Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 110: Chapter 110

ASHER

Today has been unreal. Father has never spent this much time with me personally unless it had something to do with work. We’ve spent the first part of the morning in a private shooting range. Then we proceeded to play mini golf which father enjoys. Finally, we are at Soul foods to refuel ourselves after a fun but exhausting father/son day if I can call it that.

A small smile keeps playing on my lips no matter how much I try to get rid of it. I haven’t had this kind of quality time with father before and it beats me why he just spent over four hours of his morning with just me.

"Something on your mind?" He asks, quirking a brow at me as he butters his bread. I exhale and lean back on my seat.

"A lot actually."

"I was wondering when you would share."

I narrow my eyes at him while the smile remains in place. "You can’t blame me for finding all of this a bit strange, can you? I’ve lived with you all my life and yet, we’ve never really done anything like this."

"And by this you mean?"

"Bonding. I know we spend a lot of time together but mostly, we just talk shop or work. Today was different, unexpected and I want to know why."

He lets out a short laugh. "You boys are funny indeed. You complain that I suck at being a dad and when I make an effort, you get suspicious. Why can’t it be normal between us? Why do you have to have that suspicious glint in your eyes every time I break character to do something nice with my boys?"

"I appreciate the effort but you still didn’t answer my question."

He thought me to be this distrustful and to never let my guard down. I took that lesson too seriously and now, I don’t really trust anyone but myself. Brett Rollins rarely breaks character, unless you’re his wife, Barbara Rollins or his son, Josh Randall. When it’s outside those two, one should really not ignore their guts. Father regards me with his watchful eyes as I study his as well.

"That’s why you’re my favorite son. You remind me so much of my younger self."

I scoff at that. "Don’t. We both know who your favorite son is."

"No, you’re wrong. I love each of my sons for different reasons and I have favorites for different things. You’re my favorite because of your business acumen and your unwavering focus on what’s important. You indulge yourself in somethings and people I don’t approve of but in spite of such distractions, you remain laser focused on the goal ahead of you. No other son of mine is that focused. That’s why I love you the most in that regard."

I don’t know whether to feel giddy or silly. Did he just give me a pat on the back for refusing to live and being a slavish workaholic?

"And if I stopped being those things? Would you still love me?" I lean on the table and peer deeply into his eyes. "If I stopped expanding your business reach and net worth, if I stopped being relevant to the success of Rollins Empire say because I suddenly fell terminally ill, would you still consider me your favorite for whatever reason?"

He only laughs and sips his coffee. "You’re not planning on falling sick, are you? We have a lot planned for this quarter. We can’t afford any inconveniences. You know I need you every step of the way." At the disheartened look in my eyes, he leans back with a weird look in his eyes. "What is this about, Asher? Why are you testing me?"

"This is about Josh and how he never has to live up to any expectations to earn your unconditional love." I blurt out dryly. "This is about how you love him because you made him and how you will never toss him aside even if he gets crippled or blind or even dies."

"Hey, don’t say such things!"

"See? That’s what I am talking about." I slam my hands on the table, spilling our coffees on the white linen.

"Control yourself, Asher. You’re better than this."

"And if I am not? Huh? Would I be considered less than?"

"Everything okay here?" A waiter asks with a meek bow. Father assures him we’re fine and dismisses him gracefully.

"Why exactly did you bring me out here to pretend to spend time with me? Is it some kind of guilt over spending quality time with Josh but not my brothers and I?"

"You and your brothers hardly take me seriously when I want to spend time with you. You know how many times I have literally begged you to come eat with me here but you keep turning me down."

"I didn’t want to be a third wheel!" I snap at him. "You and I have worked at the company for so long. You never offered to eat with me or accepted my invitation but the moment Josh joined us, you made every lunch break a father-son date between both of you and you expect me to be thrilled at being invited to that?"

He shakes his head. "I have told you countless times that you and your brothers do not have to be jealous of Josh. He is not a threat to you and you all are in no competition for my heart. I love you all."

Ok. I am done with this delusion.

"Just ask me what you want to know, father. Enough with this charade."

Whatever it is, it has to be good since he spent a good amount of his precious time with me and not his favorite son. True to form, he nods his head.

"Fine. I want to know what your brothers have been up to."

