Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 78

ASHTON

"Come in mother, please." I told her after Demi raced off to find Ashley. My heart was thumping wildly in my chest as mother maintained her position just outside my door. The disappointment on her face faded to anger as she finally stepped in and shut the door behind her.

"Don’t." She stopped me harshly with a raised hand when I tried to apologize. "Don’t stand there and act like you weren’t prepared to sleep with your brother’s wife if we hadn’t interrupted you two."

"Mother..."

"Ashton, this is a huge shock. I would never have expected this from you. You are not supposed to be that brother!" She leered at me. "You shouldn’t covet any man’s wife, least of all your brother’s!"

"I am not, mother. I...we just..." I ran a hand over my face and realized my eyes were still moist so I wiped them and sniffled. "I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I would never intentionally hurt Ashley. I am deeply sorry, please." She looked at me with a churning mix of anger and pity. "Please mom, I wasn’t trying to wreck my brother’s marriage. I wouldn’t. It will never happen again."

"You can’t love her."

"I don’t." I tried my best to sound convincing. "That meant nothing. Demi and I are nothing."

"Does she know that? It didn’t look like it. She appeared to have you confused with Ashely, her real husband!" Mother stressed with piercing eyes, then with a low voice edged with pain. "You promised me, Ashton."

"I’m sorry. It was a weak moment but it won’t happen again." She didn’t believe me and simply walked out of my room. I sank down to the floor and held my head in my hands.

That night had been an extremely hard one for me. I had to suffer in silence as I processed my emotions regarding the dumbfounding revelations about our adoption. Coupled with that, I also had to endure the silent treatment from my family because of what happened between Demi and I.

Once again, I felt depressed and alone but I couldn’t let myself wallow in my pain. Wallowing in my pain led to everything that transpired with Demi in the first place.

I shouldn’t have allowed her into my room while I was in such a vulnerable state. I knew the risk and I took it, and ended up breaking everyone’s trust.

Though a few days have gone by, even mother’s birthday, things haven’t exactly gotten better between Ashley and I. We share cursory greetings and act civil around each other but he declines my calls, texts and invites to talk. According to him, he isn’t ready to have that talk with me.

Asher and Ashal have also tried to intervene but for some reason, Ashley isn’t ready to quash our beef. It’s unlike him. I don’t mean to justify my actions but I know for a fact that he isn’t in love with Demi. Dragging out his anger, though justified as he is her legal husband, seems surprising to me and leaves me wondering why he won’t bury the hatchet.

Everything has just been a lot on me. I wish I can disappear for a few days to clear my head a bit, especially with mother’s birthday wish ringing incessantly in my head. It’s none of my business but I hate that she’s trying to force Demi to do something she clearly didn’t sign up for. Did mother do it for Ashley? I wonder what Demi is enduring because of our kiss.

She seems fine from a distance but for how long? When mother gets wrapped up in the love life of any of her sons to the point where she tries to forcefully play cupid or force his acceptance by the woman such son fancies, it can get messy, like Olivia’s case.

Olivia refused to give in to Ashal and her life only grew difficult. I am not sure I can stand Demi suffering like that. I need to make sure Ashley isn’t planning on forcing anything Demi doesn’t want.

When I try to see him, I am informed that he travelled for an award show. I don’t know if I can wait until he returns so I damn the consequences and go talk to mother. One look in my eyes and she dismisses the servants redecorating the second living room.

"Ashton, are you okay?"

"I’m fine, mom. I have some questions." I pin her with a firm look while I take a seat next to her. "It’s about Ashley and Demi."

As expected, a frown mars her face.

"What do you want to know about them?" Her tone is harsh now. I understand she doesn’t appreciate my fixation with this particular subject matter. I edge close to her.

"It’s not what you think. I just need you clarify a few things for me." I wait till she mirrors my curious gaze. "I have some concerns about your birthday wish. I will be happy for my brother if he welcomes a child with his wife but mother, I hope Demi isn’t under any kind of pressure to fulfil your birthday wish as compensation for what transpired between us."

