*THE HOLLEN SERIES*
👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦EPISODE 32👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
*👁🗨COFFEE AND PAPER👁🗨*
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
Emma’s POV
Sharon and Ethan’s mom appeared before my
eyes. I was half n-ked and wra-pped up
between the covers on the be-d.
“I don’t believe my eyes,” Ethan’s mom started
as she walked into the room and her eyes
locked on me.
“I told you that we’d find her here. Here’s the
little black pr©st!tût£who s£dûç£d your son—
my fiancee!” Sharon bu-tt in, holding her che-st
as if she had just swallowed a very large pill.
“You’re a shameless maid who’ll do anything to
get some money, even if that means slee-ping
in be-d with your employer,” Ethan’s mom said
with a ha-rd look on her face. “You’re
disgusting and you disgust me. I’m giving you
five minutes to get up and get out of my son’s
house!”
I was stunned. So stunned that I couldn’t
speak. I couldn’t wra-p my mind around what,
and who, was in front of me.
“I said to get up!” her voice echoed throu-ghout
the room.
I pu-ll-ed the sheet around me as I stood. She
moved closer to me and Sharon tailed right
behind her.
“Now you listen to me. You don’t belong here,
so don’t even try. You think you can just
spre-ad your legs for my son and weasel your
way into this family? This family has standards
that you couldn’t even dream of meeting.
Sharon is his fiancee and she’ll remain his
fiancee.”
I felt her breath on my face as I squinted my
eyes. “Ethan will hear about this,” I said and
reached for my phone, but she was alre-ady at
it.
She threw it to the floor and smashed into it
with her heels continuously until it was nothing
but crushed glas-s un-derneath her feet.
Sharon sm-irked.
I held my che-st to hold back the tears. “How
could you? What have I ever done to you?” I
cried as I remembered that the phone was a
pres£nt for my birthday.
“I don’t like you. I’ll never accept you as my
daughter-in-law. So, get out of my son’s house
and get out of his life or you’ll rue this day.”
“I can’t leave him… I’m p—” but she cut me off
with a sl@p across my face, then another and
another. I fell to the floor.
Sharon moved and pu-ll-ed me by the hair and
threw me on the be-d. “You are a very stupid
girl. You c@m£ here and corrupted my husband
and pit him against me while you spre-ad your
legs for him. He’s not yours. He’s mine!”
“I didn’t pit him against you. You did that
yourself when you tried to steal from him!” I
cried out, holding my face while standing and
looking at Mrs. Hollen, hoping that she had no
idea what Sharon tried to do and, now that I’d
expo-sed her, she’d be on my side.
But the woman only stared harshly at me as if
she were re-ady to kill.
“Oh shut up, you have no idea what you’re
talking about. What I did, I did for him! He’s
my fiance!” she screamed.
I covered my ears.
“I’ve had enough of this!” Mrs. Hollen cut in
and then dragged me to the floor. I fell ha-rd
on my stomach.
My baby, my poor baby! I was thinking about
only my child at that point.
“I told you to get up and leave my son’s
house. You’re not welcome here. He alre-ady
has a fiancee, you who-re!” She held me by my
arms, with Sharon at my feet, and they carried
me out the room.
They dropped me on the floor outside of the
be-droom and I rushed to stand. Mrs. Hollen
shoved me towards the stairs and I walked
willingly because I didn’t want them to throw
me down the long flight of stairs.
My eyes darted all over the place for Halley,
but she was nowhere in sight. I yelled for her
but Sharon covered my mouth and pushed me
ha-rd towards the main door and out on the
pavement where a black van was parked. It
reminded me of the types of vans that
kidnappers used in the movies—the ones
without any windows. I was shoved into it with
nothing but my un-derwear and a sheet around
me. I yelled for Halley and for the security
guards who roamed the compound but no one
was insight.
Where did everyone go?
Suddenly, the van began to drive away from
the mansion. I couldn’t see anything, but I
could hear the sound of its revving engine. I
pounded heavily on the interior b©dy of the
vehicle, screaming that they st©p and let me
go and that Ethan would have their heads if
anything bad was to come to me. The driver
paid me no attention at all. The vehicle kept
on going further and further.
I began to cry when my arms got tired from
the pounding and my throat was aching from
the constant screaming and shouting. What
had I ever done to Mrs. Hollen to deserve this
treatment and banishment from her? It was true
that she was very rude at the auction in Miami,
but I realized would have to accept her
regardless and I was willing to try; she was to
be my mother-in-law for crying out loud. But,
now, she had done it. She had planted the
seed of hate in my heart, she and Sharon both.
