Chapter 97: Chapter 97

The dimly lit study cast a somber atmosphere as Ethan and Jackson sat on plush leather chairs with the tension visibly palpable between them. Jackson’s anxiety permeated the room, hitting all corners and manifesting as restless fidgeting and the tightening of his jaw as he tried Emily’s number for what felt like the umpteenth time and still it kept going to voicemail. Emily hadn’t returned home last night and Jackson had a been a restless fit since then.

Ethan sighed inwardly and even though he tried to act anxious too, the indifference still radiated off him.

“Where could she be, Ethan?” Jackson’s voice trembled with worry “She didn’t come back last night, what if something happened to her?”

“I sincerely doubt that, I’m sure she’s fine” Ethan said and Jackson paused to look at him with a squint to his eyes.

“What have you done Ethan?”

Ethan leaned forward, his expression a careful mix of surprise and guilt disguised as anger.

“What do you mean what have I done? What’s that supposed to mean”

Jackson’s eyes darted around the room, his thoughts whirling in a chaotic storm as he charged at Ethan and he held him by the collar. “Stop playing Ethan. You orchestrated the whole thing with Uncle James and I didn’t say anything, don’t I’m going to do the same thing if you’re playing the same game especially with Emily involved. I’m not going to sit back if anything has happened to her Ethan”

Anger flashed across Ethan’s face, and he pushed Jackson away “I didn’t do anything, you really think I’d do something to a pregnant woman. I know I can be a monster but I’m not that evil”

Jackson eyes him suspiciously, letting go of his shirt but the wrinkle that had surfaced still stared back at him, evident of their strained relationship that had no hope of repair.

“Then where the fuck is she? Victor is unreachable either, I knew just he wasn’t up to the task of protecting her.” Jackson sounded out loud.

Ethan shrugged now “Maybe she’s spending the night with someone”

Jackson looked at Ethan with an unbelievable look “How can you say that?”

Ethan shrugged again this time, fixing his eyes on his brother with a deep stare. “Am I so wrong to believe that?”

The silence stretched between, neither of them willing to speak first but Jackson broke the eye contact first and he took hold of his phone “You’re fucking crazy and I’m calling the police”.

He was just about to hit dial when, Ethan’s phone started ringing. They both shared a look and Ethan looked at his phone

“That’s weird, it’s Nicholas” Nicholas was the company’s publicist and it was quite strange for him to be calling on a whim.

“Well, pick up and on loudspeaker. Maybe it’s about Emily” Jackson urged and Ethan took the phone to his ears after throwing Jackson a look.

“Nicholas” Ethan breathed

“The media is blowing up sir, there are pictures – ”

“What pictures” Jackson interrupted, snatching the phone from lackadaisical hold amidst his protest.

“Explicit pictures of Emily with – I sent a link. Where’s Emily currently, we – ” Jackson didn’t wait for Nicholas to complete his statement before ending the call immediately and he saw the link Nicholas had sent to Ethan’s phone and he clicked it immediately.

Immediately, Jackson’s eyes widened with a mix of shock and despair. Without a word, he turned the screen towards Ethan, revealing series of incriminating photos circulating the internet. Pictures of Emily locked in an intimate embrace with – Victor Cornwell, her body guard.

The headlines read “Billionaire’s wife caught entangled with her new bodyguard days after kissing her brother – in – law on the red carpet”

Ethan’s mouth fell open.

The room seemed to spin as Jackson absorbed the visual betrayal before him. It was unbelievable but it was right there before him.

“Jackson, before we jump into any conclusion – ”

But Jackson only faced him angrily “Conclusion?” he laughed dryly “I already dived there a long time ago, how could she?”

Before Ethan could say anything else, Jackson stormed out of the room with his heart broken in pieces on the floor before him.

Ethan watched him leave silently, unwilling to go after him not with Jackson’s phone planted deep in his pockets. He took out the phone and scrolled through the incoming messages from – Emily. Ethan smirked as he read them.

“Jackson, can you get me. I have no idea where I am”

“I’m so scared Jackson, I think I was drugged. I’m scared for the baby”

“I can’t move, I feel so weak. Where are you? Why aren’t you picking your calls”

When Ethan checked his phone, there were no text from Emily and his anger doubled .

“I’m your husband, why aren’t you calling me to save you” he thought to himself as he deleted every single one of the messages that Emily sent to Jackson. Then his phone buzzed with an address from a particular number and he smiled to himself.

“But I’m coming to get you either ways, and now you’ll stay mine because Jackson wouldn’t want anything to do with you”

“I’m coming Emily”