Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 66: Chapter 66

DEMI

"You’ve got some nerve showing up here." The sight of William next to my car at the parking lot both frightens and infuriates me.

I halt in my track and scan the area. There are a few people getting into their cars and speeding off. There are also cameras down here. I continue to survey the place nonetheless, ignoring the small smirk on William’s face.

"C’mon Demi, I’m not a monster. I just want to talk."

"Talk? You and I might have different interpretations of that word." I stubbornly cement my feet a few meters from him.

"I can’t talk to you on a private and sensitive matter if you’re standing all the way over there, unless you want me to scream at the top of my lungs how sorry I am for being immature about our breakup and recount how lost and heartbroken I felt when you jilted me. Is that a story you’d like your colleagues to hear?" I shift uneasily before trudging closer.

"Make this quick, please. I can’t be seen with you and I’ve got places to be."

"We could go somewhere more private."

"No! Here’s fine. Now, talk!" He walks to my side of the car but I refuse to flinch.

"I’m deeply sorry for everything, Demi. I am appalled by my own attitude towards you ever since I set foot in this country. I should have carried myself better but I guess Lily was right that I was bleeding onto others because I still hadn’t let go of the pain and hurt I felt over our breakup. It’s been six years since we last held hands as a couple. I shouldn’t have dragged it on too long. I just want to apologize for everything, from your birthday party to the penthouse."

I am struggling to believe William is being honest even if his eyes are the least cunning I’ve seen since he invaded my new life.

"I’ve been a thorn in your flesh ever since I appeared on your doorway that fateful day you turned fifteen if memory serves me correctly. I admit I had come to sway you to be my girlfriend for the week but after we talked that day, I knew you were meant to feature in more than a Chapter of my story."

"Arrgh, that was so corny."

"Yeah, it was really hackneyed and cheesy, wasn’t it?" We find ourselves laughing now till our eyes meet and hold. "I’m truly sorry for interrupting the wonderful life you’ve carved out for yourself. I had no right to judge you or your choices. Ashley is my friend after all and I know he has a good heart. I shouldn’t have made such mean speculations about your marriage. Could you ever forgive me?"

I inhale. "What changed?"

"I’m leaving Danvarr and I want us to part ways better than we did the last time. I’ve finalized the purchase of our new office space. One of our trusted staff members will be relocating to come manage the business here. Who knows? I could visit some other time in the future but that’s beside the point. I truly didn’t want to leave without your forgiveness for my actions in the locked room back in the penthouse. I wasn’t really going to..."

"I know." I wasn’t sure back then but right now, it’s like I can read him better. "Thank you Will." I ignore how easily the name rolls off my tongue even when I know he isn’t the Will I have come to enjoy texting.

"And I’m sorry too for not treating you right. My grief at the time was no excuse to treat you like dirt. We met at a time when I wasn’t ready to be loved or to love back. I’m sorry."

An awkward silence passes between us as I recall his declarations of being in love with me. It’s crazy because no other man has ever vocally admitted having feelings for me. The thought of it makes something warm spread across my belly.

"I guess in another life, maybe we would have a shot." Before I can blink, he pulls me in for a hug. "I’d really miss you. Take care of yourself and Ashley. He’s definitely starting to get warm towards you." He pulls back with a brilliant smile on his face.

"I hope I haven’t ruined you for the next woman."

"Don’t flatter yourself." He chuckles a bit. "Goodbye Demi not Denee or Denise." That bit makes me smile in return.

I watch him walk away with a small smile on my face. I am glad he is leaving so I can go back to sleeping restfully but a twinge of sadness envelops me as he disappears into a car ahead and drives off.

"He’s handsome."

I spin my head, startled to have been snuck up on by the nosy Josh.

"Friend of yours?

as I head towards

good, Demi. I thought

but I never made any promises to indulge you every time you showed up in front of my face. I

next to mine. I silently wonder why he is so eager to be friends with me all of a sudden. The last thing I need right now is him breathing down my

might be cool now but Anna is my best friend. I need to mend our relationship so we can be

Anna smiles thinly before ushering me in. She looks radiant even in her night dress. Once I settle in, I move the food aside and peer at

"I’ve missed you."

"Same here."

sorry, Anna. I don’t know why I let my anger fester beyond the night of my party. I had no right to expect you to stick to me like glue. You deserved a good time too and one night without

"Thank you."

as to how your night went. It’s literally none of my business who you hung with, unless you make it my business by spilling the tea but until then, I trust that my best friend knows what’s good for her and is very capable

She grabs the paper bag and dives into her dumplings. I have forgotten how exciting it is to watch her eat. "How was the penthouse? I’m

didn’t. It was a bust. Ashal took me to a different penthouse he owns. I didn’t even know he had more than one but then, him and his brothers are filthy rich so that shouldn’t have come as a surprise. They all have properties all over Danvarr that they rarely step into all year

that has transpired since my party, from befriending Nessa and Josh to meeting Eliana and

get a chance to tell you. I have to

by the second. By the time I finish, she remains silent, processing everything. I know

decided to do about Olivia? Would

spare me. I can’t risk it.

this about him being

it. Liam had Tobias checked out. Turns out he was a friend and private bodyguard of the quads who later died tragically. There’s not much about the details

on the steering wheel so much so that I had feared for our lives. He had had a surprise look on his face when I returned from the restroom with

read the note left inside. What followed was an abrupt end to our first,

Anna. The more time I spend with them and think they’re the most humane and nicest guys, the more incidents like this crop up to clear the fog from my eyes. Hence, I am choosing to let the search for proof guide me. I can’t bank on anything the family says. They’ll always protect their own at

do with them what you hoped to do with

with the quads. I’m afraid of bugging their game room or phones again. Whoever found and disabled the previous one must be on a lookout for them. I need to find some other

"Is there something I

creases my brow when I realize it’s my aunt. Why is

pissed at your only surviving family that you’ve intentionally refused to stay in touch with us?" She asks

busy with work, aunt, you know that. Besides, last I checked, your phones still work and you all know the address of the mansion

to us despite our apology. Didn’t you think you owed us an apology in return

you an apology for being upset over the way you treated me like scum? Are you being serious right now, aunt Elizabeth? Is this what you called

you take your correction. You’re married into an influential family now so your arrogance is no surprise to me. I just called to give you a chance to make up with your family so that when you see

lunch? Why would you be having

mother-in-law." She says before hanging up on me.

"Is everything okay?"

being at a table with those two."

wasn’t married to one of the quads, I’d probably dislike eating with them for the sheer intimidation and discomfort one feels being

to go down the right track when you constantly feel like you are being judged and some people

out a breath. "Fine. I’ll

"Thank you."

home and stopped briefly to see Anna. Then he

little too tired for this meeting, I distract myself by registering my relief over the fact that Ashley has broken his silence and sounds just

surprised to receive a message from Will. It’s been a while since he texted me out of the blue. While I wait on a traffic light,

of you. Don’t act alarmed or ask any questions. Just go

don’t understand what he means by this cryptic message until I am seated in the spacious living room upstairs and listening to

is being tampered with. His reputation could easily be ruined over a lie. We’ve deployed several measures to get to the bottom