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?"

I sincerely hope Brett Rollins doesn’t come up with new ways to make my life miserable just to make a point. He has already frozen all my accounts and left

you taking Ashton’s calls? He might be

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

thinking; I am still skeptical about trusting Ashton. Yes, he has gone out

that. At the end of the day, he’s connected to my greatest pain and when we eventually sit down to unpack everything, I don’t know if my feelings would change after that. I’m not sure if his will either when

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

out a week later, I stifle a shocked moan. Once again, I can tell he made a

threats to discuss the bad boy of the Rollins’ quad looking hotter than ever with

clips of him feathering his hands through his hair in the coffee chops, and smiling sheepishly as I go

over my head and venture out of Anna’s

and I feel weird being alone all day in her big, strange house. It’s easier, warmer and more familiar

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

or Asher’s doing? Is this how I’ll die like a stray cat in a dark alley only to be discovered the next morning? More scary thoughts cross

"Shh, It’s me."

all he had

against his palm before he frees

pocket coyly and shoots

***

"I was worried sick..."

him off, uncomfortable with the emotion in his voice. "I can

to accept help to

easier for me, Ashton, even if you want to. 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

assure you." He leans forward. "This iciness in your voice, you don’t really believe I took those

you didn’t take or leak

too but he was

my chair. "It was Ashley one hundred percent. He acted weird when I got back home that day and kept badgering me with questions about my new lover. I thought you had told him all about it but later found out

I know you feel guilty about my parents but these interventions won’t shield 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 threat as usual or would you keep your

His voice falters. "What my family did six years ago was reprehensible.

"What do

reported your mom to my father. I was young and foolish. I swear, I thought the worst that could happen

burrow my hands under

me." I urge him. "Tell me without mincing words what truly happened that night, I beg

Regan already told me, including the bit about Samuel Woodley’s attack on Ashley, until he got to the part where he found my