*THE HOLLEN SERIES 04*
????????????EPISODE 17????????????
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*?? RICHES AND ROYALTY ??*
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Emily’s POV
“EMILY, my darling!” my mother greeted loudly as her eyes caught me entering the dinning room. I was pulled into her firm arms like a child and I found consolation in them. I missed my parents and I missed home.
She led me to the table, and I noticed she was dinning alone.
“Where’s dad?” I asked, hoping something wasn’t wrong. I had been away so long and I usually miss out on the family dramas, dinners and events.
“Oh, he’s in the study getting some paperwork for Evan. He should be done any minute now,” she answered as she started eating off her plate.
“Great,” I answered short with a sigh of exhaustion.
“Baby, what’s the matter?” my mother asked. She stopped eating and waited for me to answer.
“Nothing that I can’t handle. I’m just winded and I think that I nee-d about six months rest from all the hotels and travels,” I said with a slump.
“Oh, my poor baby, you nee-d to take a much nee-ded rest, Emily. You’ve already done so much.”
“I know. I just want to impress dad. You know how much he wanted me to take over and to clean up the mess his mother made,” I explained.
“Emily, your father doesn’t nee-d to be impressed. He knows you’re capable of doing the job and he….”
“Hey, is that my baby girl?” I heard my father’s voice and looked up and saw him entering the room.
“Hey dad,” I tried to greet him warmly but he caught the fake.
“You sound exhausted and you look exhausted. Hotel life isn’t treating you well,huh?” he questioned and sat down next to me.
“It has its ups and downs but I can handle it, I swear. Sometimes, I just nee-d a rest. That’s all.”
“Well, you came to the perfect place. Welcome home,” he replied and hu-gged me.
We had dinner together and chit-chatted about the other family members, bringing me up to speed. I was happy that Evan and Jasmine were expecting twins and EJ and Zenia had finally settled and worked things out and were also expecting a baby soon.
“When are you going to make me a grandpa?” my father asked and I chocked on the last bit of rice.
“Ethan, don’t ask her questions like that,” my mother scolded him as she reached out to ru-b my back.
“Sorry but I am curious. Emily has always been so private with her love life since after Sebastian. Do you have a current boyfriend Emily?”
I eyed my father. “It’s complicated.”
“See?” he said and we laughed warmly as the maids collected the dishes and took them into the kitchen to be cleaned.
“I think I’ll hit the sack early. It’s been a long flight and an even longer day. Dinner was great,” I said before dismissing myself.
“Go on, get some rest. We’ll see you in the morning,” mom said.
“Good night,” dad chipped.
“Good night,” I said to them both and made my way to my childhood be-droom. I hadn’t been in here in almost a year and it almost felt like br@nd new to me. I threw myself onto the world’s most comfortable be-d and tried to fall asleep but I couldn’t.
I was thinking about him too much. I left without saying goodbye and I wondered if he’ll leave it at that. Would he really move on with that bitter princess and forget all about me? Would he come looking for me? He had been to my parents house before and I don’t believe he has forgotten his way around the state just yet.
I took my cellphone and my fin-gers found his contact and was on the brink of calling but I manage to leave it alone. I have to let him move on with his life, it’s not fair to him. I had to cut all ties with Sebastian once and for all.
___________
I caught the rising of the sun the next morning because I didn’t sleep well. I rolled out of be-d like a log and made my way slowly to the bathroom but a sudden eruption in the pit of my stomach had me rushing now. I reached the sink and my mouth exploded with the contents of food from last dinner.
I heard my be-droom door being pushed opened and I tried to quickly gather myself but it was useless because I was still throwing up.
“Emily?” my mother asked from behind me, “Are you alright?”
“What did the chef put in that food?” I asked and rinsed out my mouth. I brushed my teeth afterwards and mom excused herself when I told her I’m taking a bath and I’ll join her downstairs for breakfast once I’ve finished.
________
As a treat, mom had the chef prepared my favorite thing to eat, extra fluffy pancakes drenched in syrup with strawberries and crispy bacon on the side. I sat down to eat but as my nostrils caught the scent of my plate, I peeled myself off the table and ran for the nearest washroom.
“Okay, that’s the second time I’ve seen you thrown up this morning. Emily Hollen, are you pregnant?” my mother strictly asked with folded arms from behind me.
*THE HOLLEN SERIES 04*
????????????EPISODE 18????????????
