Four Brothers and a Bride

Someone orchestrated everything, someone who knew about my pregnancy and wanted it gone."

She heaves a breath. | know Asher’s nis right on her lips but she refrains from mentioning it. Asher. I'll have

to have that conversation with him. He had no right to interfere in my life like that.

"You're silent again." Demi says, shaking her head. "We just lost our baby because of someone's wicked plot and

you're more interested in blamingthan looking into the person behind my attack."

"Forgivebut | am still trying to process everything. | am in shock, Demi. There's so much running through my

head right now. | need tto articulate." | pace the room. "I know you're eager to make Asher your culprit but

don’t forget he isn’t the only one who knew about your pregnancy. Asher wouldn't go behind my back and do

something this heinous. | refuse to believe it."

"Then what are you insinuating? Are you blaming Ashton now?"

"If we look at it, he also couldn't have wanted you to have my baby. Everyone knows he’s still in love with you.

We can as well say he had the motive and planned to terminate your pregnancy with the hope of pinning it on

Asher, the most culpable brother."

"Can you hear yourself? Ashton would never do such a thing. He wouldn't hurtlike that!"

"You're so sure, aren't you?" It's the way she blindly trusts him for me. It's nauseating to be reminded how much

they trust each other. | shake my head. "I know he wouldn't. I'm just trying to remind you of the danger of being

fixated on one possible culprit when there are other people who have the motive and would stand to benefit

from your miscarriage as well. I'll look into it. For now, try to focus on recuperating."

She lolls her head back on the bed and sniffles.

"I'll send Anna back in." | tell her before leaving.

ork

After Demi gets discharged, mother makes sure she’s properly looked after. She even insists that Demi takes a

paid leave off work to rest smore. Demi isn’t thrilled about it but she doesn’t argue with mother.

Father hasn't said anything about what happened, nor has he tried to settle the feud between Asher and I. |

haven't been able to stand Asher’s presence. | know | told Demi that he couldn’t have gone behind my back to

do such a thing but that was a lie. Asher has been trying to getto divorce Demi for a while now. | am sure he

would have done everything in his power to make her lose our baby so our union wouldn't last longer than

stipulated in the contract.

| can’t believe he did such a thing to my child. Before now, | thought only father was capable of taking things

that far.

"Ashley."

"What the hell do you want?" | snap at Asher who hovers in front of my bedroom. | can’t believe he’ll have the

guts to showhis face.

"I need to talk to you."

"Oh, now you want to talk, huh? After killing my baby?"

"Ashley..."

"I know how you feel about Demi and my marriage to her but even at that, Asher, | can’t believe the lengths you

are ready to go just to makelive my life the way you want. You're just as controlling and egoistical as father.

How could you go after my unborn child? How could you dispense with talking tofirst about your feelings on

Demi’s pregnancy?"

If I wasn't sizzling with rage, | would believe that the look on Asher’s face passes for remorse.

"They weren't supposed to hurt her, | swear, not like that."

"Now, you're blaming your thugs for how they handled the job you gave them? How pathetic. Is that supposed to

makefeel better about losing my baby?"

"No. I'm sorry. | had no right to intervene in your marriage like that. Please Ashley, | beg for your forgiveness.

There’s no justification for the role | played in all of this. | am deeply sorry."

"Please leave my room, Asher. | can’t even look at you." | slam the door behind him and rake my hands through

my hair. The knock on my door few minutes later almost makego berserk. Why can’t he take a hint? | am

trying my very best not to lose it here. If he persists, | might actually have to start a physical fight to satisfy the

anger inside me.

"Asher, | swear to God..." but when | pull my door open, mother is behind the door. "Mother."

"Ashley." She steps in to cup my face with her hands before pullingin for a hug.

"I'm so sorry, my son. | know how much you must be hurting. Believe me, | feel your pain." She sobs softly. When

she eases back, tears still glint in her eyes. "I wanted to give you stto grieve but | haven't been able to

hold myself. Greta had been right after all. | was going to be a grandmother but I didn’t get to celebrate it. The

baby was snatched from us too soon."

"By your every own son, Asher." | add spitefully. "Don’t ever forget that part." | move away to go sit on the

couch. The anger starts surging again. "Why can’t | have anything for myself? Why do | keep losing the good

things in my life? Why do my loved ones keep betraying my trust over and over again? Why, mother?"

