Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 91: Chapter 91

ASHAL

"Are you okay?" Asher asks when he findsin the gym late at night after we all decided to hit the sack. The

fact that he is not dressed for a workout tellshe is strictly here to check onbefore retiring to bed.

"Yeah. | thought you would be asleep by now." | check my watch. It’s fifteen minutes past two in the morning.

"Don’t you have a big day today?" He shrugs lazily and sits on the floor next to me.

"Every day of work is kind of a big day at the HQ so it’s nothing new." His eyes narrow with concern. "How are

you? How are things with Olivia? I'm sorry we've been so carried away with Cree that nobody remembered to ask

how you're faring in all of this."

His raw admission and the concern swimming in his eyes disarms me. "Thanks Asher. I'll be fine."

| am not ready to share Olivia's pregnancy news just yet. Liv and | are still trying to work out our differences and

now won't be a good tto share such a news in a household where most people don’t like her. When she

forgivesand | am certain that we're back on the spage, I'll let my family know.

"Liv is hurt. She um...she isn’t speaking toright now and | honestly don’t blher. She has every right to

be. | betrayed her trust." Olivia's sad face flits across my memory and | wonder how long it'll take before she

gets excited to seewalk through the door of the penthouse again. "We'll be fine. We always find a way to

circle back to each other no matter how lost we get."

"The thing with Cree..." Asher sucks in a cautious breath. "What was that about?"

"I love my wife, okay? | always will. We were in a really bad place and | missed her. Cree remindsso much of

Olivia when we first met; the fire, the carefreeness, the vibrancy. | shouldn't have gone looking for Liv in some

other woman. It was a mistake." Asher nods with understanding. "I love Olivia." | repeat.

"I know you do. Does Olivia feel the exact sway?"

My head rears up at his question.

"Is she in love with Ashal Rollins and feeling betrayed because of your kiss with Cree?"

"Of course she does. Why would you even ask that?"

Asher continues to regardwith suspicious eyes. | am so sick of my family always assuming that my love for

Olivia will always be unrequited. It's even worse coming from Asher who used to or probably still is the subject of

Olivia's unwavering affection.

I'll admit that Olivia's feelings for Asher aren't completely gone. | remember distinctly how she dropped on her

knees and tried to beg(while | was pretending to be Asher) to take her back. That memory still plagues my

sleep and brutalizes my ego.

However, unlike before, | know for a fact that Olivia feels something fornow. She calls only my nwhen

we sleep together, even when | ask her while she’s in a deep sleep. It’s a huge win compared to Ashley’s

situation if you ask me. So, yes, | believe Olivia lovestoo.

"I'm sorry. I'm just looking out for you. | see how tormented you feel for kissing another woman. | just hope Olivia

factors your suffering into consideration and forgives you soon so you two can be happy again."

"Thank you."

"Although, | sincerely don’t think you should deny yourself any chance of finding true and unconditional love

from a woman just because you feel guilty about Olivia." He puts out his hands as a gesture of peace when my

eyes fasten on his with a hint of annoyance. "Hearout first, Ashal. | am sorry it has takenthis long to

cclean about Olivia. | know you know where this is going. | was the one who got with Olivia that night at the

club. I was a dickhead and offered to be your wingman and get you the woman you were ogling from across the

room but then Olivia refused to be swooned by a guy who didn’t have the balls to walk up to her and make his

move. She insisted on hanging out withthat night."

| can’t believe he is finally talking about this. How long has he known that | know? His face contorts with painful

embarrassment.

"The right thing | should have done as your brother was to turn down her advances but | didn’t. She and | got

talking. | saw why you liked her. She was more than a pretty face. She was also sexy and fun. The rest is history

as you know." He trails off to leave out details that no married man will want to hear his brother say about his

wife. "I am sorry | blamed it on you. | thought everyone would go easy on you, especially father. | didn’t think

Olivia will becsuch a burden."

"Speak for yourself, Ash."

