Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 61: Chapter 61

ASHAL

"Please, you can’t say no. I know you said it’s a play pen for you and your brothers but can you make an exception this one time? I’ve already been there once before so what damage can one more visit do? Please Ashal." Demi pleads with me, her teary eyes are piercing and poking holes in my soul.

"I...I’ll have to ask the boys."

"They won’t allow it and you know that. I am asking you because it’s your house and you can override their decision. Please, do this for me. I don’t want anything else for my birthday gift."

I feel cornered. Why didn’t I see this coming? There’s no way I can take her over there for the whole day without risking her seeing Olivia? I don’t have enough time to move Olivia to a different place or hide all traces of her. The weekend starts in two days for goodness’ sake!

Demi is still waiting for my response with sad eyes. How am I supposed to turn her down in her state? What could possibly be a good excuse right now? If I keep denying her, she’ll only grow more suspicious of me.

"Can I at least think about it?"

"Never mind." She says, getting on her feet and wiping her eyes. "I didn’t think it was going to be such a big deal to visit your play pen and play games with you. If you have to sleep on it, you can just forget I asked." I tighten my eyes and grit my teeth as she trundles towards the door. Shit! Shit!! Shit!!

"Fine!" I echo with clenched teeth. Demi halts by the door and turns to shoot me a weak smile.

"Really? You mean that?"

"Yes. I’ll need some time to tidy the place though."

"No problem. Thank you so much Ashal."

"Another thing, the guys are all going to come along."

She pauses a bit. "Ok. That’s fine too. I just need a change of scenery. Can I bring a friend? Anna was planning on visiting me over the weekend. I promise she’s fun. You’ve met her." There goes those puppy dog eyes again.

I agree because I wouldn’t want her by herself with all four of us. The games will get tiring and she’ll require a break for some girl talk or whatever. Plus, Anna might keep her distracted around the house.

Demi thanks me once more and returns to her room. I cradle my head in my hands and try to analyze the potential damage I could be causing myself. I hang back a while longer to think of a viable plan to get through this unscathed.

Naturally, my brothers are not pleased when I break it to them.

"You said what? How could you agree to take her to the penthouse?"

"I didn’t have much of a choice, okay?" I reply Ashton. "I found her crying in the drawing room. She was very sad about how her birthday and how nothing went her way. Ashley, she was mostly heartbroken about you hooking up with Nicci at the party. The only thing that she could think of to distract herself from it all is hanging out and playing games with me at the penthouse for a change of scenery."

"With you?" Ashley asks with a weird look in his eyes.

"She’s pissed at you so don’t blame me if she wants to avoid you at all cost. She wanted it to be just us but I insisted that we all go or nothing. You are welcome by the way." I lock eyes specifically with Ashley.

"Gee, thanks bro, that makes me feel chipper." I ignore Ashley’s sarcasm and face my other brothers.

Ashton rubs his hand behind his neck. "Ashal, this isn’t a good idea."

"You’re damn right it isn’t." Finally, Asher jumps into the conversation. I know he has a lot to say. "I can’t believe you, Ashal. A woman sheds a few crocodile tears in front of you and you’ll readily give her your organs. How could you have fallen for that? You know the penthouse is off limits for a reason. Were you so worried about hurting her feelings and feeling like a jerk that you were prepared to risk the biggest secrets of your life getting out? How can you trust that woman?"

"I don’t trust her but I can’t keep turning her down. She’ll be here for another six months, Asher. It’s a fucking long time to have her nurse suspicions as to the real reason why I won’t let her see the house I visit almost every day. Again, we already took her there, remember? If the house is so sacred, she shouldn’t have been taken there. That’s Demi’s reasoning and why she suspects there’s more to the story than our lame excuse of it being our playpen." I hiss out a breath.

"Look, I am not thrilled about this idea, okay? I just want you all to understand that I am only trying to put her suspicions to rest. I did say I am taking her to my penthouse. I didn’t say which one." They all look at me.

"I’m not taking her to the house where Olivia stays. I am taking her to my penthouse downtown, the one up the hills that I rarely visit? That’s also my penthouse and Demi can play games all day if she likes. I haven’t told her that I am adjusting the plan but I doubt she will protest seeing that the second house is even more luxurious and larger. I doubt she’ll insist on being taken specifically to the other smaller house. What reason could she possibly give as to why it has to be that house and not the one I plan to take her if all she wants is a change of scenery?" My brothers seem to get my point. "Once she’s sated, I will be justified in turning down any future requests. I just need your help to make the arrangements."

