LUKE'S POV
Natalie and I are outside, beside our car. She looks tired and pale, something I'd noticed for the past
few days.
"Are you ready to go?" I ask her and she nods. I place my jacket over her shoulders. She gives a small
smile and I begin to talk to her about the party. I want to know why she had on such a stern face and a
cold tone with Senator Jackson but I realize that she's completely zoned out. She's a bit shaky, and
when I realize she's about to fall, I hold her as tight as I can.
"Shit!" I yell and the chauffeur comes out. "To the manor, as fast as possible!" I say to the chauffeur,
panicked.
I try to wake her numerous times, but she doesn't respond. However, she's breathing. "You have to
hang in there, my love." I say as I reach for my phone to call Doctor Ava. She says she's on sick leave
so she would be unable to make it. However, she'd send in another Doctor.
We are at the manor and I carry her bridal style into the house. Her eyes flutter open for a second but
she slips back into unconsciousness. Arriving in our bedroom, I drop her on the bed as we await the
Doctor.
The Doctor arrives about thirty minutes later, and although I want to yell, I keep it calm. She attends to
Natalie, checking her pulse and giving her some shots. She checks her eyes with a tiny flashlight and
uses her stethoscope to check Natalie's heartbeat.
"Congratulations, Mr. Carrington."
I'm confused, "Is my wife alright, Doctor? Why did she faint? Why isn't she waking up?" I ask.
"Your wife is healthy and she must remain that way. Your wife is pregnant and approximately, I would
say it's been so for about two months." She replies. I'm in shock, complete awe. Mrs. Ruth comes in
and the Doctor repeats herself. "Your wife is expecting, Mr. Carrington." Mrs. Ruth gasps.
I'm a combination of different emotions as I look at Natalie. This was not the plan. My mind echoes at
me. My goal was to completely and utterly destroy the Richardson family from the inside using Natalie
as my access key. Falling in love with her was never part of the plan. The truth is, I had never loved
Natalie in the past—not until a few weeks ago. Not until, my feelings started getting attached to the
constant sex we were having. I realized I Thad fallen for her, when she avoided me for a few days and
didn't speak to me. Those days were like hell for me. With her distancing herself from me and not even
saying a word to me, I realized that I couldn't live without her. I realized that although I was pretending
to be in love with her, in reality, I was madly in love with her and it scared me. Now, she was having my
child and the thought of her finding out my feelings in the beginning were false, was like a dagger
stabbing me in the heart. I was distraught.
It is breakfast time and everyone is seated beautifully around the table, but the silence is awkward. For
the past few minutes, Laurel had kept on throwing glances at me and smiling at my husband. The way
she was looking at me, for the first time since I'd moved into the manor, made me feel uncomfortable
and suspicious. My sixth sense knew something was up with her. My eyes meet with Rocky's, and I
look away immediately. I would tell Luke after breakfast that I was fed up of Rocky living here. The last
thing I needed was to be troubled or anxious during my pregnancy. I needed peace, and Rocky was a
threat to my peace of mind.
I eat my pancakes and bacon and request for another plate as I sip my pineapple juice.
"Careful, Natalie. You don't wanna end up fat and shapeless, do you?" Laurel mocks me, oblivious to
why I really needed the extra plate. I smile at her as Luke takes my hand.
"Laurel. Apologize. I won't tolerate you being so rude to my wife." Luke says, giving her a stern face.
"How dare you?" He asks her.
"I'm sorry." She quickly responds. "Luke and I have something to share with all of you." We smile at
each other.
"Luke and I, are expecting a baby. I'm pregnant." I say. Luke leans in for a kiss. I can feel the steam
radiating off Laurel and Rocky. Laurel drops her fork violently.
"You didn't tell me, Luke." She says, her eyes watery but a frown intact on her face. She was always
quick to tears for a sharp mouthed girl.
I look at Luke, confused. Luke speaks. "I should have told you that I wanted to get my wife pregnant or
I should have told you before doing so? What the hell, Laurel?"
"No- no, I mean isn't it too early for that? It's not even up to a year!" She says as she bangs her hands
on the table.