"Ashal, hearout, okay? Ever since you were forced into a relationship with Olvia because of what I did,

you've been trying nonstop to prove yourself to her. | know there are times when she has obliged you but, in her

state, | find it difficult to fully accept that her feelings for you are real, not when she doesn’t have a choice. You

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will never know for certain that she’s prepared to give you the love you deserve until she has the option to leave

you. If Olivia could walk away from your marriage and be certain that our family will never bother her again, will

she still choose to stay with you? That's the question you need to answer before you commit your whole life to

her."

The air in the gym suddenly constricts in my lungs. All | see when | look at Asher is Olivia's face beggingfor a

divorce so we can co-parent.

Asher places his hands on my shoulders. "What you felt for Cree, what you refuse to allow yourself to feel for

other women that have and can cinto your life, Ashal, | don’t want you to be in a hurry to give that up. It

killsto see you suffer like this to gain Olivia's affection when you could find someone that won't make you

sweat so much or work for their love like it’s a sport. The woman that will love you regardless of your condition is

still out there, Ash and | don’t want you to give up on finding her."

My darkened eyes dart back to his face. "Did father put you up to this?"

"What? No!"

I lurch to my feet. "It's just seems convenient that shortly after he threatened to cut Liv out of my life, YOU show

up with a heartfelt speech about how | deserve true love from someone other than Olivia. How do you expect me

to believe that swoman out there will lovefor me, flaws and all, and not just because of who | am? Heck,

even my family failed to loveunconditionally. Since | attacked those bullies in boarding school, you all have

never looked atthe same. You constantly treatin a way that remindsof the one thing I try to forget

about myself and you sit here and tellto ditch Olivia?"

Asher stands with empathetic eyes which further aggravates me. "You're wrong. We all love you."

"No! I'm not. There's no fucking love in this house. Everyone is selfish, beginning with father. We are not united

at all. We stab each other in the back to have our way. We betray our loved ones. We cheat and lie all the time.

There is no familial love, not even amongst us brothers. Don’t act like | am not saying the truth."

| pace the floor. "Based on that, | fail to see how any stranger can loveany better. Olivia is not to blfor

being hesitant about giving her heart fully to me. Our family is the bane of her existence. She’s been estranged

from her loved ones because of us. Why the fuck will she lovelike in a fairytale when her life is an unending

horror movie? Huh?" | finish with a short laugh. "Why would she? Would you love someone who is the reason for

your unhappiness? Would you Asher?"

He says nothing in reply, only watcheswith that stupid concern and alarm in his eyes like | am in a spiral. So,

what if | am? Why can’t | explode like everyone else? Why does he have to look so sick with worry like he wishes

he had a sleep dart to knockout?

"I'm sorry. You love Olivia and want her. That should be good enough."

"Whatever | felt for Cree, maybe | let it go because | don’t want to have to imprison another woman in my house

till the flinside her goes off and she becomes an empty husk that’s resigned to her fate."

"Okay, Ashal, | hear you."

| step up to his face. "It ends with Olivia. | won't stop until | make up for the wrongs committed against her and if

after everything, she still doesn’t choose me, then I'll gladly consider a divorce if she wishes it. Tell father to stay

the hell away from my private life!" Angrily, | storm away.

I am still simmering with anger the next day at work. | can’t concentrate especially because | can’t forget

everything Asher had told me. | might have been very defensive but it wasn’t because | was so certain that he

was wrong.

Somewhere deep in my gut, | don't find the idea ridiculous at all. | have imagined it sometimes. What if there's

really someone out there that would lovethe way Olivia loves Asher and Demi loves Ashton? What if Olivia

never truly accepts me? Am | prepared to live with that truth for the rest of my life?

"Hey?"

| look up as Elyon enters. "Got a sec?"

"Sure."

He slides into a chair. "So, | realize it’s too early to talk about it but | just can’t help myself. Your new girl, Cree, is

that still going on or has the spotlight doused the flames already?"

"Take a guess." | wish he wouldn't bring up Cree. | don’t want more reasons to think about her. She must hate me

for turning her over to my brothers. We haven't spoken ever since. | don’t even know how to find closure from

that brief thing we had.