She rushes to joinon the couch and takes my hand. "I have no idea what Asher was thinking. | bet

somewhere in his head, he thought he was doing the best for you."

"The best for me?" | laugh derisively. "That line has always broughtmore pain than anything else. You also

thought you were doing the best forwhen you coaxedto marry the girl Ashton wedded under the

influence of alcohol, right? Five months later and | am more miserable than | was as a bachelor. My wife doesn’t

give a shit about me. She is in love with my brother. She hid her pregnancy frombut told him. Can you

imagine that, mother? Asher thought he was doinga favor and had my unborn child killed. | am supposed to

overlook all the pain and hurt my loved ones have causedbecause their actions were paved by good

intentions?"

"Ashley, please, you don’t have to forgive anyone immediately. | am just asking you not to shut everyone out

completely. Things will get better in time. You'll heal, trust me. And as for Demi, | think | understand what her

fear was. You have to find it in your heart to forgive her so you two can forge ahead."

"What exactly is it to you, mother?" | ask her, rising sharply. "Why do you wantto stay married to her?"

"Because she’s brought out a side of you that | never thought I'd see as your mother, Ashley. | still believe that

you two can work out your marriage in spite of the snags you've encountered. However, if you feel | am wrong

about any of this, feel free to unshackle yourself from this union. I'd never put my wishes above your happiness,

son."

She frames my face. "You'll have another child someday, whether it's with Demi or whomever you choose. Your

wish to be a dad will be fulfilled. | strongly believe so."

She's still hurt for the loss of my baby. Is this a good tto tell her about Nicci? | need help tackling that

situation.

| close my hand over hers on my cheek. "Mother, | need your help."

"What's wrong, son?"

"It’s Nicci. | made a huge mistake."

"What happened?" Her keen eyes pierce into mine.

"She's carrying my child!"

ork

"She's what?"

"She tolda few days back. | didn’t believe her but she’s ready to undergo any test to prove that | fathered

her baby. This was just before Ashton called to informabout Demi’s accident. | was in too much shock to

process anything. It was devastating to learn that the woman | wanted to have a baby with had lost our baby

and the woman | shouldn't be having a kid with is currently carrying my child. Nicci has been badgering me

about divorcing Demi and raising our kid together but mother, the timing couldn't have been worse. Demi just

lost her child. If Nicci’s pregnancy gets out, it will be a huge mess."

Mother bows her head pensively.

"Do you think the baby is really yours?"

| exhale. "I think so. I'm sorry mother. | should have been more careful. If her father finds out, he'll exploit her

condition to revive his political career. He is very avaricious and manipulates his daughter for his own selfish

ends. | need your help. | don’t know what to do about this situation. Please help me."

| ease into her hug.

"Shhh. It’s okay. I'll think of something."

"Demi can’t find out. Not now. Not like this."

"lI understand." She kisses my forehead. "This is truly daunting. Nicola is going to bear my grandchild? This has

to be a cosmic joke." She sighs heavily. "Though she’s not the most ideal candidate | would have wanted, we

can’t ignore the fact that the baby could still be yours. You already lost one child. Consider this a blessing in

disguise." Her eyes light up with hope. "You're going to be a dad after all."

"You're not mad?"

"Not exactly. That child is still my grandchild even if it’s Nicola who bears it and not Demi."

"What do you think father will say?"

"Oh, you can’t tell him. He won't take it well. If Demi wasn’t good enough in his opinion to birth your child, then a

washed up model and daughter of an ex politician stands no chance either. We have to find a way to deal with

this quietly before it gets out. | think | have an idea."

After mother whispers her idea to me, | feel a huge burden lifted off my shoulder. | am happy | shared it with her.

"Thank you for always having my back, mom. I honestly don’t know what | would do without you."

" The feeling is mutual. I'll have Nicci run stests. After that, Ill take it up from there. Hmmm. Is it okay to

feel giddy again about expecting a grandchild? | don’t want to be partial to this innocent child because it's

mother isn’t a favorite of the family."

"Do whatever pleases you as long as Demi doesn’t cto know."

My door swings open to reveal a teary eyed Demi behind it. | didn’t realize | forgot to lock my door after mother

cin. | was too distracted by my anger for Asher and everything else. Demi looks angry and miserable. She

stares daggers at me.

"Nicci is having your baby???"