A Life Once Broken (Hosie)

Untitled Part 2

"Good afternoon Mrs Mikaelson"

"Good afternoon Cleo, What's on the agenda for today.Cleo Sowande,  Hope's PA otherwise known as her right arm, looks on her iPad schedule and says,

" It looks like you took care of most of your international meetings lastnight Hope, the only pressing appointment you have is Mr Tein,  he insisted on seeing you here tonight to sign the contracts for supplying his company with the latest cyber attack software."

Hope looks at her and turns another shade of white,  "That's after hours Cleo,  I'm not sure if I can do that,  Landon will be expecting me home."

"Yes I know Hope but with you not being here this morning, that is the only time we could make an  appointment before he flies back to Asia tomorrow.  This is a multi million dollar contract Hope"  Cleo seesthe hesitancy in Hope's body language and is puzzled why this would be a problem.

Hope paces nervously,  running her hands through her long auburn locks. She looks up at Cleo and she realises that just this once,  her work will have to interfere with her home life.  Surely this once wouldn't hurt right?

"Ok fine, hopefully it'll be just a short meeting.  Is that all Cleo?"

"Yes,otherwise it's just your normal workload today"

"Thankyou,I'll be in my office"  Hope walks into her office and leans with her back against the door,   she can feel her heartbeat racing and she can't catch her breath. She's having a panic attack and she knows she has to calm herself down.  She walks to her chair and sits down. She knows this isn't going to go well.  Landon is possessive and he expects Hope to be at home each night, unless she's travelling for work.  Over the last year or so she has made it very clear she's not available for   afterhours meetings.  However this is an exception,Mr Tien has a chain of businesses throughout the world and this is a very lucrative contract,  plus he's very well known and liked in the business world so word of mouth recommendations  could be like gold for Mikaelson Industries.

She takes her phone out and sends a quick text to Ava letting her know she won't be home till later that night,  It's Friday night so she receives a very quick text back from Ava saying she's going to be-staying at a friends house for the night and she'll see her tomorrow. Hope hates it when she doesn't get to see her daughter before bed but it's probably better tonight she thinks to herself.

Later on Mr Tien comes in for the meeting,  and it all goes well.  He wanted a tour around to see all the different departments.  He's chosen Mikaelson Industries for not only the state of the art technology and software but Hope's reputation proceeds her globally. She's known as a highly intelligent,  and very astute business woman who has taken a mediocre business and turned it into a multi billiondollar company.  But Mr Tien also likes how down to earth Hope is, and how trustworthy she is.  After seeing the photo's in her office of Ava, he knows that she cares for family.  Which is exactly what Mr Tein is about.

"Well thank you very much Mrs Mikaelson, I hope I haven't kept you too long tonight and I really look forward to seeing you more in our future dealings"

"That's fine Mr Tien but please call me Hope,  I'll get these contracts through legal tomorrow and be in touch with you when it's all confirmed,  It was lovely to meet you."

"That sounds perfect and please call me Jed".

They say their  goodbyes,  and Hope packs up all her belongings and leaves the building to go home.  She looks at her watch and it's 9.30, hours after the time she is usually home.  She knows she's  going to-pay for this.

She drives through the gates of their home and the closer she gets the-more apprehensive she gets,  it's a long drive from the entrance gates to the massive house she owns.  So by the time she's unlocking the front door and walks in she has a horrible sinking feeling in the pitof her stomach.  The smell is what hits her first,  that all too familiar smell, alcohol and as she knows where ever she smells alcohol Landon is never far from it.  She walks in through the foyer taking her expensive heels off and placing them on the shoe rack down near the door.

There's that feeling of a racing heart again.   "Landon,  I'm home" she yells out walking into the living room.  Landon is sitting on a chair with a glass of some expensive alcohol, looking at her as if she's killed his mother.  His green eyes looking cold and seem to see right through her soul.

"Where the fuck have you been?"  He stands up moving towards her.

"I I  was at work,  there was an important meeting I c couldn't get outof" she stutters with anxiety,  "The client is leaving first thing to Asia in the morning and he needed me to sign the contracts for his company"

"HE?" Landon spits out at her,   HE tell me Hope were you there to get contracts signed,  or were you having a not so quicky in the office with him?"

Hope cowers her head feeling hurt and offended at his comment . Hope takes a step away from him "You disgust me Landon,  I have been nothing but faithful to you our whole marriage, don't you dare make it out that I'm doing something I'm not, that is from your play book!"

"What-did you just fucking say to me?"

"You are the one that's been sleeping around Landon,  your supposed business trips, do you think I'm that stupid?   You don't even have a job to go to  I found out months ago you were fired from your job and you've been having overnights with any woman that would come near you!   You need to clean out your pockets before putting your clothes in the laundry.  I even saw a message come up on your phone from one of your 'girlfriends'.  There's venom in what she's saying,

"You bitch"  he moves towards her with the speed of a supernatural.  She knows whats coming and sure enough it did.  Landon slapped her across the face so hard it knocked her down to the floor.  "I'm only with those girls because you don't do it for me anymore Hope.  All you-think about is your fucking company and that fucking mistake of a daughter we have.  I'm sick of this shit."

Hope looks up at him, tears in her eyes and holding her cheek.  "Our daughter was and never will be a mistake,  she is what keeps me going.   What happened to you Landon how can you be so cruel."she's sobbing at this point.

"What happened to me"  he scoffs  "What happened to me  was marrying a woman that because she couldn't get over her fucking parents death, she dragged me to a place I don't want to be.  To have a child I-never wanted and to be stuck in limbo when she goes out and runs a global company when I'm meant to be the one to provide"  his face has gone bright  red and the veins are popping in his neck.  Landon has reached his boiling point and Hope knows she needs to get away.

She goes to run to the door but he grabs her by her wrist and flings her around to face him "You're not going anywhere."  she tries to get out of his hold but he's too strong,  his current temper giving him super strength.  "Landon let me go"

He looks at her and pulls her hair, she winces trying to get away from his grip.  He hits her again and again.  He roughly throws her against the wall with mighty force and she hears something break, she screams in pain but he ignores her, he puts his hands around her throat tightening his grip.  He's unrelenting and Hope's vision is going blurry.   He finally lets go and she falls to the floor gasping for air.   Hope knows this is different.  Usually he only hits her places no one else can see.  But tonight his temper has gotten the best of him.  As she lays on the ground,  he gives her a brutal kick to the ribs and she cries,  she knows that's done some damage.   "Landon you are a monster, I married a monster, how could I have ever loved you?"  is all she says as she lays sobbing on the floor.Bloodied, bruised and broken.

There was no emotion from him at all.  He kneels down in front of her so he's face to face and laughs.   "I'm going to bed."  and that's all he says as he walks up the stairs to his bedroom, disappearing into it with a slam of the door.

Hope is shaking, terrified,  she pulls out her phone and rings the person that has always been there for her.  Lizzie.

"Hi you,  whats up?"  Lizzie answers

"I need help Lizzie,  Landon has hurt me,  can you please pick me up."

"I'm on my way" she says grabbing her jacket and car keys and runs out to her car..