Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 125

ASHLEY

I am pleasantly surprised to see Demi strut into my office on a bright Tuesday morning. I have barely been home for three nights in a row and I didn’t expect her to notice or care. Seeing her now makes me feel relieved that maybe all isn’t lost between us. I abandon the fitting of my latest design, leaving my new model flustered as I turn to my wife.

"Hey. I didn’t know you were coming."

My eyes skirt around my working space. There’s barely enough space to step on the floor because of the pieces of fabric littered everywhere. The sofa is currently occupied by my four assistants.

I don’t even know why I felt the need to hire more assistants. I guess I just want to have a lot of people around me so I don’t feel too lonely while working.

With a subtle arch of my eyebrows, my assistants leap to their feet like their butts are on fire and quickly begin to tidy the place.

"Thank you, Kenny. Let’s take a break." I tell my model who nods and sashays out. Demi stands quietly, watching everything. With the room substantially tidied, my assistants all dash out and I shut the door. When I turn, Demi has already helped herself to a seat; my chair.

"Ok. How are you?"

She snorts. "It’s just us. No need for pretense."

Her indifference grates on my nerves but I let it slide. It will be a miracle if she stops hating me so soon.

"I meant that, Demi." I reply, edging towards my desk. Why won’t she even look at me? If she looks at my face for longer than two seconds, she’d see that I haven’t been resting well, that my beard has grown inches longer than my brothers and I wear and the skin of my face is in desperate need of skincare. I really wish she could pretend to care.

She looks at me and says nothing. If she has noticed anything about my looks, she ignores it.

"That question is the most annoying thing any member of our family can ask me during this time. The answer will never change so please, desist from asking me how I am doing and ask me instead what you can do to make my life a little better."

"I’m sorry."

Scoffing, she shakes her head. I guess that’s another thing she doesn’t want to hear especially from me.

"I don’t know what you want to hear from me." I pull out the visitor’s chair and slide in. It feels weird sitting at this angle and watching someone else occupy my chair. "What brings you here? Why don’t you tell me already instead of watching me fail miserably to break the ice between us."

"Have you been in touch with Nicci?"

Her question takes me by surprise. Why in the world would she care about that? At the bemused expression on my face following her question, she proceeds to add.

"What? Is it strange for me to hope that though you couldn’t care less about your fake pregnant wife and how she’s feeling being trapped in your mansion, that you would at the very least have the decency to routinely check on your girlfriend who’s currently carrying your baby?"

"I’m in touch with Nicci." I reply flatly. "Is that all you wanted to know? You could have called. I would have spared you the effort of coming here yourself."

"I know." She bites down on her lips. "But the thing is my movement is heavily restricted in that house. I’d do anything to take a break from it even if it means paying a sudden visit to my husband who doesn’t give a shit about me." She lurches to her feet, as do I. When she tries to leave, I block her path.

"Again with this talk? You hate it when I try to be around you and you still hate it when I keep my distance. WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU WANT FROM ME? MAKE UP YOUR MIND, DEMI."

"You don’t have to breathe over my neck to ensure that I and my interests are protected in that house, Ashley. You have consistently failed in your duty as my husband to protect me especially from your father. Do you know how helpless and lonely I feel at home when I remember that your father calls the shots even in our marriage? How could you be surprised that I would want to expedite our divorce after you’ve let him walk all over you like a doormat?"

"Demi!"

"I’m not finished!" I yell at him, vibrating with anger. "If you had been an only child, I might have settled for it but you have three brothers, each of whom respect your father just as you do but know how to put him in check when he crosses the line. Even Ashal doesn’t always kowtow to your father’s every whim. He refused to date a woman father forced on him but you...you do only what mommy and daddy want, don’t you? You married me because your mother asked you to. You live to please them. That’s why you stood and watched when father insulted my pregnancy, when he treated me like a criminal and had me locked up, even when he was complicit in the murder of our baby!"

My grip on her wrist goes limp. How did she learn about father’s role in the death of our child?

She sniffles and lowers herself to the sofa.

"I didn’t come here to rehash the past but every time I am around you, I can’t seem to forget everything that has happened to me. That’s all I can think about in that mansion, Ashley. I have nightmares. These thoughts haunt me every single day. I need a break. I actually came here to ask you for help. Can you promise me that you will put me first this one time?"

I crouch next to her. "What do you need help with?"

"Father denied my request to return to work. He won’t ease up on the bodyguards around me either. I need to get away for a bit. I was thinking I could pay Nicci a visit on the island."

"What?"

"Asher is scheduled to visit her soon. I could ride along, get some fresh air. Please, irrespective of the differences between Nicci and I, I know what she must be going through. I was once pregnant and didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. She’s all alone in a strange island with nothing but bodyguards..."

"There are chefs, butlers, housekeepers, a doctor..."

"It’s not the same." She interrupts me. "She has no family there. She isn’t allowed to speak to her father. She has no friends. Please Ashley, I need you to put your foot down and ensure that I visit Nicci. I won’t be missed at home anyway. Mine and Nicci’s lives are already intertwined forever. We have to figure out a way to get over our differences and learn to coexist. I know she’ll open up to me once I extend a hand to call a truce. Please."

