Chapter 166 The Last Laugh

Chapter 166 The Last Laugh
Natalie POV

The funeral was exactly what I'd hoped for. Pathetic.

I stood at a distance behind a weathered oak tree, watching the sparse gathering around the small grave. No more than eight people clustered together under the gray sky: Sarah in black, her mother Linda, her friends Jessica and Sophia, and a handful of other nobodies I didn't recognize. Even the pastor looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, rushing through his generic eulogy about "a bright young soul taken too soon."

The pastor delivered his final words, relatives tossed symbolic handfuls of dirt into the grave, followed by awkward shoulder pats. One by one, they drifted away, leaving Sarah standing alone beside the open grave like some tragic figure from a bad romance novel.

I smoothed down my coat and walked across the cemetery grounds. Sarah's head snapped up when she heard me approaching, her red-rimmed eyes widening with shock and fury.

"You..." Her voice was hoarse from crying.

"Me." I stopped just a few feet from the grave, pulling out the single white lily I'd brought. "I thought I should pay my respects."

Sarah's face crumpled. "How dare you show up here?"

I dangled the flower over the open grave, letting it fall onto the small coffin below. I savored the cruel poetry of it: lily for Lily. "Seems fitting, don't you think? This is where little Lily belongs."

The wordplay hit exactly as intended. Sarah's knees buckled slightly, and she had to grab the edge of a nearby headstone for support.

"You're sick," she choked out.

"I'm realistic." I crossed my arms. "Face it, Sarah. You've lost. Your daughter's dead, your marriage is over, and Michael's already moved on. You've got nothing left."

For a long moment, Sarah just stared at me. Then something seemed to break inside her. Her shoulders sagged, and when she spoke, her voice was barely audible. "You win."

The words were sweeter than I'd imagined. My efforts had finally paid off.

"I know I do. And just so we're clear. Michael will be mine. He already is, really. You were just keeping him warm for me."

Sarah flinched like I'd slapped her.

I turned and walked away, not bothering to look back. There was nothing more to say. Sarah was finished, and I had a victory to celebrate.

I spent the afternoon making calls to track down Michael. By the time I received word of Michael's whereabouts, the sun had already set. He'd been spotted at the Crown Club, apparently drowning his sorrows. The man was probably desperate for comfort. Tonight would be the night I finally claimed what was mine.

I put on a red dress that hugged every curve. When I looked in the mirror, I felt more than perfect. No man could resist me like this, especially not one drowning in grief.

I found Michael at the far end of the bar, hunched over what looked like yet another whiskey. His usually perfect hair was disheveled, his tie loosened. He looked like a man who'd lost everything, which he has.

I ordered a drink from the bartender, then discreetly slipped the small vial from my purse. The clear liquid dissolved instantly into my cocktail. Two or three sips, and he'd be putty in my hands. The effects would take about twenty minutes to kick in, and once they did... well, there'd be only one way to relieve the overwhelming need.

I walked over to Michael, letting my hip brush against his arm as I settled onto the adjacent stool.

"Rough night?" I asked softly.

He looked up, his eyes unfocused. "Natalie." His voice was emotionless.

"I heard about everything." I placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry, Michael. I know how much you loved that little girl."

Michael stared into his glass. "She was everything to me."

"I know." I moved closer, letting sympathy color my voice. "But you can't destroy yourself like this. Sarah wouldn't want that."

He choked on his drink. "Don't even mention her name."

This was better than I'd hoped. I slid my drink closer to his, positioning them side by side. "You deserve so much better than what she put you through."

"You're right." Michael lifted his head, and for a second, his eyes seemed to focus on me with something like gratitude. "You've always been right about her."

I felt a thrill of triumph. "Let me buy you another drink. Consider it a toast to new beginnings."

Michael gestured vaguely. "I think I've had enough for tonight."

"Just one more," I insisted, then made a show of accidentally bumping my purse. In the distraction, I smoothly switched our glasses. "Then we can both go get some rest."

Michael seemed to consider this, then nodded slowly. "You're right. One last drink, and then I should probably get a room upstairs. I'm in no condition to drive home tonight." He reached for what he thought was his glass.

