Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 92

ASHAL

I leap to my feet like my chair is on fire.

"What did you say?"

Your sister-in-law, Demi Rollins is parked outside and requesting clearance, sir."

This has got to be a joke. Demi doesn’t know this place. She couldn’t find it without my help. How is she outside my house right now? The same house Olivia is in? My blood chills with dread. Did she tail me? I thought I managed to quell her suspicions with my last penthouse trick. How is this even happening?

"Don’t let her in!" I shriek. "You hear me? Don’t let her in here!"

"Yes sir."

"What the hell?" I blurt out after hanging up. "How the hell did she find this house?"

"The house guest."

I whip my head up to find Lily hovering by the door. She’s taken off her apron and looks graceful in a simple top and pants.

"What was that?"

Lily helps herself into my room without bothering to wait for an invitation. "Don’t you find it strange that the very moment you allowed a guest-your wife’s sister-into this home, your nosy sister-in-law shows up unannounced to the very penthouse you’ve sworn to keep her away from because of who lives here?" She folds her arms across her chest and faces me with square shoulders. "Maddie has been texting someone nonstop on her phone since she got here. I found it strange and grew curious to know who she deemed more important to chat with than her sister whom she hasn’t seen in long time."

Anger flares inside me as I recall Maddie texting in the car while I was doing the security checks and then just outside the house when Olivia was thanking me for the surprise. I don’t want to believe it. Could Maddie really be behind this? Heck, has she been planning this with Eliana and Demi? How long have they been seeing each other.

I clench my fist and breathe heavily when Demi’s call comes through my phone. Lily’s hand to my chest quells my racing heart.

"Breathe. Calm down. You can’t let the anger win. You’re stronger than it."

I know how dangerously I am teetering between lashing out and backing away right now. This is the pivotal moment where I decide if I want to follow through and hurt somebody or walk off the steaming rage. Damning the consequences, I ignore Lily’s warnings and go to find Maddie.

She and Olivia are still by the pool. The minute I burst through the door, I note the look on both women’s faces. Maddie doesn’t look as surprised as Olivia. I march towards Maddie who lays still while her sister jerks up with panicked eyes and pull Maddie up by her hair.

"Ashal, what are you doing?" Olivia shrieks as her sister moans in pain.

"Let go of me." Maddie struggles.

"Fine." I reply before pushing her into the swimming pool. Before Liv can jump in after her, I grip her arm and together, we watch her sister thrashing about in the pool.

"Ashal, she can’t swim! What are you doing? HELP HER!" Tears roll down Liv’s face as she tries to break from my grip and save her sister but can’t. I make her sit down and go to yank Maddie’s head up. "Please help her out!" Liv screams.

"I will...AFTER she tells me why she invited Demi to my house!" Maddie spurts out water and stares up at me. Fear glistens in her eyes now. I lean close to her. "It’s going to be Olivia’s head in the water next if you don’t tell me EVERYTHING.

When I pull her out, Maddie is shaking like a leaf but I can’t be bothered. Olivia wraps a towel around her sister and crouches next to her. They both look afraid of me but I am more concerned with getting the truth out of Maddie. When Lily brings a cup of hot chocolate at Liv’s instruction, I flip the tray, spilling the chocolate on the floor.

"That’s it. You better start talking Madeline or I will make good my threat. WHY DID YOU CALL DEMI HERE?"

"I didn’t..."

I grab her phone and force her to unlock it. I thought I couldn’t get angrier until I saw her text to Demi where she pinned the location of my house.

"How long has this been going on? What did you tell Demi about me and Olivia?? What is Demi here for??? SPEAK UP!" Rather than Maddie, Liv is the one who shudders at my tone.

"Lily, take Olivia to her room and see that she gets some rest."

"Yes, sir."

"NO! I won’t leave my sister. Please Ash, please spare her. Maddie, apologize to him. Whatever you did, tell him everything so he can fix this. Talk Maddie!"

Madeline stares up at me with red rimmed eyes. I can’t believe I almost thought she was starting to see some good in me, to trust me. I can’t believe I believed her when she spoke about having a gut feeling that was never wrong about people. She was intentionally messing with my head the whole time.

