Disclaimer: I don't own the Revenge plot, but the new characters at the moment belongs to me
A/N: Is there's a retrial on the horizon?
Note for all chapters: I watched the finale multiple times, pausing it to get some form of a transcript of the article that Nolan was shown in the last few minutes, trust me; it wasn't easy so perhaps a cheeky little review for the effort I put in there?
Chapter 21
The morning of Scott's wedding, I was about to watch my best friend get married to someone who was potentially pregnant with someone else's child. But he said he could look past that, and I had to let him go along with it.
I was standing at the bottom of a large stairwell, waiting for Bella to come down to go into the ceremony.
"Wow…" I murmured once I saw her coming down the stairs.
Bella was wearing a long white dress which had lace detailing on the sleeves. Her hair was cascading down her shoulder in long loose curls and from the way she gripped the handrail, I could tell she was nervous.
"Oh Bella, you look amazing…" I called out to her. "Are you ready for this?"
"Riley- is any bride ever ready or happy in the run up to the wedding?" Bella replied sharply. "Sorry, I'm just nervous."
"Come on, everyone's probably waiting on you." I held out my arm for her to link with and then guided her down to the doors.
Through the glass doors, I could see the stony aisle with chairs lined up on either side of it, occupied with many or Bella or Scott's friends and relatives. Well, the friends from Scott Peter's life. The only biological relative of Scott's at the wedding was Una. Una had left baby Vinnie with Serena at Club Cat's Eye – she had said there was no way she was going to miss her baby brother's wedding.
"Here goes nothing," Bella whispered, letting the doors open for her and walking through as the music began.
I squatted down and fanned out her dress one last time before everyone turned around to look at her. Once she was halfway down the aisle, I started my own walk and didn't hesitate at picking a quicker beat to walk at.
As I walked, my mind raced with thoughts about Scott – with every step I took, I felt the need to close the book on my feelings for Scott. For me to move on. My heart was in my throat at the thought of it, but I pushed it down as I reached the altar where Scott was smiling softly. His eyes caught mine for a brief moment and I forced myself to look away.
Nolan was sat to one side of the chairs beside his new 'friend' Beckett. From the look on my uncle's face, it was clear that he knew what I was thinking. 'It'll be okay…' he mouthed to me.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today on this beautifully sunny day to bear witness to the union of Scott and Bella." The priest started the ceremony.
I squeezed the bouquet tightly in my hands, feeling the stems cracking under my grip. There was a gust of wind that made me turn to look at the rows of attendees. My eyes caught a glimpse of Annie, the lady from the diner that I found myself at on a number of occasions. If she managed to tell Bella what I had told her, there would be no chance of me and Scott remaining friends.
"Riley?" Bella looked around at me with raised eyebrows. "Are you okay?"
"Oh- yes, sorry…" I mumbled. "Carry on…"
"Breathe next time, yeah?" Bella replied sarcastically, smiling like it made the comment sound less snippy.
"Stop! You can't go ahead with this!"
We all stopped and turned to look at what was going on. Standing at the doors that Bella and I had come out of earlier, was Leo Myers. He looked utterly dishevelled and wearing a crumpled shirt and jeans. Murmurs of concern and dismay echoed throughout the attendees.
Knowing that Leo was going to make a scene, I dropped my flowers and strode down the aisle. Bella grabbed Scott and pulled him along behind me.
"Leo, inside now!" I snapped, pushing him through the open doors. "Sorry everyone, slight technical hitch, we'll deal with this and be out in a second-"
Bella screamed at Leo. "Are you serious? You came to my wedding!"
I slammed the doors shut, accidentally registering all of the guests watching me with wide eyes and shocked expressions. "Bella, let's move away from the lovely glass doors…"
She glowered at me and turned back to Leo. "You need to leave, right now!"
Leo shook his head, grabbing tufts of his dark hair in his hands. "No, no-no, not going to happen- can't do that. I won't do that. We need to be honest. He deserves to know the truth." Leo indicated Scott, and then gestured at me. "Riley should know as well, though I think she suspects as much."
Scott bundled into Leo, pinning him to the wall. "You better start talking mate! The whole truth!" he shouted aggressively.
Bella jumped, scared out of her skin, but she pulled on Scott's arm feebly. "Scott, let him go. Leo, get out of here!"
"Tell him…" Leo growled, gritting his teeth.
