DEMI
Three Days Later.
I sit quietly, eating my food in silence. It's been a while since I felt this awkward around people that are supposed to be my family. I have no idea why aunt called me home on a Sunday afternoon to have lunch with her and Kira. The fact that neither one of them has dropped a scathing remark since I got here thirty minutes ago is beyond shocking. Though most of their hurtful words never miss causing me great discomfort, I kind of prefer it to this awkward yet palpable silence right now.
I drop my fork. "Aunt, you said it was urgent. I've been here for half an hour but you've barely spoken a word to me. What's the matter?"
"Can't I invite my only niece home to share a meal with her? You've been married for over two months and we haven't eaten from the same table ever since. Is this meal beneath you now, Demi or do I have to have a life-threatening situation before you can come pay us a visit?"
I can't believe how dramatic she's being. "I didn't mean it like that, aunt. You had me worried when you said it was urgent. I came rushing. You could have just told me you wanted to have lunch and I'd be here anyway."
I pick up my fork and twirl some creamy pasta onto my fork and eat. "And what do you mean by me considering this food beneath my station? That will never happen. You know how much I enjoy your cooking."
Kira snorts. "Is there something in that mansion that makes all its occupants terrible liars?'
"That's enough Kira, she wasn't talking to you so mind your business." Aunt's eyes find my face again and warms. "Thanks for the compliment, Demi. That means a lot to me."
Like her mother, I ignore Kira for the rest of the meal.
"So, how has marriage been? Are they treating you well?"
I almost choke on my food at that last part. Aunt quickly tops my glass of water from the water pitcher. "Thank you." I say with a smile after guzzling some. "Yes aunt, everything is fine at home. Thanks for your concern."
Aunt trades a quick glance with Kira. "Demi, you don't have to lie to me. I know I literally forced you into that marriage but I have learnt my lesson now. Money isn't everything. It disappears as quickly as it appears. The euphoria of wealth is fleeting."
I am amazed at her poetic words. Could this be because she lost the ten million dollars Mrs. Rollins gifted her while gambling to double it? I say nothing and make a good show of seeming enraptured by aunt's words.
"I want you to know that you can always come back home if that marriage isn't working. I don't want you to overthink it. Just call it quits. You'll have my full support, no questions asked. You can go back to your quiet and simple life afterward. Things will go back to the way they were."
Ok, I don't know where all this is coming from but this line of conversation is getting very awkward now. "Aunt, I am fine. Thank you for your unwavering support but I made a commitment to that family and I have every intention to see it through." At this point, Kira breaks her five-minute-long silence to counter my words.
"Stop acting so perfect, Demi. You're not sticking close to the quads and their parents out of a sense of integrity. Grow the balls to admit it. Everyone in Danvarr knows you're a dumb fool and treated no less in there. Forget the cars, the chauffeurs and the bodyguards, that family couldn't care less about an orphan who weaseled her way into their home by taking advantage of the press."
Uncharacteristically, aunt doesn't stop her daughter this time.
"Look at the history of the type of women the quads have rolled with. Even their flings have class. Ashton just got with Mila Spellman, the only daughter of the chairman of Spellman group. Ashley, your fake husband, is definitely still sleeping with his ex, Nicola Grey, the daughter of a high-profile politician in this country. Asher has been known to date only within the upper echelons of society; daughters of CEOs of huge conglomerates, a foreign ambassador's daughter one time, an international beauty pageant winner and the list goes on. Don't you see a pattern there?"
Hard as I try to ignore the sting of her words, it gets to me.
Kira chuckles. "Those are not coincidences, Demi. It's all by design. The rich date and marry amongst themselves. YOU were just a shameful mistake but the Rollins plan on rectifying that mistake really soon. When Ashely divorces you in ten months' time, it will be carefully arranged so the whole of Danvarr hates on you. You'll be lucky to leave that mansion with a sliver of sanity and shortly after you return, you'll only think suicidal thoughts because of all the hate you'll get from our society as a divorcee dumped by the Rollins family. Unless, you divorce Ashley first."
"She has a point, Demi."
I stare at aunt with a surprised look. How long have they been thinking this way. Kira clicks her fingers in my face to draw my attention back to her.
"You must know that those brothers are seriously scheming to kick you out sooner than you expect. Their father already loathes you so he won't bat an eye no matter how dirty they get their hands. Mrs. Rollins might be fond of you but she'll never pick you over her family. My point is, Demi, everyone in Danvarr knows how badly this is going to end for you except you. Your best bet is to beat those quads to their game and leave Ashely first. Come up with any excuse for a quiet breakup. Get your head out of that sandbox and save your reputation before it is irredeemably tarnished."
