CHAPTER 11


    Beep Beep Beep, I hear as I struggle to open my heavy eyes. The light was too bright, so I use my


    hands to cover my eyes.


    "Where am I?" I ask immediately my eyesnd on Luke.


    "You''re in the hospital, Natalie" he says and in a split second, memories start flooding my head. I touch


    my lips rmed. I wasn''t gagged anymore. I sit up and look at my legs. They were bandaged.


    "I was kidnapped" I say, my hand on my mouth. I look at Luke, "I was kidnapped, it wasn''t a dream.”


    "I know. Do you remember exactly what happened? Where were youst night?" He asks and I freeze.


    Thankfully, Laurel enters at that exact moment and the attention is directed at her- something she


    must''ve been ecstatic about.


    I use the back of my left hand to wipe the nonexistent sweat on my face. What would Luke do if he


    found out I tried to escape again? Bloody hell, I wasn''t interested in finding out.


    "Emmanuele sent this food for the both of you.” She gets closer to my bed, "Luke hasn''t showered nor


    eaten properly for the past seventy six hours you''ve been here. Don''t you think he should get some


    rest?"


    I was shocked and a bit moved too. He stayed to look after me for over three days without showering? I


    was touched. "Thank you," I say looking at him, but for some unknown reasons I''m unable to look him


    in the eyes so I look away as fast as I can.


    I clear my throat, "I was out for three days?" I ask. With folded arms, Luke sits on the couch. "Yes, you


    were. You lost blood and in addition to that, you haven''t been eating and the doctors said you were


    stressed out"


    "Doctors?" I ask.


    He looks at me then picks a magazine to read. "I''m Lucas Carrington. I always get the best"


    I roll my eyes at his statement. "I can only wonder why I would be stressed out" I say as Iy down,


    facing the other side of the room.


    I was discharged from the hospital the next day even though I didn''t want to leave. I felt more at peace


    here than in that cage I''d been forced to live in.


    I tuck my hair behind my ear and adjust my sweater. Lukees in.


    "Ready?" He asks and I nod. Suddenly, he carries me in his arms bridal style and I gasp. We share an


    eye lock. "Why are you carrying me?" I ask in a low voice, wondering why my heart was racing.


    "Honestly, I don''t know either" He says.


    The rest of the ride home was awfully quiet. Luke and I had sat in the backseat of his Rolls Royce as


    the driver drove. I could feel the tension in the air.


    "Thank you for everything you''ve done so far, Luke. From helping my family to taking me to the


    hospital. I''m truly grateful" I say as I y with my fingers.


    He looks at me, a bit confused, "Honestly, I don''t get you at times. You have so many characters it''s


    hard to tell who you really are. Anyway, it''s my duty as your husband to care for you so you don''t need


    to thank me for the things I do for you. Well, if you want to really thank me, you can do that by not trying


    to run away again" He says and I freeze. He knew. Bloody hell! I scream internally. Laurel had betrayed


    me.


    ***


    Luke carries me all the way to my room and drops me on the bed.


    "Thank you" I say again. He nods, "I''ll ask them to send you something to eat and to make you a hot


    bath. If you need anything just dial the kitchen, the number 2 on the phone. If you need me, dial 1" He


    says as he leaves.


    Iy down on the bed, stretching as much as I can as a smile ys across my lips. I remember how


    Luke carried me, how I held tight onto his neck and his scent. At that moment, I knew for certain, that I


    wanted to open my heart to Luke.


    ***


    I''m in the shower, washing my hair and simultaneously having my bath. I was d that I found the


    exact lemon verbena soap I used at home. The smell was heavenly. I turn the shower on to rinse of the


    soap when I see a shadow outside the bathroom.


    "Who''s there?" I say, my heart racing as I remember I''d just been kidnapped a few days ago. "Who''s


    there?!" I ask again but there''s no answer. Ie out into the room and see a tray filled with fruits and


    food. I know immediately, that it was Luke who had been in my room.


    ****


    The knock on my door wakes me up. "Come in" I say, looking at the mirror above the couch opposite


    my bed. It was quarter after six in the evening. I''d been asleep for a long time. It was Emmanuele.


    "Madam, the Priest has arrived and would like to meet you" She says


    "The priest? What priest?"


    "Well, the priest of the small diocese here is like a father to everyone here so he frequently visits the


    manor. He was away for sometime but he''s back now"


    "Okay, I''ll be there soon" I say.


    Immediately, I get on my feet wearing whatever I could get my hands on. It was a short sleeve


    turtleneck dress and I leave my hair flowing and add some pink gloss. Even though my legs were


    hurting, I manage to wear my heels as I never wear ts. I''d been brought up to always wear heels no


    matter the asion. Even at school, I wore heels, but there were different types of heels; low and high.


    I reach downstairs, limping and I see the priest sitting drinking a ss of lemonade. He gets up


    immediately he sees me. He smiles at me brightly and I notice Luke get up.


    "Hello," I say as I take the priests hands and ce a soft kiss on them. "I''m Natalie.” I respond.


    "She''s such a beauty, Lucas my son. You picked the right one." He says, holding my hands. "My dear,


    how are you? Do you like your new home?" He asks.


    I smile, "Yes. Yes, I do priest. I''m fine too" I move to sit with Luke.


    "How are your legs?"


    "They hurt, but I''ll be fine. Thank you." I say and we share another eye lock. He looks away first but I


    keep looking. After being kidnapped, I''d realized one thing; I could only live as the day went by and I


    had to get used to the fact that my life had changed drastically and there was no turning back. It was


    time to face my future and forget about my past,pletely.


    It had been two weeks since I''d gotten back home from the hospital. Thankfully, nobody had brought up


    the issue of my kidnap and I was d because I''d have to admit that I did try to escape again and I


    didn''t want that because things were finally getting okay with Luke. We are on the same dining table,


    sat on the same couch to watch the news and we even shared the same jug of coffee and juice.


    It was Friday afternoon and Luke would be on his way back home from work any minute. I was dressed


    in a ck blouse and printed skirt. My hair was curled to fit the attire and I had my signature red lipstick


    on. I had worn my Loubotins to finish the attire. I pace back and forth waiting for Luke to arrive.


    A few minutester, I hear the horns and position myself behind the door. The door opens and I adjust


    my blouse, simultaneously looking at him.


    He raises an eyebrow, "Hi.” I whisper nervously.


    "Hey. Natalie how are you?" He asks


    I give a small smile, "Good," I say. "How was work?" I ask.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Productive as it should" He gestures to the living room, "May Ie in?" He says and I realize that I''d


    been keeping him standing.


    I gasp, "Please, of course. It''s your house."


    He gives me this kind of stern-friendly face. "Our house," He continues,"Excuse me.”


    ****


    It was time for dinner and I was looking forward to it. I had asked for Luke''s favorite meal- Thai rice and


    old fashioned carrot stew be made for him. Although I wasn''t a fan of carrot stew, I was willing and


    eager to try it out. I had selected a bottle of white wine too, something to keep us busy and the mood


    neutral.


    Since silk was my favorite thing to wear, I decide on wearing my silk dress in gold, an attire that brought


    all my features out. I style my hair side part style, my side bangs a little curly. I look in the mirror and


    although I look stunning, I''m not impressed with it. I go into the closet and try searching for another


    dress, but I realize that I really didn''t have a lot of clothes. I had brought just a few clothes after


    marrying Luke.