I thought as much. He wants me to snitch on my brothers.

they’ve

I really do. However, I know that you haven’t been able to tackle everything by yourself. There has to be loose ends. I just want

a few snags here and there but nothing major. I’ve got it handled." I take a long sip of my coffee

and knocked up that wife of his. I don’t have to tell

is also pregnant for Ashley. Father will

been able to convince Ashal to divorce that woman?

had time to investigate what is really going on between Ashal and Maddie. Whatever it is, I have to end it. The last

father. You’ve met him. I have to be very careful so I don’t trigger him. It’s a dicey area. I’ll keep talking to him

considering hanging onto Demi till the contract expires." He gets suspicious over my silence. "Talk to me, Asher! You’re the only sane son I can rely on. You and I have been shouldered with the responsibility of shepherding your brothers. Don’t keep secrets from me because if they leak out and hurt the business, I won’t be able to trust your judgment again. I am asking you to confide

and unclench my

a few minutes. He works the anger

her to get rid of it before Ashley finds out. Yes, he is unaware for some reason. I don’t know why she lied to him about it but this works for us. If he catches a whiff of it, he’ll stubbornly want her to keep it. We can’t let that happen. Father," I reach for his hand. "Trust me, no one wants that

"And Olivia?"

very protective of her. There’s no way I can get past his security to get

their marriage, I can talk to Olivia and convince her to leave him. I am sure

just like that? You trust that she-devil not to seek our

She won’t go blabbing to anyone, not after everything. Her family has also been apprised of the risk if they try to talk. They’re done playing activists and heroes. They just want their daughter back and to lead a quiet and peaceful

breath and finishes

up with

resigned to his fate as Mila’s would-be husband and the

disagrees, shaking his head. "He’s been too quiet and compliant with my decisions lately. If he wasn’t distracted by whatever it is he’s doing, he would have put up more resistance regarding his

"You’re just being paranoid."

he searched my study,

ice cold while holding the butter

"What?"

my study, you would have called me first to try to narrow down your search and there’s no way you would have made such a mess. Plus, I have cameras installed in there. I watched the whole thing. So, tell me, why was Ashton looking for

***

chew

shouting match and a small fight. The truth about us being adopted slipped out. Ashton has been having a hard time swallowing that one so he refused to believe it until he saw the papers for

hope I am convincing enough. If father even suspects that someone has been feeding Ashton with defamatory lies against our parents, he’ll kill them in a blink

he

truth of our adoption sooner. Secondly, he doesn’t believe you’ll tell him the truth so he chose to find out for himself. He thinks you’re a pathological liar." I scoop more

papers though." I throw in, treading cautiously. "Ashton is still interested in seeing them. Perhaps you could show them to me so I can put him out of his misery." I need to know that the adoption papers exist so my mind can stop drifting and making up scary assumptions as to how my brothers and I came to be heirs of the Rollins empire.

no problem at all. It’s in the safe in my bedroom. I’ll personally hand them over

Ashton’s informant was wrong then. Phew. I can’t believe how relieved I

love that. Hopefully, this will be the first step that leads to

"I truly hope so."

silence, until the last two people I want to

"Brett?"

while Josh grins next to his mother. I tighten my

us, I stare daggers at father before turning to grab my gear.

promised my son here that today was going to

I turn to Kristy and her son who have shock written all over their faces and relish ever bit of

"Yes. That’s right."

you can understand." Father continues. "I am trying to share my spare time

okay, dad.

grates on my nerves. Once a brownnoser, always a brownnoser. Mother and son feign an understanding smile before going to get their

plunks down on his seat and gauges my reaction. I know he expects some kind of appreciation for the nothing he just did by giving me, his oldest son, his precious time but I

while I keep texting on my phone. I am waiting to hear from a few people today regarding a few things. They assure me over text

phone buzzes with

have to go. I’ve

with them

glance behind at Kristy and Josh

out here to bond with me. You got the answers you wanted. We don’t have to keep up appearances. I’ve got to go. You’re

"I won’t."

I give him a hard stare. "I understand that Josh is your son and he deserves your attention too. However, I sincerely hope your relationship with his mother isn’t deeper

day, Asher. I’ll

say nothing and leave him

I already contacted Iman’s friends to help me take care of Demi today, I feel some type of way going over to Anna’s place. I don’t know if I’ll be able to pretend around her. Plus, she’s always going to talk about Demi every thirty minutes. I’d hate to be reminded of something I feel slightly

what my brothers have been up to. Maybe