Mom reclines on the sofa. "You think Demi is being pressured to have a baby with Ashley?" A thin smile forms on her lips. "I have forgiven Demi, and so has Ashley. They’re both working together to strengthen their bond. Demi isn’t under any kind of pressure. I merely voiced my wish because I know a baby just might bring them much closer than ever before."

"Does this mean their contract will no longer hold?" I keep my breath even and my gaze steady as I ask. "A baby is too much reality for a contract marriage." Mother frowns at my outburst and I quickly paraphrase. "I don’t want a repeat of Olivia Dunn, mother. That’s basically what I am trying to say."

Her eyes widen with shock.

"I can’t help but see a pattern here."

"Enough, Ashton."

I stare at her with red eyes as I utter the next words. "If she wants to be with Ashley, she should. If she wants to have a family with him, she should. But she should not be put under any kind of pressure whatsoever just to gain yours and Ashley’s forgiveness. Remember, we can’t hide her from the people of Danvarr anymore. She’s their sweetheart now so for the sake of the family, let’s treat her that way."

Mother yells at me as I stand to leave.

"Did you just threaten me, Ash? Is that what that was?"

"It was a warning mother. I won’t be complicit in another woman being kept against her will. I won’t let Demi suffer unjustly just to stroke my brother’s ego so whatever you’re helping Ashley do, make sure he genuinely wins his wife’s heart. Trust me, it’ll be best for everyone if he does. If he fails to and resorts to cheap antics to force Demi’s hand, I won’t let it slide."

Mother knows exactly what I mean. I have tried my best to ignore the guilt I feel over the way Olivia is being treated. She is trapped in a loveless marriage that was forced on her.

At first, I understood the need to protect the family’s image which she sought to ruin by exposing Ashal’s ailment. But then, she understood how powerful we are and promised not to talk if only we set her free. Mother had refused her because Ashal had professed undying love for her. Olivia has been stuck with him ever since.

Her family have barely laid eyes on her in two years. I just don’t think it’s fair to keep people against their wish, especially when they have made it abundantly clear that their heart is set on someone else no matter how hard you try.

I was glad to hear that Ashal went on a blind date. Innately, I hoped he would find someone else-preferably a woman from a reputable family who cannot be hidden away in his penthouse without an alarm being raised-and fall in love with her.

I had silently hoped to free Olivia from him. Any kind of love that posits to foist itself on others is an unhealthy obsession. Love should be a choice each partner is entitled to make for themselves.

When I turn to leave mother to her thoughts, Ashal is leaning by the door.

***

The rumor of Ashley’s divorce fills the news in the evening. I watch the videos of the award show, from his red carpet to him receiving his award and even his interviews afterward. It just seems a little too convenient that he suddenly forgot his wedding band. He always wears it before leaving the house. He is very conscious of the paparazzi hounding him wherever he goes out so why this mistake all of a sudden?

My mind wheels back to my warning. Mother had had a guilty look in her eyes. Is this what they planned? Are they trying to pressure Demi indirectly? I chuck my phone aside.

"Ashley, you’re better than this." I mutter. I am disappointed in him for resorting to this.

Mother is playing her own part by giving Demi an earful for not escorting her husband to the show. I frown at the display going on from atop the stairs and begin to make my way down when my brothers accost me.

"Get the fuck out of my way."

"Best to stay out of it, Ash." Asher tells me, tucking an arm companionably through mine and herding me back upstairs. Ashal is quiet and brooding too as he stands behind Asher with his hands jammed in his pocket.

He hasn’t said a word to me ever since he overheard my conversation with mother about my disapproval of his relationship with his wife. I can tell by his eyes that he has a lot to say to me now. For that reason, I let them steer me away.

"It’s not what it looks like. I’m not trying to interfere because of any feelings I might have for her. Demi doesn’t deserve the blames being heaped on her and I just wanted to point that out."

"Actually Ashton, it’s exactly what it looks like. You’re trying to interfere because you’re in love with her." Asher counters.

"Yeah, you sure have a lot of pride for someone who’s harboring feelings for his own brother’s wife!"

I whip my head at Ashal. "You say something?"

