Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 177: Chapter 176

ASHER

"Thank you for coming." I say to Mrs. Olga, a youthful looking CEO in her forties, just before kissing her cheeks. "It was a pleasure to have you." She palms my cheek with a naughty look glistening in her eyes.

"It’s Ms. Olga. My divorce was recently finalized." She clarifies, fluttering her thick lashes. "You’re a very good-looking man, Asher Rollins. Why don’t you pay me a visit at my vacation home on Kingston Avenue? I assume you’d be interested in discussing Rollins Group and how we can do business together." Her eyes are literally undressing me at this point.

"That’s very sweet of you, Ms. Olga..."

"Oh, please, just call me Olga. No formality needed." A seductive wink follows as she skims my shoulder with her hand. "That’s a strong arm you’ve got under there. Can’t wait to see everything under these clothes. Call me?"

I just nod my head. Thankfully, her chauffeur steers her away to her car.

"Was that the last one?" Anna asks, coming up behind me.

"I hope so because I am done with seeing these guests off! I need a shower and a shut eye for at least four hours. "Then after a brief glance at my watch, "Make that three. I have an early meeting tomorrow..." I trail off when I note her demeanor. "Oh, you’ve got something on your face."

"What?" She reaches for her cheek and starts wiping. "What is it? Is my makeup running? Is it a food stain?"

"Yeah, looks like a stain all right." I lean close to have a better look. "What did you eat? Your face is all GREEN." Then I burst out laughing at her. She gives my shoulder an impressive punch and scowls at me. "Careful, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re being jealous right now."

"You wish, Asher Rollins." Rolling her eyes, she fluffs her hair. "I’m just a very good actress if you haven’t noticed." Her eyes dart around the mansion, over the thinning guests and the uniformed cleaners taking down decorations and transforming the mansion back to it’s original look. "Tonight was...interesting."

I join her to peer at the view. "That’s one way to put it." I draw in a sharp breath. "Thank you for showing up. I would have lost my marbles if I had some pompous and cocky heiress tethered to my hip all night."

"Wow, never thought the day would come when Asher Rollins would loathe the attention of gorgeous women from affluent families jostling for him." She chuckles at me. "Seriously, you went to town with our performance. I can only imagine the headlines tomorrow. I know you’re used to it but I am not. What if people criticize my looks, height, weight and so on? Will I be able to have a normal day at the work next week?"

"Hey, hey, calm down." I take her hands in mine. "I’m sure those reporters present tonight will have more than enough fodder to write clickbait articles about my family to be bothered by our little display. If at all they happen to mention us, it definitely won’t be a cover story. You have nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?"

I squeeze her cheeks. "I’ll make sure."

She grins at that and I mirror the same expression, hoping to mask the slight sting I feel over her concern. Frankly, I’m not sure if I am more disappointed in myself for not having the courage to admit and embrace my strong feelings for her or the fact that she seems ostensibly unbothered by my indecision.

definitely something between us, a connection that I never thought would survive the strain on our unlabeled relationship caused by our differing views on Demi’s revenge. The break was a real struggle for me. It opened my eyes to the fact that a single woman can cloud my brain so much there were

head, cluttering up my mind. So, instead of asking Anna to be my date tonight like a

sent her a beautiful dress, jewelry and shoes. Since she was already used to such gestures from me, I didn’t expect it to raise any alarms in her head. After she arrived tonight, I asked her to pretend to be my date just to get other ogling

alleged romance without worrying about any commitment to Anna. Maybe this will help me be clear on

glance at Anna. Is she really unbothered? Doesn’t it hurt her just a teeny-weeny bit that I am not taking her as seriously as she would hope or is she truly over me? My insecurity kicks in as I wonder if she also loathes my family after learning all Demi must

"Did you see that?"

ask Anna who’s subtly pointing at Monaco

Monaco. Isn’t the woman she’s talking

Halle." I admit. "What could they be

of your family’s victims and she was helping Liam. Demi told me but that’s not the point. I just saw

Halle as they bid each other

Thanks for the party favors." Absentmindedly, I give Anna a kiss on her temple before heading towards Monaco who’s sliding into the driver’s seat of her car. She intentionally keeps the window

"Which one is it?"

"Asher Rollins." I reply.

before she steps down and folds her

all night but never took his eyes off

I’m not sure what that was about but it didn’t look like you needed the five minutes of fame." She scoffs at my choice of language. "As distracting as that pretty face of yours is, I can’t get

up to my

"What was that?"

shoulders. "Nothing. Does this have to do with Halle or the four other victims that have come asking for my business card? Does

six victims who attended tonight. Does that mean only one of them hasn’t approached Monaco for legal assistance? Who? I keep a straight face

I am not here because of your potential clients. I just want to make sense of the unexpected stranger that appeared at my party and made several scenes on national TV. I am curious to know why and whenever I have this hunch, there’s always a reason for it." I edge close to her. "I have

"I sincerely hope the next we meet isn’t in a courtroom. That face wasn’t

windows up and

I notice some chaos outside the main gate. I signal one

I thought you

demands to see Mr. Ashton. Claims his sister was abducted by your brother. He’s threatening to go

into

out a long sigh and knead the kinks in my neck. "Take him to our Sky Lounge Hotel. Tell him Ashton will meet him there in an hour with