Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 113

DEMI

"Are you okay?" Anna asks, coming in after Ashley leaves my room. I dry my eyes and sit upright. "What did Ashley say?"

"What else would he say? He’s livid that I didn’t tell him about the baby and partly blames me for his pain." I sniffle and wipe my nose. "This can’t be real, Anna. My baby is gone. I have already lost too much at the hands of this family and now my own child was taken from me." Anna’s arm wraps around me while I choke back my tears.

"Asher did this. He overheard me that night. I felt it in my gut. I thought the worst thing he could do was reveal my pregnancy to the family or at the very least, blackmail me with exposing it." Tears clog my throat. "I didn’t think he hated me this much. How could he kill my baby?"

Anna sobs with me. "I’m so sorry, Demi. You were right all along. He isn’t a good person. He’s a liar and a cheat. I’m so sorry he hurt you. If I hadn’t let him into my life, he wouldn’t have had a reason to come into my house. He wouldn’t have found the pregnancy sticks or overheard our conversation that night. This is also my fault."

"No, don’t blame yourself. It’s ALL my fault. I shouldn’t have been so reckless. Pregnancy was never part of my contract. That child suffered because of my mistake. If I hadn’t gotten drunk, I wouldn’t have allowed Ashley in my bed. I wouldn’t have conceived. I brought this upon myself."

We hug each other and cry some more.

"How am I supposed to move past this? It took a lot to pull myself together and focus on my revenge. Now, I feel broken and weak all over again. They’ve literally taken everything from me."

"You have to be strong. You can’t give up now. You have one more reason to follow through with your plan; your dead child. Find the strength to move on as fast as possible because your problems are far from over." She stares deadpan at me.

"W-What do you mean by that?"

As I stare at mother and Ashley now, I can’t believe Anna had been right. She had overheard Ashley on phone talking to a woman who is undoubtedly his ex. She had heard him mention that the woman was carrying his child.

I don’t know if I would have been more shocked to find out that Nicola is pregnant if I was still carrying Ashely’s child. How devastated would I have been to feel betrayed and played like that? Probably as devastated as I feel now.

Mother’s role in this only worsens my feelings. She always made me feel like I mattered. She convinced me that I was special just for being me and marrying into the family. For that reason, she always tried to take my side instead of Nicci’s. I am shocked to discover how quickly she is switching camps because Nicci is going to bear her long awaited grandchild now. I guess mother is not particularly attached to me but only fancied me when she thought I would help bear her son’s child. Now that another woman’s womb is carrying her heir, she couldn’t care less about me.

Liam is right about this family, about mother. They don’t care about me and never will.

"Nicci is having your baby?"

Tears stream down my face. My body is hardly healed from the loss of my child and here I find my husband and mother-in-law celebrating his ex who is having his baby.

"Demi." Ashley breathes. His eyes dart to his mother’s for support. Typically, mother advances towards me. I stand my ground and give her a burning look.

"Demi, I’m so sorry you had to find out like this. You’re not fully recovered. Please, don’t do anything to aggravate your health."

"What do you care? Your son Asher just ripped my baby out of existence. My husband chooses to blame me for the loss of our unborn baby rather than his brother who orchestrated my attack. Father is probably relieved that I won’t be birthing his grandchild and while I am trying to get past this traumatic experience, I find out that my husband not only cheated on me as usual but he’s now expecting a baby with his ex. You, mother, you are supposed to have pity on me but instead of chiding him for his betrayal, you’re more focused on helping him keep everything out of the press? I can’t believe this."

"Demi, like I said, I am truly sorry for everything that you’ve had to go through at the hands of my sons but I can’t be unjust to Nicci’s innocent child who also happens to be my grandchild simply because Nicci is going to give birth to him/her. The deed has already been done. I can’t change what Ashley has done."

I stagger backwards and close a hand over my mouth to stifle a moan of pain.

"Demi." Ashley calls, coming to touch me but I slap his face.

"Did you also conveniently forget to use a condom or pull out? Did you plan this to punish me when you thought I wasn’t prepared to give you a child?"

I hate the pathetic and weak whine of my voice but I hate the tears streaming down my face more. "I thought you were one of the good guys, Ash. I didn’t think you would hurt me like this."

"Please Demi..."

I slap him hard again.

"DEMI!" Mother scolds me but Ashley warns her tacitly not to interfere.

"I know you’re hurt. I am sorry. I fucked up. I shouldn’t have let this happen."

"YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN SELEEPING WITH YOUR EX IN THE FIRST PLACE!" I add loudly. "How could you? I turned a blind eye at first because of the nature of our contract but when you asked me to give you a real chance, I thought having your loyalty would be a given. You snuck back in her bed and got her pregnant to get back at me for what? Tell me, Ashley? Tell me why you did this?"

"Calm down, Demi."

"Don’t ask me to calm down." I snap at mother. Again, Ashley ranges himself between us so mother will let me air my feelings. I am not the least bit impressed by his protection right now. I wish he had been this intentional about guarding my heart. My eyes find his face again and my fingers itch to claw at his eyes.

