Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 150: Chapter 150

DEMI

My phone has been ringing off the hook. I dry my eyes, turn it off and chuck it at the far end of the room. Someone raps softly on my door.

"Demi? Are you up?" My uncle asks.

I dry my eyes and pull my duvet over my head.

"No."

He opens the door and lets himself in. I feel the edge of my bed dip as his weight sinks into it. When he tries to pull the duvet off my head, I fight back to keep it on.

"You can’t hide in here forever."

"Watch me."

I’m going to rot in this room. It would be better than facing any of my ties back in Danvarr. I am mortified by how gullible I was. I am ashamed that my quest for revenge was never mine to begin with, but a small part of a major scheme. How did I never suspect Liam? How did he trick me for so long? I thought I was in control of the plan. I thought I was the star player in the game only to find out I was a pawn the whole time.

Just when I had come to my senses and wanted to call everything off, Liam and his accomplices already planned to heap hot coals of blame on me, blame I can’t defend myself from. He has recordings of all our conversation, pictures of our meetings. He could fabricate whatever crime he wanted and peg me as the culprit.

And Ashton? He would never believe me or forgive me. As much as his father deserves to go down, Ashton has shown remorse and willingness to change. I believe he deserves a second chance.

I wish I could somehow convince him that Liam set me up but it’s too late now. No one will buy that line, not with the overwhelming evidence stacked against me. Maybe I deserve to be framed as a punishment for the malice I bore in my heart for so long. This is my karma for not listening to my uncle, Mrs. Regan and everyone else who warned me along my journey to let bygones be bygones.

"Can you at least eat something? You haven’t had anything to eat or drink since you arrived last night."

"I’m not hungry, uncle Marcel. I just want to be left alone." Sniffling, I pull a pillow to my chest and hug it tightly.

"Demi, you can’t run away from your problems by staying cooped up in a room. You won’t even tell me what the matter is? You showed up at my home at midnight with a teary face and cried through the night. What’s really going on? Is this about the accusations of infidelity and your impending divorce?"

"I don’t want to talk about it..."

"You have to say something to me before my overthinking gets the better of me." He runs a hand over his face and stares intently at me for a few seconds. "I know you’re hurting but somehow, I have a hunch that the problem runs deeper than a marital spat."

"Please uncle, just stop."

He sighs heavily before leaving me. Alone, I cry even harder. By noon, my uncle returns with my lunch in a tray, only to find my breakfast untouched. My eyes are bloodshot now. He drops the food and attempts to apologize to me.

sorry, Demi. I’m just so worried

or two away from Danvarr to collect my thoughts before returning. I’ll sort

I’m sorry that while you were asleep, I came in and broke into your phone. I needed to contact

call, uncle?" My eyes

"I just thought that..."

CALLED MY HUSBAND?" I almost cried in shock, seeing Ashley’s name atop the log. "YOU TOLD HIM

I was only trying to find a close contact to call but once I turned your phone on, a call came through. I grew conflicted about taking your call so I didn’t pick up. However, I copied out the number and called afterwards. He’s on his way

heart is galloping in my chest. "Ashley

could I have forgotten what it was like to live with relatives and how they tend to get nosy under the guise of being worried? Aunt Elizabeth and Kira always abused my right to privacy by touching my things but I never figured uncle Marcel

his way here, then I don’t have a lot of time to take off. The call was already an hour and the half old. That’s about how long it should take the quads on their private jet

of." Uncle says after he finds

While we get into a brief, heated exchange about our

Ashley is here already?

not taking you back home if you’re not ready to go. He’s just here to

not his car." I reply, alarmed. The car parked in front of my uncle’s house is very unfamiliar. "There are no bodyguards either." Though that shouldn’t surprise me as much, it still makes the hairs on my forearms tingle. I pull away

was at the

***

"I’ll get the door."

uncle stops me. "It’s my house and you’re a guest. I’ll get it. Stay here." My fingers turn to ice glaciers as I watch him

"Demi?"

"Ashley?"

you been? I’ve been

me when he turned my life into an obstacle course by leaking mine and Liam’s photos to Billion-Err? He hasn’t even apologized to me for being yet to

you want?" I ask dryly, glancing towards the door. "Why

"Where?"

"Here, at my..."

My uncle calls loudly. "YOUR FRIEND, ANNA,

I mutter under my breath. How could Anna

I hang up on him. After a knock, my

Ashley thought you’d feel better seeing your friend so he sent her

my arms when Cree Baxter

she whispers into my ear. "Play along, Demi. You wouldn’t want to upset Liam, trust me." She eases back, the fake smile tugging at her lips. I remain

you just up and leave without telling

to the real situation, he beams at me before shutting the door behind him. Cree takes a lazy tour of my room, running