Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Chapter 16

DEMI

I wait with bated breath as the line trills. Anna finally picks up.

"Demi?" Her voice is hoarse. She has definitely been crying.

"Hey." I take a deep breath to steady myself. "Erm, everything is going to be fine, okay? Asher is...."

"Where are you?" The question catches me off guard.

"What?"

"Your in-laws put out a statement that you and Ashley are currently on your honeymoon vacation outside of Danvarr and so he isn't the one in the video. There are pictures of you two together on a beachfront. Ashal did a video apologizing to the public for our kiss, claiming it was poor judgment on his part. You know Danvarr loves him as the least scandalous quad so he's been getting a lot of love. The hate comments for the Rollins family have morphed into hearts and fire emojis. I'm the only one left to hang dry now, Demi." She chokes back some tears. "You said this wouldn't happen, that I won't be out of a job. I need to support my family, Demi."

I can't believe how quickly the quads dispelled the rumors. My head is thrumming. "It's okay, Anna. Asher promised to handle it. He is..."

"Asher?" Anna questions with a sudden stern voice. "Asher is going to help me? Demi, Asher was the one who threatened Donna to fire me or she'll lose her business. Donna wasn't happy to let me go but she couldn't risk losing the Blue Cove." Anna's sobs wracked through my system, breaking my heart in splinters.

"No, that can't be right. He promised..." The moment the words leave my mouth, I realize how silly I have been. How could I trust Asher to have compassion on Anna? He played me. They all played me to get me out of the house. Now, Anna is getting the short end of the stick.

I sense his presence the minute Ashely walks in and hang up while Anna continues to sob and blame me.

"Did you know that Asher never planned to help Anna?"

Ashley huffs. "Of course, I told him not to."

I whirl to him, shocked by his response. His eyes are narrowed to slits. In his billowing shirt and flower-patterned shorts, he looks just as natural and smug as he does in a custom-made suit.

"Why? Why would you stop him?"

Ashley strolls past me, shoves the wide balcony doors open and leans on the rails overlooking a jewel-toned beach. "Because we are not Jesus, Demi. We don't forgive our enemies."

"Anna is not your enemy!"

my family! She leaked that video knowing exactly what it would do to our family and business reputation! She's heartless" His eyes look pained and frustrated. Though he is talking about Anna,

go the way she hoped doesn't mean she's remorseful!" He smoothed his hair as it flapped in the wind. "If she wanted money, she could have just asked us. She callously attempted to sully our reputation and

"Ashley, please..."

with a finger in my face. I've never seen him this angry. Breath explodes out of my lungs and shudder back in as I sink to the floor. What have I done? Why didn't

bother calling mom. She won't help you

How did this happen? Ashley watches me out of the corner of his eyes. His fingers tighten around the rails as he grits his

to

"Ash"

had to be Ashley. I dry

didn't send the

I flex my fingers and press my eyes shut as the tears

His eyes right now are not just

COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU BE SO INHUMANE, DEMI? WE TRUSTED YOU!" I fall with a thud as he shoves me, grazing my elbows on the floor. "You

That pauses his angry accusations.

"What did you say?"

"Ashton tried to rape me...yesterday, at home." My skin tingles unpleasantly and I look away from his face, because the man that tried to assault me unfortunately looks just like Ashely too. "I-I was in my r-room. I had just f-finished talking to Anna on the phone. When I turned, you were standing there by my door. I didn't hear you come

first, I thought it was you. I mean, no one else would barge in like that. He was dressed exactly like you, smelled like you but his words and

needs to know that he can't always trust his brothers. They clearly didn't tell him about their little switcheroo that almost cost me my virginity. Ashley

when I wouldn't listen to his accusations, he shoved me on

"STOP." Ashley staggers away.

as the sobs take over. I should have told him sooner. I shouldn't have tried to fix things myself. "He threatened to ruin me and silence me.

was him." Ashley tore his moist eyes away from my

the first time he's been in my room. He came in once to wake me for breakfast after the incident with you and Nicola. He calls me Branson, Ashely. That's how I knew it was him. He called me Branson last night before

shakes his head and tries to leave but I quickly grab his arm. I need a brother on my side if I must help Anna. I hate that I have to

Ashton toying with my mind. I thought he meant to use Anna to blackmail me to keep quiet about the incident. I should have told you

any of your brothers who impersonates you like that. Please don't

flow freely from my eyes until I feel

shimmer in his eyes. "I'm so sorry about everything. You didn't deserve that." He pulls me into his chest and wraps his arms around

to blame Ashton or promise to confront him over the issue. Blinking, I gently pull away from his embrace and

was going to happen to me, Ashely?" His prolonged silence is all the

"Demi, please..."

his personality, it's a rude shock to realize Ashely can stomach the idea that Ashton was going to treat me that way. Even worse was the

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