Chapter 21
“Wait what!” Emily sprang up immediately despite the throbbing pain in her head. Her eyes widening as she looked between both brothers “What do you mean kidnap, who’s Anita?”Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
“Ethan’s bitter ex, the one he was initially supposed to marry but ditched him, and you need to lie down Emily” Jackson said and Emily’s lips formed an ‘o’ shape as she recalled the tall, high maintenance looking girl that walked in on them when Ethan was about to propose, and totally ignoring Jackson’s last statement. There was no way she was going to lie down now, especially after what she’s just heard.
“I don’t believe that” Ethan said to Jackson, suddenly moving over to Emily in a protective manner as if to shield her from the affection Jackson was unconsciously throwing her way.
“I saw her chauffeur, he drove the car Emily was in, what do you mean you don’t believe that?” Jackson argued, frustration visibly showing his head and Emily interjected.
“Jackson….” she wanted to say but Ethan pushed
her lightly out of the way.
“You weren’t invited to the wedding, how am I sure you’re not somehow involved in this and making all
these up because I know you Jackson”
“You know nothing Ethan, I called you here didn’t I? Why would I call you here if I had something to do it. You know what I’m calling the police” Jackson fished his phone to dial but Ethan flung the phone out of his hands and it fell on the floor in a thud, none of them bothered by the spiderweb crack suddenly appearing on the screen.
“Stop” Ethan ordered, his voice softening a bit “I’ll take care of it”
“How?” Jackson pressed further
“I said I’ll……” Ethan was about to say when a buzzing in his pocket interrupted him. He brought out his phone and Anita’s name was boldly sprawled on the screen, igniting a certain fear in him he didn’t know how to control. He turned away from the duo hitting the green button, and what came next was a simple sentence that spoke more than a thousand words
“You know better than to involve the police Ethan” he heard Anita say and the call disconnected immediately before he had a chance to say anything.
“Who was that?” Jackson broke the silence, staring dagger into his brother’s eyes.
“Nobody you should worry yourself about, go home and I’ll take care of this. I’ll control the press and everything” he grabbed Emily by the hand but Jackson stopped him.
“She needs to see a doctor, she was thrown out of a car Ethan” he said and Ethan felt consumed by guilt immediately because that was the last thing on his mind, he hadn’t bothered to ask and he wasn’t going to if Jackson didn’t make mention of it he turned to Emily immediately, her wary but innocent eyes staring back at him. He wondered how his wedding day was turning out to be a complete disaster, this was supposed to be a happy day and not having his wife getting kidnapped in the middle of the wedding by his ex girlfriend. He didn’t think he had it in him to have such a dramatic life. Maybe, just maybe he should have pursued Anita further and his life wouldn’t be a complete mess.
“I’m fine” he heard Emily murmur, and of course she was, she was never going to complain about anything.
“She’s my wife now Jackson, I’ll take care of her. It’s my responsibility not yours” he took Emily by her hands, leading her to his car and they drove off.
“I don’t have to see a doctor, I feel fine really” Emily said, breaking the awkward silence that sat with them in the car filling the spaces that even empty coversations didn’t dare to fill.
“If you say so” Ethan replied, his eyes fixed on the road and his mind far away from the situation before him. He needed to think and he couldn’t do with Emily constantly reminding him that she was fine.
“What’s the matter?” Emily asked, a strange feeling overwhelming her following Ethan’s curt reply, but there was no response from Ethan she began to feel frustrated and ignored and it wasn’t a good feeling. Her head had began to throb again.
“What are you going to do about Anita?” She asked again, hoping for a response this time but none was forthcoming and the annoyance was fully setting in, and she had never had an opportunity to express her emotions before so she stayed quiet.
“Ethan!!” She called again, louder this time.
“Yes! Goddamit Emily! Can you stay silent for one freaking second so I can think” he yelled loudly and Emily froze. She turned to look at him. Fragments of childhood memories began seeping in.
A man yelling
A woman crying in the corner
Plates breaking
But it made no sense to her, because they were in bits, in tiny fragments scattered all over her brain that it was hard to piece together. It was hard to place the faces because it felt like that part of her memories was blocked and she could only see through a blind fold. The throbbing increased, and she closed her eyes.
“God, I’m sorry Emily” Ethan’s somber apology followed through, realizing that he had raised his voice but Emily stayed still with her eyes closed
“Just drive” she simply said, and the silence followed.
Ethan drove to his penthouse in the heart of New York City, and helping Emily out of the car. They took the elevator together, an awkward silence still hovering over them like flies to rotten food.
As they both stepped into the house, Emily gasped at the grandeur of it. She had yet to take it in when her phone started ringing in her purse, which was luckily still with her.
It was that same strange number that called her the night before
“Hello” she said quietly, her pulse quickening and her hands shaking with anxiety
“Congratulations on your wedding Emily, mummy is proud” the familiar voice echoed
The line disconnected