My heart raced. This was happening faster than I'd dared hope. "Of course. I'll take care of everything."

I flagged down a server and quickly arranged for a private suite upstairs. When I turned back, Michael was holding up his glass.

"A toast," he said, his voice slightly slurred. "To... new chapters."

"To new chapters," I agreed, lifting my own glass.

We clinked glasses, and I watched with barely contained excitement as Michael drained his drink in one long swallow.

"Ready?" I asked, sliding off my stool.

Michael nodded, swaying slightly as he stood. I slipped my arm through his, supposedly to steady him, and guided him toward the elevators.

The private suite was elegant and dimly lit, exactly what I'd requested. I helped Michael to the bed, letting my hands linger on his chest as I loosened his tie.

"You're so good to me, Natalie," he mumbled, his eyes growing heavy.

"I'll always take care of you," I whispered, leaning in closer.

"It would be so much better if you were wearing something sexier..." he slurred, his words barely coherent. "Go find... something that shows more..."

A smile tugged at my lips. I hadn't expected Michael to have such specific tastes, but I was more than happy to indulge him.

I found a closet full of expensive lingerie and selected a barely-there silk number that left little to the imagination. When I returned to the bedroom, the lights had been dimmed to almost nothing, leaving only the warm glow of the bedside lamp.

Michael's silhouette was stretched out on the bed, and he gestured for me to come closer. My pulse quickened as I approached, ready to finally claim my prize.

But as I leaned in for a kiss, he suddenly spoke again. "Hold on, let me just adjust the camera angle."

"Camera?" I froze. "What camera?"

The room suddenly flooded with bright light, and I realized with growing horror that there were several cameras positioned around the room. Worse still, the man on the bed wasn't Michael at all. It was some stranger with similar build.

I stumbled backward, panic rising in my throat. "What the hell is going on?"

"Going somewhere, Natalie?"

I spun around to find Michael standing in the doorway.

"Michael! Thank God. I think I walked into the wrong room. Someone's trying to—"

"Trying to what? Rape you?" His voice was ice. "I have to say, I'm impressed by your confidence. Trying to hook me up while I was drunk?"

The blood drained from my face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please. I've been watching you all night. You're about as subtle as a freight train." Michael stepped into the room. "I knew you'd been lusting after me forever. Thanks to your partner's little warning, I was able to stay one step ahead."

"That's... that's impossible," I stammered. "He would never betray me."

Michael's expression turned mockingly sympathetic. "You put way too much faith in him, Natalie. Sarah and I were never actually separated. Everything you saw in the news was just an act. And whose brilliant plan do you think that was? Your trusted friend's."

The realization hit me like a sledgehammer. Lucas had been working with them from the very beginning. Of course! What kind of father would actually help destroy his own daughter? I'd been the target all along, the fool being led around by the nose.

But I still had one advantage. "Y-you drank from my glass," I stammered, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice. "There was an aphrodisiac in it. It'll kick in any minute now, and you'll have to find someone to..."

Michael's smile widened. "Wrong again, Natalie. You're the one who's going to need relief very soon. I noticed your little glass-switching trick and swapped them back while you were arranging our room." He gestured casually at my flushed skin. "Twenty minutes, wasn't it? Should be hitting right about now."

No shit. I'd drugged myself with my own aphrodisiac. The burning need was already starting to build in my veins, making it hard to think clearly.

"Don't leave me like this," I gasped, reaching for Michael desperately.

But he was already backing toward the door. "Enjoy your evening, Natalie. I'm sure our friend here will take excellent care of you."

He gestured to the stranger on the bed, who was now removing his shirt with obvious anticipation.

"Film everything," Michael called over his shoulder. "I want this to be memorable."

"Michael, please!" I screamed, but the door was already closing behind him.

"You bastard!" I shrieked at the closed door. "Lucas, you piece of shit! I'll kill you and Michael and that bitch Sarah!" Tears of rage streamed down my face as I pounded against the door. "I'll kill all of you!"

The drug was coursing through my system now, making every nerve ending hypersensitive. The stranger approached, and despite my fury and humiliation, my body was already responding to the chemical compulsion.

"No," I whimpered, but my hands were already reaching for him.