Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 169: Chapter 169

ASHLEY

"Octavia is a dead end." Asher informs us in the game room. "Apparently, she and Skylar didn’t keep in touch for long after that fateful evening when she ran into me. She gradually went cold turkey on Octavia. They’ve gone their separate ways since then. Octavia was willing to make contact with Skylar but I suspect Skylar will smell a rat if another one of her old friends suddenly tries to make an appearance in her life. She’d know we are onto her."

"I think we’re past that now." Ashton replies. "Who’s to say Demi hasn’t already told her whatever she needs to know about us. They’re definitely working together." He grinds his teeth angrily.

"Is she still sending you those messages?" Asher asks him calmly.

"Blocked her. Can’t stand her being so two-faced. She’s trying to mess with me as usual." He hisses out a breath. "I was such a fool; a complete fool and she knew it. She knew it and took advantage of it, of me! She counted on my blind trust to shield her from everyone else’s suspicion. And every time, I never disappointed the stereotype. I made her work easy and now because of me, Ashal..."

Asher snaps his fingers at him. "Stop it. We promised we wouldn’t talk about him like that. It’s nobody’s fault or it’s everybody’s fault, remember?"

Ashton sniffles. "By nightfall tomorrow, Ashal will be here with us. Everything will be fine. That’s all I want to think about."

Our birthday is tomorrow. Billion-Err has been actively publicizing it and teasing about Ashton’s big confession. The guest list has long been completed but our phone lines keep ringing off the hook from uninvited rich folks that are pleading for a chance to attend.

Some even suggested the venue of the party be changed to a hotel auditorium with a sitting capacity of one thousand to accommodate more guests. They were willing to pay for it but we vehemently refused their disguised ploy to watch our ruination in 5D.

The mention of Ashal makes the hole in my heart deepen.

"You’re awfully quiet." Asher observes, staring at me. "What’s up with you?"

I massage a nasty ache around the band of my neck. "There’s nothing to be excited about around here. I’m just anxious about tomorrow. I am worried about Ashal and how he is doing. I’m afraid Demi won’t keep her word and might actually hurt our brother to spite us. I’m worried about the outcome of Ashton’s confession tomorrow and what would become of our family if we’re branded criminals afterwards. I’m worried about..." I trail off, keeping the last bit to myself because it somehow pales in comparison to everything else and yet, it hurts like a bitch.

"Look at me." Asher commands in a low tone. "We’ve got to be prepared for the worst, okay? There’s a fat chance that’s how things will go tomorrow. With the exception of Ashal returning safely back home, we haven’t made any solid preparations to shield ourselves from the media blizzard tomorrow."

"Ashal will be safe." Ashton assures me. "We’ve got that covered."

"Then why are you still going ahead with the confession?"

"Because I need to put on a show to distract Demi long enough for Ashal to be rescued. If she suspects for one second that I plan to abort and orders Liam to hurt Ashal before we can get to him, then all of this would have been for nothing. I DON’T CARE ABOUT GOING TO JAIL. I just want Ashal home."

He checks his temper and clears his throat. "Like Asher said, be prepared for the worst." When he grabs a bottle of whiskey off the bar without bothering with a glass, I know for certain he is drowning in pain, again. Asher waits till Ashton leaves for his bedroom before turning to me.

"Give it to me straight." I tell him. "I know you and father have made plans the rest of us aren’t aware of. I need to know everything."

He dims his eyes at me. "Are you sure or is this just a ruse to distract yourself from whatever transpired between you and Nicci recently."

throat dries up. Of course, he

"You had me followed."

think that shouldn’t come as a surprise

all go out with security tailing us. Yesterday, I instructed mine to wait outside when I visited Nicci’s apartment after she returned to Danvarr. It was going to be our first time meeting after the loss of our baby. I felt it was awkward enough between us to allow a bodyguard be in the same room, hence the

at the island slide and went to see her, hoping to get to the bottom of her withdrawal. I had a gut feeling that she might secretly blame me for our loss,

me while she went through the first trimester. Could her restlessness have resulted in the miscarriage? Maybe she wouldn’t have fallen ill if I had been there to keep her company. A myriad of thoughts continued to float through my head while Nicci

about her. I dismissed it and concluded that my perception might have been influenced by the fact that I hadn’t seen her in a long while. Slowly,

in town." I

yet here

communicate indifference. I inclined my head towards her. Her body was poised in defense with one leg crossed over the other and her shoulders held

that inform me about

on the island, your friends at the airport and the many people under your payroll here in Danvarr would get the message across to you faster than any

by her coldness.

as hearing it from you! That’s my point,

simmering beneath the surface. Rather than giving into the urge to throw a fit, I edged closer to her and took her

it as ours. You have every reason under the sun to hate me." My throat tightens as I fend off the emotions surging within me. "Maybe this is my karma. I am not fit to be a dad. Maybe that’s why the

mine and stood up, walking a little distance away

have to rehash the past. What’s done is done, Ashley. It’s time to move on with our lives and I’d prefer we did so as

her on my feet, shock splattered

talking about?

through right now. I just...I’m just done with you, Ashley. I can’t do it anymore. I’m tired of pining for your love and attention. I’m tired of having my life and my identity being

don’t do this. I’m not in the right frame of my mind to handle this shock. I understand that you’re hurt and you need time. I understand that you’ve fallen out of love with me given everything I put you through. I’m not trying to force anything here but I beg you, don’t cut me out of your life like we never happened. I’m willing to wait as long as it takes for you to forgive me. I’ll

how fast my heart was beating. I had lost too much already. Nicci was a constant in my life I wasn’t ready to lose as well. I was a fool to have taken so long to appreciate the people in my life but losing fame, fortune and friends within the same timeline has taught me to treasure those that still

Nicci." I got on my

She cut me off, retreating. "Please

time and your career. I’ll help you get back into the

your money. I’ll build my life back without

would you have me do? What

be friends. I can’t do that. I just need

is about my family, they’ll never bother you again. That’s my promise to you. Just give me one more chance to prove myself to you, Nicci. Things will be different now, you’ll see. You won’t compete for my attention with anyone else. You’ll have the whole of me. We can truly build something special together like we always dreamed. Our love story will no longer be interrupted."

pregnant. I made it all up, got fake test results to convince you to marry me. I never expected you to turn me into your prisoner and abandon me on some island. I’m grateful I was never pregnant or you wouldn’t be here, apologizing on your knees. Instead, you’d have sent more guards to keep watch over me till your baby was born. After the child was born, who knows what would become of me having outlived my usefulness in the eyes of the almighty

me to the point that I fail to

"Hey, Ash. Ashley!"