Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 183: Chapter 183

ASHAL

Walking into my own company has never felt weirder. It feels like I have my clothes on backwards or there’s a sign with something mean scribbled on it stuck on my back. My staff welcomes me cheerfully but the awkwardness hangs thickly in the air. They have significantly dwindled in size.

This comes as no surprise to me. After our parent company took a hit, the impact spread across all subsidiaries. Sales tanked. Our goodwill staggered. Frankly, I consider it a miracle that we still have a standing building to return to instead of a vandalized property.

When I walk into my office and find Elyon making sure my desk is set right, a warm smile creeps into my face. He beams at the sight of me.

"Good to see you, Elyon." I shake his hand and pull him for a much-needed hug. He’s been holding down the fort for me ever since my family made the ugly side of the news. "I could never thank you enough for your support over the years."

"Welcome back, sir." He replies, gesturing to my seat till I sit down.

He pulls out a chair, plunks down on it and crosses his legs atop my desk. "It’s a pity I’m straight as a ruler and that gorgeous face belongs on a man. If you had been a woman, we might have worked something out seeing as I have recently returned to the dating market."

"What? She finally dumped you?"

"Plot twist. I DUMPED HER."

"Get out of here. For real?" I lean forward to listen to his story.

"Yes, dumping women isn’t the exclusive preserve of the Danvarr quads." He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. Speaking of his eyes, they fasten on his hands as he recounts how everything happened. "Found her tinder profile still active. She’d been talking to this guy for over six months." He sighs heavily. "These bitches aren’t loyal, you feel me?"

Then dropping his legs and leaning forward, he steeples his hands with a mischievous look in his eyes. "You owe me big time for keeping this place running in your absence. Too bad you don’t have a sister with that pretty face of yours. That would have put a huge smile on my face."

I swallow hard and look away. "Yeah, too bad." With a nervous laugh, I run a hand over my desk and look around the room. I actually missed it.

"So, before you address everyone on your first day back, can I ask how things are on the home front? How’s everyone holding up?"

"Thanks man. Everyone’s doing great. We’re taking it one day at a time. Things are looking up."

"They sure are. The hate train is running out of steam." We share a smile. "Really glad to have you back, man. I mean that."

"Thanks, brother. I’ll be out in thirty minutes. Just need to center myself. Let the team know."

We shake hands once more before he leaves. I inhale deeply, lolling back on my chair. Quietness has never felt less lonely and more peaceful. A fond memory of Maddi bursting into my office with a ripe scowl on her face and an acerbic tongue ready to go off, makes me smile. Grabbing my phone, I dial her number. I didn’t have time to kiss her goodbye this morning. She must be stewing after walking up and realizing I left so early.

She picks up the phone on the third ring.

"Don’t be mad at me, Maddie." I utter, fully intending to play the pun. "I had to rush out this morning. Guess what? I just arrived in my office and the first thing I recalled as I sat on my chair was the thought of you bursting through my door and giving me an earful about what a devil I was for holding your sister hostage. In hindsight, maybe that’s when I started falling for you." A sheepish grin spreads across my face. "You look cute even when you’re fuming."

She sighs on her end. "Maddi is in the bathroom."

I sit upright in shock. "Olivia? I...didn’t know...."

"It’s okay. I’ll let her know you called."

I bite down on my lower lip. "How are you? Does it hurt

have to pretend to care. If you really did, you wouldn’t ask me such a question as an afterthought and you

it’s not like

this song and dance. I know where your loyalties lie. As soon as I give your family the baby they crave, this little drama where you all get to pretend like you give a shit about

is to cause her any more problems. I massage a throbbing spot on my temple, wondering how much of a mess I’ve made and if I should call Olivia’s phone. I don’t think she’ll take the call anyway. Like she said, it’ll be painfully obvious that calling

raps on my door twenty minutes later and

I dispel the worrisome thoughts cluttering my

me to have a meal

in the moment even though my mind has been whirling. Maddi hasn’t returned any of my calls all day. Her phone’s been switched off. It’s very

reply Elyon. "I hate it when I don’t hear from my loved ones regularly, especially this period. Makes

sure everything

food I have. Eventually, I toss aside my barely touched burger and call mother after

your day going?" She replies

Is Maddi home? I haven’t been able to reach

Madeline? Can you come over here, dear? Ashal will like to speak with you." I hear her saying. There’s a bit of static interruption before Maddi’s beautiful voice

been

balcony. I was trying to call you but my hands were slippery with

you. You should have found a way to inform

I got carried away with mother and Liv. Can you believe Liv stepped out of her room today? She joined us in the living room, saw a movie with us and even did some laps in the swimming pool. I think she’s starting to

That’s good

Maddi clear beside showing concern for her sister’s safety with me. When I assured her that I had gotten the help I needed

she had walked in on us kissing in my bedroom. Her expression that night was more of disgust than anger. Hence, I can’t really fathom her feelings on the matter, whether

send over a new phone. Keep it

Thanks. I

done. While reviewing the names of the new hires that Elyon made in my absence, my eyes double in size

Elyon’s office

***

appears in five seconds.

papers at him. "Why the fuck did you hire

good look at the resume. "Because he’s

clearly a high school dropout with a police record spanning rape, theft and assault. He’s also got a huge employment gap of five years! Ever wonder what he was up to

to be desired but he was really desperate for honest work. He was also prepared to receive half of what we pay interns. I thought I’d give him a shot. He’s been here for three weeks and

take his place." Flinging the resume, I plunk down on my seat and focus on more reports floating on my Mac book while Elyon watches me with a confused expression. "it’s not open to debate, Elyon. Get on with it. I don’t

just mopping

You

my office. His head hangs low when he locks eyes with my fierce ones.

approaching a Rollins family business for employment, don’t you?" Rising to my feet, I circle my table to go stand in front of him. My fingers are jammed in the pocket of my pants to keep my clenched fists in check. "What’s the grand plan

me out. I’ve been living off of food stamps for the past two months. I’ve tried

why."

have no ill intent. I promise to work twice as hard to earn a place here. I just really need a steady income

but you working here isn’t going to happen. Even if my company is down and under, there’s a staffing standard we can’t go below." I whip out my check book and scribble down on it before tossing it at him. "You better make good use of that to fix yourself up. Consider it a gesture of goodwill seeing as you don’t deserve a dime from me after everything you’ve put my