Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 142

ASHLEY

"Anything else?" I ask Trevor over the phone as I wait in Mila’s office.

"Nothing else. I’ve scoured the internet but the guy’s is literally a ghost."

"No adult human has a dearth of information online unless he/she has gone to great lengths to make that happen, and if he has, then he’s got something to hide." When Mila enters from the corner of my eye, I wrap up the call. "Thanks, Trev, Talk soon." I slide my phone into my pocket and watch as Mila, looking as ravishing as ever, sashays into her office like it’s her personal runway.

"Well, I am a fool to have expected a teary, mascara riddled face. You look stunning for a fiancée who just git jilted publicly." I kiss her knuckles while she smiles and reclines in her chair. I don’t know who’s the best at being indifferent between Ashton and her.

"I am co-chair of a conglomerate. We snack on scandals daily. Besides, I have a business to run. We don’t cry over hopeless relationships here." She leans forward with her hands steepled on her desk. "Although, I was kind of hoping your insensitive brother had somehow found the decency to stop by and offer some apology or explanation for his dick move. It’s very immature of him to carry on like nothing serious happened between us."

Despite her firm look, I can feel the mini cracks in her voice and the sliver of pain in her eyes. She must have been grilled by her father to snap out of her heartbreak phase sooner than most. I for one know how much she loves Ashton. It couldn’t have been that easy to move on so quickly.

"If it makes you feel any better, you’re doing way better than him after the breakup. He’s been withdrawn ever since which begs the question why he called it off in the first place." I lie to soften the blow.

Mila silently savors that info with a corner of her lip curled up in a smile.

"Your family lucked out in letting him do as he pleases. My cousin, Michelle, is a gem in her own way but you’ll all soon find out that she’s rusty when it comes to bonding with family. She’s all business and profit. Nothing else matters. Brace yourselves. You dropped a pound and picked up a penny. Sorry Michelle."

I recall how devastated Asher was when father refused to change his mind on the alliance. Personally, I was moved when I saw Asher, for the first time, butting heads with out father over a question of obedience. He’s changing.

Of course, father made threats regarding Asher’s place in the company if he backed out. That did it. After registering his displeasure in very colorful language that everyone is used to hearing from Ashton alone, Asher walked out on father. It still gives me chills when I remember their heated exchange.

"Yeah, that alliance isn’t exactly off to a rousing start. Asher’s not thrilled to be the scape goat in all this. It’s got nothing to do with Michelle though. I just think he’s not in the right head space right now for a flash marriage."

Mila chuckles. "Are we talking about THE Asher Rollins or another brother? My father chose him specifically because of his fierce commitment to upholding your family and the business interests no matter what. Jeez, that’s disappointing. Michelle being his exact replica will only make things harder for them." She shakes her head. "Enough of that. What can I get you? This is your first time here. I should be a good host..."

"Uh, that won’t be necessary. Maybe we can do that some other time. I came for serious business."

"Really? What serious business? I hope you’re not here to sway me to take your arrogant brother back. That ship already sailed."

"Far from it." I shift uncomfortably. I don’t know how to bring the matter up with tact so I spring for casual. "I’m just going to get straight to the point. My wife’s seeing someone." I ignore the arch of her brow. "I’m not jealous. I deserve it after my thing with Nicci but that’s not why I am here." I clear my throat. "Naturally, I was concerned about the kind of guy she was seeing because of my family’s reputation so I did some digging on him."

"And?"

"Turns out he’s almost a ghost online save for one picture off an old social media account that someone might have forgotten to delete." I pull up the screenshot of the picture on my phone and pass it to Mila. Something akin to shock flits across her face and disappears almost immediately. However, I saw it. She recognizes him.

"You know him, don’t you? You posted that photo."

She returns my phone. "It was a lifetime ago. He’s a childhood friend I grew up with. I considered him my brother."

"Considered?"

"We had a stupid fight and things didn’t end well. I lost communication with him and have moved on since then."

I’ll give her points for the convincing lie but my guts have never been wrong; she’s holding back.

"What’s his name?"

She scratches her right eyebrow. "I can’t remember." Then in a sleek move at evasion. "Demi is currently seeing him? Wow, I hope he’s less of a prick now than he was back then or else, he’s certainly not the upgrade she must think she’s made."

Sighing, she pins me with a concerned look. "You say you’re not jealous but you did some digging on her new babe. That kind of screams ’jealous husband’ if you ask me."

I slip my phone in my pocket. "I didn’t." Rising, I beam at her. "Thanks for your time."