In my head, it was just a matter of time before someone said something. I just sped up the line of time.
"The baby is Leo's!" I blurted out.
Scott stared at me with his mouth trembling. "What?"
"You mentioned that you thought she might have cheated. I know that Leo cheated… I just didn't realise that the two scenarios were connected, until now." I blinked rapidly so that the tears weren't obvious.
"Bella?" Scott stammered, letting go of Leo.
I felt like I couldn't breathe, the denial of the situation that was now at hand. "I have to go…"
When I got to my car, I fumbled with the keys and dropped them on the floor. Reaching down to pick them up off the floor, there was a large crunch as a flat red ballet pump like shoe was brought down onto my hand. I cried out in pain, looking up to see Annie leaning over me.
"Well, well, well. You are a little slut. You think you can come here and ruin my baby girl's future. That's right sweetheart, Bella is my daughter, and I've just realised that you are the little homewrecker now because you been making doe eyes at Scott." Annie twisted her foot over my head. "Perhaps I should also mention that I'm Angela Share so you better back off or I'll make sure that Leonard Myers knows exactly who you and Scott are…"
With one last push, she lifted her foot off my hand and disappeared out of sight. I was in too much pain to even register or pay attention to where she had gone.
"Riley!"
I looked up to see Scott coming down the steps towards me whilst being flanked by Nolan and Beckett. Concern flashed over Nolan's face and he helped me up off the floor.
"Are you okay?" He glanced at my hand which was swelling up a little. "What happened to your hand?"
"It's nothing…" I sniffed.
Beckett frowned a little. "It doesn't look like nothing. Let's get you to a hospital and have it checked out." He checked his phone and murmured something to Nolan about a possible loophole before running to his car.
My wrist and mangled hand ended up in a cast after that visit to the hospital. Whilst Nolan sat by me as much as he could, I couldn't help but keep my gaze on Scott standing over by the window – still wearing the suit that he intended to marry Bella in. I felt my stomach turn as I wondered what was going through his mind, and the fact that it was my fault for blurting it out when it was never my thing to say. If anyone, it should have come out of Bella's mouth, not mine. Nolan squeezed my hand and hesitantly left the room.
"Scott?" I asked softly, walking slowly over to him, feeling a little out of place. "Please talk to me…"
"There's- there's nothing to say, Riley. You can't apologise either…" Scott replied bluntly and almost emotionless. "The truth will out as my folks always said… God- I should have listened to my gut!" His voice started to shake as he began to shout at the window. "I knew she wasn't telling me everything. She wanted everything done quickly, and then she wanted you involved and at the heart of it all. Bella knew that you were important to me and she pit herself against you to me. And then her mother hooked her claws in at every opportunity. Wanting to know everything about me, but never wanting to meet me and-"
My eyes widened. "Scott, there's something you need to know about Bella." I gripped his arm with my uninjured hand, forcing Scott to look at me. "We're in really really deep trouble unless we move fast."
Scott squinted at me, registering how serious I was. "Why?"
"Bella's mother didn't want to meet you because she knows and knew exactly who you – and me – are. She's Angela Share. She was the receptionist at Hydra and she threatened me to make you back off… We never made the link because of Bella's modelling name."
"What? What are we going to do then?" Scott backed away, mortified at what Angela was capable of doing.
I smiled. "We show her that we aren't going to back down." I glanced over at the open door to the hospital room and ushered Nolan back in off the corridor. "Nolan, I need you to listen and not freak over it."
"Well it's a shame I don't have my freak out hat on…" Nolan sniped coolly.
"Uno- not now. Right, so there's something I need to tell you about Bella-"
Nolan rolled his eyes. "I think we all know about her baby daddy issues… What? Too soon…"
"Nolan! Shush for five minutes, will you? Bella's baby is irrelevant right now- it's all about her mother… She's Angela Share. The receptionist at Hydra when it all happened." I couldn't believe how calm I was in comparison to Scott, he just let me explain everything whilst he stood in silence. "We don't know how but Angela knows exactly who me and Scott are, so we have to stay two steps ahead of her. She told us to back off… But you know what? I don't like threats and she's really pissed me off by threatening me like that to be honest. So I think we push her like she tried to push us. She wanted to throw a curveball, but I'm going to hit one hell of a home run."
