Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 134: Chapter 134

ASHAL

Maddi observes a few seconds of silence after I asked her the question.

"Maddi? Do I have your word?"

"No." She replies firmly, breaking my heart into tiny splinters. "No, Mr. Ashal. You have no right to ask that of me. My sister has been through a lot and a speedy divorce is just a scratch on the surface compared to what you owe her. You’re going to sign the divorce papers and set her free by weekend. If you do that, maybe I’ll try to forgive you for lying about Alfie’s death."

My body shudders with shock. "What?"

"I don’t want to ask the questions in my head. I don’t want to know how or why you did it because then I won’t be able to think of you as just a man, Mr. Ashal. Alfie’s brother knows your family bribed the officers to cover up Alfie’s death as a drug overdose despite the bruises on his face. He was warned by his superior to stop looking into the case and mourn quietly because your family wants it closed" Her voice trembles now. "You already admitted to seeing us in front of the dorm that day and I can’t think of anyone else who would have a bone to pick with Alfie."

"Maddi..."

"Please, no more lies." She cried. "Your family wouldn’t cover up the case if you weren’t guilty. You must have lost control again." She sniffles. "Give my sister that divorce and I’ll try not to hate you for what you did to Alfie. Do I have your word, Mr. Ashal?"

There’s no point in denying anything now.

"Yes."

She hangs up before I can get another word in. When I try to call her back, her phone’s turned off. I slam both hands on my steering wheel and growl loudly in my car. Why now? I thought I could coax her to give us a chance. Why does my condition always find a way to fuck up my happiness?

I keep trying her line like a maniac. I need to be sure she doesn’t hate me for what happened with her ex. Can she truly forgive me and overlook my flaws? My mind keeps whirling with torturous thoughts till I manage to make it home. I go straight to my room and shut myself in. Ashley already left to visit Nicci with Demi. Asher is probably in father’s study since he can move around by himself now. Ashton doesn’t appear to be home yet.

After a couple of hours, I step out of my room because I genuinely need to talk to someone about how depressed I am feeling. I find Asher alone in the game room, yelling on the phone.

"That snake! I knew he and his mother had something up their sleeves. They must have leaked those photos to get the attention." Asher nods at me as I enter and sink into a chair. "Three days? That’s too soon. Father agreed to that?" He runs a hand over his hair. "Fine. I’ll prepare. I think I can handle it, don’t worry. Hey, are you okay? You sound a bit weird and no matter how many times I ask, you keep denying it. What’s wrong. Did something else happen at the office that you aren’t telling me? Speak up. I can handle it."

A small sigh escapes my lips. I think I’ll just go find mother, but when I stand to leave, Asher waves me back in my seat.

"Alright. I’ll see you soon." He drops the call and turns to me. "Hey. If I had to guess what Ashton’s face looked like given the tone of his voice that’s making me worry, I’d wager it appears exactly like yours right now. Come on kiddo, what’s up with you? Let’s hear it."

"Don’t call me kiddo. We’re quads."

laptop on his thighs aside and leans forward with his elbows resting on

"How are you?"

with you. You really

promise you won’t

"Uh...."

for

JUDGE, ASHAL.

missed since his surgery. I can tell he’s struggling not to snarl at me for what happened with Alfie and my growing obsession with Maddi. He clenches and unclenches his fist for a few seconds after I bare

women I like and when I do, nothing else matters. I am unable to sacrifice that

your justification for killing

was an accident. You know

can see beyond the rose-tinted glasses to the problems that will crop up if you insist on going down this route. You’re divorcing Olivia on the faith that she would keep her NDA. The same woman who has broken it time and time

promised not to

a woman. This is me assessing the situation and telling you how it is. I’m showing you

"Thanks for the clarity but you’re only fixating on the negative outcomes like you’ve been trained to do. I don’t blame you. Father hasn’t taught us any better. Have you stopped to think what if it’s the complete opposite of what you just said? What if Olivia

wrong about her. Look what a huge loss we suffered because of father’s scandal. If your condition leaks along with records of the crimes you’ve committed and a possible recording of your calls and conversations

life, he’s so hardwired to think of

it all?" I ask

"What do you mean?"

beneath us because of that false sense of ’honoring the family’. I personally have racked up points as a monster by trapping an innocent woman in a forced marriage and hurting her family just to keep my

the moistness in my

a monster himself. You just cheated death. Do you really want to continue being the same old Asher Rollins with a stone-cold heart that doesn’t permit real human feelings

entertaining such

you? The same man who claims to be married to the love of his life calls love a weakness and you believe him? You’re not being fair to yourself, brother. You keep turning away love when it finds you. Two women were literally fighting at the hospital to see you. I wish I could experience

eyes fall to his

time before your surgery, when you worried about dying not just because you’d miss your family or the business but because you felt you hadn’t truly lived. Do you truly have no desire to chart a different course for yourself other

all. Do you, brother. I really hope you’re right about Olivia and Madeline. I hope Madeline loves you as much as you love her

clean my own messes from

"Great."

still regret discussing such a personal and sensitive matter with a man who has never allowed himself to love a woman, I am glad I told him the hard truth he needed to hear. As he has seen, life is too short to live as father’s puppet. If I can hope for it, then Asher deserves a real shot at love