"You constantly accused me of cheating with your brother. You let your insecurity get in the way of our fledging romance. You didn’t give us a chance. You let your jealousy consume and blind you to the reality which is that neither Ashton nor I are willing to pursue whatever feelings we might have for each other. We have moved on with our different lives. I expected you to trust me on that but no, you ran to your exe’s bed to stroke your manly ego and this is the result. I hope you’re finally happy. You’re going to be a dad after all. And mother, this must be a dream come true for you too. It’s all you ever wanted anyway. It didn’t really matter who was birthing the child as long as it belongs to your son, right?"

Mother says nothing in reply.

"Demi, please...I didn’t set out to hurt you. The pregnancy was an accident."

"No, Ashley, it wasn’t. Mine also wasn’t an accident since you planned it all. The only difference between Nicci and I is that Asher won’t be going after her child like he did mine." I swipe the tears in my eyes. "I don’t think he would have done it even if he found out about it before mine. I am a nobody after all but Nicci, she’s got a powerful father and a reputation." My eyes wheel to mother.

"I wonder what father will say about this recent development."

When I whirl to exit the room, mother’s hand shoots out to fist in my sleeve.

"You’re not going to say a word to him, Demi."

"And why is that? Why keep this a secret from the rest of the family? Ashley here blames me for the loss of our child because I kept him in the dark about it. Why then is he planning on keeping Nicci’s pregnancy a secret even from father? Father likes Nicci, doesn’t he? I am sure he will be more receptive of this news than he was for mine."

"DEMI!" I halt at the warning in her tone. "I know you’re hurting. Your pain is justified but I need you to remember the innocent child in this. I will tell everyone in the family everything eventually but the timing isn’t great right now. You just lost you child. It will affect how they receive the news. Please, try to understand."

I bob my head. "I understand perfectly fine, mother."

I give Ashley a heated glare before turning to leave. From the corner of my eye, I notice how mother grips Ashley’s hand when he tries to come after me. My blood is boiling and I feel like smashing something. I march straight to Asher’s room and hit the doorbell repeatedly.

"Come out, you murderer! Come out and face me."

I feel footsteps hurrying towards me, doors cracking open at the sound of my loud voice. When Ashley tries to pull me away, I yank my arm free and swear at him. Ashton and Ashal also hover close. I bang on Asher’s door once more and yell for him to come out again. Mother tries in vain to get through to me but hers is the last voice I’ll listen to right now. When Asher steps out, I spit right into his face.

"You monster! You’re the devil himself. How could you?" My whole body shudders with sobs. I slap his face and fist my hands in the lapels of his shirt. "The child you killed was your own blood! How could you hate me so much that you were prepared to sacrifice your own brother’s baby? You’re no better than a demon!"

"Demi, please stop."

I shrug off the hands trying to release Asher from my grip.

"Tell me, was it worth it? Are you satisfied now or do you still want my life as well?"

Asher clutches my hands and breaks my grip. Gently, he moves me into Ashley’s arms.

"I’m sorry." He mutters with a bowed head. I refuse Ashley’s touch like it burns and scream at the top of my lungs that he keeps his filthy hands away from me.

"I told you that a child wasn’t part of our agreement. I told you we should have stuck with our original contract terms but you didn’t listen. Now, your brother has killed my child and everyone here is pretending like I am the crazy person." My blurry eyes find mother’s pitiful face. "Won’t you even chastise him? Is this normal behavior in this family?"

"What’s going on here?" Father’s deep voice thunders from the far end of the hall. A sudden chill goes up my spine but I ignore it. I am allowed to make a scene as a grieving mother. I pick the hem of my flowing dress and race to him.

"Father, look what Asher did to me. He is responsible for my miscarriage. I lost your grandchild because of him." Fresh tears roll down my face as I gesture towards Asher who hangs his head low in front of his bedroom door. "That monster killed my unborn child, father. Please do something..."

The words barely leave my lips before a heavy slap knocks me down on the floor. Loud gasps of shock follow. Through the curtain of my shaggy hair, I touch my sore cheek and look up at my father-in-law’s angry face.

Mother reaches me and squats to place her hands on my shoulders.

"Don’t you ever call MY son a monster!" Father warns me with a frosty glare.

"Father..." I mutter, still holding my cheek and crying.

"What happened was an accident. Get over it. Besides, it’s just as you said. Having kids wasn’t part of the agreement you signed with my son. Don’t think you can trap him by falling pregnant. You’re unfit to bear my grandkids."

"ENOUGH, BRETT." Mother scolds him while helping me up. "She’s been through enough. Don’t make her feel worse."

Something about father’s eyes remind me of Asher. The sharp tone of his voice and the obvious repulsion with the idea of me having his grandkids seem oddly familiar. He was barely surprised at my outburst nor willing to sympathize. I don’t like the conclusion forming in head as I continue to retain my heartbroken stare despite the insults he just showered on me in front of the entire family. Could father have been privy to Asher’s plot? Most importantly, did he set him up to it, like he is accustomed to doing with his lapdog, Asher?"

I allow mother take me as far as my room before shrugging off her hands and shutting my door. Inside, I want to rip my own hair out of my head or break everything on my dresser but I don’t even have the energy to do anything. I just sink on my bed and bawl my eyes out.

