Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 189

Chapter 189: Chapter 189

ASHTON

"What?" Signaling with my hand, I hush Gris while he’s reading my schedule for the day and rise to move over to my glass window. Demi isn’t making much sense right now. "What do you mean you’re not coming for the sit-down? This is news to me."

"I’m sorry but I don’t think I want to be there."

"And that’s totally ok but why do I feel like you weren’t going to tell me this if I didn’t ask?" She expels a deep breath and keeps mute. "Demi, what’s wrong? Please talk to me."

"Nothing’s wrong."

"Don’t give me that." I signal Gris to give me some space and he does. I wait till the door clicks shut. "I KNOW SOMETHING’S WRONG. You’ve been acting strange. You won’t open up to me. You’ve been avoiding my place and when I try to get close to you, you’re never down for it." I run a finger over my twitchy eyebrow. "Look, if I did something wrong, just tell me. Was I rough with you the last time? Tell me what I’ve done wrong so I can apologize. I don’t like us like this."

"You did absolutely nothing wrong, Ashton. I’ll tell you if you did. I’ve just...I just need us to take things slow."

"Why all of a sudden? That’s the part I don’t get." She only inhales and exhales. Something’s definitely bothering her but she won’t tell me. My mind doubles back. "What happened between you and Ashley?"

"W-What?" Nervousness cloaks her voice like a blanket.

"At the hospital? What did he say to you? You’ve felt withdrawn ever since that conversation. Talk to me Demi or I’ll have to go ask him myself which might end up blowing the lid off this relationship in front of his eyes. So, are you going to tell me what he said or not?"

"That won’t be necessary." She replies firmly. "He already knows about us."

This time, my lips are clamped shut in stunned silence. However, I recover quickly. "Good. Saves me from starting the hard conversation."

But I know I’ll still have to talk things out with my brother. If he already found out, I’m tempted to know how. I’m also curious to know how that makes him feel and why he hasn’t brought it up to my face till now. It’s typical of Ashley to pick a fight over something like this. If he isn’t, that’s a bigger cause for concern and I’ll need to know why he is holding back.

"Is that it? Was he mean to you because of our relationship? Is that why you’re having cold feet?"

"I’m not having cold feet. You just have a lot going on and I think our relationship can wait."

"That’s not how relationships work, Demi. You don’t put them aside when the going gets tough. You work through stuff together, as a team. But you already know this so the fact that you’re asking me to shelf this relationship due to my family drama only goes to prove my point further; you’re getting cold feet."

"That’s not it..."

"Then what is it? You’re still holding back. Why?"

"I can’t tell you yet until I am certain you won’t get mad or that you won’t look at me differently."

jaw clenches. What could this

in due time. I just need some time. I need you trust me

then. I’ll wait until you’re ready to discuss it. Till then, please don’t be a

"I won’t."

a good sign when Demi is being cryptic. Whatever she’s holding back can’t be good or easy if she’s literally

later, a message pops up on my

I go ahead and publish it on the

***

Demi will certainly not be okay with it if she had found out about my plans earlier. This will stir up a lot of feelings. It takes me a

to inform me of an unexpected visitor requesting my audience.

"Let her in."

she enters, striding

I can’t reach him on phone." Madeline sinks into the visitor’s chair looking tired and frustrated. "He’s not taking my calls either. He’s been avoiding me ever since my sister slit her wrist. I just want him to

raw and very familiar to

okay. I’ll get him on

if not at his company. I

spooked seeing your sister in that state. You know how he used to be. It might have been traumatic for him to be reminded viscerally of the state he used to put her in. Let’s give him some time to process his feelings. I’m sure it has nothing to do with you. You aren’t the only one he’s shutting out. He hasn’t taken our calls either, just sent texts saying he’s fine and that he needs a bit of space

accept

and lost when he left. I wish

of her attempted suicide since Ashal is MIA. My parents are very worried and very disappointed in Olivia. I’d

she leaves. I whip out my phone and call

soon as you get this. It’s too early to shut everyone out especially since

wondering why she’s acting the way she is and what Ashley could possibly have said to scare her. Did he threaten her? Or even worse, did he convince her not to follow her heart? I know how prone she is to feeling guilty about everything. What if he got it into her head that dating me was going to be

another likely thought crosses my mind and suddenly, Demi’s behavior starts to make sense.

***

deep in work at his office. I even expected to find it uncharacteristically messy with a bunch of ankle-high fabric carpeting the floor. What I didn’t expect was to find it spick and span. I certainly didn’t expect

to annoyance at my interruption. His assistant scurries off with her head hanging low and her tail between

couldn’t even be bothered to lock

his pants in place and wipes his lips. "I guess my secretary has to find a new job." He strolls to a shelf and uncorks a bottle of

here to

got nothing to

I can’t believe I missed it. He had called me earlier that day just to make sure I had already left my hours. Within

hadn’t engulfed her, he would literally have made

at me knowingly. "Why? I never needed your permission to show up at your place. Why

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