"Is this really why you pressed me to come visit your sister? You wanted to bring Demi here?" I run my hands over my face and laugh bitterly. "I am such a fool! I have been so lenient with you, so forgiving and every time you make me look like an idiot for giving you another chance."

"I’m sorry." Maddie cries. "I thought Liv was in a bad state in here. I thought..." her eyes drift to her sister’s tearful ones. "I thought she needed help getting away from you. I didn’t expect that you’d treat her with any kind of courtesy or care."

"And what exactly was Demi was supposed to do if Liv was in chains, huh? Blow the whistle? Send the calvary? WHAT???"

"Nothing like that. I met her a few weeks back at a restaurant. She seemed really nice and good hearted. I hypothetically told her about my sister’s condition and she was sweet enough to offer to help save my sister. I didn’t mention your name, Mr. Ashal. Demi wouldn’t even have taken me seriously if I dared to accuse her family of something like this so I gave her a fake name and altered Liv’s situation to be a case of an obsessive boyfriend. Demi promised to get the help of your family to rescue my sister. I sent her the location of this house thinking Liv wasn’t faring any better than the last time I saw her over a year ago but I stand corrected."

Tears brimming down her eyes, she cups her sister’s face. "I know she’s only sad because she misses her family but she’s alright. Mom will be happy to know." Then turning to me. "I’m sorry Mr. Ashal. Demi doesn’t know any more than what I told her. She’s probably surprised to realize that this house belongs to her brother-in-law but I’ll just tell her I got the address wrong."

She picks up her phone to text Demi but I snatch it and chuck it into the pool. The sisters echo a shocked gasp.

"You expect me to believe the lies coming from that deceitful tongue of yours, Madeline? Everything you ever say is a fucking lie. You mentioned my name to Demi, didn’t you? I know you, Madeline. You don’t mince your words. You say what’s on your mind faster than you can think to alter anything. You ratted out my marriage to your sister, didn’t you?"

"Ashal, please believe her..."

"SHE’S LYING!" I tell Olivia. "Your sister is a pathological liar! Demi has been asking all sorts of questions about my penthouse and pestering me to bring her here. It all makes sense now. She was curious to confirm everything Maddie told her." I give a pool chair a bad-tempered kick startling everyone except Lily who doesn’t flinch.

"Did you know about this?" I ask Liv.

"What?"

"Did you know about your sister’s little game plan? She must have shared this with you over the phone at least once." Olivia’s lips keep shaking as she locks eyes with Maddie.

"Really Liv? You too? After everything?" I stumble backwards, devastated by the betrayal. Olivia surges to her feet and draws close to me.

"I talked her out of it, Ash, or I thought I did. I told Eliana..."

"Eliana is in on this too? Good to know."

"Ashal, wait!!!"

"Don’t touch me!" I bark at her with a narrowed glare. I need to leave now before I hurt both of them. "You made your point, both of you. I will never be good enough even if I forgive your wrongs for a million times. I am just so slow I keep hoping that you and I..." My voice splinters with emotion. Why did Olivia keep this from me? Why did Maddie stab me in the back like this after everything I have done for her and her family?

Olivia cries with me and begs me.

"Maddie shrugs off the towel. "I’ll make this right, Mr. Ashal. I promise I can. Please."

"SHUT THE HELL UP MADELINE. YOU’VE DONE ENOUGH ALREADY! GET YOUR THINGS. YOU’RE LEAVING MY HOUSE THIS INSTANT."

Back in my room, I kick things around, throwing things off my drawer, knocking down lamps and shredding pillows. My room is a hot mess in a matter of minutes. Why can’t I be enough? Why does everyone around me keep betraying me?

After a few more minutes of breathing exercises, I grab my phone and redial Demi’s line, eager to learn what she knows. Is she also going to start seeing me as a monster now? She was the only one at home that didn’t look at me like a charity case.

"Hey, I’m sorry I missed your call. Something urgent?"

"Oh, no, not really. I was in the neighborhood and was surprised to learn that the beautiful penthouse close by belongs to you. I tried calling to see if you were around."

"Oh. I am still at work."

"I didn’t know you had more than one penthouse."