He leaps up on his feet, ignoring Asher’s advice to keep his temper in check. "You’ve never had to deal with a woman’s rejection, have you? You’ve never had to watch the woman you love nursing feelings for your own brother. How could you possibly understand how desperate that can make a man feel?" He leers at me and Asher. "You two have had better luck than Ashley and I. Not only do we have demons of our own to battle and endless therapy sessions to endure, the women we want don’t even want us back. Instead, they think of our brothers when we kiss them and loathe us for not being the brother they want. DO YOU GUYS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT KIND OF PAIN?"

"Ashal"

"DON’T YOU DARE CALL MY NAME." He snaps at me. Asher is already up on his feet just in case he has to knock someone out.

"How dare you, Ashton? You are in no position to judge anyone, not me or Ashley. So, what if he had to stage this little incident at the award show just to get his wife to acknowledge their marriage? Did you expect him to sit on his hands and not fight for her? I can’t believe you. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ASHLEY IS GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW AND I CAN’T BLAME HIM FOR HIS ACTIONS. He was fine upholding the marriage contract with Demi. They made it to four months until you allowed Demi into your heart and made her believe she had a shot with you. What man can take such an insult to his ego when his wife openly shows more affection for his own brother than for him?"

"Calm down, Ashal. Ashton realizes his mistake."

"Don’t speak for him, Asher."

"I am sorry, Ashal." I quickly intervene. "You’re right, I have never been in that position. I have no right to judge you or Ashley. I am sorry, bro. I didn’t mean it like that." I add, referring to the words he overheard me saying to mother. He backs away when I edge closer.

"I love my wife dearly. I haven’t let any other woman in ever since we were wed. I am prepared to give her everything, Ashton, everything just to have her genuinely return my affection. I don’t mean to hurt her. You know I can barely control that."

"I do."

"We do." Asher adds.

"Then why am I so wrong for her when the man she wants..." he trails off to stare at Asher, "doesn’t want to give her the love or the home she desires? Why am I so wrong for her when all I want is her happiness?"

I have a few thoughts on that but I shelve my response and focus on patronizing him. He’s too close to exploding in anger.

"Back away from me, both of you. I am not a fucking time bomb. I know when I am close enough and what to do to diffuse it so don’t treat me like a fucking trainwreck waiting to happen!"

We both oblige him and back away respectively. I feel really bad when he storms away. My relationship with one brother is already in shambles and now Ashal?

"Way to go, Ashton."

"Just leave, Asher. I can’t pick a fight with you too." But he lingers still.

"He’s right, you know. Both of them are alike in their struggles, as we are in ours. Ashley confided in him when you got in a lip lock with Demi and I understand why. Ashal has been in that unfortunate position before. I thought you would come to me for my two cents as someone who has been the subject of another man’s wife’s affection but you didn’t. No surprise there, really."

"And your point is?"

"You should have come to me earlier. I’ve been in your shoes, not the part where you got caught with your brother’s wife but the part where your brother’s wife has made her feelings known to you. Olivia wasn’t very subtle. She kept throwing herself at me and deluding herself with fantasies of our perfect life together. I’ll admit I sometimes got weak in the knees just indulging her fantasies. However, I removed myself from the situation before my feelings could drive me to hurt my family."

I meet his eyes now, mine a little somber.

"It was hard but I knew following my heart would be worse so I forcefully turned my back on her and everything she thought we could be. I had to do right by Ashal. Olivia didn’t stop. She continued to resist Ashal but eventually, they worked it out." He draws close to me.

"I know it will be hard and maybe devastating to let go but you can’t fight your family for this woman. It will never be worth it. You will never be truly happy. You have to let Demi go so we can all be a team again. Cut off whatever ties you have with her. You have to give Ashley a chance with her. Trust me, she’s not the soulmate you think you might have found and if by some stroke of luck, she is, then she’ll definitely be yours someday. That day however, isn’t today."

I hate to admit that Asher has never sounded more mature and sincere. He is right too. He pats my back and leaves me to my thoughts.

I am still pondering over everything said to me the next morning when Ashley makes his way into the mansion. Oliver lugs his suitcase behind him. Everyone has gone to work already but I stayed back and so did Demi. I think she’s having a hard time with the media situation and decided to wait on Ashley.

