I hear a faint whisper. I turn around to find the voice, and I gasp, as I see Laurel. She's smirking at me. "I'm coming for you!" She yells, charging for me.

"Ahhh!" My eyes flutter open as I exclaim. I sit up as fast as I can, breathing heavily.

"Louis. Louis!" I yell, agitated. I look down at my stomach. "My baby,"

"Natalie?" I turn to see Lucas. "It was just a nightmare, my love. Louis is safe. Calm down, okay? You can't be stressed for the sake of the baby." He says as I look at him. I get up from the bed. I am in a hospital. I run my hand through my hair. I must've fainted. I look away from him. "Thank you." I state, scanning the room for my coat. I do not find it, so I begin to leave.

"Natalie?" I hear Luke call. I ignore him, finding my way out. "Natalie! Stop!" He grabs my arm, turning me around.

"What's wrong? Why are you just walking away? Are you okay?"

I look at him, not sure exactly how and what I was feeling. "Nothing. I'm going back to work." I respond, turning around again. He grabs me again, and drags me to the room.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" He asks. Ignoring him, I try to leave again, but he holds me, breaking my resolve. I avoid his eyes, but as though he can read my mind, he holds my chin up, and now, our eyes are fixated on each other.

"What is wrong, Natalie? You're hurting my feelings."

"Rose— your wife, put up an article to defame me. I've been called all sorts of names. A whore, home breaker, your mistress— which I certainly am. I'm not the victim here, Rose is. I can't do this anymore, I don't want my son being tagged as the child of a mistress or an adulterer. It is mentally draining and it's emotionally scaring."

"I- I didn't know you felt this way, and you of all people should know what the truth is— you're my true wif—

"No! We are divorced, Lucas!" I state, crying. I turn around, in a bid to hide my tears. I felt so much sadness. I was not happy.

"You know I'm only with Rose—

"What? For your revenge? That seems to be the only important thing to you. You did it to me too, I mean isn't that why you married me in the first place?" I ask.

He sighs. "I'm only trying to prov—

"Prove what? You already have evidence to take Caleb down. Turn him over to the police, why do you insist on believing there's someone else behind everything?!" I yell. I continue, "Caleb knows who you are, and the way he sounded. It scared me. He can try to murder you again, or even worse, what if he goes after me? Our son?"

"So you just want us to lead our normal lives. In the midst of danger?"

"No. Let's run away. Let's go far away, from all of this. No one will ever find us, we can take aunt, Ashley, Delore—

"Come with me." He says, and he drags me out. I look on as he continues taking me out.

*****

"Why did you bring me here? What is this?"

"Natalie Devaux Richardson. Will you marry me again?" He asks, getting down on one knee. I look at him, shocked. He continues, "I know I don't have a ring, and this isn't as romantic as I'd planned on asking you for the second time, but. . . Your tears ache my heart. I can't bare to see you sad and unhappy."

"Luke. . ."

"No. Let me finish. I know that my intentions for marrying you in the beginning were not pure, and I left you and your family no other option than to accept my proposal. Everyday, I wish I had done things properly. Gotten to know you, courted you and believed you when you said Louis was mine. I was blinded by my rage, anger, bitterness and jealousy, when truly, I didn't even deserve you. Now, with your consent, your permission, I'm asking if you'll agree to be mine again, and if you'll allow me to be yours, forever. I love you, Natalie, and I love both our children. Please, say you'll marry me, because I want to. This time, as myself. The real me. Not Lucas, but Jack.." He says, and I burst out crying.

"Oh, my love." I bend, hugging him. "This is the best thing apart from Louis that you've given me." I state emotionally. Bloody hell. My pregnancy had made my emotions heightened ten times more.

"Well?" Luke asks, nervously chuckling. "Will you marry me?"

"I would, I mean, I will, but you're still with Rose. It's illegal. You could get in trouble."

"Well, we'll be getting married but not officially. It's more of a blessing of our union." He says, and I smile. I rest on his forehead.

"I'm sorry, I reacted the way I di—

"Shh. Don't be sorry, my love. Leave that to me." He says, and we smile at each other.

****

Standing at the altar, hand in hand, my significant other makes me lifelong promises.

"I, Jack Hugh-Gray, promise you, Natalie Devaux Richardson, to love you unconditionally. To be by your side, through thick, thin, happiness, sorrow, in wealth and health. I promise to protect you and our children. I promise to fight the world on your behalf. I promise to take all your burdens and problems as though they were mine. I promise to always fulfill you every wish and desire. I promise to always be faithful to you, until the day I breath my last. I will love you forever, and after forever. Today, in front of God, I accept you as my wife."

I can not control the tears running down my face. "Is my mascara running?" I ask. We both laugh as he nods a yes. "Jack Hugh-Gray. My soulmate. I, Natalie Devaux Richardson, accept you as my beloved, in front of God. I promise to love you all the days of our lives together. I promise to keep you happy and cook for you," I say, and we laugh. I continue, "I will never, ever leave your side, and I will never let you leave me. I promise to stand by you, in sickness and in health. In wealth and poverty, I shall be by your side every step of the way. I promise to always believe your words and I promise to love and care for you until death do us part. I love you, Jack." I say, and we go in for a kiss. Finally. It was all I ever wanted. Maybe I would finally get my happy ever after.