Babel Novel
Chapter 53
The night held its breath when Jackson’s lips met Emily’s. Her heart quickened, a jolt igniting a spark somewhere within. The stirring of something forgotten, the edges of it just dancing out of reach. She felt the pull towards him, it was magnetic and undeniable. She hadn’t even realized when she kissed him back, allowing his tongue to roam her mouth, licking her lips and igniting her desire. His mouth moved against hers in a silent plea, a wordless incantation, beckoning her lost memories from the depths through which they were banished.
Only then did it happen.
A floodgate burst open inside of her, the memories began rushing in. Images flashed before her eyes, the mysterious kiss at the masked ball, and the stolen kiss here at this very garden that started it all, Jackson’s confessions exchanged beneath the canopy of stars, his drilling into hers with so much intensity, the night of the banquet dinner, his plea, the fight the accident. She remembered it all, the clarity of everything dawning on her.
Immediately, she pulled away, breathless, her gaze locked with his. Emotions flared within her, and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall. The final walls crumbled, each memory slotting into place.
“Jackson, I ” she started, her voice breaking in the process, unable to process her emotions or even complete her sentences.
“Do you ” he asked, she nodded, the tears falling freely from her eyes.
“You do?” Jackson gasped, pulling her into his arms in a delicate embrace, his fingers smoothing her hair down, his heart pounding but with relief and somewhat joy.
“How could I how could I have forgotten you? I’m so sorry” she cried into his arms and he soothed her but again, she pulled away from his hands suddenly remembering Ethan’s words to her about Jackson.
“Ethan told me something” she said her eyes still fixed on him, “About someone called Amelia Sinclair, you caused her to die”
******
Meanwhile at the dining table, Ethan drummed his fingers on the table impatiently after Emily excused herself from the table. Anita sitting one seat away from him, looked over at him with a mischievous glint glowing in her eyes, he was familiar with the look. Impatient, he kicked his chair back without much of an excuse, he walked out of the dining room but Anita was right behind him, pulling him by the wrist when they were out of earshot, he stopped in his tracks and turning around to face her.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked him and Ethan pulled his hands out her grasp.
“You really can’t keep your mouth shut, can you? What are you even doing here?”
Anita rolled her eyes “Of course, everything is Anita’s fault. So what now? You’re going to chase after her like a dog”
“Watch your mouth!” Ethan warned proceeding to leave again but she stopped him.
“Don’t go” she said, her eyes pleading “Don’t go after her, she already has Jackson doing that for her, why can’t you do the same, why can’t you stay for me”
“Because we’re nothing Anita, you’re my ex- girlfriend and that’s what you’ll ever be. We made a deal, I did my part and I don’t know why you have a problem sticking to your end of the deal”
“A deal that could cost you the woman you’re running after” Anita said back, fire in her eyes and with a straight face. Ethan’s eyes flared at her statement but he ignored her, walking away instead while she still walked closely behind him.
“Don’t turn your back on me Ethan Hatton” she called but Ethan stopped dead in his tracks when he reached outside, some meters from the garden. He gasped at the sight, it was Emily kissing Jackson. From where he stood, he could feel the desire emanating from their bodies, why did it hurt so much? Why did he find it impossible to move?
Anita stood beside him, taking in the sight of Emily and Jackson smooching each others faces, and she looked at Ethan, the hurt expression on his face only angered her more.
“So much for going after her, you could’ve just stayed put and enjoyed your steak” she said.
“Shut up Anita”
Ethan watched them, unsure of what to do. His heart pounded, his fist clenched beside him with a certain fury building up within him. He watched Emily pull away, staring at his brother with so much intensity while she had never looked at him that way before.
“Looks like she remembers, what are you going to do about it?” Anita cut through his thoughts and he realized he hadn’t been entirely paying attention
“Look Ethan” she went on anyways “Whether you like it or not, they are in love with each other, for once allow Jackson win, allow him have this one”
“Shut up” Ethan warned, walking towards where Emily and Jackson stood. For some reason, when he reached them, he expected to see guilt written on their faces but Jackson was glaring at him, and Emily she seemed confused. Soon Anita joined the charade.
“If it isn’t the infamous love triangle involving my long lost half-sister” she sneered. “And don’t ever think of coming out to my father, you heard what he said”RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
“Stay out of this” Ethan said then looking at Jackson and then Emily “What’s going on here?”
“You tell us” Jackson said “Thankfully, we’re all here so we can actually all talk about the trip to Cancun and what happened to Amelia”
Ethan stopped “What!? Why are you bringing her up now?”
“I wouldn’t have to if you weren’t spreading lies that I caused her death like a 16-year old”
Ethan turned to look at Emily but she didn’t look away “Don’t look at me, I didn’t swear to secrecy”
“So right now, let’s talk about it because I can’t have Emily believing such lies about me” Jackson said and Ethan scoffed.
“She’s my wife, it doesn’t matter what she thinks about you. We’re leaving” he took Emily’s hands to leave but she stayed put, unwilling to leave.
“I want to hear it too” she said quietly, looking at Anita too.
“What really happened to Amelia?”