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?"

but he’s Asher. He’s the only one who yearns for this divorce more than I do. I trust his steadfast commitment to blot me out 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 already

taking Ashton’s calls? He might be able to

his entire family knows he’ll be 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

I know exactly what Anna is thinking; I am still skeptical about trusting Ashton. Yes, he has gone out of his

can’t lose my head over 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

feels guilty but his actions are chiefly spurred by that guilt. The 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

stifle a shocked moan. Once again, I can tell he made a hard decision to shield

The media eases up on their name calling and online threats to discuss the bad

Anna’s place while reading all the comments, gasping as I 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

pocket, pull my hoodie over my head and venture out of Anna’s house by nightfall. It’s my first time back at Anna’s place since I spoke

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

my throat but gets cut off a second later when a hand clamps over my mouth. I

like a stray cat in a dark alley only to be discovered the next morning? More scary

"Shh, It’s me."

he had to

against his palm

his pocket

***

"I was worried sick..."

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

hurt to accept help to make things easier for

be trying to help and all they have to do is tail you. For all we know, your

enough to let anyone tail me successfully. We are alone, I assure you." He leans 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,

take or leak the photos,

did. Trevor? I thought so too but he was only obeying

that day and kept badgering me with questions about my new lover. I thought you had told him all about it

about my mom sooner or later. They’ll accuse me. Your father will bray for my blood out of

light goes off in his eyes. "The fact that you still have to ask..." His voice falters. "What my family did six years ago was reprehensible. We will never be able to atone for your loss.

"What do

father. I was young and foolish. I swear, I thought the worst that could happen was her

with pain. Is he really about to spill it all? I burrow my hands under the table and contemplate flipping on my

I urge him. "Tell me without mincing words what

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