Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 147: Chapter 147

DEMI

I knock over my coffee when news footage of Liam being led away in handcuffs airs on TV the next morning.

"Oh dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Regan bolts to her feet, wiping off the brown smudge on her new table cloth. I am too distracted to even feel the scalding burn from the spilled coffee on my hand. My eyes remain glued to the TV.

"No. No." I continue to hum. Liam? How could this happen? I reach for my phone and dial his number but it’s switched off.

"Demi, do you know him?"

I continue to ignore Mrs. Regan unintentionally while I try to make sense of the shocking news. How did this happen? I thought Ashton has everything handled with respect to the Spellman and Rollins deal? How was Liam exposed as Billion-Err? Does he have a lawyer to fight for his defense? How could his own family throw him under the bus like that?

Ashton’s phone is turned off as well when I try it, and this worsens my anxiety.

"Demi, are you going somewhere? You can’t go out right now, remember?" My host reminds me with concern etched all over her face after I lurch to my feet. She comes around the table to calm me down. "What is it, dear? Why has the news got you all tensed up? Shouldn’t you be happy that the notorious blog that constantly bullies you and your family has finally been stopped?"

I sniffle. "I’m sorry, Amber. I didn’t mean to make a mess." I grab the towel from her to pad off the rest of the coffee but she stops me. She cups my chin and makes me look directly in her eyes.

"Should I be worried?"

I tear my eyes away from her maternal ones that strangely feel like looking into my own mother’s eyes.

"No." I respond, shaking my head. "I was just caught off guard. I’ll be fine."

"I feel bad leaving you here all by yourself the entire day."

"She won’t be by herself." Someone chimes, entering the kitchen. We look up to find Maddox beaming charmingly at us. "Hey mom." He turns and winks at me. "Hey, you."

"Demi, Maddox happens to have some time to kill and volunteered to keep you company while I am away at the HQ."

Normally, I’d be grateful for their sacrifices but right now, I don’t want a babysitter. I want to talk to Ashton or Anna and figure out how to get Liam freed because without him and Billion-Err, my revenge is as good as botched. More importantly, my cover could be blown depending on how much the likes of Asher incentivizes Liam.

I surge to my feet. "I’m sorry but I have to meet up with someone. It’s urgent. Maddox, thank you so much for being considerate of me. Maybe we can hang out some other time. Amber, have a great day at work." They stand speechless and watch me sprint up the stairs to shower and prepare for my day.

In between my shower, I call Halle at the mansion and she informs me that she’s just as shocked at the news. She’s also worried. According to her, she warned Liam the previous night after Brett boasted to his sons that Billion-Err had been unmasked and Liam would be arrested soon. She didn’t understand why Liam didn’t flee.

I get that Liam is arrogant but he is not stupid. Why did he think he was untouchable?

Halle adds that Ashton spent half of the night with his father in the study. I silently wonder what that’s about.

"You’re still here?" I exclaim when I go downstairs and find Maddox waiting for me.

"I thought you might need a ride to wherever you’re going." Something warm blooms in my chest at his gentlemanliness. "Oh, Kat arrived too. She brought a friend." He adds with a coy smile.

his eyes when Kat strolls over with her friend and says hi to

is my roommate, Skylar. Sky,

Her eyes are more mesmerizing and unapologetically pulls you into their depth.

Skylar" We

Maddox but when I mentioned you were staying here, she promptly asked to accompany me today." Kat grins at the mortified look

brave to marry one of

admiring and judging me at the same time. "Are you a fan of the quads too?" I move to break the

firmly. "I think they’re

when Skylar turns and notices him. Kat steps between them, bids me goodbye before yanking her friend’s arm to give

off at

you don’t want

before he drives away. I pull down my face cap and walk to Anna’s door only

Asher orders

***

her home without warning me first. Did she know he was going to be here? Is that why she isn’t

I query him after five minutes of uncomfortable silence. He flexes his shoulder. Why is he just staring at me? Is this about my mom? I hope Ashton handled it like he promised.

the divorce papers you were hoping

The look of pure irritation on his

you got, Demi Branson? Billion-Err? Seriously?" He laughs hard with a hand on his belly. "Whoa, I really thought you were a formidable threat. I spent months fidgeting for nothing. If that fool right there is the length and breath of your revenge scheme against my family, then consider yourself saved." The humor dries from his face. "If on the other hand there is more to it, then, you’d definitely want to reconsider. This isn’t a battle you can win, Demi, not even with

and chuck it in his face. "If you have nothing better to say to me, get out of

apology? Asher is indeed a mini version of Brett Rollins regardless of what their DNA samples say. I feel tempted to claw his eyes

you thought we

Asher. You’re not as smart as you think. Turns out I was worried for nothing."

Have us locked up for good? Run our empire to the ground or perhaps steal our wealth?" He laughs derisively. "If you think we’ve toiled with our blood and sweat to build an empire that a

about my parents’ death." My eyes, to my annoyance, begin to sting with tears. "It’s one thing to accidentally cause the loss of innocent lives but lying to their loved

you intend to make him pay for the manslaughter?" He takes pleasure in the pale sheen of my face as I look away. "Are you really going to punish the only member of our family that stood by your side even before he knew who you

my fingers to stop them

in common despite not being biologically related to each other." When his eyes widen in surprise, I relish the second and smile brightly. "What’s the story, Asher?

I didn’t mean to tell him my findings but his cockiness got the better of me. I sincerely hope I don’t regret

whole lot more where that came from." I tell him, knowing he’s wondering where I got such classified information. "Don’t

a silent plea which makes me grin. "Liam? You enlisted him to

be locked up forever. If your family didn’t thrive on offending

to be

maim or even kill people in blind rage or keep them hidden away from their families and the world just to hide my

secret too. I love how each reveal chips away at his

for this long considering how much you guys have wronged me besides the death of my parents. Revenge?

face can only be fear. I am beyond glad I could pull such a reaction from him. I need to ram it home that if they dare to come after

DIVORCE PAPERS I ASKED FOR WHILE I AM STILL BEING NICE, ASHER ROLLINS OR ALL YOUR FAMILY’S DIRTY SECRETS

expels a short breath and smiles at me. Wordlessly, he whips out another document from the