Nolan smiled at me, his soft dimples showing ever so slightly. "That's my little trainee revenge ninja, but you should really stay two extra steps ahead – like me. Right now, Bella and Leo are staring at an envelope of cash and plane tickets to start a new life down under with the 'roos and cockatoos. Then with the baby bears out of the picture, it shows mama bear that we can play dirty too."
"You knew?" I gawped at him. "You knew and you never said anything?"
"Only because Scott told me not to let on. That's right, he stays ahead in the game- it's you who fell at the first hurdle." He winked playfully at me as my mouth hit the floor. "Told you she would react like this. I say we are in for a meltdown in three, two, one…"
I took an extra few seconds. "Scott- are you serious? Do you have any idea how that made me feel? I thought that I had just ruined your life by telling you about Bella's baby. You knew this whole time- why, no- when? I don't even know whether to punch you or kiss you-" I froze, clamping my mouth shut in embarrassment. "Look what you made me say, I don't even know who you are sometimes."
Scott started laughing nervously. "And we could say the same about you! You were the one who was gallivanting about the Hamptons and becoming some pregnant drug desiring homeless girl." He held out his arms to me. "Come on… It was all fine in the end though wasn't it?"
I hesitantly looked at him and then threw my arms around him, wrapping them around the back of his neck and tucking my chin over his shoulder.
"Although I don't know whether to hate you, I'm glad you're okay," I mumbled softly. "So what are we doing next?"
"We are not doing anything. You are going to take it easy whilst me, Nolan and Beckett prep for the trial." Scott gently pushed me away. "Though I will sign your cast before you lose it."
I laughed, giggling like a teenager and unable o stop for a while.
Three months later, we were getting ready for Christmas and I found myself rifling through the notebook relating to everything about Scott's revenge case. Everything about everyone who was involved. Everything that we had found out about it.
Leonard Myers, Susie Myers, Leo Myers, Mitchell Casey, Karen Casey, Trinity Patterson, Raymond Patterson, Angela Share, Shannon Fisher, Todd Bell, Arnie Coople, Gina Barrett, Bella Share…
There were a few new additions to the book that were incredibly recent.
Shannon's sexuality had been exposed in an effort to bring her to make a statement about what she had done, but when she was attacked and brutally hospitalised, it was clear that she would never do that.
Arnie Coople, the news reporter, was dead.
Susie Myers was a woman with a secret love child in Shannon Fisher.
Angela was threatening us and she knew that I had feelings for Scott. Her daughter was Bella and that had made me wonder if Angela had orchestrated the relationship between Scott and Bella. But whilst at the diner, 'Annie' claimed to having not seen her daughter in years.
Karen Casey was the owner of Lockton Manor and had been tampering with Scott's medication whilst he was there.
Whilst I was just putting the notebook away, I caught notice of the photo album. It was tucked away under a few jumpers. I swapped the album out and started to flick through. All my photos from Michelle's life were there – me and my mum on our mother, daughter holidays at various Blue Lagoon resorts, and the secret photos I took with Brody. There was no way teenage Michelle was going to let her father find out that she was having a secret teenage relationship with one of the boys who was maintaining the Campbell mansion grounds. As I carried on turning the pages, I looked at all the photos of me, Nolan and Scott. When me and Scott went to see my Mum at the Plaza, then when Brody and me rekindled our relationship. I may have also kept the surveillance photos of us and anything along the way that I thought might count as a reminder for what I had been through the last year or so.
"What's that?"
I jumped, shutting the photo album as I saw Scott standing in the doorway. "Oh nothing, just a little memory book. Not that I want to sound cagey, but it's kind of personal."
"Oh, that's okay…" He asked if he could come in, I nodded. "You know how it's nearly Christmas…" Scott pushed the door shut, looking pretty nervous.
"Of course – I'm hardly likely to forget, am I?" I laughed, resting a hand on his chest as he sat down on the bed beside me. "Why? What's up?"
"I wanted to give you something. I know we promised not to do gifts, but I couldn't not give you a gift to be honest. You have done so much for me and looked out for me in ways that I cannot imagine."
"Scott…"
"Please," Scott sighed, pulling out a small box. "I hope you don't mind."
I opened the small box slowly, looking back and forth between him and the present. "Are you serious? This is insane. You shouldn't have done this, Scott."
Inside the little box was a pendant necklace with a two small rings that looked like they were knotted together.
"It's beautiful, Scott," I gasped, tracing the surface of the first ring, looping over onto the second.