Anna’s words replay in my head. I have to find the strength to move on very fast. It’s almost like a switch flips in my head. I dry my eyes and go to stand in front of a mirror.

"You’ve taken everything from me," I begin, referring to the Rollins family. "My parents, my childhood, my peace, my baby, my pride. Everything! And somehow, I know it won’t stop here. Well, sentiments be damned. I’m coming for you with everything I’ve got. I won’t stop or look back until you are writhing with pain worse than the one you’ve inflicted on me."

I’m going to play Mrs. Rollins’ game; pretend to be weak when you’re actually stronger than they think, pretend to care when in fact, you don’t, pretend to be nice when you’re a mean, hateful woman rooting for their downfall. They won’t see me coming and that will be their doom.

Ashley spends the rest of the day trying to appease me. He comes to my door and invites me to have meals with the family and when I fail to answer, he uses a spare key to unlock my door and enter. I have barely slept a wink. He personally delivers my meals to my room and begs me to eat when he finds my breakfast and lunch untouched.

"Please Demi, you have to eat something. It’s not healthy for you to starve yourself especially after what you’ve been through." When he tries to feed me, I shove the plate away, breaking the dish in many tiny pieces.

"If you’re so desperate to spoon-feed anyone, how about you go do that for the woman pregnant with your child. Isn’t she your priority now? I won’t accept anything from you. If you care so much, why don’t you send Ashton in so he can feed me? I’d prefer him to your lying, backstabbing self."

He lets it slide and dusts of his shirt. "I’ll have Halle send up another tray of food."

I shove my blanket over my head and cry myself to sleep.

***

Liam is in shock after I tell him everything that I have been keeping from him. I need him to hold me accountable now. I need him to set his spies on me if he must. I can’t slack anymore. I want to be all in. No more losses. He acknowledges that there’s something dead in my eyes and I tell him that it’s probably my conscience.

"My baby was the last straw." I tell him and Anna who sit quietly, listening to me. "I can’t lose to that family ever again. I can’t go through that pain again. I’ll obey you, Liam. I’ll take the risks and get us what we need. I’ll use Ashton’s feelings for me against him. I’ll lie and manipulate to get my dirty work done. I don’t care anymore."

Liam strokes his chin. "We’ve been here before, Demi. You convinced me that you were single-minded about our revenge and I bought it. However, you went and got pregnant for that family. How am I supposed to trust this new confession from you?"

"He’s right." Anna chirps. "What’s going to be different about this time?" She turns to Liam with a hard look. "I’ll go first. I have also been burned from my affiliation with the Rollins family, several times. I’m going to use Asher for our selfish ends. I’ll be actively involved in this plan going forward. I’ll try to siphon whatever information I can from him and use it against him."

"Anna."

"No sentiments, remember?" She reminds me. She must really be hurt by what Asher did to me. I haven’t seen her this fierce and daring. Since we need all the help we can get, I let her make her decision.

"I have his hair samples if you’re still interested in matching his DNA with josh Randall’s. I’ll get you anything else you need."

"Very good, Anna. I’ll have that sent to our lab guy asap. Good for you. About time you realized you’re too good for that asshole."

Anna only shrugs her shoulders at Liam’s words. He turns his inquisitive eyes to me. "It’s your turn and I expect you to top that."

"I will. I’m going to find a way to leak Nicci’s pregnancy to her dad and the press. That way, it will be very difficult for Ashley to hide it."

***

"Demi?" Nicci echoes, shocked to get a call from me. "How did you get my number?"

Seriously? How dumb is she?

"It wasn’t very hard seeing as you frequently and shamelessly call my husband every two seconds like the greedy and clingy bitch that you are."

"Don’t insult me."

"Oh, honey, that will impossible to do given how you’ve managed to become every disgusting name a woman can be called only in your case, it wouldn’t be an insult but a statement of fact."

"You must have heard, haven’t you? Ashley and I are having a baby." She chuckles with mirth. "That must be what’s eating you up. Your days in Ashley’s life are counted."

"Wow, you’re dumber than you look. You actually think getting knocked up is going to bump up your rating in the Rollins family?" This time I laugh at her. "If that was the case, it wouldn’t be shrouded in secrecy now, would it? If that were true, I bet my husband wouldn’t be keeping it from his own family like the shameful mistake it is. I pity you, Nicci. Your father’s political career is over. I wonder what your shameful predicament will do to him. Your modeling career is also dead and now, you went and got pregnant for a married man. How can anyone ever take you seriously again? You think my in-laws would let your name sully Ashley’s simply because you’re pregnant with his child? Forget whatever pipe dreams you’ve made up in your head because Ashley will never marry you. You’ve only managed to become a problem he means to fix without alerting the press. So long, bitch."

I hope she takes the bait, disbelieves Ashleys’ lies and tries to leak her pregnancy to her dad and the press. I really need this to work.

Liam’s message pops into my phone. When I stare at it, I am in shock. It’s the result from the DNA test conducted for Josh and Asher.

They’re not siblings? How’s that possible?

Which brother wasn’t truly fathered by Brett Rollins?