Four Brothers and a Bride

flashed angrily atwhen | made a fuss. It was weird. His brothers had also banded to dissuadefrom

stubbornly insisting. That's how | know there’s more to Cree/Shay’s accusation and | am determined to unearth

i)

"So, what did Cree say?"

"What?"

"What was her reason for attacking you? You didn’t letgo in with you."

"She kept denying being Shay of course. She's a pathological liar. I'll make sure she pays severely for everything

she’s putthrough," he throwsa soft glance, "everything she’s put us through."

Vague. He didn’t even answer the question. | expected as much.

"And Ashal? Is he doing okay? Do you think he was starting to have feelings for her?"

Ashley shakes his head. "He's fine. He is glad he figured it out and had her nabbed. He wasn’t exactly trying to

date her. It was all part of the plan. We knew Cree was a prsuspect with a glib tongue and decided to sic

Ashal on her to find out information or dirt on her. He went along, pretending to be interested in her. It was never

real so he’s fine."

| dip my eyes.

"What?"

"| find it weird that Olivia's nkeeps coming up against Ashal’s. | get that people would always like to find

something scandalous to pin on a celebrity with less than most but it’s just weird that the swoman

and the sallegation keeps cropping up in Ashal’s case."

"We've got lots of enemies like Cree out there; relentless, reaching, creative. Don't let it bother you. We'll always

win the fight no matter how long they persevere."

| keep the rest of my questions for Liam since Ashley is a good liar. This is the longest we have spoken to each

other behind closed doors since the condom incident weeks ago. | can tell from the surreptitious glances he

keeps sliding my way that Ashley is still unsure about intimacy with me. | allow him to torture himself by walking

on egg shells around me, dreading the idea of bringing it up first.

When he slides close toon the couch and places a hand on my thigh, my fingers tighten on the couch while |

bite down on the urge to move away from him.

"Thank you for coming to check on me." His eyes dip to my lips. His head starts leaning towards me, his lips

slightly puckered. Just before they touch my lips, I turn my cheek. Ashley is clearly disappointed by my reaction

but says nothing to the effect. "Up for a night cap? I've missed you."

Everything insiderejects the idea.

"ok."

My answer catches him by surprise. | don’t want to cuddle next to him tonight but | have no other choice. | can’t

continue to keep away from him. It's been weeks. It sounds like a lexcuse now to hold the sthing

against him after so long.

Besides, | need him to not suspect my intentions ever again like the issue of Shay’s second note. So, I'll cuddle

and maybe kiss him while fermenting a plan to get to Cree and unveil the truth about Tobias’ death and his true

murderer.

"You're glowing." Mother tellsthe next morning at breakfast. It feels good to finally eat with just the family.

Mila finally went back home. | hated everything about her stay at the mansion. | had to get Ashley to style me

everyday just to match up to her stylish outfits. It was too much pressure silently competing with her. When she

wasn't spilling her drink (accidentally as she claimed) or oversharing about Ashton’s sexual prowess, she was

watchinglike a hawk to make sure my eyes don’t linger unnecessarily long on her man’s shadow. It was

ridiculous.

"Oh, thank you, mother. I'm trying out a new body lotion."

Mother smothers a chuckle behind her napkin. "Not that kind of glow dear, the other kind."

A huge blush colors my cheek as the quads, with the exception of Asher, share a meaningful look. Ashton, who is

finally back to being cool with Ashley, munches his food quietly after shooting Ashley a smile.

Liam's voice crushing back to me. They don’t love me. They're only competing to be the first one to get into

my pants. | allow the thought to play in a loop so | don’t feel bad about all the ways | am prepared to expose this

family, even if it'll hurt Ashton too. | dip my eyes coyly and continue with my meal.

After a few hours of work at the office, | head to the restroom, ensure that all the stalls are empty before turning

on the faucet and calling Maddie.

"You've been a hard woman to reach, Madeline."

"What do you want?"

Her curtness is nothing new to me. "Going straight to the point, are we? Works forsince | have a job to get

back to. | want us to meet. | want to watch you delete all the recordings and evidence you have of our

conversation, meetings, the whole thing."

"And why would | do that?

"Excuse me?"