I take a gulp of water and set the glass down.
"Thank you, aunt, for the meal. I'll be on my way now." I slide off my seat and grab my bag.
"Asher was here."
I whip my head towards Kira. "What?"
"Your precious brother-in-law Asher Rollins stopped by last night to discuss YOU."
"Kira." Aunt's voice is a low, warning growl but its effect is lost on Kira as she continues nonetheless.
"Asher came to register the displeasure of his family over your intentions for sticking with them. He is convinced you have ulterior motives and has committed to make your exit from his family a memorable one. Demi, those quads plan to disgrace and dump you like used toilet paper. No man in Danvarr will look at you again. You can only stop this if you quietly divorce Ashley first."
Speechless, I make my way out of the house. Why does it still surprise me the lengths Asher Rollins will go to get rid of me? I shouldn't be shocked anymore at this point. Yet, hearing his schemes always manages to send waves of cold chills down my arms. I have not even scratched the surface of my plans. I can't leave now. Yet, if there's any truth to what Kira is saying (with Kira being Kira) then I can't let the quads have their way. I'll leave on my own terms, not for any other reason.
***
"Did you know?" I ask, scowling at Liam. He shoves a paperback in a shelf and turns to face me. "Did you know what your sister has been up to? She's warming her way into the very family you claim to despise."
"Correction Demi, half-sister. To answer your question though, I wasn't aware. From the little I gathered; Mila never struck me as the type to find love amongst the quads. She has never loved the spotlight. All of this is news to me."
"Well, apparently, you were wrong. She clearly has her fangs in the Rollins' family now. Brett Rollins is already toasting to her and Ashton as though they're an official couple." The image from dinner last night seems to irk me more than the distasteful visit Asher made to my aunt's home. "They went on one coffee date and everyone is already branding them a couple."
Liam narrows his eyes at me. "What exactly are you livid about? The fact that this can potentially pose challenges in our grand plan or losing Ashton's attention?"
I stare up at him, a conspicuous frown on my face. "In case you haven't noticed, Ashton's attention is the reason Asher's hasn't uncovered my truth yet. It's very important to have a brother on my side, you know that. With your half-sister in the picture, everything will get complicated for me."
Liam doesn't look convinced. "I hope to the heavens that your priorities are straight. Mila knows nothing about my plans. After all, she has never had to face rejection from our father. She is his princess. Taking down Rollins group and putting Spellman group in first place is my only ticket to reuniting with my father."
Just then, a customer enters the book store. Liam steers me further behind the shelves.
"I can't confront her. We aren't close. Just keep doing what you're doing. Hopefully, Ashton is smart enough to reject her affection."
Though Ashton had seemed pretty surprised and slightly uncomfortable with his family's stamp of approval on Mila, his purported new girlfriend, I don't know if he can turn them down. He adores his mother. His father is a different story.
Brett Rollins is not as effusive with praise as Mrs. Rollins so when it comes, his boys lap it up as fast as they can. I recall the glint in Ashton's eyes when his father held out a hand to shake him. It felt like Ashton breathed a sigh of relief at finally making the old man proud and feeling seen for the first time in a long while.
Can Ashton really turn his father down if Brett wishes to see Mila join the family? I push the thoughts at the back of my mind to avoid facing the nerve-wracking truth.
Have you heard anything significant from the device in the game room?" I ask, digressing to clear my head.
"They haven't been in there for now. Bugging their phones will be more effective."
Sighing, I run a hand through my hair, ruffle it. "For this unforeseen turn of events, I'll need more time to deliver on that end. Getting close enough to the brothers to get their phones will be even harder now. I'll see what I can do." Surprisingly, Liam doesn't object. Instead, his eyes are narrowed with precision like he always does when he is running an idea in his mind.
"We can't keep stalling like this." He spits. "We need you working in HQ."
"Brett will never sanction that even if I had all the requisite qualifications to hold a job there."
"Then we'll have to force his hand."
I don't bother asking him what he means. Right there and then, he pulls up his laptop from his bag, settles into a couch and begins to write. I know he is cooking up something juicy on Billion-Err and for that reason, I'm afraid to ask what.
"You're not going to like it but trust me, this is how we can get you to work at the damn HQ. I'm going to tag all the major blogs and journalists on this post. Brett won't be able to ignore this."
The door bell chimes and my best friend walks in. Just like I have already explained to her, she makes a beeline to the back of the bookstore and smiles beautifully at the sight of me. We embrace each other tightly for a few seconds.
"Hello, Mr. Spellman." Anna waves at him. Liam doesn't look up from his laptop screen.
"Liam please. Just call me Liam."
