Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 164: Chapter 164

ASHTON

"Are you sure?"

"Yes sir. I ran a deep background check on Ms. Cree and discovered a specific timeframe when she volunteered at a home for the elderly two years ago. The records show that she was particularly fond of one of the patients there. His name is Patrick Sawyer."

Chills run down my back.

Patrick Sawyer? I mumble in my head. Who is he? Is he my biological father who’s rumored to be dead? If he isn’t, how is this man related to my family? What’s his relationship with Cree? Why did he tell her those secrets? Does father know about this man?

Speaking of the devil, I jolt in surprise when father pats my shoulder. Instinctively, my informant hangs up the call.

"What’s the problem, son? Why are you so jittery?"

Son? It’s been a while since he used that term.

"Want to have a meal with us?"

I glance at my brothers and mother who beam up at me. Is father seriously being kind to me because he believes I have gotten rid of Demi, his enemy? I shrug my shoulders.

"Sure, but we’ll wait till Ashal returns. Where is he by the way?"

"I can’t reach him." Asher replies. "His phone’s turned off. Maybe he went to blow off some steam. Come on, Ashton. We can have a drink with him later. Let’s all have a late lunch." He swings an arm over my shoulder and steers me towards the dining table. "Don’t turn this down. This is the first time the family is speaking about eating together since the lid on Josh’s paternity was blown open." We both glance behind to see Ashley pulling mother and father along. "Mother’s been avoiding it for a while but because of you, she’s willing to eat as a family today. Let’s just make it through this meal without hitches. It’ll be a win in my books."

We get to the dining room and our lunch is served. Naturally, everyone is awkward at first. Mother and father eat like birds while avoiding each other’s eyes. They literally have to be reminded, prodded or coaxed to take the next spoon after swallowing. Otherwise, they space out. Asher and Ashley steer the conversation but no matter how tact they try to be, there’s no escaping the elephant in the room.

I try not to stare at Demi’s chair. It seems like ages ago when she used to join us for a meal as a whole family. A lot has changed since then and frankly, I fear that things might never go back to that point again when we felt like a formidable unit.

"Where have you been staying?" Father asks me out of the blue. My brothers almost choke on their meals. Before I can reply, mother beats me to it.

my son up in one of MY properties. As long as I am still alive, my boys will not be treated like orphans, you hear me? You can snatch his inheritance and shove it up your bastard’s throat in the guise of reprimanding my son. We

the room

delusions in your head for one second to

be bothered by Josh’s striking resemblance to you whenever I saw him at the HQ. I ignored your fatherly gestures towards him even when it bothered our children. I pretended not to understand the silent cues Josh and his mother kept flaunting in my face at every opportunity. I gave you enough chances to deal with that mess without blowing up our beautiful family but what did you do? You kept seeing Kristy secretly and inviting Josh to the mansion to test the patience

"Mother, please..."

at Asher to

finally going to have this conversation,

of them?" Father shakes his

She turns to each one of us. "I have grown to expect your father to keep things from me but it hurts to realize my sons have been doing the same too. You might think hiding things like Nicola’s miscarriage will protect my feelings but it won’t. It’ll only delay the hurt and coupled with the disappoint of keeping me

one day. You’ll start a family with the right woman. All of this will eventually pass." Her eyes track back

me like a fool who’s oblivious of what’s happening in her family are gone. I won’t sit back and watch you ruin everything we collectively built. I trusted you once and you failed me. I’m stepping out of the shadows to protect MY children and their rights even if you

too, Barbs. Stop talking like they

they? You threw Ashton under the bus in a heartbeat all in the name of punishing him. You disinherited a child you raised for twenty-five years; a child who was instrumental to the wealth you’re enjoying today. You threw him out in the cold and stripped him of everything he is entitled to and you call that discipline? Wow. you

"Mother, that’s enough. Please."

any favors by giving you an inheritance. Unlike the other billionaire families in this country with heirs that didn’t work for their inheritance, you boys built this so-called empire. Right from infancy, you garnered the attention we’re enjoying today. You brought the fame into this household and you’ve been working your bones

thought there was no other way to get it through Ashton’s thick skull how wrong he was to doubt my love for you all. He stubbornly kept upsetting my plans because of his obsession with..." He

is over as of this moment. My son is coming back home and you’re going to reinstate him. You have enough resources to settle Kristy’s son. Don’t you ever take what belongs to my

do, Barbara.

"Well, that went better than I

knuckles. Before I can wallow in the euphoria of this moment, my phone buzzes with a message. Not just my phone, but everyone’s phone at the table.

a regular family without ruining

Let’s not ruin it." He slides his phone to the far end of the table.

father and Ashley

It’s not fair that he’s missing

my brother here more than anything, I’m also eager to see what else my informant has uncovered. This is the wrong time to be away from my phone. Maybe Kayla’s the one trying to reach me with info on my sister or maybe Demi needs my help with something. It could be anyone and

"Fine. Call him."