Four Brothers and a Bride
Chapter 171

Chapter 171: Chapter 171

ASHAL

I have been slipping in and out of consciousness all day. Each time my eyelids fluttered open amidst my drowsiness, Skylar was either walking away after leaving me some food or after replacing my bandages with fresh ones. I struggled to keep my eyes open each time because I wanted to get a better look at her face. She has the cutest freckles I have seen and up close, her blonde hair has tints of grey at the tips.

I bat my eyelids open again after what seems to be hours of sleep and realize I am in a proper room, and on a bed. The lights are turned on low. From a small window, I can see dusk on the horizon. With some effort and a stab of pain shooting up my spine, I heft myself into a sitting position. I ignore the fact that my right hand is handcuffed to the bed and concentrate on the window, and the balmy breeze whistling outside.

How long have I been away from my family? Has my birthday passed or not? My memory keeps getting all jumbled up because of the stuff they kept injecting into my bloodstream through syringes while I was in the basement. Though it helped numb the pain all over my body for a few hours, I hope all that is over now.

My mind drifts to my family and how they must be coping. How’s mother holding up? I wish I could assure her that I am okay. I wish I could calm her nerves. And my brothers? I hope they’re being strong.

I’m certain father is holding up well. He must blame me for being gullible and visiting the same family he tried to warn me against. Anyway, I can’t deny how right he was. I shouldn’t have gone to see Maddi just to escape from my thoughts being haunted by Demi’s words about my sister.

It’s terribly ironical that the same sister is now punishing me. Why though? Why does she hate my brothers and I so much? Did someone poison her heart towards us during her childhood? I don’t just get it.

Though hearing about her existence felt like a lie at first, my brothers and I have been thrilled at the discovery. We’ve looked forward to spoiling our baby sister with all the good things if life she never had as a child. We’ve mapped out strategies to keep her safe. We’ve loved her from a distance without necessarily knowing the full story about her so why is the feeling not mutual when it comes to Skylar? Why does she bear a toxic grudge against us that’s so strong she’s prepared to end my life without batting an eye?

A small movement in the shadows tell me that I am not alone. I blink severally, trying to make out the silhouette of a person standing by the door, watching me intently. Something about the stillness and the grim stance gives off a coldness that I have come to associate with my estranged sister.

"Are you just going to stand there? Come forward, Sky. I also have a lot to get off my chest."

She flicks on the light to a higher setting, revealing herself. She’s not by the door after all, but lounging on the chair close to it. Her legs are crossed. Her eyes are frosty. She inclines her head with a slight curve of her mouth.

"Tell me," I begin, propping my back up against the bed frame. "What’s on your mind."

"Call me Sky again and you won’t live to find out."

Though she literally just threatened my life, I can’t help but stifle a smile. "I’m sorry."

She scoffs at that.

"May I call you Skylar?"

She gets on her feet but doesn’t take a step forward. "No, just shut up and go back to sleep before you piss me off enough to lure Ashley to join you here." She sucks in her teeth. "It’s amazing how much the Rollins quads care for each other without giving a flying fuck about others. I called him from your phone while you were knocked out, you see. Even though he knew it was likely a trap, he was prepared to come meet me. Can you imagine the sentimental buffoon?" She cackles loudly.

"He wasn’t necessarily coming for me. It’s you he wanted to see." I explain Ashley to her as I realize my brothers must be aware of Skylar’s true identity. Skylar isn’t touched by the import of my words.

"Oh, he’ll see me really soon but it’s not going to be the reunion he’s hoping for."

"Why do you hate us so much?" I query her. She pauses on her way out of the door, her fingers balling into tight fists. "We literally just learnt about your existence a couple months back but we were thrilled about the change, about having a little sister. You seem to have known about us all your life and yet all you feel for your siblings is deep hatred. I just want to know why."

She turns to me. "How did you come to find out about me?"

The question catches me off guard because it’s not what I expected she’d pick up from everything I just said. Her curious eyes darken to suspicion as she approaches me.

"HOW???"

"It’s a little complicated. One of us kept getting what we assumed were prank calls telling us we had a biological sister. This was shortly after we learnt about our adoption. The stranger kept leaving us crumbs and it led right to a farmhouse where you apparently lived as a foster child." The arch of her eyebrow denote recognition as she continues to listen to my story.

"Ashton met a guy there, Keith. The rest is history, I guess."

"Keith told you about me? No way! He wouldn’t..." she shakes her head, struggling to accept the betrayal.

"Apparently, he didn’t. You are not the sister he presented to us. He lied to us. Her name’s Adriana. For the last two months we’ve held her in our hearts and planned our lives around that face. I don’t know why he did that to us despite our best intentions or why you..." I trail off when she bursts into a laugh. She cackles for a bit but when she finishes, the anger seeps back into her face.

"You’re just like that father of yours. You lie so smoothly. You almost had me convinced."