"Ok, Liam." Anna chuckles before I grab her to a different couch to fill her in on the new Mila problem. She is just as shocked as I am and steals glances at Liam every two seconds.
"Shit. I think I see the resemblance." She coos.
"That's not the problem right now."
"Oh, right. Ashton." She shrugs. "You can't know for certain that his feelings for you or whatever they might be, is fading because of this Mila unless you check."
"Check?"
"Scratch that. We can't let his feelings for you wither away. It'll make your revenge game harder without a brother dancing to your tune, right? So, you can't wait or try to check. You have to strum that Ashton like a guitar. If you've been ignoring him up till this point, give him some kind of a greenlight so he isn't afraid to explore his feelings with you. You need him to reject Mila because of his feelings for you."
I bite down on my lower lip. I don't know much about seducing a man, let alone a man like Ashton. "I don't know, Anna. If I immediately switch from not giving a fuck about him to wanting him the minute Mila showed up, Ashton might suspect me or consider me desperate."
Anna smiles. "Who says you're going to seduce him by giving him a lap dance? Nothing too obvious, Demi. You'll keep playing your innocent little game. I bet he especially loves that about you. Just be a damsel in distress more frequently so he comes to your aid as he usually does. Get your keys jammed in the lock. Slip and fall. Break your heels or something right when he's around the corner. When he comes to your aid, you don't act stubborn but thank him. Let him linger around you longer than you'd usually permit and all he'll think is that you're just being grateful for his help. When he comes close to you, don't push him away."
"It's done."
We both turn to stare at Liam.
"Oh damn, these comments are wild." Liam spares me a cautious glance. "Demi, remember I did this for you. Let the heat rise till it starts to scald Brett Rollins. That's when you'll hit him with the employment question."
"Oh crap." Anna passes her phone to me. "Did you really have to take it that far?"
I brace myself as I read the article. It thoroughly compares me with Nicola, Mila and a few other exes the quads have had in terms of beauty, standard, class etc. Liam tries to sway peoples' minds to the idea that the Rollins' family haven't fully accepted me because I don't come from a wealthy background like the other women. He alludes to my poor fashion choices and the fact that I am currently not integrated in the family business. He makes more scalding statements about my place in the family and raises suspicions that the Rollins family keep me locked up in the house instead of letting me work like I used to.
People buy into his postulation and make unhealthy comparisons between me, Nicola and Mila. Most appeal to my in-laws to polish me up to look like a befitting daughter-in-law but there are others who accuse me of being a gold digger who tore Ashley and Nicola apart and for that reason, I deserve the disdain of my in-laws.
Anna rips the phone from my hand.
"That's enough. Don't let those trolls get to you."
Liam walks up to me and pulls me to my feet. "You'll need a tougher skin to survive all the things I am prepared to do to get you closer to hard proof." He shakes me a bit. "Go home. Look forlorn and dejected. If any of the quads comes to console you, spy their phone. We'll give Brett a few days and then you can gradually start pitching the idea of working at the HQ to Mrs. Rollins or her husband directly."
I nod my head with a small smile. "I understand the plan. Simply because I shudder at how creative people can get with insults towards someone they barely know doesn't make me weak. Anna, you recall what this feels like, right?" Anna nods affirmatively.
"I never knew I could feel worse about my situation until those trolls came for me." She shivers in remembrance. "You should try it Liam. Wait till someone leaks that you're behind Billion-Err. Then you'd know that talk is cheap."
Liam remains unfazed. "Let's focus on the task ahead first. If you feel like shedding tears, then do them when the family members can see and have pity on you, not in your room behind closed doors. We need to tug at their heartstrings till Brett Rollins comes around. Is that clear?"
"Crystal."
***
The minute I get back into the car, the chauffeur is the first one to ask if I am okay. He noticed I spent quite some time at the bookstore. I peer at him through the rearview mirror, my eyes red and puffy and ask to be taken home.
At home, I trudge into the mansion like my legs are made of lead. I don't have to fake the weariness or tears as the harsh comments I had read on the car ride back home left a tear in my confidence and self-esteem. I intentionally ignored numerous calls from home too.
At my bedroom door, I keep entering the wrong code on purpose. I give the door a bad-tempered kick after the third try and whimper softly when a door along the hall opens. I continue to key in the wrong code and banging the door when it wouldn't budge. Huge arms come around me, clinging tightly to keep me from bruising my knuckles further by banging the door. I turn around and cry in Ashton's chest as he holds me. Then I catch a whiff of the perfume. Pulling back, I note the outfit. Dread fills me as I jerk back against my door with bloodshot eyes.
"Not the brother you hoped for, huh?"