FakeNovelChapter 34: Chapter 34
ASHER
Ashton ranges himself between Demi and the door. His long rangy body and the face marred by a frown will look
just as natural as a bouncer outside of the doors of a club. His eyes dart towardsagain, brimming with heat. |
suck in a breath through my teeth. This guy has been staring daggers atall evening. | am starting to wonder
if this is all because of Demi and the sight he just walked into.
"What's going on here?" Ashton continues. His eyes fall back on Demi. "Why are you so quiet? Tellwhat
you're doing in this room alone with him?"
"JESUS CHRIST ASHTON!" | can’t stand him any longer. | drop my drink and start towards them. "What the hell
are you asking right now? If you're fuming this much, what is Ashley supposed to do as her husband? You might
look just like her husband but that doesn’t make you him, okay? Stop role swapping. Ashley knows Demi is here
and he has no qualms about it. | don’t see why you should."
| give Demi a look. On cue, she tries to brush past Ashton and leave when he grips her arm.
"Oh, for goodness’ sake, let the woman go."
Why the hell is Demi looking like a scaredy cat right now? Her hands are even trembling a bit. She's clearly
acting up. She wasn’t this quiet or nervous when she approachedherself earlier to getto change my
mind about blackmailing her. | can’t believe she’s trying to fool Ashton with her theatrics.
| move forward and try to break Ashton’s grip. As sure as hell, he doesn’t budge.
"Demi, is he blackmailing you? What exactly were you doing here? Tell me."
"What do you mean by that?"
We all turn to find Ashley and Ashal walking up to us. Ashley has a conspicuous frown on his face s he steps up
and wrenches Demi’s arm away from Ashton’s weakened grip. | am glad his timing is impeccable. What the hell
took him so long? Ashley steers Demi behind him and looks at Ashton with a narrowed glare.
"Why do you assthat every other person talking to Demi in private has to be blackmailing her? What right
do you have to act so protective and obsessive towards my own wife, Ashton?" He exchanges quick glances
between Demi and Ashton. "Is there something both of you aren't telling us? Are you fucking behind my back?"
"Ashley!" Demi cries.
"Is that what Asher’s been telling you?" Ashton asks.
"Asher doesn’t have to tellanything." Ashley is nose to nose with Ashton now. "Everybody can see it, even
Mila. All through dinner, you barely even looked at the woman on your arm. You kept your head bowed and the
only person you deigned to look at when you raised your head was my wife! Do you even know how Mila got
htonight? You just left her at the table and went off to your room. | went to drop off YOUR guest. Everyone
can see that you've got eyes for my wife."
This is way better than any TV show. | want to go back for my drink but | am afraid to miss a single arch of an
eyebrow or the clenching of fists. Demi is getting impatient now. She steals a glance atbut all | do is wink at
her.
"Ok, that’s enough you two." Ashal steps between them. Fucking hell. Why is he even here? Shouldn't he be
cooped up in his room, sobbing or something? Why did he choose this very night to rejoin us? He's ruining such a
good show.
Ashley gently moves Ashal to the side. "No. | have concerns and | will get to the bottom of them tonight."
"Stop it, Ashley." Demi tries again, coming in front of him and Ashton. "There's nothing going on beyond Ashton’s
genuine care for me." Her eyes are tearing up. "You all know how your brother is. Ashton cares deeply or he
doesn’t care at all. He also gets violent when he wants to protect those he cares about. Ever since | joined this
family, I've been through a lot. Asher has been dead set on witch hunting me. You, Ashley, have slowly gone
back to your life," She pauses so everyone gets her drift. Ashley winces at that last part.
Demi sniffles. "Ashal was there foruntil he got sick. I've been dealing with so much all by myself until Ashton
noticed. He stops to ask how my day went or if | need help handling a problem. Simply because he is very
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtintentional about making sure | get the help | am too afraid to seek doesn’t mean you get to judge us like that. |
don’t see you being mad at Asher for trying to rapethe other day." Her angry eyes flashes at me.
Ashely is lost for words.
"Why? Are you okay with what he did? You toldhe was the one in my room that night. Why did you never
confront him? Why are you attacking Ashton for no reason?" Demi buries her face in her hands and sighs.
"Maybe the reason why he attempted it again back at my aunt’s house is because you never had the balls to
confront him about it."
"What?" Ashley asks, eyes wide with shock.
Oh, Demi, you're so dead now, I think in my head as my three brothers all givedeath stares.
"After my first day at work, | kindly asked him to make a quick stop by my aunt’s place so | can pick up a few
things. Asher tried to kissand when | scolded him, he threatened to rapeagain, saying neither my aunt
nor Kira will breathe a word against him if he did have his way with me. Ever since then, he’s been blackmailing
——
She has barely finished her words when | start clapping.
"Wow Demi, that was a really good story there, except you intentionally left out major details."
