*THE HOLLEN SERIES 04*
????????????EPISODE 31????????????
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*?? RICHES AND ROYALTY ??*
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Sebastian’s POV
“It was no accident, father! Naomi pushed Emily over the stairs and I’m not going to rest until she pays for what she did. Emily could have been permanently injured or worse! What the hell was Naomi thinking? All of this because I’m not in love with her and wouldn’t make her my wife!” I was livid as I explained to my father that Naomi was responsible for Emily’s accident.
“Sebastian, I would take care of this and you should be focusing on asking for Emily’s hand in marriage. Along with the surprise you plan on giving her.”
“Thanks dad,” I replied as I gave him a manly hu-g before leaving his office.
The following evening, I found Emily on her balcony, reading a book. She had her feet up and her silk dress hoisted up, revealing her smooth skin un-derneath. I cleared my throat loudly to get her attention.
“You know, if you look this good while reading a book, I just might want to make a few more ‘chapters’ with you,” I teased her.
“Oh really? What kind of chapters?”
“The hot and steamy ones.” By then, I was already at her side and kizzing her forehead. Some tiny cuts and bruises were still visible but they were fading, gradually.
“Get ready. I’m taking you out to dinner,” I whispered in her ears and began trailing my tongue on the se-nsitive pa-rts of her ne-ck.
“Where…are…we..oh my…going?” she managed to ask as she fell dee-per and dee-per into my charms.
“It’s a surprise.” I was at her clea-vage now.
“Then stop, so I can get ready.”
“Turning you on?”
“Yes!” She started mo-aning when I got between her full bre-ast s.
“Okay,” I laughed as I stopped, “Go get ready.”
“I swear, you’re too much Sebastian.” She got off the chair and went inside to get ready and I went to my private vehicle to wait there.
After two long hours, Emily arrived.
“What took you so long?” I asked her, looking at my wristwatch.
“A lady nee-ds time to get ready. Especially when doing her makeup and her hair.”
“I’ll get you a personal makeup artist and hairdresser.” I started my range rover and drove out of the compound with two bodyguards on my tail. I drove to my restaurant. I thought it would be appropriate to ask for her hand in marriage where we had our very first date.
Two tables were already set as usual. I pulled out a chair for Emily before doing so for myself.
“I really love your restaurant, and it’s decorated extra special tonight, what’s the occasion?”
“You’ll soon see,” I simply answered. I hope she has no clue about what I was planning. I wanted it to take her breath away and see tears of happiness coming from her eyes.
“Good evening Your Highness. For dinner, we’ll be serving roasted potatoes with a bed of greens. Pineapple chicken tenders or shrimps prepared in garlic bu-tter sauce and vegetable rice.”
“I’ll have everything. But can you please put the shrimps separate from everything else? I like shrimps but not such a hu-ge fan, they’re more my brother’s favorite food,” Emily told the server and his eyes popped when she said she’ll take everything. I wasn’t surprise. She was eating for two now.
“Of course ma’am, and for you sir?”
“I’ll have the chicken and the potatoes with the greens. No rice please.”
“Certainly,” he responded before going to the kitchen.
Emily quenched her thirst on a gl@$$ of ginger-ale.
“Ginger-ale helps me with any upset feeling,” she said afterwards.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. I was just letting you know.”
“I’ll get you a few cases then.”
“Don’t spoil me Sebastian. Mom and dad did enough of that.”
“Good, now it’s my turn,” I answered.
She blus-hed beautifully. Then our food arrived and Emily dug right in. I watched in amusement as she held the jumbo shrimps up with her hand before placing it into her mouth. Before I could complete my meal, she was already finished.
“What’s for dessert?” I asked the waiter when he collected our plates.
“Two to chose from tonight. Cheesecake or chocolate ice-cream,” he answered.
“Is it possible that I can have cheesecake with a scoop of ice-cream, you know. Like right on top of the cake?” Emily asked.
“Anything for you ma’am. And for you sir?”
“I’m good.” This was it. The engagement ring was to be placed with the dessert and written in chocolate on the plate itself, the question, ‘Will You Marry Me?’
I watched anxiously with shaking knees as the server came with the dessert. Step by step, my heart beat increa-sed.
The plate was set down right before her, and when she took her spoon to drive in, she stopped herself. Her voice was mumbled as she read what was written and when he eyes caught the ring, the spoon fell from her hands and she looked up at me. She covered her mouth with her hands and her eyes made tears. Exactly the reaction I wanted.
I got off the chair and dropped to my knee at her side. I took her hands from her face and held them in mine.
“Emily, I know our time had been short but you make me feel like I’ve known you all my life. You’re everything to me. I can’t see myself giving up on you and the fact that you’re carrying my baby, makes my love increase even more. I love you and our baby, and I want to do right by you. I want for us to be a family so would you marry me and rule by my side?”
