Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 81: Chapter 81

DEMI

I know it’s risky to be seen with him but I just couldn’t handle talking with him over the phone about everything that’s been going on with me. I am also glad Anna offered to let us use her place while she’s at work.

Liam accepts the drink I offer him but sets it aside with a grim expression on his face. I bring my glass to my lips and take a bracing sip of the alcohol.

"You still have to return to work. Should you really be drinking?"

I ignore him to take another sip. My life has been crazy lately and overwhelming. Sated, I set the glass down and look at him. "Everything is going wrong. I am overwhelmed. There’s just too much to deal with lately."

My head aches just thinking about Ashley’s proposal, mother’s betrayal and her lies about not knowing how to differentiate her boys, Maddie and Eliana’s incessant calls, Ashton’s weirdness around me and my confusion about how to deal with everyone’s expectations.

"You didn’t go into this expecting it to be easy. No matter how wild things get, you only have to ask yourself one question before making a decision; what will be the best course of action to advance my revenge plot? That should light your path to victory. Nothing else matters."

He’s right. I sit upright.

"Let’s take it one at a time." Liam begins. "Mrs. Rollins. What are you going to do about her? Remember, no sentiments!"

I nod sagely.

"I think she’s got a few secrets of her own. She blatantly lied to me about not being able to differentiate her sons when I first met her. It took me a few weeks to a month in the mansion to realize she had lied. When they’re all clothed alike or pretending to be another brother, the quads can be a pain to distinguish. However, having gotten to know them up close, I can easily guess which brother is capable of doing one thing or the other. Now imagine a mother who’s been with her sons all their lives and knows some of their innermost secrets. How can she really not know what they’re individually and collectively capable of?"

I shake my head, more out of disappointment at how gullible I turned out to be. "What I don’t understand is why she welcomed me into her home to straighten her boys when she’s been the one encouraging their wrong ways behind the scene? Why exactly did she rope me in?"

"I also felt Mrs. Rollins wasn’t the goody-two shoes she always portrayed herself to be. There’s something sketchy about her too. She likes to make people feel like she’s clueless about what’s going on around her so they can keep their guards down whenever they’re around her. For instance, she might know all about Josh Randall and his mother but keep a smiling face around her family."

"Yeah. I’ve thought about that too." Mother also knows about Olivia’s situation and yet, she allows the injustice to continue out of blind love for her son. No, she’s definitely not so nice. "I think I am also going to use her game against her. I’ll keep acting clueless about her schemes till I find out what she’s really up to. Hopefully, she doesn’t catch on to me as fast as Asher did."

Liam inhales. "And Ashton?"

I hate how unnerving his name makes me feel. I reach for my drink and swish the liquor in the glass. "It was a mistake to get attached. I am gradually detangling myself from him." I sip my drink and look away to signify an end to that uncomfortable topic. Thankfully, Liam gets my drift.

"I’ll call Eliana and Maddie later. I don’t expect them to understand that I have my own shit to deal with while they expect me to drop everything and rescue Olivia. I want to deal with Ashley’s crisis first."

"Ashley." Liam reiterates. "He has been a bit of a shocker lately. I could never have guessed he had it in him but there’s very little a man wouldn’t do for the love of a woman. It always comes down to the love of a woman."

"He doesn’t love me." I counter him.

"Maybe not but he clearly likes the idea of it. What are you going to do about him?"

"Things will only get difficult if I reject him. Good thing he doesn’t know that I am afraid of being divorced by him. Given how desperate he is to win me over, he would have threatened me with that."

The thought of him scheming with his mother to force me to get intimate with him and the recent stunt he pulled at the award show still pisses me off. Though I find his actions distasteful, I have no choice but to give him a shot. I have to stay by his side to achieve my goals, even if the idea doesn’t cause an excited thrill to run down my spine.

