Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 87: Chapter 87

ASHAL

I thought I had it under control. Actually, I did. I am not a slave to my health condition as much as I would like to believe. Before the disaster strikes, I usually have an option; flee or fight. The wise thing to do is usually to flee, to leave from the environment or leave the person triggering my anger.

It’s usually easier to do with my family, especially my brothers. With strangers, I tend to ignore the smart choice of fleeing and skip straight to fighting.

I knew the consequences when I got into my car and went to find Maddie while seething with anger. I could have stopped myself instead of entertaining the delusion that I could have a talk with her and get her to admit her mistake.

Maddie is not built like most girls. She is very defensive, foul-mouthed, rude, bold, fearless most times, annoying and so much more. She is the type to defend her mistake not own up to them. I should have avoided her and let my brothers fix the mess she created in solidarity to her sister but I didn’t. I didn’t listen. I acted and almost maimed Olivia’s sister.

It’s been two weeks since Maddie was discharged from the hospital but I can’t get that day out of my head. How would I have forgiven myself for ruining the lives of the daughters of the Dunn family? How would I have layered my betrayal to Olivia with the maiming or even death of her sister all in one day?

The guilt has been eating away at me. I feel terrible. I feel like a monster and a cheat at the same time. That’s part of the reason why I can’t face Olivia. Her family has not mentioned anything about Maddie’s accident so Liv is only pissed at me for betraying her trust but when I look at her remorsefully, I am loathing myself for everything that transpired with Cree and Maddie.

"How is she?" I ask the doctor after he has examined Liv. "How is our baby?"

"Mother and child are both fine. You have to keep her away from anything that induces stress, both physical and emotional. This is a crucial stage of her pregnancy."

"I understand."

Olivia glances at me from her bed with dull eyes. I thank the doctor and have one of my security personnel see him off. When I edge close to her bed, Liv puts up a weak hand.

"Don’t."

"Olivia, please, I am sorry."

She shoves the blanket off her body and climbs down the bed to walk away from me and out of the room. She has been avoiding me like this ever since my pictures with Cree leaked. I haven’t been able to get through to her. My apologies, gifts, promises etc. no longer move her but I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I messed up.

When I was the perfect husband, Olivia never wanted anything to do with me. She betrayed me by cheating. When she flipped and became the model wife, I lost my way and betrayed her trust. It just seems like we are in an endless cycle of fate where we keep missing each other and never truly align.

I find Liv nestled by the indoor pool, stroking her legs in the water. Her face looks placid but pain lies within her eyes.

"I did the press thing, told everyone that we are not married, neither have we even met. What else do you want, Mr. Ashal? Would you like my organs? Would that please you and your family?"

"Liv, don’t say that." I crouch next to her. "I swear on my life, I only kissed Cree. Nothing happened between us. I know that doesn’t exonerate me from being labeled as a cheater but I just thought I’d clarify. I was lost, Liv. I couldn’t reach you. I couldn’t find the Olivia Dunn I fell hopelessly in love with. You...changed."

Tears form in her eyes. "You made me do it."

"I know. I didn’t realize the amount of pressure you were under to prove yourself to me. I just...I’m so sorry Liv. I should have talked to you about how I was feeling instead of shutting you out and seeking comfort elsewhere."

Olivia shakes her head. "You’re so good at this. You know how to string up the right words to explain yourself but that’s all they’ll ever be; apologies and explanations. You never make good on your promises and frankly, I am starting to see that it’s a family trait. I can’t do this anymore Ashal. Let’s face it. We were never meant to be."

I wipe the tears rolling down her face. "Don’t say that, Liv. I know you and I have been through a lot to get to this point of understanding but I believe we can do it."

"I can’t do it." She whimpers with a hand on her stomach. "I don’t want to bring my child into a dysfunctional home." My fingers freeze on her hair. "If you truly cared, you’d set me free, Ashal. You’d divorce me." She grabs my hands. "We can co-parent. We will both be in our child’s life but not as a couple. That’s the only way this will work out for our innocent baby."

Flustered by her suggestion, I lurch to my feet and look away to hide the moistness in my eyes. Lily hovers by the door, a pale shadow in a white apron. I walk up to her.

"Make sure she eats and has her medicines on time." She nods firmly.

Olivia calls out before I can leave. I hesitate by the door. "Maddie. She leaked the story to Billion-Err and you know it." Her blurry eyes meet my face. "I did the best I could

eyes shatter something inside of me till my guilt looms like a tidal wave, hard for me to ignore. My eyes droop to the floor as

you?" Mother asks on the phone just as I get into my car. "We can’t be late for

"I’m on my way."

entire family to grace the event. Father has been stressing everyone out, demanding we be on our best behavior. Given the negative press

exception of Asher and I, the rest of my brothers have dates. I glance

is helping Ashton with his tie.

weeks already. I am not complaining but I think Ashton misses his privacy. We all love Mila but she can be a leech most times. These past two weeks, I’ve barely seen much of

Stacy months after I got with Olivia but I stood her up. I’m glad she found someone that makes her happy if the big smile on her face is

Father whispers to me. "She would have been walking to

missing out on a lifelong alliance with Mr.

with their dates. Asher somehow managed to get Stacy’s younger sister to dance with him. She rocks to the music passionately, grinding on

me." His smile deepens as Asher and Emily

downing the rest of my drink. "You clearly have a

I wake up to pictures of you kissing a strange woman, another nobody, and your secret marriage to Olivia trending

me in.

doesn’t cut it." He snaps at me with icy eyes. "I am sick and tired of you being a nutcase. You

you mean by that?" The shock in my eyes fizzles away as I clench my fist and glower at

if she tries to bark now, no one will listen to

hurt a hair on Olivia’s head nor

who you are

know exactly who I am talking to and that’s why I haven’t slammed my fist into your face. Olivia is carrying my child. She suffers as much as a scratch and I’ll sink your empire to the ground faster than you can

is unfazed by my threat and we indulge in a staring contest that gets cut

"Everything okay over here?"

and the other hand buried in his pocket. His

"I trust you’d do the right thing for our family." His eyes skirt briefly to Ashton before he walks away. I immediately reach for the glass in

let him get to you. Can

just such a crappy parent

hiss, Ashton shakes his head. "I can’t believe

"What?"

woman? You do know that she could very well be Shay, right? Look, I am not a saint and I don’t

of the Olivia I fell in love with. I was so starved of that version of my wife that I went looking for her in other women when I should have just opened up and had a conversation with Liv.

men plows through the crowd in the reception hall to get to

"Yes, Cyril?"

on Shay. We found the accomplice leaking the new

***

didn’t have any malicious intent when he passed along our phone numbers to complete strangers a for a hefty sum online. According to him, he always altered one figure or two for every rando he sold to until he met a girl online and started chatting nonstop with her. She only agreed not to block him if he passed along the real phone

him several nicknames such as boo thang, stud muffin, Mr. Big D, Hunk and even Tony Stark. If Oliver wasn’t already drooling for this woman he was only allowed to jerk off to under his blanket at night, he would have

know how heady it can be when a woman strokes a man’s ego like that. For men like Oliver, it’s ten times harder for them not to take the bait especially when a hot chick they never dreamt they could get starts giving them the attention and nicknames. Oliver indicated that his favorite was Mi Rey which translates as my king in Spanish. Shay only had to call him this and his head will swoon so

pokes his

"Yes?"

still waiting

creases

security

Elyon.