Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 56: Chapter 56

ASHAL

My heart thumps wildly in my chest as Olivia pours herself into the one-sided kiss. Finally, my hands start to work again and I gently pull her away from me. Her lipstick is beyond smudged now and I am certain parts of it are smeared all over my lips. Tears sting my eyes but the anger swelling within me keeps it at bay.

"Please Asher, I mean every word. You know me and how I truly feel about your brother. I only settled for that arrangement because I thought you had abandoned me again."

"You thought..." I can’t even bring myself to reiterate her words. The line between myself and playing Asher are heavily blurred now by my building rage. "So, if you ever doubt my loyalty to you, you’re going to switch to Ashal as a doting wife? Is that what you’re trying to say?"

"No. No." She frantically grabs my shoulders, shaking her head from side to side. "I’m saying that I have only ever loved you, Asher Rollins. You’re the man in here." She grabs my hand and places it on her chest, just above her boobs. "Every decision I have taken that runs afoul to this truth has been for self-preservation. You know all about that, don’t you? It’s the reason I forgave you for denying me and pushing me off as your brother’s mistake. Please Asher, you know I’ve been faithful to you all this time. Don’t cast me away like this."

The tears threaten to fall now. It was all a lie? She is only with me because Asher wouldn’t take her back? I look away as a single tear rolls down my left cheek. When I deftly swipe it off, my eyes alight on Lily’s form atop the stairs. She’s staring intently at the scene unfolding in front of her.

My face hardens as we lock eyes. I rip my gaze from her pale face and turn back to a weeping Olivia.

"I can’t deal with this right now."

She grabs my wrist when I try to leave. "Don’t walk out on me again! Please, you can’t do this to me again." My anger seeps out and clouds my judgement. I wrench my wrist from her grip and glare coldly at her. I don’t care if Asher would probably not react this way but right now, I am livid and if I don’t leave now like my therapist warns, I could expose myself by hitting Olivia.

Olivia sinks to the floor and sobs as I make my way out. I clench my fists in anger while walking back to the car. How could she? I have been working so hard to win her over. I have spent the last few weeks planning dates and trying to ensure that though the country is unaware of our marriage, Olivia gets to enjoy our union. I have given her my heart, my attention, my money and literally everything there is to be given and this is how she pays me back? How could she switch to Asher’s camp under twenty minutes of conversation? Why can’t she just love me?"

I manage to drive far away from the penthouse and screech the car to a halt at the corner of the highway. My fists beat the steering wheel countless times to channel my anger to something else. I scream loudly in my car and punch the steering wheel some more. Tears run down my face and through the blur, I notice the rain pattering down on my car. I throw my head in my hands and weep.

I don’t know how long I stayed out here but when I open my eyes, it is dark outside. I don’t recall falling asleep at all. I wipe my puffy eyes and check my phone. The battery’s dead. When I plug it to charge in my car, a large number of missed calls and messages stream in the moment I hit the power button.

The article on Billion-Err is gathering steam. My brothers sent me steady updates. Asher called a few times then texted to ask how things went with testing Olivia. He had given me most of my lines after all which I used with slight modifications.

I ignore a slight pain in my chest as I notice Olivia’s desperate texts to my number saved as Asher. She pledges her undying love and loyalty to him in over seven text messages. Her calls to the same number, which I missed, are over thirty.

I feel my anger growing again and tear my eyes off the phone to take deep gulps of air. When I go back and finish reading her texts to Asher, I suddenly notice she also texted me as Ashal.

[Where are you? It’s getting late. I’m all dressed up and ready for our date. Please come home soon, my love. I miss you.]

[Baby, I’m really starving. I gave up dinner for our date. Can you hurry?]

[Baby, answer your phone! What’s going on? Are we still on for tonight? I am starting to doze off in all this makeup. Please text me back.]

Unsurprisingly, these messages trickled in ten minutes after her last text to Asher was left on read.

"Wow, Olivia, just wow. How much of an actor are you?"

