Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 73: Chapter 73

DEMI

"She called you to say that?" Eliana asks in astonishment. We are at her dainty apartment downtown which she shares with her boyfriend, Taylor. While we huddle up on the couch, he steps out to go walk their golden retriever, Cash.

Eliana clucks her tongue. "She can’t mean that. I don’t know what is going on with her but it smells fishy to me. I didn’t misread the situation. It’s like you said. I am grown and I can tell when a woman is feeling suffocated or trapped in a relationship."

"What was she like before she met this person?"

"A wild bird. Olivia clubbed like it was her second home. She was so much fun, very vocal and confident. Whenever she walks into a room, everyone would know her within two minutes. It wasn’t just about her beauty and fashion sense; she was very sociable with a beautiful laugh. She makes friends pretty easily."

Adjusting her reading glasses, Eliana’s demeanor drops. "I always hung out with her. The day she invited me to the club where she met her boyfriend, I was sick so I declined. That was the last time I saw Olivia for at least eight months. Whenever I called her phone, it was switched off. Her family weren’t saying anything meaningful too. Once, her dad told me she travelled to further her studies and the very same day, Maddie told me Olivia went out of town for a job. That’s when I knew something was off."

I sip my juice and drop it ceremoniously on the small table.

"Has she called you since you spoke to her in the car? Have you two spoken again?"

"No. I think I am blocked for now. She must be pissed at me for surprising her like that with you on the phone. She’ll probably reach out again when she’s at her lowest or when he pesters her to sift information from me, whichever happens first." She bites down on her lower lip. "Are you still going to try and help her? You know she only said those things because he probably told her to, right?"

"I don’t know how to help a person who doesn’t want to be helped, Eli. Besides, Olivia is the only one who can tell me how I can help her out. She knows this guy by name and face. We’ve got nothing. I’m not sure how I can be of any help."

The doorbell chimes and I wonder how Taylor is back so soon and why he would be using the doorbell in his own house when he’s got his keys.

"I thought about that," Eliana tells me, dropping her glass too and shuffling towards the door. "And I invited someone over."

"Who?"

When she welcomes her guest, the young, bright eyed lady steps cautiously into Eliana’s cozy apartment and gives it a double take. If she is impressed or disappointed, I can’t tell. She tilts her head when her eyes fall on me. They double in size. She recognizes me.

"This is Demi Rollins." Eliana begins with the introductions, pointing at me. I stand to my feet and beam at the lady. "Demi, this is Maddie Dunn, Olivia’s younger sister."

Maddie Dunn? Interesting.

"Hi, Maddie. It’s a pleasure to meet you." Maddie stares at my outstretched before taking it in a firm grip. The corner of her lips quirk up in a half smile.

I know she recognizes me, not just as the daughter-in-law of the famous Rollins family but as the sister-in-law of the man holding her sister captive. Her eyes continue to search mine intently. Is she looking for clues to see if I know Ashal’s secret? This might not be fun.

"You didn’t tell me you had company." She says when Eliana ushers her to a seat. The latter laughs softly with curious eyes on her. She also didn’t mention to me that she was expecting Maddie to join us.

"I didn’t want you to change your mind. I know you don’t like talking about Liv or her boyfriend but you have to hear me out. Liv always wanted me to find Demi here. She told me Demi is one person that can help her. I don’t know what that means. However, when I finally met up with Demi and got Liv on the phone, she hung up the moment I mentioned that Demi was with me. That was very strange."

Maddie’s piercing gaze continue to study me like I am a mystery novel. "She said that?"

"She did. It took a lot to finally find Demi and for Olivia to act like that was very strange indeed. Like that wasn’t enough, she called Demi a few days ago and threatened her over the phone, warning her not to bother with our rescue mission. I know that wasn’t Olivia speaking. Her crazy boyfriend must have put her to it."

Maddie exhales. "If Liv says she’s fine, that’s because she’s fine. Why can’t you let this go, Eliana? What exactly is she going to do?" She asks, jutting her chin towards me. Her eyes wheel to me. "What do you know about my sister beyond what Eliana has told you?"

