Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 135

ASHTON

I finally got through to Demi yesterday after a lot of incessant calls but when she picked up, I completely froze. She stayed on the line even though all I did was breathe quietly on my end of the phone. I didn’t know what to say to her or where to start. In that moment, I realized that the conversation we are supposed to have, was not meant to be done over the phone.

She’s expected to be back from the island with Ashley today. I don’t know why they chose to spend a few days over there but I am anxious to face Demi.

I tried to convince myself that I had it all wrong and that Demi couldn’t be Camille’s daughter. It had to be a bloody coincidence. I went as far as visiting Demi’s aunt to see if I could siphon some information from her.

Kira met me at the door and somehow assumed I was Ashal. She was very courteous and tended to me all evening. She cooked us dinner and kept topping off my glass of wine. While I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in the alcohol so I could forget the harsh truth I just uncovered for a few hours, the scene only made me remember that night at the Blue Cove. I politely took little sips of my drink, a strong indicator that I had no intention of getting drunk again with my emotions all over the place.

Kira was soon tipsy. Her mother wasn’t around. I was glad she was in her mother’s house and not in public so I didn’t have to deal with hassle of transporting a drunk woman back home.

"I’m so g-glad, A-Ashal." She drawled. "D-Demi said she’d set us up. I d-didn’t t-think she could p-pull it off."

I grabbed the glass in her hand and set it down. "Really?"

"Yup. I t-threatened t-that bitch. It’s the least s-she can do for me, f-for using my m-mom and I."

"How did she do that, Kira?"

She laughed and made a silly face. "T-that D-Demi isn’t who you t-think she is. She’s a l-liar and a p-pretender. She’s not innocent at all."

"What did she lie about?"

Kira was on the verge of nodding off so I knew I had to spearhead the conversation if I wanted to get details.

"Was it her parents? What happened to Demi’s parents, Kira? Please tell me."

She gave me a goofy smile. "I’ll tell you. Argh, it’s so t-tragic. T-they died. They d-died in a fucking e-elevator accident in a mall and guess who owned t-that mall? YOUR FAMILY!" My eyes were already bloodshot red before Kira stabbed a finger in my chest. "I t-thought it was p-pathetic of D-Demi to marry into your f-family given the history there until I r-realized she planned that marriage. Yes, Ashal, it was no f-freaking accident!" She laughed loudly and slapped my knees. "She used my mom and I to make that night happen with Ashton. I doubt she was truly drunk."

I staggered to my feet in shock at Kira’s words, unable to decipher if Kira was being Kira and lying through her teeth about her cousin whom she loathed, even while drunk. An ache filled my chest as a piece of me wondered if this unfamiliar version of Demi being described by her cousin might be true.

Could Demi have orchestrated our wedding that night to get into my family? Did she fail to mention her parents and how they died because she still holds a grudge? Could Asher have been right all along about her intentions for our family?

Kira grabbed my hand. "Don’t go. We h-haven’t kissed yet or had sex. How else would I get p-pregnant for you?" She staggers to her feet. "Will you m-marry me anyway? I also w-want to become a d-daughter-in-law like Demi. That was our deal. She promised to make it happen like she did hers if I shut up about her mom."

I helped her lie down on her couch and watched her doze off in no time. Shaken to the core, I rushed out of there before her mom got home.

I haven’t been able to sleep since then. I can’t even face my brothers or literally anyone in the family until I can prove or disprove Kira’s words. If she’s right, then my heart will be broken for Demi.

She must be in pain. I will forever feel guilty for ruining her childhood and turning her into what she is today. It saddens me that everything was a lie from the start, even the woman I thought she was. There was never a real connection or spark between us at the Blue Cove. She was only playing a script to get into my family.

As I wipe my steamy bathroom mirror and stare at my black hair dripping with water, thoughts of our special moments together flood my brain. I have never felt anything like what I feel for her. To realize that all of that was fake may destroy me and my belief in love. Maybe this is my karma for what I dragged Camille Branson into when I alerted my father that the intern had been the one talking to the media.