“Yes! A thousand times yes!” she let out as the tears sli-pped from her eyes. I pulled her in for a kizz.
“I’m so happy you said yes, because if you didn’t, I would have felt so rejected in front of all of them.” And at that very moment, the doors to the restaurants burst open and Emily’s family piled in with shouts of congratulations.
“Oh my goodness! Evan! EJ! Jamine! Zenia! Mommy! Dad! Gen!” she greeted as she hu-gged each of them. “I’ve miss you guys so much.”
“Sebastian, you did this?” she turned to me and asked.
“Yes. I figured you’ve away from your family for a bit so I’ll bring them to you. They’ll be apa-rt of the wedding.”
“I love you. I love you so much. I can’t wait to get married to you.” She planted a p@$$ionate kizz on me.
“Hey man, I want to apologies for what I did to you back in high school, but un-derstand that I can do it all over again if you hurt my sister,” Evan interrupted and said. It was nice to see that he hadn’t change and he’ll do anything for his sister.
“I love your sister. I’m in love with her. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her,” I @$$ured him.
“Ahhh, in that case, welcome to the family, bro! And congratulations.” I was pulled into his manly hu-g with several ha-rd taps on my back.
“Thanks,” I responded and watched him walked over to his other brother and took a bottle of wine away from him. The atmosphere had turned into a small pa-rty. Music blasted from the speakers and the servers poured gl@$$es of wine for everyone else, except Emily. She was stuck drinking ginger-ale but the bright smile she had on her face as she mingled with the others, was a smile I’ll do anything to keep.
My father and several others from the palace came to join in the fun as well, and when the old man started dancing, I chocked on my gl@$$ of wine. Never had I seen him this down-to-earth around other people.
He had told me that Princess Naomi had been arrested in her country and would pay for her crimes there.
“Dance with me, babe,” Emily said, snapping me out of my thoughts and observations.
She pulled to the middle of the dance and we danced together like already husband and wife
*THE HOLLEN SERIES 04*
????????????EPISODE 32????????????
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*?? RICHES AND ROYALTY ??*
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Emily’s POV
*TWO MONTHS LATER*
“I can’t find the hair pins. Jasmine, where did you put it here?”
“Hold on, you’ll wrinkle her dress!”
“No, you got the flowers wrong. There supposed to be twelve, not thirteen. Do you wanna give her bad luck on her special day?”
“I swear, I put all the concealers in this bag. Emma, did you remove them to do your own makeup?”
“Yes I did, I left them on the table, right next to the brushes.”
“They’re not here!”
“Oh, check in the top draw. I forgot I put them in there.”
The females around me was going into a panic-mode and I was the only calm one in the room with a wide smile on my face as I took them in. It was my wedding day, shouldn’t I be the one panicking?
“Ladies, ladies! Relax. Just calm your nerves and repeat after me ‘woosah’.” I commanded. It was a technique Sebastian and I had learnt from the pregnancy cl@$$es we were attending until the birth of our baby. My baby-bump was just beginning to show, but the earlier the cl@$$es, the bigger the knowledge. I didn’t want to fail at being a mom. I couldn’t fail.
Gen, my maid of honor and my best friend, calmed down. So did Jasmine, Zenia and two of Sebastian’s cousins. I had selected them to be my bride-maids. Lastly, I looked at my mom and she was saying ‘woosah’ over and over to herself.
I had taken control of the situation. I had Zenia @$$isted me with my hair and make-up and she did an excellent job at that. My mother help me into my cloud-like wedding dress. White, big and puffy but a perfect fit. Well, it was made special for me so it had to be perfect. I took in the gems that lined the sheer sleeves as Sebastian’s cousins attached my veil to my hair. Jasmine fetched my heels that was a match to the dress but it was covered in diamonds.
“Those are so beautiful,” they gasped as I sli-pped my feet into them.
“Sebastian had it made specially for me and I wanted to wear them today. It was an early wedding prese-nt from him,” I informed.
“You are so bless to have him. He’s a perfect match for you,” one of his cousins said.
“Thank you.”
“Are you ready?” my father poked his head into the room, “Oh Emily, you look so beautiful. My little girl is all grown up and having her own life.”
“Ethan, don’t you start crying,” mom teased him and handed him a napkin. We laughed as dab his eyes with it and handed it back to mom.
“I believe I’m ready,” I said as I went and stood in front of the mirror. Seeing myself fully dressed, from head to toe, it was now sinking in that I was going to get married to the man I had always carried in my heart. The man I had always loved and couldn’t let go of loving. The man who I had broke others’ heart for because they just weren’t him. I had finally got him and would be standing next to him as his queen. Literally.
“It’s about to begin. Ladies, time to take your places,” dad said again and everyone filed out of the room. Mom quickly handed me my bouquet of roses and I took a de-ep breath and wrapped my left arm with my father’s right.
