Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 155: Chapter 155

ASHAL

"Why are you quiet?" I ask mother with red eyes. She’s sitting up on her bed, with a shawl swaddling her body. I’ve watched her sitting quiet for two days ever since Ashton left the mansion. I think I’ve given her more than enough time to recuperate and tell me why the fuck she’s watching our family burn to the ground.

I lurch to my feet and stifle the urge to kick something. "Why, mother? Don’t act like you’re powerless. If anyone can stop his madness, IT’S YOU. Again, I ask, why are you choosing to stay quiet even after he kicked Ashton out?" Her eyebrows slant upwards at me.

"Ashton will be fine." Her voice is a tender whisper. "I put plans in place to make sure he’s taken care of out there. He won’t want for anything or live like a pauper, never." She pulls the shawl tighter around her body, quivering to a chill I can’t sense. "Otto will see to it that your brother’s fine so don’t worry about him."

I suppress the urge to sigh in relief and continue to fume. "You still didn’t answer my question, mother. Why are you doing nothing about all the craziness going on in this house? Father is out of control..."

"Out of control?" She reiterates with a baffled look on her face. Slowly, she breaks into a teary laugh. "That’s not entirely accurate, Ashal. Your father might be set in his unconventional ways of handling tough situations but that’s only because it’s the fastest way to get things handled. I don’t always support his acts." Her voice falters as pain flits across her pupils.

"I never expected such a monumental betrayal from him after everything we’ve been through but I am trying so hard to shed the pain that’s threatening to drown me right now, just so I can save our family. A lot is happening with Billion-Err and if I trusted that you and your brothers were capable of putting out this fire before it guts our family, I would have called your father in order. However, no matter how much I hate to admit it, I have to let him handle it his way. He’s the only one that can get us out of this pit fast enough."

"What the hell are you saying right now? You’re going to watch him hurt more people just to get out of taking responsibility for our wrongs as a family?"

She stretches out her hands and clasps my cheeks. Her fingers are cold. "I won’t watch my boys go to jail. I just can’t. Call me names. Hate me but I can’t be parted from any of my children, not right now." Tears cloud her eyes. "Your father and I have yet to discuss Josh and his mother. I’m holding out till he saves us from the impending doom, and then we will broach that topic but for now, I can’t bear to be parted from you guys, especially now. I’ll go crazy so yes, I’ll turn a blind eye for as long as I need to if it means my sons aren’t whisked away to prison."

"But Ashton and I..."

"I overheard. I don’t care if you’re prepared to face the music. There are some things you’ll never understand until you become a parent and right now, it’s my obsession with protecting my sons. I’m a mother, Ashal; your mother! I don’t mind being called a bad mom but I will do whatever it takes to keep my boys safe. I’ll take on the world if I have to."

She drops her hands from my face and takes my hands. "You don’t doubt me too, do you? You’re not going to take away my right to call you my son simply because I hid the truth that you were adopted, right?"

She pins me with a look that’s flushed with pain.

"Of course not. You are the only mother I know. I would have loved some honesty on the issue especially after we grew older but my feelings towards you will never change."

a hug. "It breaks my heart that you all had to find out the way you did but it wasn’t maliciously hidden from you. Ashton has it

felt that we were protecting you from the pain." I pull her face up to stare into it, to

kept up the IVF story to prevent the world from attacking us as your adopted sons. They already judge us too much and keep looking for ways to take us down. I completely understand that hiding the

the

divorce, Nicola’s miscarriage

I don’t like it when you’re being perceived

nerves and I am certain he’s fishing for information to go feed his mother. They clearly have their sights

unspoken conversation communicated through my eyes.

Father stands in front of it, bubbling with

madness is this?

his frosty eyes to

"WHERE IS SHE?"

being confused at his question

charging forward. I firm my feet on the ground and keep my head high. "How dare you divorce and set her

head

face. "I didn’t realize I needed your permission to live my life or do what’s best

caused around here and you

many more lies have you all been telling? Am I no longer a part of this family??? Why do you guys keep things from

a reassuring pat. "I’ll fill you

taught you how to deal with these matters but you all think of my methods as crude and evil. I did all I could to teach you not to trust people out there but you keep letting your emotions take over

even stayed away from Maddie despite how much I long to see her. I hid my feelings and ran to rehab to deal with my condition and nurse my broken heart as well. Olivia can’t do this to

"How’d you know that?"

answers with a searing look. "I can’t believe even Asher gave in to your stupidity by trusting that wench’s word. For all we know, she could be half way across the world by now, WITH YOUR CHILD! She could be plotting to expose

my hands in my pocket to hide the tremor

wouldn’t risk it. Her family

GONE. You think I didn’t check? Unlike you boys, I am very thorough." He massages his aching temples while I look away to hide the shock and fear churning