"I already agreed to accept his proposal on the condition that he reveals to me the name of the brother I married first." I preempt the question in Liam’s eyes as he watches me. "I know how to confirm it. I already ruled Asher and Ashley out of the equation. Given how much time I have spent around them, I have come to the conclusion that neither of them fit the bill. It’s between Ashton and Ashal. I’m certain of it."

"And what do you plan on doing if Ashley truly unveils your mystery man?"

breath hitches. At first, I was certain that the man from that night would know more about what happened to my parents because of his whiskey addiction. My mom had

to satiate my

would you do when

Ashton with teary eyes. Why did it have to be him and not Ashal? My heart clenches with pain.

with me as I reach him. The words get

sorry." He mutters with red eyes. "You deserve better." He glances at his

pants I wore at

"Demi..."

I croak

"You reeked of alcohol but your breath was clean. You had your hair in a ponytail until I tugged off the hair band because I thought you’d look less miserable with your hair down. You tasted of candy and breath mints and after our first kiss, I sipped whiskey and

when he tries to blot off the tears and ignore the quick tug of

I

his face. The first hint of disappointment at my calm reaction spears across his face. He was probably expecting me to hurl abuses and

Please, could you ask him to leave us?" Instantly, I feel Ashton’s hand on my shoulder. They feel like ice glaciers, making me flinch at his touch. His

The latter steps between us and gently steers his brother away while I watch them with blurry eyes. When Ashley returns, his face is mired with

I’m sure my brother regrets his behavior. We all do. Things were different back then and we thought it was for the best to keep our brother’s secret. I am sorry we hurt you." He pulls me back to stare

is being sincere or just enjoying the

and in another, he pretends to be sympathetic towards me, about a messy situation he was privy to. I have no idea what version of Ashley this is but it’s certainly not the jovial one

officially kickstart the next six months of our lives as a couple, properly so called." I utter dryly, earning a small frown from

only did what you

out of it right now, okay? Did you expect to come out of that little episode unscathed? Ashton wasn’t the only one who lied to me this whole time. You also kept me in the dark for months. Am I

Demi. Let’s get that straight. It was about time Ashton came clean about the little incident at the club anyway. I only urged him to admit it himself because you placed such a steep

so distrustful of me." He steps up to me. "I haven’t given you any reason to doubt my intentions but you’re so rigid about your feelings for my brother that you’ll readily pin blames on me just

skeptical about giving you a chance. Why don’t we start with why how you forgot to wear your wedding ring at the award ceremony." His eyes boggle with

did that on purpose? What could I possibly gain

rat. I don’t want to believe that you staged all that but a lot of it just doesn’t

brushes past me towards his walk-in closet. His fingers stay poised by the doorknob when he turns to me. This time, his

when a lot of things stirred some doubts in my head too, Demi. A recent example is the story about a second note

wasn’t expecting him

am certain I didn’t see a second note in the box and I only felt flustered after reading the first note. You panicked after you saw my reaction to the first note. According to what you told Ashton, you destroyed the second note only after you saw my reaction to the first. So,

How long has he been pondering on

lot of things aren’t clear. That’s how relationships survive. I guess ours have never and will never mean more to you. I will never mean more to you that the guy trying to get

the door behind him so hard the sound startles me. I sink down on his bed and cradle my head in my hands. I messed that up. I have to make it up to him. I have to clear his doubts so he doesn’t cast me

looks surprised to find me waiting for him. He’s all changed into a snazzy outfit. The sight of him makes my heart skip a bit. Slowly, I surge to my feet

Ashton and you remind me of him and I just..." With a deep sigh, I frisk my hair with my hands. "You didn’t deserve that. Can we have a

it if you’re only doing it

about Ashley’s derision makes

Ashley I went on a date with before the gift box happened. I truly enjoyed our time together, getting to know you and vice versa. Promise me you’ll keep that energy up. Nothing felt forced when I was with that guy, not my smile or the urge to kiss him." Ashley’s face remains rigid.

head down and kiss him like my life

***

my chest. It’s probably for the best that we both move on in our lives. I am

always nursed the idea that my mystery man could