I really can’t believe Demi is this bighearted. Nicci blows up my phone regularly and I got sick of it so now I hardly take her calls. I thought she had all she needed. I’ve never thought of it from this angle. Could she be lonely? I paid heavily for the house staff to prevent that.

Rising, I flick a finger over my beard. This won’t go down well with father. It will take a lot to convince him but much less to compel him. Maybe this is the time to use my trump card to force him to give Demi a break in that mansion.

"You’ll go see Nicci."

"Really?" Demi asks, jumping to her feet.

"And you’ll resume work as soon as you get back. I’ll handle it. Please, trust me." Something warm flits across her eyes. She desperately wants to believe me. I close a hand over her cheek. "I’m sorry I haven’t been living up to my responsibilities as your husband. That will change. You’ll see."

"Thank you. That’s all I wanted." fгeewebnovёl.com

If things were good between us, this will be the part where we exchange a hot kiss but instead, Demi nods at me and walks away.

The blaring of my ringtone jerks me out of my entranced stare. I tear my eyes away from the door Demi left through minutes ago and grab my phone. The caller makes me frown.

"Why won’t he stop calling me?" Hissing a long breath, I answer the call. "What do you want, Mr. Grey? Can’t you give it a rest? I’ve warned you to stop bugging me."

"Tell me where my daughter is and you won’t hear from me again. Please Mr. Rollins, I just need proof that my daughter is alive and well."

"Why won’t she be? You know damn well that she’s doing alright. She’s on a vacation. If she didn’t tell you where, that’s not my problem."

"I can’t reach her on her old line. I know you have a number that can connect me directly to her. Please, I just need to talk to her."

His desperation makes bile tickle my throat. "Stop pretending to care about her. You physically abused her for months. She was nothing more than a cash cow to you. What happened? Have you run out of money? Is that why you’re desperate to locate her?" Another thought crosses my head. "Or maybe you’re just fishing for information to leak to Billion-Err to aid their hunt for your daughter’s whereabout. I’m sure you have something to do with their trending post."

"No, I have assured you countless times that I know nothing about that. Please, I am just a father who is worried about his daughter."

"Has Billion-Err reached out to you to confirm Nicci’s whereabout? Don’t even think of lying to me."

He takes a deep breath. "Yes. Twice but I ignored it. I know better than to cross your family."

"And this call isn’t being recorded?"

"No, it’s not."

"For your sake, you better not be up to anything fishy." I draw in a breath. "I’ll tell Nicci you asked after her. If she wants to talk to you, she’ll call you." I hang up and prepare to visit my father regarding Demi’s plight. He has resumed work this week so he should be at the HQ. A surprise visit sounds like just the thing.

***

"Ashley? This is quite the surprise." Father acknowledges, rising to greet me. All I can imagine is the big smile disappearing from his face when I drop the bombshell but it happens sooner as I reject his outstretched arms and remain standing by the door.

"Something wrong, son?"

I already cleared my throat on the hallway leading here so I just advance closer and spill it.

"Father, I am thankful for all your help lately. You’ve outdone yourself trying to keep the family’s reputation up. However, I am uncomfortable with how you keep usurping my position by dictating on matters that involve my marriage and my wife. You cross the line every time you do that."

Father sinks back into his chair with a hardened look on his face. "Where is this coming from? Did that woman report me to you or something?" He snickers. "She’s manipulative."

"Don’t. I won’t hear another word of insult about her. I am the one who has failed her in this marriage. You have no right to insult her consistently simply because she wasn’t born wealthy. She’s still human and she feels pain. Leave her out of this."

"What exactly did she do to get you all riled up as her knight? Did she allow you to have sex with her or something?"

I clench my fists and reach his desk. "She didn’t have to. I’ve got all the motivation I need. She’s not my enemy unlike the man who plotted to have my unborn child brutally snatched from this world before I could even learn about my baby’s existence." I enjoy the shocked glaze in father’s eyes, a true expression of guilt that need no words.

Straightening, I shrug my shoulder. "I’ll be taking back the reins of my relationship. When it has to do with my wife, I have the last say. She wants to go back to work? She will as I permit it. How many bodyguards gets to follow her where? That’s my call. She wants a break from the mansion to visit an island, I sanction it. I don’t want you interfering in my marriage unless I ask for your help. Do we have an understanding, father?" I ask. My eyes find his face which is hardly recovered from the shocking revelation. I bet from the sting in my eyes that they are red by now.

"Ashley, you don’t possibly believe..."

"What I didn’t believe is that Asher could stab me in the back by killing my child. It’s not unlike him but I know how he thinks and I know he would have fessed up to me a little differently than the profuse apology at the hospital. I know my brothers very well father and it turns out that I know you too. That’s how I figured out the true mastermind behind my pain."

"Ashley, it was an...."

