Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 102: Chapter 102

ASHTON

"Where are you? I am sorting out flowers and interior décor with your mom and a horde of her friends. She’s sweet but I really wish you were here with me to take the edge off. It’s our engagement party tomorrow, Ashton. Can’t you try to be more present?"

I turn around and glance at Keith who is stroking a horse in the stable. "I’m sorry, Mila. I know I promised to help but I’m a little tied up handling some business. I’ll try to swing by as soon as I can."

"Ashton, your noticeable absence during the preparations isn’t scoring you any points with my dad. Do you really have no plan to try to be friends with him, even for me?" I only exhale tiredly. "I made dinner reservations for the three of us at the underwater restaurant here in Rollins Towers. It’s by seven pm. You can’t be late. I’ll inform Gris too so he can remind you. Promise me you’ll be here."

"I promise." I reply before she hangs up.

I return to Keith who continues to pay attention to his horse like I am not here. Paul and Collette, his parents are inside the house.

Keith hadn’t wanted to grant me this audience. After he tore up Zoe’s picture and threw it into the fireplace during my first visit, he demanded I leave his family alone. He was very vulgar with hatred glistening in his eyes.

I found it interesting given that we had never met before that day yet he oozed such anger and contempt for me. That can only mean that my little sister might have shared some of her horrible past with him. He knows something about father and his treatment of my biological family. I intend to sift out that information as well as a way of identifying Zoe from her over protective foster brother, Keith.

"What do you want with my sister?" Keith asks dryly, turning to me. "The only reason I granted you this audience is because I want to know that much."

"I think you already know." We lock eyes for a moment.

"No, Mr. Rollins, I don’t. I don’t know why an heir of the Rollins Group would come to my parents’ farmhouse to ask questions about my foster sister. What are the odds that a billionaire will come here looking for no other than Zoe, a nobody." He quits brushing his horse’s mane and dusts his hands. "Mom mentioned that you made a promise to find Zoe and give her a better life. I’d like to know more about that. Who did you make the promise to? How are they related to Zoe? Why do you want to help Zoe?"

So many questions, I think to myself.

"You’ll get all the answers you want once you get me another picture of Zoe, Keith or at least tell me why you tore up the last one the second you saw me." I edge close to his horse, admiring it. "I’m fairly certain you did that because you know something your parents don’t."

"Something like what?"

"That’s for you to tell and for me to find out."

"You’re wasting your time, and mine. I don’t have the information you seek. My sister was a very private person even amongst our family. She kept to herself most times. We gave her grace about it because she had had a rough childhood."

"That doesn’t explain why you don’t want me to see what she looks like."

"I don’t want you putting your men to work to find her when I don’t know why you want to. Wherever Zoe is, I know she just wants to lead a quiet life without looking over her shoulder every two minutes. My sister has suffered too much to have a powerful man like you bothering her with your charity which she clearly wouldn’t be interested in so if that’s the reason you’re here, again, you’re wasting your time."

"Was that what she was like while she lived with your family? Was she always looking over her shoulder?"

My sincere question catches him off guard. If he felt Zoe was afraid of something or someone, then maybe he might have tried to dig around for more information about her, information she wouldn’t share with him, so he could better protect her. Did he find out about father? Is that why he loathes me?

"Yes. Zoe was always tense and paranoid. She wouldn’t say why. She lived like someone on the run."

"What did you do when she refused to share?"

"What could I have done? I let her be and hoped she was overreacting."

"I doubt that. You seem very protective of her. You don’t strike me as a brother who would have sat idly by while his sister lived like that. Even after she destroyed the pictures you took of her, you drew her in her sleep so why am I to believe that you simply sat on your hands when Zoe refused to share anything about her troubled past?" Keith’s eyebrows knit together in a frown. I got him with that one.

He peels off his gloves. "You also appear to know more than you’re letting on, Mr. Rollins. This social call is more than a charity case, right? You’re not here to assist an orphan. There are so many orphanages that would worship the ground you walk on if you make a generous deposit but you prefer to be here on a sunny day, away from the multiple businesses you run, asking dumb questions about a young girl." His eyes darken. "What exactly is it about Zoe that’s got you so invested? You can fool my parents with the charity crap but not me! Why Zoe? Why are you looking for her?"

"You know where she is!" I decipher from his eyes. "You’ve been keeping an eye on her!"

"WHY ZOE???" He repeats firmly.

I can’t tell him the details of how Zoe and I are related. Even my brother, Ashal couldn’t believe that story so I am refraining from sharing the details with just about anyone. I don’t want father to get a whiff of it either.

I stare into Keith’s eyes. If he knows the truth, then he must be worried that I am working with father to find and harm Zoe. He must think that I am not aware that Zoe is my biological sister. Is he trying to test my loyalty to my kin before divulging more information? It’s hard to tell.

I back away from him. "If I told you, would you help me find her?"

"No! I’ll never betray Zoe like that but I may be able to answer some of the questions you might have."