"You promised you'd helpget my sister out of her horrible situation. You haven't done that yet. Liv is still

trapped in there and until we get her out, the evidence remains!"

| stare at my fuming reflection in the mirror, unable to decide if | want to pull my hair out of my scalp or punch

my fist into the glass mirror.

"What do you mean? | helped you the best way | could. | leaked what you said to Billion-Err. Your sister was the

one who made a whole ass video with a full face of makeup and denied ever meeting Ashal, much less dating

him. How is that my fault? She ruined everything. It was your job to ensure she wanted to be saved and followed

through with our plan but you failed. You owe it toto delete that evidence." | wish | was close to her so | can

strangle her neck and release her just before death's icy hands can take her.

"Don’t tellyou believe Liv’s video. | am certain your family forced her to do that. | saw her eyes; they were

afraid. | can’t leave her there, Demi. | have to find a way for Ashal to divorce my sister or to burst her out of

there so more people can rally around to hear her story, support her and prevent the Rollins family from harming

her."

"Maddie..."

"This isn’t over, Demi. Please, | still need you. Can't you see how powerful and manipulative your family is? How

do you even sleep at night, in the shouse as those people? Every day, they do something wickedly evil and

sweep it under the rug. How long before they hurt you too?"

| rub a hand over my forehead. "Maddie..." The line cuts off. "Maddie? Madeline?"

| stare at my phone. Did this bitch just hang up on me? | turn off the faucet and suck in a breath through my

teeth while pacing the bathroom. I still feel like punching my fist through the glass but | take calming breaths

instead. I'll find a way to delete the evidence myself and stay away from the Dunn sisters. They're too fickle.

Cree should be a better ally.

My head spins when | head for the door. | hold the wash basin and give myself tto feel steadier.

"Are you okay?"

My eyes flutter open at the sound of someone's voice.

"Yeah. Yeah, thanks."

| recognize the older lady as Amanda Regan, the swoman who must have been friends with my late mom

and had recognizedat a meeting of team leads months back.

| spritz scold water from the faucet on my face and pat it dry with my handkerchief. Amanda washes her

hands next to me, watchingthrough the mirror. Feeling better, | start for the door.

"Why'd you lie?"

"What?" | ask, turning.

She shakes water off her hands and pinswith a look of disappointment.

"Did you think Camille never showed us a picture of her teen daughter? She could never go a day without

bringing you up. Always missed you at work and worried that her job was affecting her relationship with you. So,

why did you lie about your relationship with your mother, Demi Branson???"

| gasp in shock as my heart thunders in my chest.

ork

"Where have you been?" Asher snaps atwhen | return to my office. | tuck my hands behind my back to hide

the tremor in them.

"Bathroom break."

"That's a lot of bathroom breaks for one morning. Did you swallow an ocean?" His humor is lost on me. Quietly, |

slide into my seat and exhale with relief when my wrist watch shows it’s barely ten minutes to my lunch break.

"Forget about going to lunch. You'll stay back and catch up on all the work you've been slacking off this

morning."

"I'm afraid that will have to wait till after lunch."

Asher and | look up as Josh makes his usual unexpected entrance. He looks dapper in his hippy jeans and jacket.

Leave it to Josh to break the dress code every now and then. Asher’s frown deepens as he sets his eyes on his

least favorite colleague.

"And why is that?"

"Because she has a lunch date with the chairman and | to get to." | concur with a nod and a smile when Asher

turns towith widened eyes. "The chairman is delighted to have you join us, Demi. We could use a woman's

company as a buffer for all the soccer and work talks."

| relish the constipated look on Asher’s face while | clear up my desk.

"Since when did you start going to lunch with father?" He asks, hunched over my desk after Josh leaves.

"I don’t get what the big deal is. | eat with father at hevery day. Josh invitedto join them at soul foods

and | said yes. Was | supposed to decline?"

It comes as no shock towhen Asher insists on coming along. We all make it to soul foods and place our

orders. Father is anything but thrilled by my presence. | know he wishes he only had his sons with him.

"So, Demi, how has the internship been so far?" Josh breaks the ice.

"Good. Informative. Refining."

"lI am glad to hear that." Josh replies, ignoring Asher’s snort at my response. "Keep up the good performance

streak and you'll soon be on your way to joining a department of your choice."

Asher sips water from the glass in front of him. "One would think she works under you." He scoffs. "I am the

judge of her performance and | can tell you for free that she still has a lot of work to put in if she ever wants to

bump up her position from intern to staff."