"Accident? That’s what you’re going with, Brett Rollins?" I laugh mockingly. "That’s just rich. You barely make mistakes. You’re always one step ahead of your competitors and enemies. Yet, you expect me to believe you accidentally hired thugs to attack my pregnant wife all within a short time frame? I’m trying so hard not to dwell on your betrayal right now father but if you keep this lie up, we are going to have a family meeting tonight and I will show you just how mad I am about this."

He inhales and nods his head. "I’ve heard you. I won’t interfere in your life unless you want me to."

I give him a burning look before swiveling towards the door.

"Ashley?"

"Don’t even think of giving Asher any grief because I figured out the truth. Try to be a good father for once and don’t duck behind your son to dodge the blame for your own actions." I turn to look at him.

"Please Ashley, hear me out."

"No. We are done talking!"

I know exactly what he was going to say. He would have said everything he did was for my good and that of our family. I am sick of hearing that line. Why does he get to solely decide what is good for everyone?

Demi is right. I have been living under father’s thumb for far too long. It feels really good to be in charge even if I went there acting like Ashton in my head to stir up my courage. I could get used to this version of Ashley. Not sure if this will be enough for Demi to give me another chance but even if it isn’t, I am glad I’ll feel better about myself moving forward.

When I walk into Asher’s office without knocking, he is chugging some water after swallowing a pill. His eyes bulge with shock at my intrusion and with a few deft movements of his hand, the case containing his pill disappears into his drawer.

"Ashley? This is a surprise." He comes around to hug me. "You were the last brother who bothered to put a call across before visiting me here. Don’t tell me you’ve changed."

He doesn’t look well. I feel his forehead.

"Are you sick? You look sick."

"Nah, I am fine. I’ve just been dealing with a lot of stress."

"Is that what the drug was for? Migraine? Insomnia? What’s up with you?"

Asher laughs while pulling me to a seat. "What brings you by?"

Evasion. That’s never a good sign.

"I came to see father. He now knows that I am aware of what he did to Demi. Don’t worry. He won’t give you a hard time. I’ll make sure of it."

"Ok. Glad that’s out of the way."

"I want you to forget about visiting Nicci for now. You need a lot of rest. She’s my responsibility. I’ll handle the routine checks from now on and Demi will accompany me."

"Are you sure that’s a good idea?"

"She’s bored out of her mind at home. I know exactly how she feels. She needs to get out more. That’s why she’ll be resuming work soon. She doesn’t have to do much work in front of others. I just want her to reconnect with friends and colleagues."

"Ashley..."

"I already told father. I’m not letting anyone dictate how my relationship thrives. I have taken a lot from Demi. I can’t keep making her suffer and expect her to forgive me. It’s starting to look like Ashal and Olivia’s situation and we both know how bad that ends."

"Is this about gaining her forgiveness?"

"This is about me taking responsibility for my life, Asher. Ashal is also married but you don’t see father interfering unnecessarily in his family. Why mine?"

"The right explanation would be that he fears Ashal."

"Exactly. Same with Ashton and you too. He knows not to cross the line with you guys but he always walks all over me. I came here to inform him that things will be different from now on. I won’t be his lackey anymore."

"Happy for you." Asher says, giving me a light pat on the shoulder before he starts coughing.

"Are you okay?" I ask, jumping to my feet with worry lines etched on my face. Asher continues to dismiss it as something trivial while retreating to his desk to sip some more water. "Asher, what’s going on? You really look pale."

"I’m fine. Sorry about that."

"You won’t lie to me, will you? I’m sick of people lying to me, especially my own family. Tell me I have nothing to worry about." He holds my gaze for a few seconds and nods.

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Come on, I’ll see you out."

By evening, I return to the HQ and wait in the parking lot while most of the employees leave. Asher is one of the last few to leave. When he comes down, he looks just as pale as he did earlier. His secretary, Nessa, helps him with his bag as he heads to the VIP parking lot and slides into his car.

I follow behind them. Where could Nessa be going with him? When we pull into the hospital, I almost clutch my chest. It might not be something serious, I assure myself. Maybe he wants doctor Ezra to do a quick test and recommend effective solutions for his stress. Nessa tries to help Asher but he insists on walking by himself. He is mostly wobbling at this point.

I rush down from my car and enter the hospital just as Asher branches off to use the men’s room first. Nessa waits at the reception for him. Impatient, I rush to doctor Ezra’s office. If this has been going on, then surely our family doctor must have an idea what could be wrong with my brother.

"Asher, you’re here." Doctor Ezra utters, standing. "You look better than your text made me believe. I was ready for an emergency."

I look down at my clothes. Since the whole drama with Nicci and Demi, I haven’t cared much about putting the extra touch in my outfits again. I look pretty much like Asher in my designer suit. Before I can make sense of the situation, the doctor is in front of me and pulling my eyelids back.

"I need to do an MRI. Let’s hope the tumor hasn’t become cancerous. You’re doing this surgery today or I’m telling your entire family. I mean it."

My heart thuds in my chest. "Tumor?"

Doctor Ezra gives me a double take. "Oh no. You’re not Asher."

Just then, his door shoves open and a sweaty Asher braces a weak hand against it. "No, he’s not." His eyes roll back before he crashes to the floor amidst Nessa’s screams.