"For- for a beautiful girl…" Scott said confidently, taking the necklace and fastening it on me. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as his hands hovered above my shoulders. "It's a- love knot."
I leant back, gripping the box. "What does that mean?"
"Wow- you're really going to make me spell it out, aren't you?" Scott turned towards me. "We've known each other for a while now, and we have seen each other at our best and worst. Me and you, there was always something there between us, ever since you cut your hand trying to catch a falling glass. I just don't think either of us had the best timing, but seeing as we are both- well, I can't help but feel that-"
I pressed a finger on his lips. "You're so funny when you get nervous, but you're incredibly useless at this. Let me say this in a better way." I placed the empty box subtly behind me on the bedside table as I leant towards Scott.
With my heart lurching back and forth, towards my ribcage, I pressed my lips against his. I felt Scott edge towards me, snaking his hand around the small of my back.
The door burst open and we broke apart instantly. Nolan stood in the doorway, his eyes darting between us.
"Well I guess it's about time…" he apologised before shutting the door.
Me and Scott started laughing, falling back onto the bed. I shielded my face with my hands to stop him seeing the embarrassment on my face.
"Stop it- you don't need to hide your face. You are adorable when you laugh." Scott smiled at me, showing his teeth- something that he rarely did.
"So is your smile…"
Before we could get any closer, Stella bounded onto the bed and gave us our own personal kisses.
"Scott! Riley! We need you!" Nolan called out.
Pushing a needy Stella off of the bed, we strode into the hallway. Nolan was watching the television screen with his back to us.
"Nolan, what is it?" I asked, feeling Scott standing right behind me.
"Watch and listen."
We watched the news report on the screen of a lady with long dark red hair making an announcement.
"My name is Carly Morano, and I am here on behalf of the Hydra Corporation to represent them in the upcoming retrials with Trinity Patterson. As the newly appointed lawyer of Hydra, I will be there to break down every thread of evidence that come my way…"
The interview continued, but there was something about Carly that was familiar.
"I know her…" I said, leaning forwards against the back of the sofa.
"What?" Scott asked, pausing the report so that we could see her face clearly.
"No, I know her from before… before the Hamptons."
"Maybe you saw her in Florida?"
"Yeah, but I've definitely seen her somewhere." I closed my eyes and played various memories in my mind. I focused on one memory- my dad had been sneaking around the house when I was about nine years old. I was following him when he seemingly accidentally bumped into my babysitter at the time. A young blonde girl who, from what the male members of the family said, was beautiful. I had watched my dad and my babysitter exchange excessive amounts of saliva whilst their hands groped and squeezed each other.
Though her hair was blonde at the time, she was now Carly Morano.
Scott's hand touched mine and I jerked away with a nervous twist in my stomach. "Riley? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you okay?"
My breathing had quickened and I felt like my organs were about to come bursting through my mouth. "I know her. She- she used to babysit me in Florida." No further sentences followed because my heart was racing. "And- she was there-" I stopped and cupped my hands over my mouth, trying to hold back the tears.
Without even thinking, I walked away, out through the patio doors and looking out at the beach view. I pursed my lips and scrunched up my face as a teary squeak escaped my mouth.
"Riley…" Nolan was standing behind me. "Talk to me."
"Carly Morano. She's another part of this huge charade, and she is part of my family- in a way."
"And are you going to elaborate for those of us who haven't watched the series recap?"
"Carly wasn't just my babysitter. She was like a sister, but not a sister… because she was sleeping with Jordan Campbell. My mum was devoted to that pig and he threw her love back in her face like a dirty napkin. After everything that my mum did for Jordan Campbell, and this is how he honours her! Oh- and you should know that Jordan Campbell is engaged to Carly Morano!" I paced back and forth across the patio. "That man was no father to me. Thanks to him I will always have distrust in men, I can't even properly trust Scott and you know how I feel about him. You know, I don't care if Jordan Campbell knows where I am- let him come to me, I'll kill him. I actually want to kill him! He's ruined everything-"
"Riley, you might not want to be screaming about your identity… Just in case." Nolan hugged me close. "One good thing has come from the last few months. Bella and Leo are down under now, and not in the dead kind, and you don't have to tiptoe around your feelings for Scott anymore."
"Nolan!" I squealed in embarrassment, laughing a little. "You are a liability with what you say some things sometimes."