She is gauging me now. I am certain she’s unsure if Ashal sent me here as a spy on Eliana or if I am truly clueless about the entire situation and genuinely want to help out however I can.

"Nothing more than what Eliana has told me."

me anything. I am sure you know who her boyfriend is, his name, what he looks

details?" Maddie fires at me. She’s venting her frustration on me as a representative of the family she loathes to the core. "If my sister was really in some kind of trouble as you say, how exactly are

"Maddie, Demi doesn’t really..."

matching her defiance. If she’s not spineless as she’s trying to prove,

to deal with the situation. I have very

just want her to take the bait and drop Ashal’s name. If she proves

She’s dependent on her in-laws. So, what happens if they turn you down?" She asks me. "What if they don’t want to support your charity work or refuse to assist you? What if they order you to stay home or lock you up in

More derisive laughter.

who do and I know how to work them. Let’s get something straight however. I am not here because I have a lot of free time on my hands. I am here out of a sense of duty

as connected as you claim, you should have no problem finding that out for yourself." She arches her brow at me, as though asking if I am up for

not mine!" That last bit gets to her but she feigns

ranking on Danvarr’s most scandalous CEOs list. He runs a media and entertainment company and is on the cusp of being voted CEO of the year." Her eyes hold my gaze for

doesn’t have to mention his name. Any person who pays the smallest attention to the media and entertainment news in Danvarr will rank Ashal as the best guess but I will not let Maddie hear it from my mouth. I can’t trust her yet and I won’t give her the satisfaction of absolving herself of

family on a tight watch. The last time Olivia’s name was mentioned cursorily online, they must have been threatened which is why Maddie is being careful not to be the one to drop

warn you though that you had better be sure of the descriptions you just gave. If I start poking around the wrong people

She sips her juice and watches

say your sister is just

"Is there

exactly she’s going through with him, whether it’s a case of domestic abuse or house arrest or worse. However,

don’t know the specifics. Liv is very private. If

dilly-dallying around the issue. I don’t have

Can’t you just pass it on to one of your security personnel to run a probability scan

know you know the answers to all the questions we have. If you are not willing to push forward fast by giving me specific details so we can help your sister, why should I care so much how fast I jump on this?" I grab my purse and rise to my feet. She’s so rude and arrogant. Eliana joins

so sorry. Maddie can come across as blunt

is." I cut off her patronage. "How dare she sit there and talk to me so disparagingly simply because I offered to help. Maybe Olivia is doing just fine if her sister isn’t taking any of this seriously. I’m sorry for wasting your time Eliana but I don’t think I want any part of

on the couch. "My best to Olivia and her happy life." I note how the

She’s no braver than Olivia. She just pretends to be. If she is,

She taps on my glass and gestures that I roll down my window. With a silent oath of disgust,

"WHAT?"

"IT’S ASHAL ROLLINS."

didn’t know that already but because

"What?"

YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW. I SWEAR IT. Now, are you going to help her or

***

body as I make my way home. Maddie had somberly brought me up to speed on Olivia and Ashal’s relationship. The details she shared with me don’t sound anything like the Ashal I know. No, I just can’t reconcile that

the brothers is capable of hurting someone out of anger, I’ll give it to Asher. Even so, he has a great capability

He mostly throws his fist at guys who deserve it. Ashley is not much of a physical brawl kind of guy. He’d rather hire hands to do

written in Chinese. Though he appears to be harmless, I have always felt there was more to

you’ve got to be mistaken."

"I’m not."

sweetest guy you’d ever meet. He can’t beat up a woman to a

outrightly jump on her support train and leave my family to hang dry which is why I insisted she was wrong. She would have to give me more evidence or

a lot of things. Ashal is married to my sister. He’s been keeping her in his penthouse and hidden from everyone else for two years now. At first, they claimed they didn’t trust Olivia not to tell the world what their ostensibly perfect son had done to her. When she tried to convince them to annul the marriage and set her free after signing an NDA, they still wouldn’t let her go. Ashal even started gaslighting her about being in love with her and wanting their marriage to work. That was when his mother made it about Ashal’s desires and demanded my sister stay with him since the chances of getting another woman to marry him and keep

Maddie. I just can’t. Ashal is not a sick person.