A Wife's Revenge

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The internet was flooded with evidence that my father was not only corrupt, but a tax evader. Alleged slush funds and alleged money laundering businesses under his name with millions of Euros, majorly stolen or looted funds.

I'm seated in one of the rooms in the court, waiting for Jean-Ann to arrive with Luke and his attorney. The door opens and just as I'd hoped, Jean-Ann was able to get them to come with her. She nods at me. I nod at her. Luke and his attorney sit. Jean Ann is standing.

"Isn't there supposed to be a restraining order?" Luke asks.

"We're overlooking it, for now, Sir." She responds. She drops a blank sheet of paper and a pen on the table.

"And this is for?" Luke's lawyer asks.

"For you to do exactly as I say." I respond, sliding my phone on the table, towards them. "Please, go through."

Luke's lawyer chuckles, "Is this a joke?" Luke collects the phone and begins to go through. I notice him scroll frantically, his eyes giving his shock away.

"Did you do this?" Luke asks me, his eyes fixated on mine.

"No. Did you do this." I respond, more of a statement, than a question. "Don't forget that a few hours ago, you threatened me with that, and you had my drink poisoned. I can go public with this, and if I do, you know it's over for you and your career. You'd rot in jail."

He falls back on the chair, looking at me. His lawyer begins, "This is blackmail. Do you understand the gravity of what you're doing?" He turns to face Jean-Ann. "Counsel your client, attorney. This is illegal."

"It's illegal to have my office wiretapped too. Do you want me to add that to your list of crimes?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Heh. I didn't know you had it in you to lie. I thought you would shamelessly agree, but you've surprised me."

"Take the deal we're offering; Agree to a settlement and we'll drop the case. If you don't agree to it, we will press charges for attempted murder and blackmail."

"Blackmail?" Luke's lawyer asks. "You're just fabricating things!"

"Am I though? Ask your client  if he didn't threaten to expose my fathers alleged crimes to the public. Ask him if he didn't give me a poisoned cup of cappuccino yesterday. He's right beside you, ask him!"

Luke's lawyer looks at him but doesn't ask anything.

"I wouldn't ever try to murder you, Natalie, are you insane? Have you gone mad?! Why would I poison your cappuccino? Caleb brought it in, you saw him!"

"Why is that the only thing you're denying? Why aren't you denying the blackmail?"

"I did. I'm not hiding anything here, I did, but I was never going to go through with it. I would never do that to you in as much as I despise you. Don't forget I'm Luke Carrington, I could do whatever the hell I want, without getting caught too. Trust me, if I wanted you dead, you would be already!" He yells. He continues, "I've been letting you have your way, don't forget who I am. Don't forget who you're talking to. With the flick of my fingers, I could turn the whole case around, in my favor. You're going too far and I'll be forced to deal with you."

This man's arrogance and lies heightened my anger towards him. "Is that a threat?"

"Mr. Carrington, watch your tone. This conversation might be getting recorded." Jean-Ann warns.

"What? You'd be exposing yourself too." Luke's lawyer says.

"Haven't you heard of editing?" I ask him. He doesn't respond. I continue, "I want a 100 million in compensation and, I want the manor and everything in it. That's all."

"Agree to that, write and sign on the blank sheet of paper and record a video, stating you agree to all Natalie's wishes. Only then will we drop the charges, never to be heard of again." Jean-Ann says.

I look at Jean-Ann. I liked her. There was a fire in here. She was the type of person to get whatever she wanted by hook or by crook. She wasn't even a struggling attorney, she was from a wealthy family. She wasn't a nobody.

"Your demands are outrageous. The manor is where he lives."

"So? Can he not get a new home?" I ask.

Luke laughs, "I thought you'd ask for my shares at C.I."

"I'm not greedy. I'm not like you." I respond, referencing to how he seized my family's wealth.

"You aren't?"

"Don't provoke me, Luke." I respond. He laughs. He was mocking me. Mocking me because he believed I had no clue about the merger. He was mocking me because he knew that even though I demanded for his shares say C.I it would be impossible because the merger had been backdated to before I became COO.  I knew he would have a field day throwing me out of the company.

"Is that all you'd like from me?" He asks me.

"That's all." I say, a smile on my face.

"Write and sign, please." Jean-Ann says. He tells his lawyer to keep calm and begins to write.

"Done."

"Just one thing missing." Jean-Ann says as she passes him an ink plate. "Your fingerprint." I chuckle silently. He places his fingerprint on the sheet of paper. Jean-Ann collects it. She begins shooting the video with her Nikon hand camera.

***
Both of our attorneys had gone to meet with Judge Lahey, to inform him that we would be dropping the case. Something he already knew.

I'd just arrived at the parking lot of my home. I come out of my car.

"Natty?" I hear and I shriek in fear. I turn around, scared. It's Rocky. I heave a sigh of relief. "Bloody hell. What are you doing here, Rocky?"

He hands over a bouquet of dahlias. I collect them, wondering why he was handing me flowers. I didn't want them. "They're for you. I wanted to see you. My love, don't you think it's time we talk things through and get back together?"

"What? How do you even know where I live? Are you stalking me?" I ask, irritated.

"Yes, I am. I have. So what? You know I love you, right?"

"No, I don't. All I can see is craziness." I say. I continue, "Get back together? Rocket, I need you to understand that I don't love you anymore."

"That's a lie. Lucas isn't stopping us from being together— you're free. Don't you love me anymore?"

"I've been saying that for the longest time, Rocket. Here." I say, returning his flowers. "I don't want this. I'm sorry." I say as I begin to walk off. He grabs my hand. "Leave me."

"Look into my eyes and tell me you don't love me. Say it. Say you don't remember the first night we made love by the river. Say it."

It was as though I hated all the men surrounding me.  I was beginning to hate men in general. I look into his eyes. "I don't love you. I remember the night we made love. You were my first, remember? Who forgets that?" I whisper in his ear. "After Luke touched me, that night stopped meaning anything to me. I don't love you. Get it."