I grit my teeth. "I have tons of properties all around the country, as do the rest of my family. It’s impossible to keep track of them sometimes. Anyway, you didn’t ask. Do you want to visit all my properties in Danvarr?" She chuckles lightly.

"Of course not. I’m just pleasantly surprised. Sometimes I forget how insanely wealthy my new family is. I’m sorry for bothering you like that. See you at home?"

"Sure."

"Ok. Take care."

"Bye."

I stare at the phone wondering if Demi is as clueless as she just sounded.

"I called her." Madeline reads my thought from the doorway. "I told her it was a false alarm. She already knows about Olivia so I sent a picture Liv and I took earlier today in the dining room. Told her Liv is doing great with her boyfriend and being treated better than I could have hoped. I apologized for defaming you and explained that both of you aren’t actually married. She understands that Liv wants your relationship to remain private for now and that is why you’re keeping it a secret for now."

I scoff at her. "It’s very bold of you to think I’d believe a word you say ever again."

"Please forgive me. Olivia is hurt. I hate that because of me, you two have drifted farther apart from each other. That’s not why I came here."

"That’s precisely why you’re here, Madeline."

"It’s Maddie."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP." For the first time, she flinches at my voice. "You came here to find a way to separate your sister and I. You’ve never accepted me for Liv and you never will. I will never get that mixed up again."

"Please, Liv told me about the baby. Please don’t harm her because of me." She falls to her knees. "Just give me a few days and I will make everything right. You have my word, Mr. Ashal."

"You won’t have a few days. You’d be married and long gone by then."

Her eyes boggle with shock. "What?"

"This time, I’d make sure you suffer so much that you learn to think thrice before trifling with me or my family ever again. Don’t worry about Olivia. She’ll be well taken care of after the move to a different house. You can forget about seeing her or your family ever again."

Through her eyes, I can tell she expected no less. She dabs her tears dry. "As long as Liv and my parents are taken care of, I will be fine. I did all this knowing the consequences of being wrong. You don’t have to worry about me running away. I’ll be here when my groom is ready. Till then, I’ll keep working Demi till every last shred of doubt against you leaves her system."

I feel nothing hearing the pain in her voice. "You can’t escape me even if you tried. I dare you to try and see. Now, get out of my house this minute because if I give into the rage and hit you, there won’t be a need to rush you to the hospital." She nods at my threat and leaves.

I stand on my balcony and watch Olivia shedding tears as her sister hugs her goodbye. Madeline looks up at me for a few humming seconds before getting into the car meant to drop her off at her dorm. Before she reaches, there will be a letter confirming the revocation of her scholarship and her expulsion from the school.

After the car leaves, Liv sinks to the ground and cries even more while Lily tries to take her inside. She is still there when I get into my car and drive away.

***

Day drinking is a habit I want to stop but my life is such a shit show I keep finding my way back to bars. When my bourbon is served at the bar, I guzzle it and ask for another.

Throwing a sidelong glance, I watch Cree moving seamlessly from one table to another, serving guests, smiling beautifully and assisting them in one way or the other like a trained waitress. She’s come a long way from the lady hurling abuses at the hotel receptionist for not letting her in while being dragged away by security. I am glad her life turned out better than mine at least.

She has been avoiding me since I got here, barely glancing my way. The few times we have locked eyes, she waits a beat for some reason and then returns to her duty. She must hate everyone with my face now, especially me.

Ever since she met me in this very bar, she has been falsely accused of one thing or the other and treated poorly because of it. If I hadn’t stepped in to get her this job, she’d probably have it worse especially after the media outed my fledging relationship with her.

I drain my glass and demand a refill.

"Easy sir. That’s the fourth glass in twenty minutes. Are you okay? You shouldn’t drink too much. It’s not even 3pm yet."

I smile at the bartender. "It’s 3pm somewhere, right?"

His eyes stray towards Cree. "I’ve been seeing you staring over there. Would you like me to call the young lady?"

"No."

"What can I do to assist you?"

"You can pour me the drink I asked for."

"That’s enough." Cree says, coming over to the bar. She stares at me with a dry look. "You drove here. You shouldn’t be drinking this much. Do you need me to call someone, your brothers maybe?"

I chuckle at her attempt at showing concern. In the end, nobody really gives a shit about anybody but themselves.