I didn’t s£dûç£Ethan. I wouldn’t do such a
thing to my employer. The situation wasn’t
anything like how she describe-d it. Ethan c@m£
to dislike Sharon and got attached to me. I
admit, I did feel things for him while he was
still engaged to her, but I would never wreck
her home. She paved the way for that herself—
she and her selfishness and greed. I had
nothing to do with it and Ethan told me so
himself.
After what seemed like hours of driving, the
vehicle finally c@m£ to a st©p. I panicked. I
had no idea what to expect from the driver.
What if he was paid to kill me? What if he
r@p£s me and leave me to die?
The two doors of the van flung open and a big
figure, face covered in a mask, pu-ll-ed me out.
I landed on my feet but I was trembling like a
we-t dog. It was dark and cold and there were
lots of old trees in sight with a terrible scent
circulating the air. I was at a swamp.
The man closed the doors, got back into the
van and drove away with a speed.
“Help! Someb©dy help me!” I screamed the
last scream in my b©dy.
I coll@psed on the we-t, muddy, smelly ground
and began to cry again. I had no idea where I
was, no idea where to go. The swamp looked
like something out of a horror movie. Weird
noises c@m£ from the distance and it was
getting darker quic-kly. I was left for dead out
in this mosquito infested swamp by the
woman who supposed to be my soon-to-be
mother-in-law.
I gathered myself. I had to pu-ll myself back
together and figure out a way out of here, alive.
I decided to head straight, in the direction the
van drove away. I strained my eyes in the
darkness in search of the tire marks, but they
disappeared after a puddle. I was lost, cold
and afraid. I was afraid of yelling for help
again because I didn’t know what, or who, was
in this god forsaken place.
I heard the sound of thun-der and saw a flash
of lightening and then the rain poured down,
washing away the mud from the sheet, which
was acting as a makeshift dress. I was
completely we-t and colder than I was before. It
would be a miracle if I got out of this alive. I
continued walking.
Then c@m£ the sound of voices and I saw a
flashlight. I hid behind a tree as three hvge
guys walked past me with rifles on their
shoulders and big bags on their backs.
“This coke is worth over one million dollars.
We nee-d to deliver this first thing tomorrow
morning,” one of the guys said as they walked
on.
Oh my Goodness! Was this swap a hide out
for drug dealers? I had to get out of here, now!
I moved from behind the tree where I was
hiding but missed a step on the sli-ppery
surface and fell onto a pile of wood, which
made a loud noise as they broke from my
weight.
“Who’s there?” a loud voice called out.
The three men aimed their rifles as they
moved closer and closer to where I hid against
the pile.
I held my breath and my heart pounded heavily
in my che-st.
“Lets go,” one guy said slowly.
They looked around again and again, then
walked away, dee-per into the swamp.
I exhaled and pu-ll-ed myself up.
“Make one more move and I’ll b!ow your
fv¢king head off,” a voice said from behind
and I felt the gun against the back of my head.
*THE HOLLEN SERIES*
👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦EPISODE 33👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦👨👩👧👦
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
*👁🗨COFFEE AND PAPER👁🗨*
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
Sorry I’m late guys, I was up late last night, someone was keeping me company ( we were only talking though before you lots come for my head )
**********
Ethan’s POV
I had been calling Emma for hours and kept
reaching her voicemail, and Halley’s too. When
I got back they would be grilled. I also wanted
to know what the results of the pregnancy test.
Would I be a dad or would I have to make a
better effort?
I couldn’t concentrate on the meeting being
held in front of me; I kept thinking about
Emma.
“Sir, does that mean that the demands have
been met?” Linda shooed my floating thoughts
away.
I raked my f!ngersthrou-gh my hair and heaved
a sigh. Linda looked at me.
“Sir, are you alright?” she asked with a small
smile to show she wasn’t ma-king a scene.
“I’m fine,” I answered and fli-pped throu-gh the
proposals in front of me.
I headed back to my h0tel room, after the
meeting, and called Emma again but got the
same results. Voicemail. I called Halley and I
got her voicemail too. Where were they and
what were they doing? Something was wrong.
Emma wouldn’t ignore my calls like that and
she wouldn’t take so long to return them. She
loved her new phone.
I called Luis.
“Yes sir?”
“Luis, I’m trying to get a hold of Emma or
Halley. Where are they?”
“Sir, I don’t have that information. I’m currently
with my wife and kids.”