My brothers are all inside the groom now. Ashley looks betrayed. Of course, | told him about Demi’s pictures
with Iman the night he brought her hfrom her aunt’s. He was steaming because he suspected Demi could
have feelings for Ashton and that scraped his pride. | saw it as an opportunity to rope him into my grand plan.
He was desperate to find out so he managed to steal Ashton’s phone while Ash slept and texted Demi from it.
Demi turned out to be smarter than we thought. | knew she would never ignore Ashton so when she wouldn't
open the door despite reading the texts, | had to step in and help Ashely.
| sent Demi the text threatening her with the pictures. | didn’t tell Ashley all the fine details of what transpired in
Demi’s room, especially the part where I tried to kiss her. Why does it even matter? Her marriage to Ashely is
only on paper, not so?
"You tried to kiss her?" Ashley heaves a breath.
| ignore him and face my scarier brothers. "Demi here has been up to sshameful things despite knowing the
difficulties our family has faced because of her. Right after father accepted her into the HQ, she dashed hto
her real man and boyfriend, Iman, to kiss him. | have pictures of them in an alley."
One look at Ashley and he now pretends to be hearing this for the first time.
"You went back to Iman?" Ashley asks Demi.
Ashton and Ashal demand to see the pictures and | gladly show it to them on my phone. Ashal flushes with
secondhand embarrassment for Demi while Ashton snags the phone from my hand to peer deeper at it.
"It’s not what it looks like, Ashley. Iman attackedon my way to the bookstore that day. He threatened me."
"Yeah right, everyone seems to threaten Demi. How convenient." | blurt out.
"He forcefully kissed me. | didn’t kiss him back. Kira saw everything but she preferred to take pictures instead of
calling for help. She has a video too. Please ask her to show you the video. You'll seestruggling. | could never
do that to your family after everything you've done to savefrom Iman."
"She's lying, as usual."
"SHUT UP, ASHER." Ashton bellows. | stare into his eyes and realize he isn’t buying the story. "For anyone that
has eyes, you're welcto look closely at this photo. Demi is clearly uncomfortable with what Iman was doing.
| believe he forced himself on her." He chucks my phone on the pool table and Ashal grabs it, takes a deeper look
and nods.
"Yeah, something is definitely off with it. Iman is clearly the one forcing the kiss. Demi appears to be shocked
and helpless." Ashal offers the phone to Ashley who givesa quick look.
"| didn’t do it on purpose Ashley. He tried to strangle me. | was too scared to fight him alone in that alley. Please
believe me." Her voice is edged with pity. | can’t believe how this night is suddenly swerving in Demi’s favor after
all my hard work. That silly girl, Kira, hasn't stopped blowing my phone asking for her reward. It'd be spineless of
"Wow, you all amaze me. How the hell do you all know what Demi looks like when she is kissing a guy? Have you
all locked lips with her before?" | intentionally let my eyes linger on Ashton. Big mistake. He is going to punch the
daylights out ofnow. When the punch doesn’t come, | dip my eyes to find his hands clenched into fists by his
side. Amazing. Ashton learnt self-control? That's new.
Ashton ignoresand whips his head to Demi. "Is this what he was blackmailing you with?"
"Yes. He orderedto make one of two choices before the end of the week or he would send the photos to the
blogs and haveruined."
"What choices?" Ashley asks.
Dang it. | didn’t tell him those too. | only mentioned using the photos to blackmail her into doing our will. For
Ashley, that means making Demi stay away from Ashton and give her husband all the attention she has to spare.
Fuck me!
Demi takes her twith this one, wiping her tears. "He askedto either quit working at the HQ," then she
stares intently into Ashley’s eyes for the last part, "or divorce Ashley by the end of the week."
"You snake." Ashley growls. "That's not your call to make."
"Asher, what personal vendetta do you have against Demi to go this far?" Ashal asks. Ashton remains
dangerously quiet. | know he has a lot on his mind but for sreason, he isn’t voicing it out. He steals glances
at Ashal and keeps mum.
"I know you all think | am overreacting but | will prove you wrong. This woman is out to get our family and it’s my
responsibility to stop her." | zero in on Demi’s pathetic crying face. "YOU MIGHT HAVE WON THE BATTLE TONIGHT
BUT THE WAR STILL LOOMS. I'LL EXPOSE YOU LONG BEFORE YOU GET A CHANCE TO SINK YOUR FANGS INTO THE
ROLLINS FAMILY."
Ashley givesone last look of disappointment before grabbing Demi’s hand and tugging her away. Ashal
retires to his room. Ashton won't budge. | make for the door and he calls out my name.
"You're such a hypocrite, you know that?"
"Really? How so?" | ask, whirling towards him.
Now, his rage is at the surface. "You're a disgrace of a brother. You stand here talking about responsibility and
protecting our family when YOU are the disease festering in here. YOU'RE THE PROBLEM, NOT DEML.""
"You're gong to have to be a little more specific, bro."
