When Ethan finally arrived at the towering gates of his father’s modern city mansion, he wasn’t surprised to find Frank waiting for him, eyes bloodshot and lingering around – unsettling. Ethan smirked, walking towards him confidently, his shoulders squared and his head held high.“What do you want Weatherbee?” Ethan countered first and Frank followed suit.“Leave Amanda alone” he said and Ethan chuckled.“No?”“Why? Why are you going after her? Why now? A few weeks to Junior prom” Frank argued“Oh yea Prom, I totally forgot about that but now that you mention it, I should get something going” Ethan said and turned to leave but Frank held him back.“Ok I’m sorry man, I didn’t mean to hit you earlier, I was just so furious okay – you can hit me back and we can call it even – then you leave her alone”Ethan chuckled again “It’s not that simple Frank, I wish it was but it’s not. You took something of mine and I have to do the same”“What?” Frank looked confused now, his brain racking diff
Amanda Burke had never experienced the same amount of wealth most of her peers from high school had experienced. She wasn’t from a very rich home, living with a single mom and a special need younger sister, she had lived all her life in need – envying the upper class and wishing that just for a tiny bit she could be them and she could experience the same amount of wealth they had.So when she saw Jackson Hatton grace the four walls of the high fashion boutique she worked at, the memories had started rushing back.Ethan Hatton – Frank Weatherbee and that heart break that was too much for a 15 year old to bear. She had frozen when he looked at her, almost recognized her but truly she wasn’t expecting him to remember her since she had no direct contact with him, but somehow her face had pulled on a memory and her pulse quickened at the thought.“Do I know you?” she recalled his question, still pompous. They never changed – the elites. They always carried with them the air of superiority
The fundraiser started out calmly as supposed, starting with a red carpet event hosting the city’s A-listers. There was a crescendo of excitement that filled the air as the magnificent doors of the grand ballroom swung open revealing an illuminated staircase which led to a world of dazzle.The cameras flashed like celestial fireworks, paparazzi screaming at the wide –eyed celebrity capturing the excitement that fluttered in the air, dressed in their designer gowns and tailored tuxedos but when Emily grazed the red carpet with her dazzling black ink gown that swept the floors gracefully, the cameras flashed in a frenzy, there was an uproar and Emily could barely contain herself – her heart thrummed with anxiety as she tried to latch unto Ethan who didn’t offer a great support system.Ethan was in fact – drunk and Emily could tell from the way he downed wine glass after glass on their way there.“Slow down, will you?” she tried to caution but Ethan threw her a venomous look at her“Why?
The goose bumps grew even fatter on Emily’s flesh, minus the cold wind, it was Jackson’s lips on hers in front of paparazzi. It was the electric buzz that coursed through her veins, setting her alight because the wrongness of it was enthralling. The mix of guilt and pleasure stirred in her stomach, she wanted to be drunk off itJackson’s lip was soft and tender and it captured hers in a magical haze – the wetness of his tongue swiping on her bottom lip, it felt invasive but yet dazzling in a way that felt difficult to understand yet explain. Suddenly she pulled away breathless with her eyes searching Jackson’s – searching but she wasn’t sure what. Her cheeks reddened and she took one step back even with Jackson’s hands were still closed around her wrist and the grip seemed to tighten when she stepped back, his eyes nearly pleading.But before Emily could react further, Ethan stepped between them and in one swift motion he dealt a striking blow to Jackson’s jaw, nearly sending him to t
The buzzing were loud again in Jackson’s head and he could feel the walls closing, trapping him in a trauma he couldn’t escape from. He could hear the gunshot again – the pain exploding his knee like it was happening all over again.“Jackson!” he could hear his name in the background but his head swirled with memories of his father. He was his father’s favourite – “Jackson!”This time the person was visibly shaking and when he came to, it was Emily holding his stare and when he looked around they were in the emergency room, he wondered when they arrived there, from the fundraiser to the hospita;. He had been out of it since Emily broke the news to them.“I’m fine” he wanted to say but the look on her face showed that she wasn’t buying it, he didn’t even believe it himself. His head swarmed with a lot of possibilities and none of them had a happy ending, it scared him, reaching the darkest part of him that he hid all his traumas.“Where’s mother – Ethan?” he asked, trying to steady his
