Dressed in a beautiful silk knee length bias gown, and a mask, Natalie arrives at the annual Gallery of Arts bidding function. She walks into the building, following the long carpeted hallway.
Voiceover Monologue; Rebirth. If someone would've told me reincarnation wasn't still possible while life existed, I would have laughed, wondering how a person could be so moderately foolish. I was a victim of true life reincarnation. Yes, my reincarnation occurred while I still had life in me. Maybe my rebirth was as a result of my near death experience or maybe it was born out of my pain, agony, despair and thirst for vengeance. They say reincarnation happens for the good of mankind. It's a good thing. But my reincarnation would be a curse on certain people, people who wronged me. My reincarnation was not a blessing. It stripped me of my innocence and I have one man to blame for it all. One man turned me into something so despicable, dark and venomous.
The doors open. Natalie enters. All eyes are on the dark haired beauty who had just walked into the room. Her eyes were illuminating through the masks she wore, and her sharp red lipstick took the breath of majority of the men present there.
*
"Welcome, Mrs. Devaux. Please," The attendant welcomes me. I give a small smile, as I scan the room. I knew everyone in attendance, from A-Z. I was just focused on finding him, because I knew he would be attending.
I make conversation with a few guests whom I'd gotten acquainted with in the past year. I needed to build a network of contacts, get them as close as I possibly could, find their weaknesses and make them owe me. After all, favors did lend a helping hand in most situations.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the board would like to give a small toast. In honor of all of you, our esteemed guests in attendance. Please raise your glasses for this toast" Daphnia, a member of the Gallery of Arts review committee speaks. She continues, "To you!"
The crowd responds, "To us!", followed by the clinking of glasses. I take a sip of my rosé. He still hadn't arrived or could it be that I just couldn't see him?
Daphnia continues, "Before the bidding starts, we would have a small dance. The floor is yours, ladies and gentlemen."
"May I?" A masked man asks me, and the familiar feeling of anger and irritation visits me. The cameras were rolling, so I couldn't afford turning him down or causing a scene. He takes my hand and we begin to dance.
"What are you doing here?"
"Last time I checked, I could be anywhere I wanted to be, Mrs. Devaux, or should I call you Natty?" Rocky asks.
"You left for Italy. I told you I never wanted to hear or see you ever again. I have no relationship with you anymore. I cut all ties with you that day." I say, feigning a smile.
"No matter how much you deny it, I can always see it. I can tell. Don't you think so? There's a connection, Natalie, and you know it. Stop denying it."
"You're more delusional than ever." I say as I chuckle. Rocky was dead wrong, if he thought I was the same woman from a year ago. "I wonder when you'll see things clearly"
"I'm delusional? I don't think so, well, not as delusional as the man who's responsible for the destruction of your family. No, I'm much better. Much more saner than he is" He says and I go pale. I pause, dead in my tracks. My heartbeat intensifies as I make eye contact with him. The very man I despise with every fiber in my body. He looks at me too, confusion set in his eyes and face. I take off my mask, and that's when I see realization set in on his face. With my black hair, I looked completely different, but this man slept and woke up beside me every morning so definitely, it wouldn't take him forever to realize who was standing before him.
Just as I expected, but hoped wouldn't happen, Laurel walks in beside him, entangling her arm in his. The perfect definition of 'you can buy the dress, but you can't buy class'. I could smell her cheap perfume from across the room. I hold onto Rocky, as tight as I possibly can and I squirm with happiness internally as I see a big frown play across Luke's face.
"Luke's here. A few feet away from us. Don't turn" I say to Rocky, and as if on queue, he grabs my waist, tighter. I watch Luke give his hand out to Laurel, asking her to dance. How miserable. Laurel hadn't seen me yet. I wanted to look her in the eyes so bad, and let her see how much hatred I felt towards her. I wanted her to fall at my knees in fear and desperation, knowing I was coming for her sooner or later.
Daphnia clinks her wine flute, hoping to get everyone's attention. "The bidding starts now. Going straight to the business of the day, our first piece of Art is the late Governor Massey Cooper's single furniture. The furniture contains a few writings from the governor herself, signatures from the Queen, the duke and duchess of Cambridge, Sussex and Edinburgh. Bidding price starts from £700,000."
"£1,000,000" someone says.
"£1,500,000" a woman bids.
"£1,900,000"
"£2,000,000" another bids.
They keep at it, while I collect a glass of white wine from the waiter.
"£7,700,000"
"I offer £10,000,000" I say, as I sip my wine. All eyes fall on me, yet again.
Rocky bids, "£11,000,000" a smirk on his face.
"£15,000,000 million" I hear a familiar voice say. Luke. I knew him all too well. Just as I expected. He would do anything to beat Rocky.
"£15,500,000 million" I say.
Daphnia chimes in, "15,500,000! Okay! Going....?"
"£17,000,000" Rocky says, this time, staring at Luke, eye to eye.
"£19,000,000" I say, and then, Laurel and I have a moment. She recognizes me. I can see the horrific look on her face. She looks at my stomach, and looks back up at me. She did not expect to see me here.
"£19,000,000 going, going... anyone?"
"£20,000,000 million!" Luke yells, in a calm tone. His eyes, red.
"£20,000,000 million sealed! Congratulations, Mr. Carrington" Daphnia says and I can't help but laugh. I wasn't planning on winning. That was my plan all along. I had more than enough money from my alimony, even though I didn't get the entire 60 percent I asked for. Excluding my family's stolen wealth, I was just as rich as Luke was. I felt no remorse, though. I only took back what was rightfully mine— my family's money and assets, also, my share of Luke's wealth. After all, I was his wife at some point. After all, whatever was his, was mine too.
I wanted Luke to lose a whole lot of money by forcing him to think I wanted to bid, alongside Rocky. Rocky played along with my plan, and I didn't need to tell him anything. Maybe he was useful after all. Still smiling, my eyes fall on Luke, and I realize he already had his eyes on me. I smile, giving him an even bigger grin. He nods his head in realization, as a frown plays across his face. He had just realized what I'd done. I played him, and this was just child's play, not even a warm up move. From this moment, I would ensure he had nothing but sleepless nights.
****
I doze off, rays of sunlight falling on my body. Memories come flooding back, but I don't struggle to push them out, even if they were the most horrific and terrifying moments of my life. I needed to relive them everyday, so they could serve as a constant reminder about why I needed to punish Luke.
Flashback
I could hear the sirens wailing as I struggled to open my eyes. I was moving, probably in an ambulance. I couldn't move my body though. I try lifting up my fingers, but I can't, I'm too weak. There's an oxygen mask on my face and a man standing above me, uttering words I found hard to make out.
The vehicle comes to a stop and I can feel hands around me, carrying me out. I remember. I was involved in an accident. I'm being moved into the hospital when I suddenly come to realization. The baby.
"Emergency! She's lost a lot of blood, no family available, prepare the OT now!"
I struggle to move my hand and I take off the mask. "The ba- the" I struggle, as I feel a piercing pain in my stomach.