"Oh, my God. You know, I always thought you were just being dramatic but now I see you're delusional
too, and obsessed with the idea that you have some sort of right over my husband." I continue, "It's
becoming irritating, for Christ's sake!"
At this point, Laurel is really crying, shedding real tears. I open my mouth in awe. Luke is quiet.
"This girl, I've always known she's had an ulterior motive ever since I stepped into this house." Aunt
Ruth says to Luke. She turns to Laurel who's still seriously crying. "You're ill mannered and you're just a
maid, a common worker at that. Please, why is the help even having breakfast with us?" Aunt Ruth
complains. Rocky is still oddly quite. His left hand on top of the table is balled into a fist as he seems to
be looking down at his plate.
"She's family, Mrs. Ruth." Lucas says.
"You're defending her?" I ask, getting upset. My blood boiled whenever Luke took her side. He was
fond of supporting her blindly and it angered me even more because he could see exactly what she
was doing.
"I'm not defending her, but Laurel is not a maid. She chose to work around the house. I'm not her
employer." He says. "Laurel." Luke says as he gets up. He holds her shoulders rather sternly as he
speaks, "I don't know what you might think or be thinking, but I'm sure I have never misled you or given
you the wrong impression, but if I ever have, please forgive me. I do love you, Laurel." Luke says and
my heart begins to palpitate. It's like my world stops for a moment, especially when I see her smile. I
get up, shocked. He continues, "I love you as I would've loved my sister if she were still alive." He says,
and I heave a sigh of relief. My relief is short lived as I hear Rocky's next words. "I have something to
share too, but. . ." He looks at me. He continues. "Only with you, Luke." I can feel sweat building up on
my head, and my palms becoming sweaty. I look at Aunt Ruth who has a terrified expression on her
face.
"Oh. Well, whatever it is you have to say, you can say in front of my wife and her aunt." Luke says and I
become even more anxious. I close my eyes, trying to hold the tears from dropping. The news of my
pregnancy had triggered Rocky so much that he was willing to destroy my marriage to get back at me.
Why did I make such a foolish mistake of saying it in front of him? Rocky was going to reveal
everything to Rocky, and I knew all too well I didn't want to be there when that happened. I wouldn't be
able to bear the look on his face after finding out the truth. "No, my love. I need some sleep. Aunt Ruth
will accompany me." I say as I get up to leave. Luke comes over to my side and he kisses me
momentarily.
"I'll come join you as soon as I finish up." He says. "Let's go to my study." He says to Rocky. It broke
my heart to know that would probably be our last kiss before everything went ablaze. As we reach my
room, Aunt Ruth looks the door and I begin to cry.
"My darling, don't lose hope just yet. Your husband can forgive you, especially now you're carrying his
child."
I sob, "Aunt, deep down I know that Rocky staying here and not telling Luke about it was the worse
thing a wife could do to her husband. My conscience isn't even clean. I feel so dirty and guilty."
"Dirty? Darling, I need you to tell me that this baby. . ."She points at my stomach, "Is for your husband.
It is, right?"
The tears flow uncontrollably. I join my hands together, "I swear with my life, this baby is Luke's. Never,
aunt, never. I have never been intimate with Rocky or any other man since I married Luke. Rocky did
kiss me multiple times, but I swear aunt, it meant nothing and it never went beyond that!"
"He kissed you, and did you kiss back or did you push him away?"
I massage my temples, "I did kiss back, but it meant nothing!"
"Jesus, Natalie if your marriage collapses today, you played the greatest role in destroying it. What do
we do now?"
"Pack. I need to get out of here before Luke confronts me. We need to hurry!" I say as I get up, heading
straight for my wardrobe. "I'll just get my valuables. Aunt please, grab your things and let's leave on
time."
"How exactly are we going to leave the manor without Luke finding out?" Aunt Ruth asks.
"Laurel. Laurel will help us leave, she's done it before. Hurry, aunt!" As Aunt Ruth opens the door, I
notice her speechless as she stands there. "Please, aunt!" I say as I come back to check on her.
"Luke." I say as I see him standing by the door, a gun in hand. "I can explain," I say, as I try to hold my
balance. This was it. This was what I feared would happen.
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