“I won’t ask again Hatton, next time I’ll do worse than pushing your little brother down the hill” Frank Weatherbee had said, and promise was laced on every word even though Ethan was reluctant t call his bluff. What could big old Frank Weatherbee do anyways?But that day Ethan had visibly let his guard down when he saw the missing test scripts in his locker and with the principal looking down his shoulders behind him with a grim look of disappointment on his face. There was no point in denying, in fact it was even impossible to deny, not with the evidence stacked neatly in his locker.“Ethan Hatton, you’re a model student and I do not expect such criminality from you. Your parents will be invited to school and you will face a disciplinary action to determine your fate in this school” it was a swift statement that required no response as he had already turned away from him. Shame burned his face and it didn’t help that the entire school population kept their eyes fixed on him. It was
“Amanda?” Ethan held the look of surprise on his face as he took her appearance in. It had been more than ten years since he saw her last – since the terrible rumor that he started and she was forced to transfer schools. She had grown taller, much taller than he remembered even though he still towered above her effortlessly. Her hair was still brown even longer with the lushness that he remembered, silky and smooth and when he tried to look at her face, the guilt consumed him. Her eyes held the anger that had festered all these years and he knew damn well she wasn’t here for a reunion.“Remember me now?” she sneered “It’s been what now? Thirteen years and you sure grew up well”Ethan still stood dumbfounded until he managed to catch himself and he looked at her, really looked at her. He took hold of her wrist and pulled her with him outside the emergency room and he set her in front of him.“What are you doing here especially talking about my brother and what not? What are you doing
It was a constant torture for Emily following the weeks of fund raiser red carpet and Mr. Hatton’s sudden heart attack, but even with him responding to the treatment she still felt the aftermath of Jackson’s sudden but sweet kiss in front of the paparazzi. Before she got married to Ethan, she had a lived a life of cleaning toilets and being a total nobody with no idea what the next day was going to hold but at that moment, she was followed by a flock of paparazzi just as she stepped outside after her GED exams.“Emily!! Look here!”“Why are you just taking the GED exams?”“Are you an Ethan going to get a divorce now?”“Are you having an affair with your husband’s brother”“Emily, a statement please!”“Emily is it true you’re the bastard daughter of movie producer Mr. Brown and your mother is the former actress Alyssa” The question rang louder above the others so desperately that she was forced to hear it.Emily stopped in her tracks, her hired bodyguard nearly knocking into her in the
Immediately, Emily made her way to Hatton Tech and went straight to Jackson’s face, she barely knocked before she pushed the door open and coming face to face with Jackson and her heart stopped, almost forgetting how much impact he had on her. She saw the look of shock on his face, she didn’t think she’d be seeing him for a while, not after he had brutally ended things with her.“Emily” he called and she walked into his office, straight to his table and she slammed the pen recorder before him, ignoring the rapid pounding of her heart.Jackson looked from the recorder to her fatigued face, confusion clouded his eyes and he hoped for more words from her but Emily didn’t say a word instead she clicked play and fast forwarding the recording to the particular part she wanted him to hear.“Did you plan Jackson’s kidnap and also try to kill my baby?”“Jackson knew – ”At that point, she clicked it shut and looked into his eyes now, the pain doubling in her chest from what she perceived to be
Emily stood outside the door to Ethan’s pent house while she rang the doorbell twice. It was impossible to explain how she felt but a seething anger was very much at the top of the list. She was very sure of how bedraggled she looked, her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail while she still had on the clothes from the previous days, her eyes had dark circles and she was very much tired but there was one thing she understood, Ethan was indeed the enemy and Ethan was the only reason why she would never be happy.Her head raged with thoughts that felt strange to her, evil thoughts that came from the anger that festered within and she needed to let it out, whichever way possible.Soon enough, the door sprung open and she came face to face with indeed Ethan’s handsome face. He was dressed casually in sweat pants and a t shirt, his hair ruffled like he had just rolled out of bed and his eyes roaming her as he took her in.“If you’re here to ask for forgiveness, you’re a few months too lat
Emily’s world was shattered, her eyes were swollen shut from crying all night from Jackson stomping on her heart in the least way that she expected. Her hands went up to necklace dangling freely on her chest and she wanted nothing more than to throw it off as far as possible but she held unto it, remembering Jackson’s words to her No matter what happens between us, you’re always going to have my heart – and truly she always wanted to have his heart.Her frail fingers tightened around the pendant as she felt the tears fall freely from her eyes, the pain radiating all over again. Her mind went over the times they spent together, the way he held her stare and captivating her with his charming eyes. His daring kisses in public – at the red carpet and every single place to let every one know that he was in love with her and she relished in the thoughts while she sat in her mother’s hospital room as the woman laid unconscious on the bed. Emily held unto her mother’s hands, cold and clammy