I can’t believe how swiftly she switched yet again and pretended to be on her husband’s side. It’s all a game to her; a battle between brothers. Whoever can grant her wish and make her a part of the Rollins family and society again, she’ll gladly swerve in his direction. It’s no longer about love. Asher and I are more like pawns to her now.

I guess she’s indeed a part of the Rollins’ family after all. She has picked up a bad trait of ours which is the tendency to use people to get what we want. I can’t even be mad at her now as a fresh plan to useher as well formulates in my head.

***

My bedroom door bursts open and all my three brothers usher themselves inside. I step out of my closet in a custom burgundy tuxedo and strike a pose for them in the light.

"What do you think?"

"Woah. Ash, is that you?" Ashton chuckles.

"Did you really pull this off without my help? I am jealous." Ashley runs a hand down the fabric and approves.

"What’s the occasion?" Asher asks.

Olivia today." With a twinkle in my eyes, I nod at

"Really?"

ground and refused to be swayed. She even slapped me when I tried

"Even with all the talking

didn’t make any difference. I even went on a spiral and tried to scare her into taking me back. She threatened to alert the security if I didn’t leave her home. Ah, I was so

of guilt in my chest as Ashley repeats the same gesture and words. While Ashley adjusts my bow-tie, Asher

ego. I am certain he was hoping

It’s been a long time coming." He shares a hug with me and pats my back.

you so

If they see one of us with a beautiful woman that isn’t Demi,

to be careful. Even before this craziness with the blogs, I

an eye on her

"Always." I assure Ashton.

desperately begging Asher to take

and run a hand to smoothen Olivia’s ruffled hair. She stirs in her sleep and her eyes flutter open. She blinks

waste your time. I’m so sorry baby. We can still go if you’re up

wait five minutes? I

good in the dress. She giggles before heading upstairs. Lily bows her head to me and echoes a greeting before trying to return to her work in the kitchen.

still here. Are you trying to

island and dips her head. "I’m sorry sir. I am not trying to defy you. I’d never do that. I tried

"And?"

it came

are you

than one test to confirm. I peed on just one pregnancy strip and rushed to a conclusion. Drew made

for a test at a nearby hospital. It also came out negative. I’m deeply sorry for dragging you into all of my mess, sir. Drew and I are over and I don’t plan

a job really fast. I bet you that you would be hard pressed to find anyone who would pay you as much as I do or give you the luxury and

of Olivia’s words stating that Lily had referred to me as her lover. "You

she draws closer to me. "What did

but sometimes she gets confused. She has trouble recognizing a good man who loves her to

"Shut the hell up!"

know I am telling the truth. They keep having an affair behind your back and you pretend not to be aware. He sleeps with her right in this house, in her room where she’s meant to be satisfying your needs. She even got pregnant for him and lost the baby but you refused

"Lily, you’re overstepping!"

back. She boldly declared her love for him and denied having any type of affection for you. It was embarrassing to watch." Her voice drops. "But you already know all

I did suspect

double roles to be worthy of her. You deserve so much better, sir." I catch her hand as it tries to stroke my cheek. "Olivia isn’t the only one that needs to be cared for. You need someone to care for you too.

I let her hand make contact with my face. Her doe eyes pierce

ego. I’ll ask how high when you tell me to jump. I’ll go on the pill and warm your bed as much as you want me to. I’ll give you a head massage or a foot rub whenever

from my cheek and bows

sir. I didn’t mean to leave my duties to your wife. I promise never to let her clean

being weird when I hear Olivia’s voice behind

"What’s going on?"

on display, from her chest to her midriff to her thighs, that my eyes almost pop out of their sockets. She has on a bold red lip and

ma’am." Lily begins. "I was just apologizing to Mr. Rollins for not assisting you during your cooking lessons earlier

you. She was sick or

"Yes, I will, ma’am."

we?" Olivia asks, fluttering her thick lashes

door. Before we exit the main door, I

***

really think I wouldn’t find her behavior suspicious? She has only allowed me to kiss

what I know, it’s difficult to get that image of her betrayal out of my