"Damn." Elyon sighs. "That's sad." He moistens his lips. "The rumor about Olivia though," My eyes slash up at

the mention of her nand Elyon sees it. "That's not true, is it? | mean | know you're not married but are you

involved with the Olivia girl? | recall seeing her incoming call on your phone once. If you have a girl..."

| slam a hand on my desk, startling him. "You're buying into rumors now, Elyon? What? Did your sisters and her

friends ask you to get the tea fromfor them?"

"C'mon man, I'm just here as a friend."

"No, you're here to pry. | don’t owe you any explanations. You're welcto believe the tabloids for all I care

because of course they only speak the truth, right? Do whatever you want on your own time, not during work

hours. | have a company to run and if you're no longer committed to assistingwith the skills | hired you for,

then letknow."

"Take it easy, sir. | apologize. | didn’t mean to offend you." He leaps to his feet and | suddenly feel bad.

"Elyon, I'm sorry man. I've been targeted by the wrong side of the media yet again and | am just sick of

defending myself to people. They're welcto believe anything they want at this point."

Elyon winces. "That was dumb of me. | should know better. Besides, it's your private life. You're free to be with

whomever you choose. I'm sorry for prying."

"And I'm sorry for being a mean boss."

He chuckles. "Nah, doesn’t suit you. You're right though. | have a job to do so on that note, you have a guest

waiting, the sone you don't like to see. She's back again. Do | send her in here?"

"Madeline?"

"That's the one."

What does she want now? Can | just go a day without being bothered by the Dunns? "Send her up."

When Elyon leaves, | pick up my phone to find Asher calling and ignore it. His message seeps in moments later.

[Whatever | said this morning had nothing to do with father. That's just how | feel when it comes to your

relationship with Olivia and it hurts my feelings that you'd question my love for you and accuseof being

father’s spy. Callback. We need to rehash that conversation.]

Maddie enters. "I know what you're going to say," she immediately utters, cutting off my protest. "I just have a

few questions. Five minutes is all | ask."

"I don’t have that kind of time, Madeline." Her full nsounds weird on my tongue and she notices with a

cringe. "Don’t you have classes to attend? Don’t makeregret your scholarship so soon."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you spare my family after all the trouble | caused you? Why didn’t you take out your anger onat

the very least, or on my sister?"

"How are you certain Olivia isn't suffering the consequences of your actions in place of your parents?" Something

flits across her eyes so fast | couldn't discern it. Her eyes warm up as she stares at me.

"I am not but somehow, I feel Olivia isn’t being punished for my wrongs." She edges close to my desk. "I don’t

know why but | feel like you didn’t make good your threats about her too."

| lean back in my chair. "I spare you once and you suddenly think you havefigured out?"

"It's a gut feeling, Mr. Ashal, and my guts are hardly wrong about a person." She pinswith a deep,

meaningful look that almost chips away my gruff exterior to expose the inner child yearning for acceptance. "I

guess | just wanted to say thank you once again for savingfrom that marriage. Mom and Dad are super

relieved too for the financial aid."

Is Maddie really cozying up toright now? She has never been this comfortable aroundbefore.

"Is there something else?" | ask when she avoids my eyes and bites her lips.

"Mom's sick with worry over Olivia. | have done my best to convince her that Liv is fine but she won't stop

worrying. If only | could see Liv...Mr. Ashal, you were going to taketo see her before, right? You said she was

in a bad state because of what | did. | can help you comfort her. | really want to see Liv too. It’s been so long."

Tears fill her eyes. "Please, | know | shouldn't ask anything more from you but | beg you to taketo see my

sister once. If you want, I'll debunk everything Billion-Err accused you of."

"It's a little too late for that. | already confessed to Liv that the kiss was real. She hatesbut that’s music to

your ears, right?" | turn back to my computer. "Thank you for stopping by, Madeline. Please leave my office now."

"You confessed?"

Her shocked tone makeslook at her. "It’s none of your business but | never did more than kiss that woman.

Liv knows that but it still hurts her. We are working through it. | guess | should thank you for helpingget back

on track with my wife before doing more things I'd only regret. | just wish Liv had heard it fromfirst. Cree was

a mistake | never planned to continue making."