Later that night, Jackson stood in front of the Hatton family home as he watched Ethan drive into the building. He stood still, his face void of any emotion whatsoever as he waited for Ethan to highlight his car and walk up to him. He could smell the cockiness from where he stood, and the dirty smirk that was plastered on Ethan’s face as he made his way over to Jackson.“Hello brother” he greeted with a simple wave “How about we go inside for a drink?”“I don’t think that’ll be necessary” Jackson responded, his expression hard and stoic which was just a front for the deep sadness that festered within him.“Fine” Ethan shrugged in response “I didn’t plan on staying that long anyways, so what’s it going to be brother?”Jackson remained silent as he fought to say the next words but Ethan was impatient “Which is it going to be?”“You can have Emily, I don’t want her. She’s your wife after all but I’m going to keep my inheritance. Father chose me for a reason and I’m going to respect his d
Billionaire Heir Jackson Hatton accused of sexual assaultThe walls began to cave in and Jackson’s world began to spin as he read the headline repeatedly till the words began to dance before him.“Shit! Shit!” he cursed underneath drawing Anita’s attention to him and she gave him a look“What’s wrong?” she asked but Jackson sprang up immediately and walked out of the emergency room, immediately he called Ethan and he picked on first ring.“Let’s talk” he said into the receiver “Meet me at the house in a few hours” and he ended the call immediately.**Meanwhile Emily still felt shattered while she sat next to her mother who still laid unconscious and had IV’s running through her vein with the automatic beeping of the heart monitor interrupting Emily’s thoughts but she held her mother’s hands tightly until the doctor walked in.“You must be Emily” he said as Emily stood up to shake his hands “Mr. Brown explained – ”“Is she going to be alright” Emily cut in immediately and the somber l
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 t
A few days of strained silence with his brothers and the media blowing up about their fallout over their inheritance with Jackson seeing stringent of information about him on the internet that even though didn’t seem true, had some element of truth in them from his past life. He sat in his office at Hatton Tech that morning scrolling through his media feed, he didn’t want to look at it but yet his phone stayed transfixed to his hands. The different girls, the lies with the element of truth in them –Jackson Hatton is an ultimate abuser – Jennifer HenzOne time at the club, he tried to run his hands up my skirt – MiaJackson took me to a hotel one time and he never called me back – LeahHe’s such an asshole, tried to sleep with me and then my best friend – he did though - MerylI would have never pegged Jackson Hatton to be an abuser but it all makes sense – he groped me at the club – Jane.Jackson stared at his phone wide – eyed, his eyes sweeping through every comment on every post w
Ethan stormed out of the room with his eyes wide with rage and anger that his body couldn’t control. He ignored the frantic call of his mother as he stormed outside. The walls closed in and his heart pounded fast, he couldn’t believe his ears; his father had betrayed him, played him the long game and ended up giving everything to Jackson; his favorite son.He tried recalling Mr. Stanwill’s words even though he never wanted to remember those words but they were stuck in his brain, etched on the walls and unwilling to let go.“ – and to Ethan Hatton my first son, I leave you in charge of Hatton Tech and finally to Jackson Hatton, I leave you in charge of all Hatton Enterprises globally”Globally? In charge of all Hatton Enterprises globally?If Ethan calculated properly this meant Jackson was in fact in charge of him. How outrageous? How insulting? He kicked at the ceramic statue angrily, smashing it further with his foot and even more when he realized that it was his father’s favorite
Jackson stood pensive with his eyes on the ground as the casket lowered to the ground, his eyes weren’t clouded like the dark clouds above but his mood felt just as grey. The silent murmurs, the sad faces that looked like they were staring at him, questioning him or worse still judging him. He looked over at Ethan and those red eyes weren’t deceiving anybody, father wasn’t Ethan favorite person. Father wasn’t his favourite person either, but he was in fact was one of his father’s favorite people and yet there was nothing he could do for him at that moment, not while he was being led six feet under. Jackson wasn’t sure how he felt, he wasn’t exactly broken or sad but he knew there was war ahead and when he glanced at Ethan again, they shared a look that mirrored his thoughts exactly.“You okay?” Emily slid up to him while everyone exchanged pleasantries or condolences, he wasn’t exactly familiar with what was going on because he had managed to escape everyone who looked like they wante