"Don’t you think she’s going to keep wondering about the other house though? She’s been there like you said and her suspicions lie there. If you take her somewhere else, she might try to find the other house herself or to gain access to it to satisfy her curiosity one day."

access the house even if she manages to locate it. No one is going to

to all of you?" Asher looks around at the rest of us. "She can play games here at the mansion. There are enough rooms here to lock herself in if she really doesn’t wish to

that she might harbor suspicions about what goes on in Ashal’s house.

plan but do we really have to cater to Demi’s wishes right now? We have more important things at stake here. We have neither found the person who left

face Ashton. "Look, I know you believe we can pull this off and we definitely can. However, that doesn’t

don’t indulge her. Taking her to a different penthouse

the promise

bland as he answers. There’s something off about his indifference today. "I’m sure you’ll figure out a way to make it up to her later." He glances back and our other

be the asshole and break my word." I recline on the sofa and rub my eyes angrily thinking how this could have gone differently if my superb idea had come from Asher or Ashton.

you to see Dr. Welsh, you know? I can sit in during the session if

support." I watch him leave. Something is clearly weighing on his mind but I respect his decision not to share. He’ll

done before I head over to my check on Olivia at midday. I hop on a few zoom calls with some of our foreign clients to share with

immerse myself into other physical meetings in the conference room with newer clients that require our branding

tech gadgets, apps and even headphones is painful, but I prefer it to availing my memory to all the

the other side of the glass wall and signals to me that I have guests waiting in my office. I give my apologies and excuse myself from the meeting half hoping that Elyon only

it turns out that I have three guests seated and waiting in my office indeed. I adjust my neck tie as I walk in, a small apology for the delay leaving my lips. When I proceed to say more, the words get stuck in my throat as

know better than to

she was allowed to give us your phone number. On behalf of my family, I’d like to apologize once more for the comment on the blog. Please, I assure you none of us had anything

and Olivia’s kid sister, Maddie, stands with her head held up high. She hates me and makes a bold show of it. Maddie meets my eyes and holds my gaze stubbornly. Her

tell us how we can make this better? Your father seemed very upset the last

go to sit

with your family. I’ll talk some sense into her." Behind him,

small apology. After he gives Maddie a scorching look, she also follows her

I’ll inform Olivia to pass my number along. Henceforth, you can’t meet me or my family members in person. Is that

Thank you for your time." The sturdy man begins to herd his family

side, his wife tenses up, her grip tightening on Maddie’s wrist. Maddie’s eyes are like flaming torches when she sets them on my face. The fire in her eyes remind me of

nods and pulls his wife away. Alone, Maddie squares her shoulders and stares at me like she wants

"Sit, Maddie."

to sit. What

are your

comparison to my sister’s life with you." Her eyes darken as she holds my gaze. I let that one slide. "If you have

a grim look on my

you made that comment on Billion-Err or at least you know who did. You shouldn’t play with fire like that. You’ll end up hurting your family, especially your sister. Liv and I are working through our marriage. We’re

wish I had made that comment. I’d kiss whomever had the balls to write that just for giving me the satisfaction of seeing this look on your face and watching your family squirm." She approaches my desk with a deep frown. "You can’t hide my sister forever, Ashal Rollins. I won’t have to lift a finger before all your family’s dirty secrets come to the surface. I only pray that I live long enough to see you guys crash and burn. Karma is at your doorstep. Mark

my head and strap down on the annoyance simmering in my

in my flesh. I let her excesses slide because her feelings of anger and hatred towards me are justified. Plus, her sister has already suffered enough under my care

we have done some ugly things to protect one another, but then what family is perfect? What family won’t do the same for the

my meetings for the morning, I

it go with Dr. Welsh?" I ask Ashley over the phone on my

I am not irredeemable." We both laugh. "Hey, did you tell Demi yet?

on my mind and I didn’t want to do it over the phone. I’ll tell her when I get home tonight. Will you be there? I

only make it worse. I fucked up at Demi’s birthday party. I can’t apologize

"I understand."

get

"What do you mean?"

gives off mixed signals to me. I know she says she feels nothing for me but it beats me that she still feels hurt by what happened between Nicci and I

I don’t think it’s just that one thing. I think she’s overwhelmed by a lot of things that happened at the party. She mentioned that nobody listened to her. She didn’t have a say in anything like the guest list for instance. She had no idea who

sighs tiredly. "And William whom I did invite because he was new in town and wanted to catch up? How was I supposed to know that he

No way!

the party, in a secluded area. Will even attempted to grab Demi’s hand. I know Nicci obviously isn’t a fan