Maddie continues to stare atin shock like she’s listening to a totally different person. | understand. She has

never bothered to knowbeyond the freak that almost ended her sister's life. She has maintained that one

narrative in her head and hatedever since.

"I'm so sorry. Please, letmake it up to you. Liv listens to me. | can talk her into giving you another chance.

You two don’t have to suffer because of my hasty action. Letdo this for you, Mr. Ashal, please. Just take me

to see her once."

"I don’t want your favor. If you really want to see your sister, just face ther."

"But | can’t hug her or smell her over face time." She counters. "I can’t hear her heartbeat or touch her hair. If

you don’t want to do it for me, then do it for Liv. How do you think she'll feel if you taketo see her right now?

Do you still think she’ll stay mad at you? It'll be the biggest surprise. She'll be grateful to you. Please sir."

She isn’t wrong. The frostiness around Olivia will fizzle away the instant Maddie walks through that door. | can

imagine Olivia's face splitting in a big smile, her hands splayed apart to embrace her sister for a minute or two,

the tears between them, the whimpers and trembling bodies. The reunion and long list of things they'll try to

catch up on.

Few minutes later, | am driving Maddie to the penthouse. | am doing this for Olivia as seeing her sister will help

perk up her mood and keep her health and the baby safe. | know I'd probably regret it because Olivia will want to

make this a routine and | can’t allow that yet. | just hope Maddie doesn’t have something up her sleeve as usual.

"This isn’t going to be a routine, Maddie and you better not do anything stupid to makeregret it. Just

remember how easy it is forto cut you and your family down to size. You try anything stupid or say anything

wrong to turn your sister againstand I'll make sure you're marrying an old geezer somewhere so far away

you will never be able to see your loved ones again."

The smile on Maddie's face pissesoff. "What are you smiling about?"

"You're back to callingMaddie again." She sighs. "I didn’t realize the difference in tone till now. Madeline is so

awkward coming from you."

Did she not hear the threats | just spewed? | go on to ask her the exact thought but she merely shrugs her

shoulders.

"I heard you, sir. | don’t know if | believe you but | heard every word. It's the gut feeling. It just tellsthat

you're a good man underneath this facade." She turns to stare out the window while | swallow hard. Did she just

say that to me?

Before leaving the office, | had ordered sdelicious meals to be delivered to the penthouse since Lily won't

be able to cook enough food for the sisters before | arrive with Maddie. Lily calls to tellshe has taken delivery

of the food. I text her to set the table.

| finish the security checks with Maddie looking perplexed and pull into the garage. | know she has questions

about the tight security detail but rather than askabout it, she gapes at the house with her jaws on the

ground. | watch with a smile as she takes in the view.

"Olivia lives here?"

"Correct."

"Maddie?"

Our eyes stray to the front door where Olivia stands, physically shocked to see her kid sister. Tears fill her eyes.

"Am | hallucinating?" She asks, turning to me. Maddie bolts across the distance to hug her sister. They both hold

each other like I had imagined, crying, wiping off each other's tears, feeling each other's hairs.

| remain by the car while they mutter to each other for over a minute, then Maddie turns to point at me. Liv

abandons her sister and shuffles towards me. Her arms wrap around my neck. When she pulls away, she

smashes her lips into mine and kissespassionately.

"Thank you so much." She croaks in tears. "You have no idea what this means to me." Behind her, Maddie looks

up from her phone and smiles at us. Maybe | did make the right call after all. My wife literally just treatedlike

a human being for the first tin days. | hook an arm around her shoulders and escort her back to her sister.

"You two have a lot of catching up to do. | ordered enough food. Eat. Party. Gossip. Whatever works for you."

With excited shrills, they both scurry off with Liv leading the way to give Maddie a tour of the house. I retire to

my own room to work from there and get updates from Elyon while the girls are occupied. Asher continues to call

An hour later, | check the house cameras to find the girls. They're done feasting and are now lounging by the

indoor pool with music serenading them in the background. It warms my heart so see Olivia so lively like her old

self.

One of my security men calls me.

"Yes?"

"Sir, there’s someone at the gate asking to be cleared inside."

"Who?"

"Mrs. Demi Rollins."