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*?? RICHES AND ROYALTY ??*
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Emily’s POV
I was baffled by my mother’s question. “Preg…nant? Mom, are you crazy? Of course I’m not pregnant. I’ve always been careful when it comes to having s-x.. I…”
I paused as memories of the heated night with Sebastian flooded my mind. He sneaked me away to his be-droom and to his hot awaiting Jacuzzi, and once there, we had the most p@$$ionate night of our lives.
“I’m always careful,” I finished but I knew I was lying. I missed my levonorgestrel pills the morning after because I forgot to walk with them and when I got back to the hotel, pills weren’t even on my mind.
“Okay,” my mother simply said and I knew she wouldn’t leave it at that. If one thing I was certain on about my mother, it’s unfinished business whenever she’s calm.
I swallowed the fear, and my se-nses tasted the imaginary liquid at the back of my throat. I walked out the bathroom and went back to the be-droom. I was still sleepy.
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At midday, I woke again and woke up to my mother standing in the doorway, looking at me with a sly smile on her pretty face that never seems to be aging.
“You know I wouldn’t leave you alone until you prove that you’re not pregnant, right?” she said as if she had won a satisfying battle.
“Mom, for the last time, I’m not pregnant. I’m just ill,” I protested.
“Oh, then you shouldn’t have a problem taking this pregnancy test.” She waved a pregnancy test around and my eyes darted at it, dreading the thought of it showing a positive result. I got off the be-d and kindly took the test from my mother and made a beeline to my washroom. I read the directions before following throu-gh.
I waited.
Finally. The line to indicate the pregnancy appears. And there were two of them.
I double backwards and fell on my bum on the marble floor. My mother must have heard because she rushed in to my aim.
“Are you okay?” she asked and help me up to my feet.
“Oh God, oh God!” I screamed once the results had sunk into my head. My mother took the test and looked at it and her mouth formed the silent ‘O’ of surprise.
“Congratulations Emily, wait until your father hears about this.”
“NO! MOM, PLEASE DON’T TELL DAD AS YET!”
“But he’ll be thri-ll.”
“I want to tell him myself.”
______
My mother left me to it and I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering if I should call my best friend or the father of the child or pretend like none of this is happening.
When my father got home, I joined him and mom for dinner. I toyed with my meal, wondering if I’ll vomit it up again.
“Sweetie, you don’t like the food?” my father asked and raised an eyebrow at me in suspicion.
I took a mouthful of pamesan chicken and swallowed.
“Dad, I’m pregnant,” I said once I had finished my dinner.
My father’s eyes locked onto me. “Is this a joke?”
“No,” my mother @$$ured, “She’s telling the truth, Ethan, she’s pregnant.”
“Who’s the father?”
“A guy,” I covered.
“I wouldn’t expect it to be a woman,” he let out, his voice not so cheerful. I thought he would be happy. Just last evening, he asked when I’ll make him a grandpa and now he’s hitting me with the strictness. So unfair.
“Ethan, please don’t,” my mother pleaded, “Not right now.”
“Then when, is this the reason you came back home, Emily, because you’re pregnant?”
“Of course not, dad. I didn’t know. I found out only some hours ago.”
He stood up and excused himself and I felt bad. I was picturing that going differently in my mind.
“I thought he’ll be happy.”
“Your father is happy. This is just news to him.”
“But why he’s acting so angry as if I’m the only one who’s having a baby. Evan got a son and twins on the way. EJ is having a baby and I’m older than EJ. He never acted like that with the boys!”
“And there’s your answer right there. You’re his only daughter and he’s still going to protective of you.”
“But I’m not a baby anymore. I’m a woman,” I said.
“Just give him some time and let him process. He’ll be happy for you. I am. So, have you told the father as yet?”
I shook my head no.
“Why not? Is there a problem?”
‘A big problem’ I wanted to scream but I didn’t.
“I’ll call him afterwards.”
To my surprise, my meal digested perfectly and I retrieved my cellphone from the be-droom. I dialed and waited for his voice to come from the other end.
“Hello,” his voice came after the third ring.
“Hi Sebastian, there’s something I nee-d to tell you. Something you ought to know.”
“What is it Emily?” his voice carried anger.
“I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.” I was suddenly afraid of telling him the truth.
“Is that all?” he asked again, still holding anger.
“Umm..”
“Well goodbye Emily,” he responded and hung up the phone.
TO BE CONTINUED….