“Oh, right. I’ll try calling Anton.”
I ended the call and tried Anton who should
have been at the grounds pres£ntly. His phone
went to voicemail as well.
Damn it! When I get back, I’m going to kick
some as-ses all over the place.
I la-id on the be-d and stared at the ceiling fan.
I didn’t want to work myself up over nothing.
Emma would call me when she could; I knew
she would.
A knock c@m£ at my door. I opened it and
Linda walked in.
“Hey, how about you get up and join me in a
friendly dinner?” she suggested with a smile.
I returned her smile and gr@bb£d my wallet.
We headed down for dinner in one of the
h0tel’s restaurants. Linda always knew how to
cheer me up and keep me laughing. She was a
really great employee and friend. I couldn’t
imagine Hollen Tower without her. She had
been there since the beginning and believed in
me when no one else did. She had my utmost
respect.
We were in the middle of a conversation over
dinner when my phone buzzed with a text from
Halley.
Hello Mr. Hollen. Hope you’re enjoying your
business trip. You’ve been trying to reach Emma
but she’s asleep and exhausted. I’ll have her
call you back when she wakes up. Hope you’re
not worrying too much, she’s fine. I’m taking
good care of her. Bye.
Well the message made me relax. Emma had
been sick and sounded exhausted. She did
nee-ded to rest, and I nee-ded to st©p worrying.
She was a big girl and she could take care of
herself, and Halley was there with her. But why
was I having a gut feeling that something was
definitely wrong? I wished she was the one
who texted or at least call me back. Had I
really hurt her that badly by leaving?
I’ll be back soon, baby. Just four more days
and I’ll be there.
“Are you enjoying the food?” Linda cut my
thoughts again.
I looked down at the unt©uçhed dessert plate
in front of me. “Yeah. France always has the
best wine and cuisine.”
“Ever wonder why they’re ha-rd ly sick and have
low rates of heart disease?”
“Not really.”
“Well, it’s because of all the wine they
consume.”
“Really, or are you just as-suming?”
“Yes, really.” I watched as the glas-s of wine
went up to herl-ips.
She reminded me of when Emma drank her
first glas-s of wine and got drun!k. The poor girl
couldn’t even stand up at the auction. I smiled
to myself at the memory.
“Ethan,” Linda cut in and I was starting to get
annoyed with her. Why couldn’t she just leave
me alone with my thoughts and my feelings?
“Huh?”
“Did you hear what I asked?”
“When?”
“Just forget about it.” She waved her hand in
dismissal and got up and left.
I felt bad. She was a friend and I couldn’t even
focus on having a simple dinner with her. I
kept thinking about my fiancee, even though I
there was no nee-d to worry because I’d heard
from Halley. I hurried and paid the bill then
got up and went to apologize to her.
I found her in her h0tel room. I knocked on the
door and she opened it slightly.
“I’m sorry. I’m just worried about back home,” I
apologized.
She opened the door and ushered me inside. “I
know you’re homesick but you nee-d to focus
on this business deal.” She sat down next to
me on the chair and began to ru-b my
shoulders.
“I’m worried about my fiancee. She hasn’t
returned my calls.”
“Well, maybe she’s happy you’re out of the
house and decided to throw a p@rty.”
“Ha ha, very funny.”
We stayed in and watched a movie together
then I called it a night and went back to my
room. I was restless again and kept calling
Emma. Voicemail, voicemail, voicemail.
Emma must be related to bears because she
has to be hibernating. Who could sleep for so
long? I don’t think I can make it for four days
without hearing from her.
Her voice put me at ease and at peace with
myself. She was my everything. I really hoped
nothing was wrong with her.
I took a steaming shower then la-id in be-d,
looking at pictures I’d taken of her without her
knowing. I laughed when I c@m£ across one
where she had just gotten up from be-d, her
hair all wild and crazy.
My phone rang.
“Sir, we have some bad news!” Anton spoke
loudly, his voice p@n-ting and scared.
The pit feeling c@m£ rushing back. “What’s
wrong Anton?”
“Your fiancee.”
“What’s wrong with my fiancee!” I was alre-ady
out of be-d and on my feet.
“Sir, she’s gone,.”
What the fv¢k! Where did she go?
“What do you mean gone? Where is she?”
“Sir, your mother and your ex-fiancee took her.”
They had definitely awaken the demons in me.
I sourced my pri-vate jet to leave France that
night. No meetings, proposals, money or
colleagues were more important than Emma. I
would have heads for this!
*TO BE CONTINUED