Josh shakes his head. "She has paid her dues and you know it. Can you not even pretend to like your own sister-

in-law for one minute? What is it about her very existence that you find so triggering."

Father shifts uncomfortably as both brothers exchange heated glares.

"I'm glad you noted that she’s part of my family so why don’t you doa favor and keep my family matter out

of your fucking mouth, Mr. Randall?"

"ASHER!" Father chides him. He doesn’t back down but turns his fiery eyes in his father’s direction, as though

throwing a challenge to his father to try and defend his bastard son in my presence. My insides churn with

excitement at the unfolding but my face contorts with worry and guilt for being the subject of the fight, as

expected of me.

"That's enough. Don’t disrespect each other." Father chimes vaguely. Josh reaches across the table to squeeze

my hand and mouths that | shouldn't mind Asher.

Our meals arrive. Asher clearly isn’t interested in the food. He only cover to watchand make sure | don’t

figure out the truth. He keeps poking at his food and staring daggers at everyone else on the table.

| notice him because | am barely eating myself. | can’t seem to find my appetite with all the burning looks father

and Asher throw my way even though the food looks yummy. When Josh excuses himself to go use the restroom,

Asher drops his cutleries with a clatter and gives his father a burning look.

| am guessing he wants to know why his father letjoin his lunch date with Josh. Father wipes his mouth with

a napkin and locks eyes with me. | almost choke on my carrot, the only thing | can stomach since every other

thing tastes funny.

"You've caused enough trouble between my boys at home." Father starts, referring to the recently settled beef

between Ashley and Ashton. "Now, Asher and Josh can’t even stand each other because of your presence. If you

had any shleft, you'd leave from here, Demi. And don’t ever accept josh’s invitation to have lunch with me

again. Have | made myself clear?"

| didn’t expect them to act any differently. | already got what | cfor; the chance to see them shake in their

boots over my presence and how close | could be to learning the truth about Josh. If only they knew. I try to stall

to give Josh tto return.

"I'm sorry father. When he asked, | thought it would be weird to turn him down. That's the only reason |

accepted."

"Be on your way, Demi. All that work on your desk won't take care of itself." Asher snaps.

Slowly, | polish off my lips with my napkin and grab my purse. When | rise from my seat, my vision wavers a bit

and | lose my balance unintentionally. Hands break my fall and catchmidway. | stare up at Josh's face.

"Are you okay? Where are going?" He helpsup and keeps a protective hand on the small of my back while |

blink my eyes to clear them.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Father and Asher grit their teeth at me. | wish, like they must be thinking, that | am faking my dizziness.

"Thank you for invitingto lunch. | have to rush back to work ahead of you all. | have tons to get done today."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, | am." | hug him. "Thank you." Then nod briefly at father before leaving. On my way back to work, | call

Liam to tell him about Josh Randall but | instruct him not to let the secret out of the bag just yet.

"Josh is just starting to like me. If we blow the lid off his paternity, we won’t do much damage. Brett could easily

deny him. We need hard evidence that proves Brett is Josh's father; birth certificate, DNA report, admissions

from Brett and Mrs. Randall, pictures of Brett at Josh's age and so on. The evidence has to be irrefutable."

"I like the way you're thinking, Demi. I've missed this version of you."

"Thank you. I'm sorry it took so long to find my way back to my purpose; ending the cycle of evil wrought by the

Rollins family."

Liam pauses briefly. "And Ashton? | hope he’s no longer a weakness strong enough to stomp out this fire in you."

My breath shudders. "I still like him but not enough to put off avenging my parents."

| recall Mrs. Amber Regan in the bathroom and the fresh onslaught of pain over the death of my parents that

stemmed from the conversation Mrs. Amber and | had had.

"Why'd you lie, Demi? Did you really hate your mom that much?"

"NO!" | countered her speedily, stumbling forward. "I loved my mom. | could never hate her." Tears clouded my

eyes despite my best effort to keep them in. "I missed her terribly because her job kept her away from me. We

barely saw much of each other and as a teenager, | misconstrued the situation and doubted her love for me. It

took getting older to understand that she didn’t have a choice and did it to givea better life."

Mrs. Amber exhaled. "You clearly love her. Then why did you...."