My fingers trace a small tattoo along my waist line, one none of my brothers know I have. I couldn’t get Camille’s death out of my head for weeks after it happened and my family covered it up. I felt so remorseful and wished I could turn back the hands of the clock. I wished I had confronted her about it privately and heard what her reasons were for betraying the hand that fed her. Maybe she still would have been alive today.

I got her death date tattooed on my body because I was too afraid to forget it. I never thought much of it when it coincided with Demi’s birthday but right now, I understand why she didn’t want a party in the first place and why she sulked all through the lavish party mom had thrown for her. Fuck! It happened on her fucking birthday? How the heck do I redeem myself for that? There’s no easy way out of this. My family could never make this right with Demi.

Mila enters my bathroom and snakes her arms around my waist. Immediately, I yank her hands off.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"Please leave. I need a moment."

She frowns at me. "A moment? Ashton, you’ve been busy lately and I understand you had to step up for your family. I’ve also played my part by keeping your mom’s fragile mind off things so her blood pressure doesn’t spike yet the first time we have an alone time, you want to push me away? Do you even care about me or is this decorative piece of jewelry on my ring finger simply daddy’s orders?"

"I am honestly not in the mood for this, Mila. Can’t you get that? LEAVE." I shove her out of the bathroom amidst her grunts of displeasure and slam the door shut. Jeez, why can’t I just have a moment of peace to think?

My phone rings shortly after and I dash out of the bathroom in time to find Mila spying on my call. She grabs the phone, scowling.

"Really? Were you expecting her call? Now you have time to talk because it’s the love of your life?"

"Give me my phone, Mila!" I say with a low growl.

"Or what? You promised me that you had moved on but I see that was a lie." The call ends but Mila won’t hand over my phone. Instead, she scrolls through. "Wow, did you really call her up thirty-two times in a day? I am disgusted."

Demi calls back and before I can snatch my phone back, Mila throws in on the floor in anger. I gently shove her on the bed before she can stomp her heels all over it because the phone fails to break. I grab it and answer the call in my bathroom. Demi sounds scared, tearful and anxious over the phone.

"Calm down, Demi. What happened?" My blood chills when she tells me about Ashley’s surfing accident.

"The doctor’s been attending to him for over an hour now. I was worried and wanted to inform someone. Please, I need you here. I can’t deal with this alone." She cries.

"Calm down. I’ll be there. Put the doctor on the line so I can talk to him.

While I get dressed and prepare a light travel bag, the doctor assures me that Ashley would be fine after some rest and that he merely fractured his ankle. Mila continues to question me but gets no response. I place a call and have our second private jet ready for takeoff in an hour before rushing out of the mansion.

Mother appears with Mila around my car.

"Mom, I’m in a bit of a hurry. I’ll call you, okay?"

"Can you at least tell me where you’re going? Mila said it was Demi’s call. Is everything alright at the island?" Behind her, Mila stands with her hands crossed on her chest, fuming at me. She has never looked more unattractive to me for snitching.

"Yeah. Why not? Everything’s fine. Your grandchild is fine and so is the mother. Ashley requires my assistance. It’s a secret between brothers. I’ll be back soon." I step down to kiss her forehead. "Don’t worry. Father’s scandal is over. Asher killed it at the conference. Things will be back to normal in no time."

I repeat that last part in my head because I highly doubt it and sincerely need to believe it.

The flight to the island is the longest four hours of my life. Demi updates me about Ashley’s improved health through text. I knew he would be fine even if I didn’t show up there. I needed a reason to talk to Demi in person and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

Asher is livid that I and Ashley left town without informing him and leaves me an angry but funny text. Ashal’s phone is turned off so I assume he’s over at his penthouse with Olivia. I push back other worries as we touch down on the island.

My heart is pounding in my chest at the thought of seeing Demi again, knowing what I know now. I have a million questions and a lot of guilt. I am ashamed to face her, to question her about facts that are already true because hearing them from her own mouth would seal everything.

