Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

ASHER

Whenever dad summons a meeting with all his sons in the ground floor living room, it's always for one reason; one of us has messed up and we need to fix it. Lots of meetings have been called in this living room over Ashley, Ashton and Ashal, never for me. It's not luck or a coincidence. It's strategy. Somewhere in dad's head, he is keeping the records. I am not any different from my brothers. I love women and hook up with them sometimes, but not as much as Ashley. I drink and party too but I never let my guard down or allow myself cause a dent in my good reputation as future CEO of the Rollins Empire. I can't allow father have a reason to not appoint me in his stead, after he retires.

I stare intently at Demi and instantly analyze the situation. I want to say this is Ashley's mess. Probably, he's knocked her up. This wouldn't be the first time but Demi isn't exactly Ashley's type; busty bimbos with BBLs. She is too natural, too prim and proper for him.

"Demi Branson?" Father repeats curtly.

Demi snaps out of her entranced stare at my brothers and I. I can't blame her. We get that all the time.

"S-Sir?"

"You want to tell me why there's a horde of paparazzi in front of my house and incredulous articles of you allegedly being married to one of my sons this morning? It might be an alien concept to you all but this family has an empire to run. I especially detest people who waste my time."

Demi's quivering lips crack open but before she can say anything in response, her mum jumps in.

"Mr. Rollins, I am Mrs. Elizabeth Collin and this is my daughter, Kira Collin." The bright-eyed, heavily dressed young woman next to Mrs. Elizabeth waves a hand at us like a pageant winner. She is smiling too much. Nobody cares. I flick a glance at my watch. We don't have time for this crap.

"Demi here is my niece" Mrs. Elizabeth continues, a tad bit somber now. What a drama queen. She whips out a crumpled paper and offers it to my dad. Instantly, I retrieve it from her in his stead. "That's a marriage certificate showing that one of your sons did wed my niece last night." I nod in agreement when dad glances my way.

Oh boy, what has Ash gotten himself into? The signature is legit. I flash a quick glance at my brothers. We are all thinking the same thing, that one of us disobeyed rule number thirteen (Never go alone to a public space routinely visited by all four brothers together and do something crazy that could hunt the others. If you must go, notify the quad).

mistaken. None of my sons can be so foolish as to

all nod. Of course, we will deal with this

yesterday and that was only because she caught her boyfriend cheating on her. His reason? Demi refuses to be intimate with him until marriage. One of your sons here clearly took advantage of my poor niece in her inebriated state to play

will give it to this woman. An Oscar is

on your way to jail is out of the goodness of our heart." I squeeze the paper in my hand and throw it on the floor. "You've

eyes. "Don't threaten my

steps up to Demi, pinning her with a death stare. "Y'all have the fucking nerve to barge in here like some entitled pricks and the temerity to accuse my brothers and I of being hitched to you?" He scoffs, giving her a once-over. "Left to me, I'll have had you all whipped severally for your guts before handing

him to back off. She also can't tell us apart

Ashton back, then steps up to Demi. The flirt. I am certain his antenna didn't fail to pick up the insinuation that Demi might be a 'virgin' while Mrs. Elizabeth was speaking. She might not be his type but he's a sucker for everything pure and tight down a woman's

missy and take your family away before it's too late." He winks at Demi. "Trust me, we've heard better rumors, seen better theatric performances but this is getting old, okay?" I admire his restraint in not playing with her

"I want an annulment."

up Demi.

think she does." I

she wants." Ashal adds. The sentimental, feminist

insists. "She doesn't

Let me

you handled your heartbreak and ended up married in

her here hoping to exploit us. You want to rewrite the poverty out of your family by using this falsehood?" Father laughs hard. "Poor people never cease to disgust me. Maybe you three would be the scapegoat to teach others never to mess with my family,

in a haste, dad. The rumor is gathering digital dust, especially with the marriage certificate on display. Even Billon-Err has bought into this rumor. Our stock prices might dip