Hot Coffee (The Hollens)

Chapter 53 (Drama Channel)

Ethan's POV

I was up early doing some extreme workouts in the gym when Halley came in.

"Good morning," she said as she stood, watching me with her doe eyes.

"What's up?" I asked, still running on the treadmill. I was determined to get in twenty miles.

"I have something you might be interested in seeing. I'll be at my chambers." She left and left me

wondering what that was all about.

After I completed my twenty miles and refreshed, I went to check on Emma. She was still fast asleep,

wrapped up in the sheets like a burrito. I closed the door quietly and went to find Halley.

"This came over GSDC this morning. They interviewed your former COO." She handed me her tablet.

Linda was being interviewed by the host of the channel.

********************************

Host: How long were two you having an affair?

Linda: Well, it wasn't really an affair, it's not like he was married.

Host: Wasn't he engaged to Sharon Constantine?

Linda: Yes he was, but we were together before she even came along. It started when I began working

for his company. He offered me the position of COO. Of course I was well qualified, but he just wanted

me closer to him.

Host: Aw, so a little office fever, huh?

Linda: *laughs* Please don't get me started on that. He was quite the lover.

Host: So what was the dispute between you and his current fiancee?

Linda: Oh, she was just doing what most typical fiancees do— mark their territory.

Host: So he was cheating on Sharon and Emma Cole with you?

Linda: Yes he was. And it blew up in Emma's face when she found my underwear in his jacket.

Host: Oh, juicy stuff. What underwear was it?

Linda: *Laughs* Red lace.

Audience and Host: Ooh.

*********************************

I couldn't watched anymore of that shit. I handed the tablet back to Halley.

Linda was slandering my name. I admitted I touched her, but I never had sex with her. I was having

enough of this crap thrown at me and had been quiet and private about my life for far too long. I was

going to fight fire with fire.

I called my damage control manager so she could get me on the show ASAP.

__________________

"Good morning," Emma greeted, covering her mouth from a yawn.

"Hey, baby." I said as I got dressed.

"Where are you going?"

"GSDC studios."

"What? Why?"

"Because I've been quiet for far too long Emma, and everyone thinks they can throw shade at me and I

won't react."

"Okay, but where's this coming from?"

"Linda Steele! She was on the show last week and I'm going to go clear some shit up."

Emma leaped out of the bed and rushed to the bathroom. "I'm coming with you!"

"Well, hurry up! I'll have the chef pack your breakfast; you can eat in the car. My damage control

manager set this up and I have to be there in the next hour."

"Okay!"

Emma was eating in the car while I was focusing on the road. My jaws tightened with anger and

frustration. My hold on the steering wheel tightened.

"We're here," I told her as we pulled into the building's parking lot.

I helped her out of the car and we made our way to the entrance. We were greeted by a show

organizer who wiped our faces of any traces of sweat and inserted microphones on our clothing.

The host who interviewed Linda met us backstage. "Thanks for coming on. Are you two ready?"

"Yeah," Emma and I answered.

"Okay. Wait for my cue."

She ran out onstage. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome back to Gossip and Sweet Drama Channel. I'm

your host, Leslie Anne Harty, and today in the studio, we have famous billionaire, Ethan Hollen, and his

fiancee, Emma Cole." Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

The audience applauded as we made our way to the seats on stage. Emma sat down next to me and I

took her hand in mine.

Host: Thank you for coming here today. I believe you saw the interview we held with Linda Steele,

former COO of your company, Hollen Tower, last week; so, today, you're here to set the record

straight?"

Me: That's correct.

Host: So, firstly, was she telling the truth?

Me: She put things way out of proportion.

Host: Elaborate on that for us.

Me: Five years ago, I launched Hollen Tower, and, of course, I needed employees with qualifications by

my side to assist in its development. I hired Ms. Steele because she had the qualifications. Our

relationship was strictly professional. I trusted Ms. Steele the most. She ran a lot of the operations of

the company, especially when I was out of town or away on business trips. She was good at her job.

When I met my ex-fiancee, Sharon Constantine, Ms. Steele and I were never having an affair, nor did

we have an affair before Sharon."

Host: Oh, so she lied about that part. What was she telling the truth about?

Me: She was telling the truth about one occasion in the office.

Audience: Oooohh

Me: Hold on, hear me out. I have this friend, and he came to see me one day at work. I was under a lot

of pressure— at home, at work. That friend and I started drinking. I got drunk and Ms. Steele came in

the office. We started dancing. My friend left. That was when I kissed her and we made out for a brief

moment, but there was no intercourse. I stopped it because I knew I was caught up in the moment and

would regret in the future. I told her to leave my office. I went to the bathroom. When I got home, my

fiancee, Emma, found her underwear in my jacket. Apparently, Linda put them there when I was in the

bathroom."

Host: Emma, did you believe him when he told you that story?

Emma: It's not a story; It's the truth. But I admit I didn't believe him at first. We were having problems,

just like every other relationship, so I thought that he started having an affair. But I asked myself, if he

was having an affair, why would he bring home someone's panties in his jacket when I do the laundry?

It just didn't make any sense; he's smarter than that."

Host: That does make some sense. So, Ethan, nothing happened?

Me: No. Nothing happened except for that one brief make out moment, which was due to alcohol.

Audience: *signing* Blame it on the alcohol.

Emma: Linda knows, definitely, that she's lying. I love my fiance and I would stand by him through

anything because he loves me too."

Me: That's right. This is the woman I love; the woman I intend to marry; and, Leslie, guess what? She's

having my babies. Twins!"

Host: Aw, congratulations to the both of you. That's tremendous news.

Audience: Congratulations!

Me: Thanks.

Host: Well, that's all the time we have today, folks. And you've heard it from the man himself, Ethan

Hollen, and his beautiful fiancee, and mother of his unborn twins, Emma Cole."

Audience: *Loud applause*

Emma and I walked off stage.

"Thank you so much for coming and congratulations on the babies," the show organizer said to us as

we shook her hand.

"Thank you for having us," Emma said and we made our way to the car. "Are you alright?" I asked,

opening her door.

"Yes. Babe, do you smell something?" she asked as she sat, looking around the car as she threw her

purse on the floor.

I leaned my head into the car. There was a scent, like gasoline.

"Emma, get away from the car!" I shouted, but, by instinct, I had already grabbed her wrist, pulling her

from the car and running away from it, pulling her with me.

Less than twenty seconds later the entire car went up in flames with a loud explosion. The floor shook

from the blast. Car alarms from the cars parked close to mine went off. Glass shattered. Emma began

to cry in my arms as I held her tightly near the furthest elevator lobby of the parking lot.

"Shh, baby it's okay. We're okay!" I told her

People from the show began to run toward.

"What happened?" Leslie asked.

"We smelled gasoline and the car exploded just as we got out and ran over here," I summarized.

"Oh my goodness. Call 911!" she instructed to anyone who had a cellphone in their hands.

Emma's was in the car, along with her purse, and mine had broken in my bag when the force slammed

us against the glass of the elevator lobby.