So, what happens when she admits being Camille’s daughter, Ashton? How do you explain what happened that evening? Do you tell her the truth or cover it up for your family’s sake? Will you blame her for lying about her parents after lying about the real facts of that evening to protect your family? How does that make you any better?

The thoughts float around my head, confusing me. As I descend the jet, I contemplate interrogating Demi at all. No, I can’t move past this knowing she knows. What if Kira had been right? My family might be in danger. Demi could be behind a lot of the unpleasant circumstances we’ve faced since she joined us. Who knows what her grand plan is? To wipe us out as a family like we did her parents? I shudder in fear, wondering who she could be working with.

I have to find a way to make peace with her. This time around, I won’t be alerting father or any other family member. I can’t trust them to spare Demi. I have to protect her to make up for not protecting her mother. I can’t have the last surviving member of Demi’s immediate family become a news headline on my family’s account.

My heart flutters in my chest when Demi runs out of the villa towards me. I almost shed tears. She looks so beautiful in her sundress, straw hat and sandals. There’s a big smile on her face that belies the truth gnawing in my heart; she inwardly hates me and my family. How does she manage to pretend so well?

"Hey." She greets, giving me a hug. "I’m sorry I dragged you out here. Ashley’s fine. He’ll be using crutches for the next two days but that’s it. The doctor said...."

"The doctor filled me in." I tell her with a smile.

"Ok. Good. Come in." She leads the way, a small bounce in her step.

If she was being real, she wouldn’t be excited to be staying in a villa with her husband and his pregnant ex/ side chic. It amazes me how my family has unknowingly piled on more hurtful things to the list of painful experiences Demi has endured in her life. Ashley kept cheating on her after their marriage and even knocked Nicci up. Demi’s unborn child died because of father and now she’s being forced to raise her husband and his girlfriend’s baby.

Even if Demi had ever contemplated forgiving us, my family hasn’t made it easy for her. We’ve only further strengthened her resolve to get her revenge with all our actions and inactions since she joined our family. She has every reason to hate us.

I head first to see Ashley and truly, he looks okay.

"Hey Ashton. What are you doing here?"

"I came to pick up seashells for my coral collection." I reply sarcastically before embracing him. While we hug each other, Demi apologizes for the call that got me anxious enough to show up. I kiss Ashley’s forehead and wish I could trust him with Demi’s secret.

"Are you sure you’re okay?"

"I’m fine. I merely sprained my ankle. It’s been a while since I surfed and I honestly thought I still had it in me but the waves were wild. I lost control."

"Call mother and say nothing about the accident. Assure her we are having a swell time and will be back soon. She’s worried and suspicious." I inform him.

"Right. She’s left me a few messages. I’ll go call her right now." He limps to a small office space to make the call. My eyes track back to Demi.

"Where’s Nicola?"

"She’s sleeping in her room."

"And the baby?"]

There’s a brief hesitation before she replies.

"Healthy."

I nod my head and look away.

"Um, you called a lot yesterday. I’m sorry. I left my phone in the villa and went for Pilates class. What was so urgent?" Demi asks softly. I peer into her doe eyes and momentarily lose myself in them. The innocence in them isn’t completely lost. The sweet girl I fell for must still be in there somewhere. I just have to find her and save her from losing herself.

"I need to talk to you." I reply firmly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her outside to her surprise. I know the house is bugged. It’ll be bad if her secret gets out. We walk a few paces ahead till we are surrounded by a canopy of palm trees and the sound of crashing waves from the ocean.

"Is everything okay?" she asks, holding down her hat and dress that are flapping softly in the breeze.

How do I begin? I wonder as she awaits my response. I don’t have much time before Ashley starts looking for us. I turn to her and hold her shoulders.

"Demi, don’t be scared, okay? I need to ask you something important and I’d appreciate it if you don’t lie to me."

She arches her eyebrows at my serious demeanor.

"Ok?"

I inhale deeply before dropping the bombshell. "Are you Camille Branson’s daughter?"