Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 122: Chapter 122

ASHTON

"What the fuck happened? I thought you said you lost father. How did you not see him behind you? Why in the world was he following you in the first place?" I keep badgering Asher as he pulls up at Ashal’s second penthouse where we are crashing in the meantime. Asher gets out of his car with a forlorn look on his face but I am too livid to spare him a breath.

"ANSWER ME GODDAMMIT"

"Calm down, Ashton."

"Don’t tell me to calm down. Answer my questions!"

He runs a hand over his brows and expels a deep breath. "Look, father and I had a little tiff earlier in the day. We parted ways and I guess he felt guilty and wanted to make it up to me so he tracked my car GPS because I was too furious to return his calls."

All I can do is grit my teeth. "Didn’t he settle things with you at the HQ when you two met up? What was the need to follow you all the way to Adriana?"

"Look, I don’t know, okay? It’s Father. If I could decipher his motivations for doing a bunch of shit, I would be two steps ahead of him, don’t you think." He sighs loudly. "I pulled him over and registered my displeasure at being followed. I don’t think he would be doing that again for a while."

I don’t know what to make of this. "I should have listened to you and gone after Adriana. I worked too damn hard for us to lose the opportunity we had today."

"Has Keith called? What did he say?"

"He isn’t taking my calls any longer. My guess is he is furious. It was a big risk to plan that meeting with Adriana. He was counting on me. I messed it up and now our sister might no longer be interested in our reunion."

"Hey" Asher calls, grabbing my shoulder. "Don’t rush to conclusions. You found her the first time, didn’t you? You made the impossible happen. I am certain you will find a way around this snag. Brace up." I bob my head in agreement. His eyes track up the stony steps. "How’s Ashal? Is he much better?"

"I hope so. I have a bunch of questions that need prompt answers."

I lead the way into the penthouse and together, we take the stairs to one of the spare bedrooms where Ashal lays sprawled on the bed. He props himself up the moment we enter, a somber expression clouding his face.

"Hey man." Asher begins, edging close to him. Ashal inclines his head away from Asher’s hand which is extended to check his temperature.

"How are you feeling?" I ask him.

"I’m fine." He replies dryly. I know he knows why we’ve rounded up on him. Shrugging, he straightens his spine. It’s my guess that he is ready for our rapid-fire questions so I proceed. "Ok. Dead guy in your trunk. What else do you remember?"

"I told you all I recall."

"Don’t get cheeky." Asher reprimands him. "This is very serious, Ash. We might have managed to quell the storm with our contacts in the force this time around but this might come back to haunt us someday. Besides, father is growing very suspicious of all of us lately. He has been tailing us. If he gets a whiff of what you’ve done, he’ll have you thrown into a psychiatric facility for God knows how long."

"I get it. He already threatened me once."

"Good. Now, cut it out and cooperate with us." Asher adds.

He exhales. "I’m sorry. I’m a little bit shaken. I---I thought I was past that. I really thought the days of hurting people to the point of taking their lives was over." His voice breaks with emotion. Tears shimmer in his eyes. "I honestly don’t even recall talking to the guy much less following him. I don’t know what kind of interaction we had before I..."

"You don’t know if anyone saw you following the guy, Madeline perhaps?"

As I mention her name, I notice something wash over his features. He wrings his hands and shakes his head from side to side. I join him on the bed.

"Ashal, tell me the truth this time. What exactly is going on between you and Madeline Dunn? Are you in love with her? Is there a secret affair going on between..."

"NO." He denies too quickly, earning a suspicious stare from Asher and I. "No, it’s nothing like that, I promise."

"Then tell us exactly what’s going on." Asher presses, impatience simmering in his eyes.

"I am not in love with her. If anything, I think I thought I was because she reminds me so much of Olivia and has the same qualities I fancy in her sister. This whole confusion started when Elyon arranged blind dates for me, you know the one that led me to meet Cree? Maddie was one of them. I stood her up because obviously I wasn’t going to date Liv’s kid sister."

"And since then?" I ask.

was so obsessed with destroying her life that I made a lot of bad decisions I regret. These past few weeks, I have been trying to rectify my mistake and not destroy a young woman’s life simply because she was looking out for her sister. That’s the whole situation with Hunter." He adds, throwing a sidelong glance at Asher. Then, he turns to me. "That’s

killed her boyfriend after stalking him

both stare in horror as Ashal stutters. "There it is." Asher gives

was an accident. She

for instance. I was drunk." I reply,

of her because of everything I’ve done to alter the course

not realize it but it definitely is more than feeling protective. How did you feel whenever you saw her with her late boyfriend? Angry or worried?" My eyes dip to his clenching fists.

is fucked up. His

think I don’t realize

out to

him in unison. He

room and

on him."

"Where are you going?"

I cast a glance at the door. "I’ll see what I can do about Ashal. He needs a long session with his therapist for sure and beyond that, a reality check. Can you try to reach Olivia and see what’s up between them? She might be able to soothe him for now. See if you can get

sure if that will work but I hope it does. From everything Ashal has told me about their crumbling marriage, Olivia has mentally checked out. Still, she knows all about his condition and if she desperately wants an out, she should be willing to

***

you just ask

"Yes, I just did."

sighs loudly and combs through her blowout with her fingers. "Look, I told you already that whatever spark your brother felt for me was as a result of my acting skills. I am eternally grateful for everything he has done for me and I really wish I could help him but pretending to be interested him just doesn’t sound fair.

you can’t tell me that you never felt anything else for him beyond gratitude the whole time you were together. He spoke a lot about you in a way that he had never spoken of any woman for as long as I can remember. All I am asking is that you try to see if there’s still anything between you two right now, even if it turns out to be a mere platonic

dredged up our past relationship since I got busted for working with Shay aka Nicola. The last time we met, I was accusing your father

his brothers put you up to this. Trust me, he won’t

"And why is that?"

mind off a certain other woman whom he isn’t ready to admit he has fallen for and right now, that’s

Spend time with my brother. He’s been going through a rough time lately and could use your help as a woman he has nursed romantic feelings for.

"Don’t insult me, Ashton."

hands. "I’m very desperate here.

it is I am supposed to be to him, it can’t be forced.

"Fair enough. Thanks Cree."

going with your sister? Found her

but

airing the news. The clip of Demi being pushed by a stranger during one of her public outings has me leaping to my feet. Thankfully, a young man breaks her fall before she can tumble down the short

wrong?" Cree asks

my pocket. Keith hasn’t responded to me but right now, I am more worried about Demi as

Demi had because she hadn’t exactly fallen on her face. However, that doesn’t ease my panic. Who could have done something so malicious to her knowing she’s in the early stage of her pregnancy? I

okay?

home." Demi

"I’m on my way."

I am when I arrive the mansion. Duncan and his men have already been sent out to find the culprit. Demi is seated in the living room while everyone else is up on their feet trying to make sense of the situation. Ashal is

could have attempted to hurt her?" Mother asks

go over to Demi and ask how she is faring. Ashley looks really

Nicci’s disappearance is a move to disguise her pregnancy

the phone. "It’s been confirmed. Nicola is still on the

think she was behind this?" Ashley asks him.

Is it really farfetched to suspect that she might have snuck back into

have beaten the guards securing her

I bet he is

teeth while Demi silently seethes at the shift of his concern from her to his baby’s mother.

were you, Ashley? I thought you were supposed to

stunt like this? Besides, do you really expect me to be hovering around her every second of the day since she’s pregnant? Even Billion-Err has been talking about that, asking how many married men have the time to trail after their pregnant wives. I had to give

appears and nods in greeting to

"Yes?" Father implores him.