“Ready?”
“Of course.”
He took the plea-sure in placing my veil over my face and we walked out of the room and headed into the awaiting chapel where many had already gathered, inside and outside, to be apa-rt of mine and Sebastian’s union.
As I walked on, being guided by my father, photographers snapped pictures of me but if they got too close, they would hear my father’s and my appointed body guards’ wrath.
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We waited outside the door for the music to indicate my arrival. Everyone else had taken their places, including Evan. Sebastian had asked him to be his Best-Man and Evan couldn’t resist. My darling Nephew, Jevan, was going to be our ring-bearer and several little girls from the Kingdom had been chose-n as flower girls.
The music started and my heart leaped with excitement. The doors were pulled in and I was revealed. My eyes immediately landed on Sebastian. He was dressed in a full white suit with his medals pinned to him and the colors of the country’s flag was on a slash around his upper body. His hair was neatly slic-k backwards, showing his handsome facial features.
Everyone rose when I took the first step and only turned in my direction when I walked p@$$ed, right down the middle of the aisle. I heard sounds of ‘wow’ and ‘aww’ as I walked by. My father joined my mother at the front row when I reached the alter. I composed and still myself because I had been shaking with excitement, joy and wonders.
I took my place opposite Sebastian.
“You cleaned up nicely,” he began and I couldn’t help but laugh, so did everyone else who heard him. Just leave it to Sebastian to make you feel at home and put a smile on your face.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages. welcome. Today, we’re about to witness a very powerful union between two beautiful souls, before God, before me, and before each and everyone of you,” the priest began. He said a lengthy prayer and more words about the union before our eyes.
When he got to the ‘object’ pa-rt, no one stood. You could hear a pin drop on the floor.
“The rings and the vows,” the priest said and Evan help Jevan, his son, produced the rings. He was only one year and some months old but he was so adorable and everyone clapped when he lifted up the rings to Sebastian.
“Thank you Jevan,” Sebastian dropped to his level and gave him a quick hu-g. It warmed my heart that he was so appreciative of the smaller things in life.
“Now, the couple would say their vows as they place the rings on their pa-rtners’ finger.”
Sebastian went first. He took my ring finger, made the ring touch the tip before he began. “Emily Hollen, there aren’t enough words out there to describe the way you make me feel but I’m going to try. You mean the world and more to me. Since the first day I set eyes upon you, I knew we’d be special for each other and no amount of distance, time and negative energy..and arranged marriage,” he just had to say that to make me and others laugh again, “None of those things stopped me from getting to you and having you at my side, where you rightfully belong. I love you. I never stopped loving you even if I try to love someone else.”
I knew just what and who he was referring to.
“You’re my perfect match. Throu-gheverything, I’ll be there for you. I promise,” he finished and tears flooded my eyes. Damn it, I couldn’t stop crying now.
My mother had told me that she had to chase Sebastian away from my side at the hospital when I had went into a coma and wasn’t waking up. Sebastian didn’t even wanted to leave. I imagined how much pain he had to go throu-ghseeing me motionless and dead-like.
He slide the ring in, and now it was my turn.
I did the same as he did with my ring, stopping at the tip. “Sebastian, you’ve always been the one I carried in my heart. You mean so much to me that if I have to explain, it would take the rest of the year to do so. You’re my dreams and my reality and I wouldn’t trade you for anything because nothing and no one compares to you and the love that I have for you. I’m happy that I’ve found my way back to you.”
More tears sli-pped out.
“I do believe we’re meant to be,” I finished and slide his ring in.
“Do you, Sebastian Andrew Fabian, take Emily Emma Hollen, to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you pa-rt?” the priest ask Sebastian.
“I do,” he answered.
The priest now turned to me and asked the same.
“I do,” I answered once he was finished.
“By the power invested throu-ghme, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kizz your bride.”
Sebastian lifted my veil up. “I’ve been waiting,” he let out and the church erupted in laughter, clap-s and cheers as our li-ps collided on the alter.
It was official. I wasn’t a well-kept secret nor a girlfriend anymore. I was the wife of a soon-to-be- King and I was going to be his queen and queen for all his people.
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Writer’s POV
As the wedding ceremony had came to an end but the reception had just begun at the Palace. Emily changed into a skimpier dress that she could move more freely in and she was circled by people who adored her.
Sebastian laughed and mingled with Emily’s brothers and his own peers.
Music blasted, eats and drinks were in abundance and everyone was having a wonderful time. Sebastian and Emily were soon joined back to make the first dance as husband and wife. They danced until they couldn’t stand again and then it was time for Emily to throw her bouquet, her best friend, Gen, caught it.
But what they didn’t caught was that somewhere in the crowd, hidden by a hat over the face, was someone, waiting for a final opportunity to strike and bring everything to an end once and for all.
TO BE CONTINUED…..