Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 75: Chapter 75

ASHLEY

The moment mom utters her wish, the lights and camera wheel towards Demi and I. Demi staggers backwards until she slams right into my chest. I hug her from behind to hide the awkwardness from the sharp eyes of the journalists.

"Just smile. We’ll discuss it later. Everyone’s watching." I whisper through clenched teeth. She complies and relaxes into my embrace while pictures of us are taken from different angles.

I can feel her vibrating with tension. She hates cameras and being put on the spot like this is one of the worst things you can do to her. I am just going to assume mother isn’t aware of how badly Demi hates the spotlight.

I find mom’s eyes in the crowd. She’s smiling gaily at me. Next thing I know, she winks at me. Was this the help she was talking about? Is this the plan to get Demi and I to be closer to each other? A BABY? How did she think Demi would react to this?

"Mr. and Mrs. Rollins, how do you feel about your mother’s wish? Should she be expecting a grandchild anytime soon or is there already a bun in the oven?"

The enthusiastic journalist shoves the mic too close to Demi’s face. I cup the microphone and push it downward with a stern look at him.

"My mother’s birthday party is not over yet. Please, let’s not draw the spotlight away from her."

While most of them back away to refocus on mother, some nasty ones remain to capture every worry line on Demi’s face. I spin her to face me and she buries her face in my chest.

"Let’s go upstairs." I whisper before taking her hand. At the most subtle of signals, our personal security edge closer and block the paparazzi from following my wife and I till we safely make it across to the mansion.

I intentionally dismiss guests trying to congratulate us too early with a smile and apologies for my abruptness. I manage to whisk Demi all the way to her bedroom where she sinks on her bed looking pale.

"Here, some water." She takes the glass with trembling hands and sips a little.

"Thank you."

"Calm down. Take a deep breath." I stroke some strands of hair off her face.

"Why would mother do something like that?" she asks me with curious eyes. "And in front of all those people? How could she make such a wish knowing the circumstances of our marriage and without talking to us first?" I take the glass from her hands and carefully place it on the side drawer next to the bed.

"I’m sure she didn’t mean any harm. It’s mom, remember? Our marriage might be contractual but mothers will always be mothers and try to convey their silent wishes for their children somehow. Though I don’t support her making it so public, I can understand where she’s coming from. Please don’t misconstrue it."

"It’s just that she was mad at me not long ago and now she goes and makes such a public wish that will definitely trend in the news for the next few days. It feels like she’s trying to punish me."

"No, Demi, she’s not."

"People are already speculating that I might be pregnant. It’s too much pressure on me, on us. A baby? That’s too much." I take her head and cradle it on my shoulder as she paces her breath. "I’m sorry Ash. I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful dad one day but this..."

"I know but you also have to remember that those people out there don’t know anything about our contract. We are a real couple to them. We still can be if you wish it." I take her face in my hands. "We can be more if you want it." Her eyes move uncertainly. "I’ll talk to mom. A baby is a giant leap from where we are right now. However, I want you to convey your reservations about her wish with tact. It’s still her birthday. We wouldn’t want to ruin her mood or anything."

"I understand."

I kiss the top of her hair. "You can rest if you want. Do you need me to get you anything? Should I call Anna?"

"Yes. Just Anna."

I nod before leaving her. While I make my way back to the festivities, I register with a hint of pain that she still didn’t confirm if she wants more out of her marriage to me. It’s taking forever and I know that if it’s taking her this long to give her consent, she probably hates the idea. I bump into Anna running up the stairs with her gown in her hands. I direct her to Demi’s room knowing fully well where she means to go.

I’m not surprised to find Asher coming behind Anna. They have been cozy all evening. He gestures me back up the stairs.

"What the hell was that? Did you know mom was going to do that?" He asks, vibrating with temper. I don’t get his full-blown hatred for Demi.

