Chapter 7 7

She broke the kiss, her heart thundering loud behind her chest and she could hear it amidst the loud music but she enjoyed the anonymity that she wore, that way she cancelled all chances for him to find her. She replayed the scenario in her drunken mind to remind herself that it was all real. Her inability to resist his overwhelming allure, while she closed the gap between them, drawn in by the enchantment of the night. The music swirling around them, offering a backdrop of hidden desires, as their lips brushed together in a stolen moment of passion.

The mystery of her mask making their encounter all the more tantalizing and enthralling. But reality had begin to set in and she needed to wake up, she needed to turn away to avoiding diving deeper into the enigmatic aura that surrounded this handsome stranger.

"I need to go" she said loudly due to the music and realizing she had left Cheryl for too long and she needed to go back, with or without the drink.

"Don't" Jackson held unto her wrist, his playboy charm at work and not willing to let go yet, the kiss had enthralled him, he didn't know what she looked like but the passionate kiss they shared had painted a vivid picture in his head.

"Stay" he pleaded still holding on tightly to her wrist but she shook her head and he could sense the determination which drove a sword of disappointment into his already pounding heart.

"I'm sorry I need to go" she pulled her hands out of his grip oblivious to her silver bangle that fell into his hands. Before he had the chance to speak, she had blended back into the crowd, knowing that their paths might never cross again because he knew nothing about her except her name. Emily Walker They were a million Emily Walkers in New York City, how could he find her again? Jackson Hatton stayed still on his bed in the early hours of the next day, unable to drift back to sleep. The taste of the mysterious girl's kiss still lingering on his lips, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions consumed him. His dimly lit room pulsated with anticipation, the cold of the air condition mixed with the smell of booze and his Armani cologne wafting through the air yet his mind was fixated on the girl who had captivated his attention with a simple yet hot kiss. He had kissed a lot of girls, way more than he could remember but none of them had left him wanting, left him intrigued. Maybe it was the anonymity, or the fact that she wasn't over him begging for his attention. He needed to find her. Jackson replayed the moment in his head, the brief encounter that felt like an eternity. The soft touch of her lips against his, the rush of adrenaline as their connection sparked in the midst of part chaos. But just as quickly as it had begun, she vanished, leaving nothing but her delicate bracelet and her name. Emily Walker He clutched the bracelet tightly, a physical reminder of the mystery that now plagued his every thought. Who was she? Where did she come from? He yearned to know more, a sense of frustration and yearning slowly creeping in. Quickly, Jackson jumped out of his bed and making his way out of the room. He craved for a glass of booze even though he still felt hung over from the previous night. He made his way through the long flight of stairs, heading straight to the in house bar that was in fact as large as his room. Getting there, he could hear familiar voices coming from within the bar and he stopped for a second to listen. It was his father and Ethan discussing and he slowly moved closer because they were almost talking in hushed whispers.

".......investors are getting impatient, we are at risk of losing the new tech startup if we don't seal the deal and you know what that means" Jackson heard his father say as he struggled to listen. Quietness followed before he heard his father speak again.

"If we lose the tech startup of Hatton companies, other investors start pulling out and we don't want that, we might be at risk of losing the company. I gave you this as an opportunity to save yourself from the rubbish you pulled"

"I'm working on it dad, I'm working hard" He heard Ethan say

"Well apparently not hard enough, or maybe I should give it all Jackson" Jackson startled at the mention of his name but he listened harder, his ears standing alert now. "How'd you like that Ethan, I'm sure he'd be a better businessman than you" he heard his father say

"He's a child that'll blow all his time and money on booze and women. He's not fit to handle the business yet" he heard Ethan say and Jackson paused.

That one stung He couldn't believe his ears, that was what Ethan thought of him? He knew he probably went a bit overboard with the clubbing and womanizing but he would never jeopardize the family's business because of that, at least not like Ethan did and it hurt him. It hurt him that Ethan would say that to their father, especially to make himself look good. He had made it clear thousands of time that he had no particular interest in the company yet but maybe he should. Maybe he needed to step up and prove that he wasn't a child who spent all his time on booze and women, maybe he needed to show that he also had a talent for business. With that mindset, Jackson walked back to his room with a goal to take everything from Ethan, regardless of what it was. He was no longer a child.