Chapter 106: Chapter 106

The silence stood awkward between the brothers for a few seconds, neither willing to speak first but Ethan still had that cocky smile plastered on his face while Jackson couldn’t believe his ears.

“What are you on about now Ethan?” Jackson broke the silence first, his demeanor was calm but he was seething inside

“You heard me brother, I killed the story and now you owe me. So you have two options, give back everything you’ve taken from me, my wife inclusive or you face the consequences and maybe subsequently a judge for sexual assault, it’s your choice really because at the end of the day everything comes back to me”

“You’re insane Ethan” Jackson scoffed.

“Right” Ethan said “So what’s it going to be?”

“I’m not doing either of that, so you can go to hell”

Ethan laughed this time but he wasn’t done  “Fine, you’re stubborn but I’ll give you a better offer. You pick between your inheritance and my wife”

“Get out of my office Ethan, don’t you have better things to do?” Jackson pointed at the door but Ethan remained seated

“It’s a fair offer brother, this is non – negotiable. If I withdraw on your story, he’s going to put it out there, why did you think he came to me first instead of you brother?”

“I don’t care to know” Jackson responded and Ethan stood up suddenly, slamming his palms on the table startling Jackson

“Now get out or I’ll call security, I’m the one in charge now and I hope you understand” Jackson said dismissively leaving Ethan no space for further argument. Ethan gave Jackson one last look before he walked out of the office. He stood just outside the door, bringing out his phone, he dialed a number and put the phone to his ears.

“Release a snippet later today, he doesn’t understand the gravity yet”

***

Emily sat on the couch in the Hatton family home later that evening reading a book, her legs spread out before her and a lazy hand placed on her stomach when suddenly her phone began to ring. She looked at the caller ID and it was Anita calling. Emily stared at the phone strangely, wondering what reason on earth Anita would have to call her but she grabbed the phone anyways and putting the phone to her ears.

“Your mother – ” Emily heard first and she froze, her heart instantly stopping but just then Jackson came into her line of vision dressed in his work clothes and he became startled by the look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” she saw his mouth move but couldn’t exactly hear the words that came out of his mouth because she was trying to understand Anita’s words.

“Your mother Emily, she collapsed. We’re at St. Luke’s and you might want to come here” Anita said but Emily was barely listening.

Collapsed? St. Luke’s?

Those were the only words that stuck to her brain until Jackson instantly rushed to her and holding her before she fell to the chair.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, pushing stray strands of hair out of her face.

“My mother – ” she struggled to piece her words together “She collapsed” The news hit Emily like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless and overwhelmed. The emotions resurfacing, consuming her with a sese of devastation and regret.

“I need to go” without a second thought, she was dashing out of the room but Jackson managed to hold her back.

“I’ll drive, where?”

“St. Luke’s” she said, luckily Jackson still had his car keys in his hands so he led the way and she followed him with her heart pounding in her chest. The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity, each passing second amplifying her anxiety. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her mother when she was beginning to get to know her, when she was just adjusting to the thoughts of having a mother.

“She’ll be okay Emily” Jackson reached out to hold her hand and squeezing them reassuringly and she nodded at him, choosing to believe because there was nothing else she could do at that point.

As she entered the hospital’s emergency room, Emily eyes scanned the chaotic scene. Doctors and nurses hurriedly attending to patients and no one paying her any attention. She scanned the entire area, trying to find a familiar face until Jackson pulled her hands.

“There’s Anita” and Emily sprinted towards her and for the first time she was relieved to see Anita’s face.

“Where’ she” she said hurriedly grabbing Anita in relief, missing the worried look on her face.

“Come with me” Anita pulled her with her and took her to a private hospital room. Emily hesitated for a moment, her hands trembling as she turned the doorknob. The sight that greeted her inside the room was heart-wrenching. Her mother lay pale and weak on the hospital bed, connected to various machines that monitored her vital signs. Emily’s breath caught in her throat as she approached, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears.

“Mom” she whispered.

***

Meanwhile Jackson paced the emergency room waiting for Emily until Anita walked up to him, patting his shoulders.

“Do you want to sit down?” she offered him a cup of coffee but she wasn’t drinking any, Jackson could see her stomach slowly sprouting out and he suddenly remembered she was pregnant with Ethan’s baby. Jackson took the coffee from her and sipped before sitting down with her.

“How have you been? It’s been ages” he said and she shrugged.

“The baby is fine, that’s all that matters. It’s just been a lot with my father reconnecting with his old flame and then her getting cancer” she explained and Jackson nodded taking another sip.

“Sorry about your father and sorry I couldn’t attend the funeral, congratulations by the way because word on the street is that you got everything”

Jackson shrugged “It’s not entirely an happy thing, Ethan is not taking it well”

“I wasn’t expecting him to” Anita admitted “It’ll be so unlike him to go down without a fight”

Jackson nodded now taking another sip from his cup when his phone pinged in his pocket and he drew it out to find the link of a certain blog sent to him and the headlines were blaring sending him into a spiral.

Billionaire heir Jackson Hatton accused of sexual assault