"Of course not. I am just as surprised as everyone else. She never said anything to me in that regard."

help you out with Demi.

what? What if this is indeed her plan to help me out? I know it’s shocking and a little premature for where Demi and I are right now but it’s not unnatural for a husband and wife to have a baby if they so wish it, whether or not there’s a subsisting contract. Mom might have overstepped by not speaking to Demi and I first but she didn’t say anything wrong. We’re

to continue down the stairs and find Ashton at the bottom. My anger boils over. I haven’t spoken more than two words to him since he broke his word to me and kissed my wife like I didn’t exist. I don’t care what the circumstances were. He owed it to me as my brother to keep his word and remove himself from my

had a similar reaction had Ashton

"Let go."

"You first."

shoot him a burning look. "You betrayed me, Ash after making tall claims about your discipline and respect for boundaries. YOU

gently steers us upstairs. "Not here. We still have guests

and I will discuss our future together. You had better stay the hell away from her." Every emotion I have been holding back with respect to Ashton starts

"I hate him."

If I put a gun in your hand, you won’t pull the trigger even if you saw him and Demi together. Wrong analogy. My bad." Ashal stops to look me in the eye. "You’re still hurting, I get it but sooner or later, you and Ashton will have to bury the hatchet. Remember the quad code; you can’t

to the recesses of my mind and go back to

articles with speculations of Demi’s pregnancy start trending as she had feared. Anna even stays back to spend the night with Demi. She has been overcompensating for being MIA during Demi’s party. After having

sight of Ashton grates on my nerves and I turn

down, Ashley, this isn’t about us." Ashton calls out.

farthest from him with a

"Make it quick."

with a look before facing

me the past couple of days." He runs a hand through his hair and leaves his fingers interlocked behind

look from the rest of my brothers except Ashton who

should have dropped the search for our biological parents. I should have left it at the cemetery. I should have stopped picking up strange numbers calling my phone but I am still hurting from the recent discoveries we made in relation to our paternity and father’s affair. I don’t even know if I only wanted to find our parents just to spite father but I kept following the trail and after we caught Cree Baxter, I got

over the room as we await

I even wanted to hit

I keep a straight face. Reassured, he continues. "I won’t saddle you with the details of the nonsense this person had to say. Trust me, I wish I didn’t take that call. I just called you all here to tell you essentially that I wouldn’t be looking into our parents anymore. We have father and mother and I have accepted that they’re more than enough. There are no perfect parents out there or

quiet

pique our interest in the revelation you got only to burst our bubble by refusing to tell us what you actually found out? If you had made the decision not to pursue that matter anymore, you could have just said that and left

saw you, Ashton. You weren’t yourself. No offense to Ashal but you looked like you were in one of those rage moments just before Ashal blacks out. It was spine-chilling and if you had lifted

us." Ashal hammers. "I’m

crises going on all at once. I can’t burden you all

DIDN’T DIE WHEN WE LEARNT WE WERE ADOPTED AND HAVE A STEPBROTHER. WHAT COULD BE WORSE THAN THAT???" I snap impatiently at

clenched at my sides. I don’t know if I would be able to keep to the quad codes and quash this beef with Ashton. It will definitely

settle on me. "What could be worse is if

sense of the rubbish he just spewed. Asher quickly

Let’s drop this now. We

phone?" I continue to watch in silence as Ashal

the papers myself. Ashton is just saying that the stranger was trying to mess with his head. That’s why he’s not pursuing

Ashton wouldn’t have bought into the lie and even ransacked father’s office if he hadn’t been given proof. Didn’t

watching me. Tears glisten in his eyes but they don’t fall. I sniffle

so gullible. I’m off

and her birthday wish. Demi eats very little at breakfast. I have to nudge her

are you

night. You know your

birthday wish. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that but I didn’t

family at the table. Ashton continues to eat quietly like he didn’t hear

stunt. He signals to Asher and Demi joins them too. She barely remembers to kiss me goodbye but I don’t blame her. She’s got a lot on her mind right now. Alone with mom and I on the table, Ashal rises

out as well." He gives mom a kiss on her hair. I follow suit and mom’s face crumples at

you." I

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