Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 143: Chapter 143

ASHER

"What is that supposed to mean?" Father queries me when I bluntly refuse to be a part of fixing Ashley’s mess.

"It’s exactly what it sounds like, father. I’m done being your puppet. You never truly valued my hard work anyway. Despite how many times I tirelessly poured my soul into crushing company goals, you never made me feel like I was past the point of begging to be your successor. At every minor inconvenience, you dangled that dream in my face like a carrot. Conversely, Josh’s chances as a strong contender for the same seat never shook no matter what he did. I’m done being your pawn. You’re welcome to do your worst."

"ASHER!"

"DON’T ASHER ME!" I snap right back at him. "How dare you?" I ask, charging towards him. "How dare you continuously underestimate the man you created? You molded me into this subservient, slavishly obedient son and hammered it home that your love and trust could only be earned by more hard work. All my life, I’ve felt like I’m on a hamster’s wheel, constantly running but never truly meeting your standard. Look where it’s gotten me." I chuckle dryly. "While one brother selfishly dumped his fiancée without a thought and got away with it, my father’s reward to me for my obedience all these years was to serve me up on a platter to the Spellmans in order to achieve his selfish agenda. You have absolutely no regard for me or my feelings on the matter."

Father slams his right palm on his desk. "What rubbish feelings, Asher? Are you seriously uttering this nonsense? I thought you knew better!"

"I do and that’s why I know that you are a hypocrite!" I ignore the anger simmering in his eyes. "You dare to proselytize me on the cons of believing in and marrying for love but you’re happily married to the love of your life. How hypocritical of you!"

He scowls at me before mumbling. "No. Not hypocritical at all." He sinks back in his seat. "Get out then. Duncan and I will handle it. I don’t need you. You and your brothers have done enough damage."

Something about his demeanor makes me anxious. "What do you mean by ’not hypocritical at all’? I ask him. My eyes dim with understanding. "Are you trying to say mother isn’t your true love?"

"GET OUT, ASHER!"

Refusing to think about the import of his words, I storm out of there. How am I just realizing how much my family sucks? I feel like smashing something. I badly want to go to a rage room but the closest one is quite a distance from our mansion. Maybe I’ll have one set up on the second floor or the basement for moments like this.

Ashley is sulking in his room after Demi’s departure. Ashton, that piece of work, is upstairs too but I don’t want to run into him right now. However, I am more pissed at Ashal who is still in rehab.

It was his idea that I forge a new path. If he hadn’t gotten into my head using my post-surgery experience as an analogy, I would still be the Asher who didn’t balk at his duties. I wouldn’t be fighting with father for sure. I’d be ecstatic about my engagement to a woman of his choice.

Instead, I am feeling selfish and desiring to break a few rules myself. Now, I am struggling to enjoy being told what to do, especially who to marry. While I have been lording over my brothers this whole time, and forcing them to obey father’s commands like they’re issued by God, I was under the impression that I was better than them all. I had no idea how difficult it was to tread a different path. It’s the scariest thing I ever tried.

It would be easier to try to become father’s favorite son again but I just seem to have lost my rhythm forever. Now, I am stuck in between, unsure what path will both fulfil and liberate me.

Confused, I find my way to Anna’s house. I have no idea what I want to say to her but I am drawn to her for some reason. When she opens the door and finds me half drunk on her porch, she only emits a sigh. I barely finish reeling out a disoriented apology before she lets me in.

***

walk into my office by eleven thirty the next morning. It’s my first time coming late in

sympathize for Ashley’s broken marriage." He pretends to think about it. "Well, congrats. You and Michelle seem like a match made on

see myself breaking his nose and wiping off the smug grin on his face. My head steams as a billion snide remarks fill it to bursting. With a

Josh." I

would be futile. Frankly, I am still feeling depleted and discouraged after my exchange with father who is always looking for an opportunity to give the company to

executive assistant with a juicy

under Josh? How could she betray me like that? Even if I did threaten

what they consider the best for them. Why do I feel so guilty doing the same? Why am I second guessing my plan to inform the media that my engagement to Michelle is untrue? Why am I seriously contemplating

I query Ashton the second he picks up my

"Do what?"

do you make decisions that could drive a stake through the core of our business or family interest and

doing the right thing at that

has taught me a few hard truths about myself and my life. I hate that I had to find out this way but I

going to do about

"Never mind. Talk later."

Ashton will get out of a sticky situation forced on him courtesy of our father, by taking rash decisions, my methods

place? Is it all to finalize a deal between two companies?" Anna quizzed while she cradled

to become one and marriage

feelings remain the same if their reputation is smeared or if Rollins Group gets leaps and bounds ahead of Spellman

that." I sat up because I knew where she was going with

for you unlike Ashton. So, do you. Wriggle out of this situation the way only Asher can; by showing your father he can

office during lunch. Unsurprisingly, Josh is there, trying to coax father into going to lunch

"Father?"

both look up, surprised at

"Asher?" Father replies.

word." I slant my head as a cue that Josh excuses us. Reluctantly, he takes shambling steps out of the

but I cut right to the chase and