We stood side by side, watching the horizon.
"Nolan… I'm still going to be at the trial, whether my dad is there or not. Scott is my number one priority at the moment and I want to be there for him every step of the way."
"Then that's what we'll do…" Nolan guided me back inside. "But you can use your own money to buy a new outfit, and you are not having boys in your room anymore."
I rolled my eyes and smiled at Scott who was playing tug of war with Stella before letting her smother him in wet, rough licks.
"Scott, you know Riley will get jealous…" Nolan cracked up, clicking for Stella to come away. "You just love anyone who gives you food, right Stella Artois?"
The day of the retrial came about and Scott had a plan to encourage Shannon to come around to our side of thinking. With Nolan's intervention, we had diverted the car that had been sent to bring her to the courtroom, curtesy of the Myers'. I was sat in the back wearing my own new courtroom outfit whilst Scott posed as the driver. Scott had commented that I looked distractingly stunning and breath-taking when I walked out to the car.
"Are you ready?" Scott asked, tipping his fake chauffeur hat at me, winking in the mirror's reflection.
I noticed that his hair was growing into these little micro-curls that were adorable- not that he would have liked it if I had called him that.
Out of the window, Shannon Fisher shuffled nervously towards the car. She opened the door and stepped in, only registering that I was there when she closed the door.
"Riley!" she growled, going to open the door, but Scott had already locked them and started to drive off. "Come on, let's hear it. What are you doing here then?"
Shannon had dyed her hair a sort of brown-blonde mix of highlights that had been pulled back into a low ponytail.
I paused, and did exactly what I had practiced with Scott earlier. "Trinity Patterson was rude and ruthless. You never felt comfortable around her. It was of no surprise to you that the finances were tweaked and the rumours of embezzlement were true."
She was visibly shaken. "What are you doing?"
"Shannon- I know that you didn't mean what you said. Trinity Patterson helped you and even bailed you out when you didn't send the invoices in time. Why did you say that stuff on the stand- when you were under oaf?"
"Riley, I want you to get out of the car now."
"Don't do this, Shannon. Your first girlfriend might have been an associate of Leonard Myers who planned to pin it on Trinity Patterson… But if Leonard Myers is blackmailing you, then let me help you. An innocent woman is trying to get at least some of the charges dropped. As a girl who grew up without her biological mother, how would you feel if you could help save someone else's mother?"
"What do you mean, biological mother?" Shannon gawped at me.
I didn't even realise that Susie Myers hadn't told Shannon the truth. "I think you need to talk to someone else about that."
Her hand shot out and gripped me, digging her manicured nails into my skin. "Tell me, now!"
"Not until you promise to rescind your statement!" I snapped back viciously. I wrenched my arm back, rubbing the red skin. "When you do that, I'll point you in the right direction. This is your stop anyway," I added bitterly.
The car stopped.
Shannon looked like she was about to cry as she went to climb up the steps to the courtroom. She nodded.
A smile ripped across my face.
Scott pulled down the divider. "You might have just gotten through to her. Look, why don't you go in and save me a seat? I have a couple of things to do first."
"Oh, okay. If you are sure." I leant forwards to kiss his cheek, grateful for the blacked out windows to the side. "See you inside, Scotty-dog."
"Alright Riley-Wiley…" he joked.
Neither of us really liked the nicknames, but we loved them at the same time. It was something only we said to each other. Climbing out of the car, I noticed that there were a few paparazzi and news reporters huddling around Leonard Myers and his obedient wife Susie. I walked past quickly, wondering about Leo and how he was… It wasn't exactly an easy question to ask the parents of a boy I constantly rejected.
Inside the courtroom, there was a labyrinth of corridors that lawyers, judges, convicts and jurors flooded. I felt completely lost, but a dark red haired lady walking up the stairs caught my attention.
Not knowing what came over me, I shuffled in my heels towards the staircase and followed her- Carly Morano. The new wife to be of Jordan Campbell.
Upstairs, it was empty. She was walking away, her hips swaying from side to side in an emphasised manner, like she knew I was watching. As she rounded the corner, I braced myself to confront her.
When I finally turned the corner, she was there watching me. Waiting.
"Michelle… I was wondering when we were going to meet again… Your dad is worried about you," Carly said, folding her arms.
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = Finally – another chapter uploaded, I'm so excited to see where the story goes and I hope you're enjoying it