"Her death..." | paused to check what | was about to share and if | could trust Mrs. Amber. "I kept thinking that

my parents didn’t die a natural death."

Mrs. Amber didn’t seem alarmed by my insinuation but she stayed on the course as a concerned friend of my

mom's who didn’t wantto keep suffering thinking that my parents were murdered. She drew close to me.

"It was an accident, Demi. Don’t go down that route. You'll only hurt more."

| shake my head. "You're right. I'm probably still feeling guilty because we didn’t get to mend our relationship

before she passed. I'm sorry | lied earlier. The mention of my mom’s nalways causes a fresh stab of pain so |

don’t like to hear it. | am not fishing for pity around here either so I'd appreciate it if you don’t mention this to

anyone else."

"lI understand dear. Feel free to ctowhenever you want to talk or learn more about your mom as a

corporate employee. | have a lot of stories about her life here at the HQ which she probably didn’t get to share

with you."

"Really? I'd love that." "I hugged her. "Thank you, Mrs. Regan."

"You're welcome."

"Demi? You still there?" Liam repeats over the phone.

"Yeah. I'm here. Sorry, | zoned out." | am not ready to tell him about Amber yet until I get as much information as

I can.

"Okay. Letknow what else you find out. I'll work on getting to Cree before your in-laws make her disappear

off the face of the earth."

| slug through work, tuning off Asher’s complaints. After work, | head straight for Anna's.

She waits by her door and wrapsup in a warm embrace when | reach her.

"Poor thing, you look so pale."

| tell her about meeting my mom's friend in the bathroom at work, going to lunch with father and Asher, how

Asher tormentedthe entire day.

"Nothing unusual. However, | do think | might be coming down with a fever soon. I've been exerting myself these

past couple of days and now my body can’t take it anymore. | almost fainted at the restaurant, in front of father

and Asher. Josh, bless his heart, was just in tto catch me." | run my hands over my face and expel a deep

breath. "I still feel woozy every t| stand on my two feet. | need to get smedication."

Anna shifts uncomfortably. "And this started today?"

"Not really." One look at her and my eyes flash with denial. "NO. Hell no. It's not what you're thinking..." I trail off

as | suddenly recall my period is running late this month. Heat flares inside me. "No. | am not pregnant. | am just

stressed."

"Demi..."

"I'M NOT. DON'T EVEN THINK IT." But my mind is on fire right now. | can’t be. Ashley said I'd be fine. He promised

that he pulled out. No. | can’t be. Anna’s hands wrap around my trembling body.

"Calm down. It’s ok. We don’t know for sure. I'll just suggest you take a pregnancy test just to rule out the

possibility, okay? Just so we know."

My eyes go misty. A pregnancy test? | am not mentally prepared to go through that.

"Anna, I..."

"I'll be here with you. Don’t worry. You are not alone."

Ten minutes later after | pee on a pregnancy strip in Anna’s bathroom, | bury my face in her shoulder and sob

softly.

"This wasn’t the plan. | messed up big time."

Anna rubs my back. "It’s going to be fine, Demi."

But | doubt she believes it too. My contract with Ashley is supposed to be for one year. | was supposed to get my

revenge and walk away from the Rollins family. Procreating more of them was never the plan.

What would Liam think? Ashley will never letgo if he finds out. His family will maketheir prisoner forever

because of the child in my womb. | am so scared right now.

"You can't tell anyone, Anna, not yet. | need to think."

"I got you."

| get home, worn to a frazzle and looking sad, just after nine pm. Father steps out of his study, swirling a drink in

the glass in his hand. | glance up, too tired to entertain whatever he has in store for me.

"You're late."

"Sorry, father. | stopped by a friend’s. She was having a rough day." | mean that for myself though. Is this still

about lunch? | wonder as | study father’s face while he watches me. "I'm sorry about lunch. | didn’t mean to be

an inconvenience."

"You have lots more to be sorry for, Demi Branson." He corrects dryly. "However, we will revisit the subject of you

toying with the affections of my two sons and causing a rift between them at a later date. That's not why | called

your attention."

| feel a retch crawling up my gut as | wait out his suspenseful beat. My vision swims momentarily.

"You just missed a major family announcement." He blurts cockily. "Ashton and Mila are getting engaged!"

Before | can stop myself, my body jerks and | throw up my gooey lunch on father’s face and clothes!