She avoids my eyes and heads towards Ashley after mother is done hugging me. Her eyes are bloodshot. She probably didn’t sleep a wink the previous night. Bile tickles my throat when Ashley pulls her into his arms and mutters apologies that I know he doesn’t mean.

"I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I should have taken you along. I’ll sort out this mess, okay? I’m here now." He rubs his hands up and down her arms while she sniffles.

How could he orchestrate such a thing against her and pretend to feel sorry for her.? His hypocrisy makes my anger click up a notch.

Mother’s eyes warn me not to interfere and I heed her. I turn on my heel to leave. I need to talk to both of them but I guess I should give Ashley time to settle in.

"Ashton?"

Inhaling sharply, I turn to them.

"Welcome back, Ashley."

"Thank you." He says while his hand tightens around Demi’s shoulders. Demi eyes are flat as they settle on my face. "I’m glad you’re home. I’d like a word."

Now, he wants to talk? I wonder why.

"Get some rest. You know where to find me when you’re ready." I spin around and continue my climb up the stairs.

Ashley shows up barely ten minutes later, in the game room. He hasn’t changed out of the clothes he arrived in which tells me he is eager to get some things off his chest. He stands with his hands jammed in his pocket. His face is set in a grim line. I continue to poke the fragrant flames from the fireplace.

"Mom called. Apparently, you made some threats about how I ought to handle my wife. Is that true?"

An emotion moves through me that I swiftly recognize as disappointment. I am disappointed at mother for misconstruing my words and passing that along to Ashley whose pride is still sore around the subject of his wife.

Secondly, I am disappointed at Ashley for feeling the need to stress the fact that Demi is his wife, like he needs to remind himself or me of that truth.

"I don’t mince words, Ash, so yeah, that’s exactly what happened." I surge to my feet and turn to look at him. There it is; that petulance from his childhood that made him treat everything and everyone like a toy he deserved to own.

"I told mother that I wouldn’t tolerate any kind of pressure or injustice being meted to Demi, the way Olivia was. Both women deserve to have a choice in their marriage including whom they marry, if they want to stay married, if they want kids and whatnot..."

"You...."

"I’m not done!" I snarl with blazing eyes that make Ashley swallow the retort on his tongue. Slowly, I walk closer to him. He’s fuming. Steams might as well be coming out of his ears right now but I need him to hear me out.

"I didn’t say all that because I am vying for a shot with your wife. I said that because I cannot stomach another situation like Olivia’s. Demi is your wife, Ashley, yours!" I emphasize, stabbing a finger in his chest.

"I made a huge mistake during a low point in my life. I wasn’t thinking and I took advantage of the situation. You are justified to hate me. I deserve that but don’t punish your wife continuously for what happened. If you claim to have forgiven her, let bygones be bygones. Face her head-on and earn her affection like a real man instead of resorting to cheap antics to force her back into your arms. It’s pathetic. What do you think will happen when she eventually learns the truth, huh? You don’t want that on your conscience."

He brushes my shoulders roughly and scoffs. "Conscience? What do you know about having a conscience, huh? I don’t need any advice from you, Ashton. I can handle my own business and I will handle my wife how I see fit. You’re not going to tell me what to do."

"You talk about her like she’s one of your playthings."

"You talk about her like she is your wife and I am sick of everyone tiptoeing around the issue because guess what, it’s not that delicate anymore. You need a fucking reality check, Ashton. You’re delusional if you think you have any kind of right over Demi, delusional I say!"

My eyes darken at the insult.

"How dare you, Ashton?" He lashes at me. "How dare you stand there and continue to interfere in my marriage? From day one, you’ve always had an unhealthy interest in my union. I hate to break it to you but DEMI IS NOT YOUR WIFE ASHTON, NOT ANYMORE. YOU DENIED HER CLAIM, REMEMBER? YOU REFUSED TO ACCEPT YOUR MISTAKE AT THE BLUE COVE. YOU STOOD THERE SPEECHLESS AND UNPERTURBED WHEN MOTHER LITERALLY BEGGED ME TO BEAR YOUR CROSS. DEMI IS MINE NOW SO BACK THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY WIFE!