Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 145: Chapter 145

DEMI

I’ve had a rather eventful set of days since the photos leaked. I narrowly escaped the lechers that tried to attack me on the street. Y

ou’d think my day got worse when I returned to the mansion and got kicked out but NO, that was my idea of a blissful end to a shit show. Things couldn’t have panned out better that night.

Despite my relief over my impending divorce, I wasn’t prepared for the media hate. It’s nothing like I’ve witnessed before. It’s been ten times more hellish. I even had to stay at Amanda Regan’s place after some displeased Ashley fans pelted eggs at me and trailed me towards Anna’s home. I couldn’t bring myself to draw the heat to her.

"Ignore them. Everything will blow over soon." Mrs. Regan assured me after she took me in. Her kids were not around and she was beyond ecstatic to have some company. I managed to get a call across to Anna in case she was worried about me.

When I overheard Asher’s drunken slur complaining about his fixed engagement to Michelle and how trapped he felt, I figured I could help him out in exchange for a favor he couldn’t refuse.

"What do you want?" Asher growls at me while Anna pretends to fuss around her kitchen. I ignore his condescending stare and cross my legs on the couch.

"I want you to make sure that nothing affects my divorce from your brother." I lean forward, matching the ire in his eyes. "I want you, Asher, to expedite that process as soon as possible."

He scoffs at me. "Is that all? I would love nothing more than to have you permanently separated from my family, as I am sure Ashley does too."

The part about Ashley is a lie if Ashley’s incessant calls and apologetic texts are any indication but I cheerily choose to gloss over the lie. Asher flicks a gaze towards Anna and his eyes steam. "Is there anything else you’re not telling me about your best friend here? Any more surprises I should be aware of?"

"Don’t bring her into this." I caution him but true to form, he pretends like I don’t exist and remains focused on Anna.

"Her secret boyfriend? The other reasons why she’s yearning for this divorce? Passing off her ideas as yours just to get me to owe her a favor? What else, Anna? Do I also have her to thank for you letting my drunk ass in that night? Did you only do it because Demi asked you to?"

"Very typical, Asher. Go right ahead. Heap the blame on her. Ignore your own faults and blame the rest of the world for not pandering to your desires." I chuckle dryly. "It’s indeed true what they say; people who don’t love themselves will always make you pay for loving them."

"Enough, Demi." Anna coos.

Asher finally let’s Anna off and turns to me. "You better watch that mouth of yours if you don’t want to be completely driven out of this country. Trust me, I only need to make one phone call."

"Don’t come at my friend like that." I warn him in a low voice. "You have no prerogative to accuse her of being distrustful, not after everything you’ve done to her. How dare you demand honesty from her when you have tons of dark secrets she’ll never know in this lifetime?"

Anna drops a dish with a clatter. "When you both are done bickering, show yourselves out." She storms past us into her bedroom and slams the door shut. Asher leaves first and afterwards, I go in to thank Anna for putting up with me.

"What are you going to do?" Anna asked with worry etched on her face. "You can’t stay hidden at Mrs. Regan’s for too long."

"It’s Just until the divorce is finalized and tempers cool down."

"You trust him?"

of the family tree." I sigh. "Till then, I sincerely hope Brett Rollins doesn’t come up with new ways to make my life miserable just to make a point. He has

aren’t you taking Ashton’s calls?

trying to help me. If I accept his help or even communicate with him, his father’s henchmen will trace me all the way to Mrs. Regan’s doorstep. She will lose her job and more for helping me. I don’t want

skeptical about trusting Ashton. Yes, he has gone out of his way to

when we eventually sit down to unpack everything, I don’t

real test will begin when his entire family finds out about me too and he has to make a decision to stand with them to stop me or stand by me to protect me from them. That’s the only time I am prepared to decide if he

photos and videos of Ashton sporting his natural hair color comes out a week later, I stifle a shocked moan. Once again, I can tell he

calling and online threats to discuss the bad boy of the Rollins’

replay the clips of him feathering his hands through his hair in the coffee chops, and smiling sheepishly as I go through the pictures. He looks so good, so different from his brothers

phone into my pocket, pull my hoodie over my head and venture out of Anna’s house by nightfall. It’s my

she’s mostly at work and I feel weird being alone all day in her big, strange house. It’s easier, warmer and more familiar at Anna’s so I chose to risk visiting my best friend once again. Unfortunately, Anna is working late

arms grab me. A startled scream rips out of my throat but gets cut off a second later when a hand clamps over my mouth. I kick and writhe against the

cat in a dark alley only to be discovered the next morning? More scary thoughts cross my mind as I

"Shh, It’s me."

all he

against his palm before

hands in his pocket coyly and shoots me a

***

"I was worried sick..."

him off, uncomfortable with the emotion

it can’t hurt to accept help

Your family knows you’d be trying to help and all they have to do is tail you. For all we know, your father could have been tipped off about my

forward. "This iciness in your voice, you don’t really believe I took those pictures of you and him or leaked them to Billion-Err, do you?" His voice is riddled with worry as he pins me with a deep

take or

Trevor? I thought so too but he was only

me with questions about my new lover. I thought you had told him all about it but later found out

me from what’s coming. Your family is bound to find out about my mom sooner or later. They’ll accuse me. Your father will bray for my blood out of paranoia. What will you do then? Will you stand with your loved ones to extinguish a perceived

my family did six years ago was reprehensible. We will never be able to atone for your loss.

catches. "What do you mean

the rims. "I’m so sorry, Demi. I shouldn’t have reported your mom to my father.

to spill it all? I burrow my hands under the table and contemplate flipping on my phone recorder but my hands

me without mincing words what truly happened that night, I beg

the part where he found my parents and tried to convince them to trust