"What are you going to do? Beat him to a pulp?"

I smile fully. "Nope. I think I’ll have coffee with him. I’d love to know more about him." Again, her smile temporarily wavers. That’s the cue I needed. Confidently, I strut out of the building.

***

I barely have time to savor that as I walk into Asher and Ashton in a heated exchange in the mansion. Ashal checked into rehab a few days ago so mother and a handful of guards are keeping my brothers from throwing punches. I rush between them, carefully nudging mother away.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" I snap at them. Behind me, mother sinks into a chair with her head in her hands. I dismiss the guards.

"This selfish asshole broke the fucking rules!" Asher yells. "Because of his selfish and arbitrary decision to dump his fiancée without so much as an excuse, guess who gets to clean up his mess and suffer for it? ME!"

"Isn’t that kind of your whole thing, Asher? Cleaning up after us with a smug look for wining brownie points with father?"

"Ashton, shut up!" Mother scolds him while I give him a searing look that dissuades him from antagonizing Asher further.

"You’re wrong! Maybe it used to be my thing but I clearly remember someone advising me to turn a new leaf and shed my old ways. Guess what? I took that advice. I’m allowed to be selfish too. I am allowed to put myself and my happiness first like everyone else in this damn family. Why should I have to marry Michelle to salvage the relationship between us and the Spellman family whom Ashton insulted? Why do I have to pay the price for his selfish act?"

A headache’s brewing somewhere behind my head.

"Snap out of it, all of you!" Father thunders from the doorway. He walks in and my brothers each move away from each other.

"Father, I apologize on their behalf." I say regarding the disappointing scene he walked into.

"That’s the least thing you should be apologizing for right now. Where’s your useless wife who’s trending online? Have none of you seen the news?" We all whip out our devices to scour the internet.

"What happened?" Mother jumps to her feet. "What has Demi done now?"

"What has she not done would be a better question. I blame you for bringing that wretch into this family and tainting us."

While he continues to rant about how ill-suited Demi is, I pretend to be surprised at the sight of her leaked kissing photos with her new man. Honestly, I am a little aghast at how the story transcends a simple cheating scandal to vile accusations of a promiscuous past, questionable paternity of her fake pregnancy and divorce demands. This is far more than I thought would happen.

Why the hell did I lash out by sending the photos to Billion-Err? I was drunk and jealous. I felt a misplaced sense of betrayal and wanted to get back at her for being so smug about her affair. Now, I feel ashamed of myself for underestimating my fans. I can only hope Demi doesn’t suspect I am behind this.

Father turns to me after giving mother a piece of his mind. "I won’t hear a word. I am done putting up with that wretch. How dare she shamelessly seek out other men while still bearing our last name? I will teach her a very good lesson that will make her shiver with fear for the rest of her miserable life. She’ll never mess with our family again even if she reincarnates..." He trails off as Demi appears by the entrance, drenched in rain.

There’s a sliver of defiance in her eyes as she stands there, shivering with cold. Before I can stop him, father stomps his feet towards her and slaps her cheek so hard she falls to the floor.

"FATHER!" I scream, rushing for her but Asher pulls me back.

"DON’T YOU DARE INTERFERE, ASHLEY" Father warns me. "This is beyond your little marriage contract now. Don’t test me." He turns to Demi who’s still nursing her cheek. "You slut! You have no idea whose family you just trifled with. This is the end of the road for you. GET THE HELL OUT OF MY PROPERTY BEFORE I HAVE YOU DISGRACEFULLY THROWN OUT IN FULL GLARE OF MEDIA PERSONNELS. GO AND AWAIT THE DIVORCE PAPERS FROM OUR LAWYERS!" fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

"Father, please..."

"SHUT THE HELL UP, ASHLEY, YOU SIMP. SHUT UP!" He replies harshly. Wordlessly, Demi picks herself up and scans everyone’s faces. When she stares at Ashton, he angles his chin ever so slightly towards the door like he’s asking her to seize the opportunity and untangle herself from us. She stares at me and I don’t mistake the naked hatred in her cold eyes. Does she suspect me? How could she tell?

Silently, she turns to leave.

"DON’T YOU DARE TAKE ANYTHING YOU ACQUIRED FROM THIS FAMILY!"

At father’s words, she chucks her car keys on the floor and slips off her wedding band too.

"I’ll mail the rest." She utters before walking away amidst father’s insults. When I turn, Ashton looks proud of her. Asher’s relieved she’s finally gone. Mother is slightly sad.

My chest tightens with regret. What the hell have I done?