"Only Zoe can answer the questions I have so how does that work for us?"

"Good bye, Mr. Rollins." He eyes me and makes a beeline for the house.

"Keith, wait!"

"What?"

I exhale deeply as I catch up with him. I don’t want to regret this. He is the surest link I have to Zoe and I am running out of time here. If things go south after I tell him the truth, I’ll have to resort to threatening him with the lives of his parents even though I’d hate to do that.

"What?" He repeats.

make the mistake of going back on your word after I share this secret with you, Keith. I can be a very dangerous man if I please. This stays between us." He doesn’t flinch at my threat. I exhale deeply. "I have reasons to believe that

"Related in what way?"

"She’s my sister."

He already knew. He keeps staring into my

Zoe is

"No." I reply stiffly.

"That might be a snag. You don’t expect me to share personal details of my sister’s life with any stranger who

I need to find Zoe and confirm the

you’ll have to answer my questions satisfactorily and convince me that I am not

If I wanted to find her the easy way, I’d have you begging for the lives of your loved ones by now. I have the money, the means and the men to get the information I want out of

"Why aren’t you?"

this world. I just learnt of her existence and it’s killing me that she’s been living such a rough life all

your brothers and

want to involve them until I know Zoe actually exists and is safe. I was worried about raising their hopes too early.

me

you." At the sight of my dissatisfied expression, he smirks. "You’ll work with my schedule if you want to know more about Zoe. I am not one of the men on your payroll. Don’t expect me to kowtow to you." With

crosses my mind. Can I protect Zoe from father if I find her? What if I am putting her life in danger by looking

was where we had our drunken, night wedding. I know I shouldn’t have pulled over but this nostalgia hits different because of my engagement that’s happening tomorrow. Hopefully,

entrance. Her eyes double in size at the sight of me. I bet I am the

"Ashton." She breathes softly.

seconds longer than okay. I tear my eyes away from hers. "I uh, saw your car. Wondered why you stopped by." A nervous chuckle follows. "How are you? Does your nose still hurt?" My fingers touch the tip of her nose before

"It’s all healed up."

Another awkward

brings you here? I thought this would be the one place you’d hate to be

was driving by and...I couldn’t continue without stopping." Her wistful eyes find mine again. "I guess I needed some kind of

see if the priest would be available

could have thought about a million other nicer things to say but it wouldn’t help either of us in carrying on with our very

that’s why you’re here." She avoids my eyes.

"Yeah. Drive safely."

to her car and I watch her till she pulls away. I hate that I did that to her. She must have

one day, I

and come face to face with the

a while." I bet he doesn’t know the

your wife leave

my wife but my sister-in-law." I

She’s a good woman.

ask in surprise. I thought this was

lord is open to everyone at any time, Ashton. Your sister-in-law finds some kind of peace here. She has been faring better ever since I found her parked

crying

brings you here?" The priest

struggle to compose my thoughts. Demi was crying.

be on my way. Have a lovely day." I dash into my car and drive off. Demi mustn’t have gone far. She isn’t much of a fast driver. I need to

in front of a pharmacy. Is she still sick. I pull over but before

eyes are drooping. She rolls down her window. "Are

utters weakly. "I just feel

don’t believe her. She’s definitely hiding something. I reach through her window to feel her neck with my hand. Her temperature is normal. She flinches at my touch and stares at me with wide eyes. "Get down. I’m taking you to the hospital. You don’t look fine

I guess I have been

down from the car, Demi. We’re

when I insist. Her eyes flare with anger. "I said I’m fine and even if I wasn’t, I am an adult. I can take

up her window and drives away. What was that? Why was she making such a fuss about a quick hospital visit? Does she hate hospitals like Asher does or is there some other

came back negative. What are the chances that three tests came out all wrong? My eyes drift back into the distance where the

keep thinking about Demi. I have to find out the truth somehow. If she is indeed pregnant, why is she keeping it a secret even

Mila nudges me. "What?"

you a

up at Hugh Spellman who is staring at me

sorry sir. I didn’t catch your

He eyes his daughter who dips her eyes to her food. "Why exactly are you marrying THIS brother

Please. I’m not going over this with

discussing me?

says. "Ashton, that brings me back to you. Why are YOU marrying my daughter? I know you don’t love her so spare me that lame lie. Did daddy threaten to cut

"Love? I didn’t think that mattered to you, Hugh." Beside me, Mila’s eyes widen in shock at the way I addressed her father on first name basis. "You are so eager to pass her off

obey orders like Asher. You obey orders UNTIL you don’t feel like it anymore which can be five minutes, five days or five weeks after the order. That’s the

very uncomfortable right now. I feel her hand on my

I like her too. Love isn’t everything. We have both consented to this union

your question, how about you answer one of mine?" I lean back on my chair. "Why exactly are you not okay with Mila doing car races?" Hugh’s face hardens. "Do

voice. Her father turns his