"Was it not enough for you when you lied about Ashal hitting Olivia? After he took up your shand
responsibility, the least you could have done was allow them to work out their marriage. Instead, you
shamelessly snuck into her bed behind Ashal’s back and even got her pregnant. The baby whose death Ashal
has been mourning for days wasn’t even his!!!"
| am too stunned to speak. "What the fuck are you talking about right now, Ash? Olivia was pregnant? Baby? |
don’t know..."
"You're the reason she can never give Ashal a chance because you've got it in her head that you will be with her
eventually. How low can you stoop? Now you're trying to ruin Ashley's marriage too? If he wants to divorce Demi
earlier than their contract stipulates, that’s his call to make, not yours! How could you enjoy interfering and
ruining the lives of your brothers like this? What have we ever done to you to deserve such hatred?"
| can’t believe Ashton thinks | hate my brothers. It stings to hear this.
"Do you really consider us a threat? NOBODY WANTS TO INHERIT THE FUCKING HQ SO KEEP IT AND LEAVE US
ALL ALONE!" He shoveswith his shoulder and storms out. | stagger forward, grab my drink and glug it all
down. | grab the bottle, slosh more wine into my glass and guzzle it all once more.
What the fuck was that about Olivia? | haven't called or spoken to her in over two months. Why does Ashton
think I got her pregnant? What silly gis that wretch playing now. Anger prickles over the shock of Ashton’s
words. | have no problem digesting the sting from his accusations regarding Ashley. Yes, | brought that on myself.
However, | won't sit quietly and stomach the ridiculous allegations regarding Olivia. If she had a baby and lost it,
it definitely wasn’t mine and | will make sure she tells the truth!
ork
"I'm glad you finally showed up. | was starting to panic..."
"I'm not here for the chitchat doc, just givesomething for the headaches and dizziness." | interrupt,
massaging my temples with my hands. This morning was the worst | ever felt. | woke up with a splitting
headache and for a few seconds | couldn’t even more or pull myself out of bed.
"| should be at work by now." | add when doctor Ezra tries to protest. "Please, I'll cin for the surgery later. |
have a lot going on right now. It’s too dicey leaving my family or the business at this critical time. When | have
set things in place, I'd cover and you'll get the surgery done."
"Mr. Rollins, need | remind you that a brain tumor is the diciest thing in your life right now. You can’t just pick and
choose when to have the surgery. If we don’t tackle this now, those brain cells could becmalignant."
"Just givethe damn pills, doc. You knowbetter than this."
Doctor Ezra sighs. "Asher, my concern stems from a personal place rather than professional. | have known your
family ever since you boys were in diapers. | can’t sit back and watch you toy with your life like this. Please, |
need you to cin for the surgery. Any medicine | give now will only give a temporal relief and there will be
side effects. Let's tackle this once and for all so you can go back to living your healthy life again."
When | say nothing in response, he goes ahead to prescribe sdrugs for me. | grab the medicine and surge to
my feet. The sharp movement makes the room spin.
"I'm fine." | tell him when the doctor tries to grab my hand. "I'll call you."
| know this is important and | am trying to make peace with the fact that | might eventually have to go under the
knife. It’s not been easy. | hate hospitals and drugs and doctors. | have always had impeccable health since my
childhood and | always stayed fit as an adult. Why in the hell am | battling a brain tumor now? How did that even
happen? Why me?
Every night | go to bed and pray to wake up from this nightmare. When | wake up and realize | still have the
tumor, | adjust my prayer asking that the tumor disappears as mysteriously as it appeared. | have heard stories
like that. Maybe that’s the reason | am not eager to rush into surgery.
| accidentally bump hard into a broad chest, making my medicine clatter to the ground. My headache triples with
the clash.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." The man apologizes. Our eyes meet and his jaws drop. "Asher Rollins?"
Of course, it had to be stupid Josh Randall.
"What are you doing in the hospital so early, man?"
By his side, his mother eyessuspiciously and | drop my hand from my head.
"Minor headache." | chime.
"It can’t be minor if you had to call the way to the hospital to get it looked at." Mrs. Randall adds. She's just
like her son; nosy. Her eyes dip to the floor where my drug still lies. | make a quick grab for it before Josh can and
slip into my pocket.
"Actually, | didn’t just cin for the headache. | had sother business to do with a few shareholders of this
fine establishment. Have a nice day." | take my twalking to avoid losing my balance since | know for a fact
they'll be watching me.
| manage to make it into my car before | catch a breath. | quickly pop a pill and take a short rest before zooming
off to work.
| pull up next to a restaurant to avoid killing myself. My vision is blurrier than before. Staggering, | walk into the
restaurant and ask the first waiter | see for the direction to the gents. | almost make it to the bathroom door
when my dizziness kicks in and | fall surprisingly into soft arms.
"Mr. Rollins, are you okay? What's wrong with you?"
| blink up at the lady cradlingin her arms as my vision clears. "Anna?"
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