"I bet you hate me, don’t you? You hate that you ever called me Mi Rey." I slur.

"You’re drunk." She turns to the bartender. "I’ll help him to a private suite and call his brothers for assistance."

"Ok. Thank you. I’m sure the manager will appreciate it."

She helps me up and watches me shrug on my jacket. Slowly, I follow her out of the bar to a higher floor where she converses with housekeeping. She unlocks a door that opens up to a palatial suite and helps me to the living area.

"Why won’t you say anything to me? Why are you so formal?"

"You should rest, sir. I’ll get one of your brothers on the phone." She shrieks when I pull her down on the couch with me and turns her face to avoid my kiss. "You’re drunk. Stop it." Angrily, she writhes out of my grip and adjusts her uniform and hair. "Someone will be here to take you home shortly."

"I’m sorry, Cree." I let out before the drowsiness can overwhelm me. "I should have trusted you. You didn’t deserve to be treated like a suspect. I understand why you did what you did. I probably would have done the same if I was in your shoes, I guess. Please tell me you forgive me. I hate that things ended the way they did between us." I pull myself up to my feet but stagger back down.

"It’s alright, Ashal." Cree replies, rushing to help me to the bedroom to get a proper rest. When my back hits the bed, I know I have a minute or two before my body completely shouts down.

"You didn’t say you forgive me."

"I forgive you, Ashal. Our encounter wasn’t all bad. You gave me my two biggest accomplishments in life. I will forever be indebted to you." I feel her warm kiss on my forehead. "Now, stop talking and go to sleep."

She takes my hand and rubs gently while I give into the sleep with a contented smile on my face. Just before it all goes black and quiet, I hear one of my brothers rush in.

"How is he?"

"He’s fine, just a bit drunk and tired."

Who is it? I can’t tell the subtle difference in our tones because my head is mushy right now. Asher? He’s been trying to reach me all day. Ashton? He’s been withdrawn lately because of his unplanned engagement to Mila and disappeared on us this morning. Ashley? He’s got his back stabbing girlfriend and deceitful wife to deal with.

Who could Mila have called so fast? How did she even get their new numbers? She couldn’t have used my phone because it’s tricky to unlock and I didn’t feel her try to get my thumbprint or eye scan. Even if she did, my passcode will give her a tough time. Could she have snagged the numbers from Shay?

"Did he ask any questions about..."

"No." Cree replies.

My curiosity gets the best of me and I struggle back against the pull of the alcohol. When my eyes open, I’ve been knocked out for roughly twenty minutes. I reach for the glass of water by the bed and guzzle most of it before splashing some over my face.

Beyond the door, I can hear movement and voices. Is my brother still here? When I stand, I feel so much steadier even though my head still hurts.

The bedroom door is slightly cracked open. Through the crack, I find Cree in the living room with Ashton. They’re conversing in a low tone but given my place by the door, I can make out what they’re saying.

"Any idea what her name was? Did you check with your source?"

Cree sighs. "I told you everything I know."

"You can give me the contact of your source so I can speak with the person directly, you know. You have a busy job. I hate to drag you further into this."

"I can’t do that. He wouldn’t like it."

What in the hell are they talking about?

"Then you’ll have to help me out here. I can’t go about searching for my little sister if I don’t even have a name to begin with."

Little sister? What is Ashton talking about? What little sister?

"The news article even used fake names for my parents. I checked and it was a dead end." He rubs his hands over his hair. "I can’t believe how far my father was willing to go to bury the truth. Cree, you led me to the graveyard once. You must have known my real parents are buried there. Just tell me what their names were. I have no other person to ask. If you don’t know it, ask your source somehow. I just really need to find my little sister. She could be anywhere in the world, alone. I don’t want her to feel alone."

With my head splitting between a massive migraine and confusion, I shove the bedroom door open, startling Ashton and Cree. He lied to us? Cree knows about our biological parents and he lied that she didn’t? Everyone is a fucking liar today!

"Ashal." He breathes, rising up. His eyes dart between me and Cree who also stands nervously.

"YOU LIAR. YOU SAID SHE KNEW NOTHING! WE HAVE A LITTLE SISTER AND YOU DIDN’T TELL US?"