"What are you talking about?"

"You don’t know why I despise you? Really, brother? What are you going to say next? You don’t know why your ex-wife offered you up on a silver platter or why the entire nation loathes your family right now? You don’t know what happened to Liam’s mum or Demi’s parents? You don’t know about Halle too?" She tugs on her hair. "And Lily, your faithful housekeeper? Will you tell me you don’t remember her too? Are you kidding me?"

She grows even more upset with how confused I look. My mind is racing. Lily? Lily is a part of this? Even Halle, our domestic staff at the mansion? My heart skips with fear. Mother trusts Halle blindly. Who knows what Halle’s been up to this whole time. But the growing list of people who have been hurt by my family makes me feel ashamed. How have we managed to inflict pain on others and gloss over it so much that we can’t even recognize when our victims are around us?

Skylar sits at the end of my bed. "This denial right here is all the proof I need to know that though you might look like the man who fathered me, you’re NOT my blood. Family runs deeper than that. You are Brett’s minion through and through. Everything you and your brothers say or do is reminiscent of the devil who raised you."

I grind my teeth in annoyance. "Couldn’t the same be said of you? Is it right to assume that my biological father who raised you is vengeful and vile because that’s all I’ve seen from you?" I anticipate the fist before it connects with my sore nose. Blood dribbles down from the fresh bruise.

"Watch your mouth! You’ll not speak of my father, you hear me?"

I wipe the blood off with my left hand. "God, you punch really well for a girl."

Another uppercut follows through with more blood spills. I get it. She has lived a hard life and obviously learnt how to protect herself.

"You’re really asking for it, aren’t you?" She surges to her feet and stomps towards the door.

"YOU ARE RIGHT." I call after her. "You are NOT my sister. I grew up in a particular household with my brothers. For almost twenty-six years, we didn’t know anything about you or our biological parents. That’s our excuse for taking so long to find you. But you? You knew about us the whole time but you never tried to reach out or to tell us the truth about our real parents. Still, you hate us because of the man who raised us. You blame us for things we knew nothing about." I struggle to sit up straight and instantly regret it when a riot of painful sensations make themselves known all around my body.

"If the roles were reversed and you had been taken from us in your infancy, we’d go to the ends of the earth to find and bring you back. We wouldn’t blame you for not having a choice as a baby. We wouldn’t ’punish’ you because you loved and trusted the only family you’ve ever known. All that will matter is that we have the same blood in our veins. "I flash my bloody palm at her for dramatic effect. "But you’re not my sister anymore than Adriana is. If this is all you are or a reflection of who our real father is, then maybe my brothers and I are better off being the Rollins’ quads."

The last bit pisses her off. Isn’t that what she’s been saying? Why does it sting when I affirm your words?

"I was right when I told him his sons died the night they were taken." She mutters through gritted teeth. "I told him it was useless pining for you bastards!" Tears shimmer in her eyes. Though she refrains from saying anything further, I help finish her thoughts.

"You’re all he has. You’re the only child he should have been focused on and not the ones he lost." Her eyes flash at me as though I just read her mind.

Is that it? Did our biological father neglect her all these years while mourning the loss of his sons? Is that part of the reason she hates us?

Skylar blinks away the tears. "You want to know why I am not giving you hugs after years of our separation? Because I don’t consider myself as having siblings. You are all dead to me! That blood means nothing when your entire essence and character scream of Brett’s influence. You are nothing like the man who gave you life and I will not let you or your brothers taint his memory and legacy."

"Then you shouldn’t have dragged us into this fight. You only blew the lid off your secret life and the relationship we share. Now, you can’t go back to being unknown after this and we certainly can’t pretend you don’t exist."

A soft knock on the door is followed by Olivia walking in. Skylar gives her a quick once-over.

"You’re early."

Olivia adjusts her sunglasses. "I need to clear up a few things with him. It’s of a personal nature." She closes a hand over her baby bump for emphasis.

"One second." Skylar tells her before turning back to me. Whatever emotion I almost pulled from her with my words are completely gone now.

"I know I can’t go back to being unknown after this. I don’t intend to. I’m done living in fear of Brett Rollins. Anyway, I wanted to reveal myself while giving your family exactly what you deserve since Karma seems to be under your payroll as well. Don’t worry about me, Ashal. If things go south which I highly doubt, I’m very good at hiding. I’ve been doing that my whole life but you know what I’m even better at? It’s giving my enemies the idea that I am not that big of a threat. They fall for it every time, dismissing me as weak." She chuckles. "You think I don’t know about the fake neighbors your parents hired to keep watch on Liam’s house or the moves Demi has been making to save your ass? I just love it when people think they’re in control only to get their bubbles busted when they least expect it."

Her smile dries up as she looks at me. "Like the way you think you have me all figured out right now or the way Demi thinks I lack the heart to truly take your life." She retreats towards the door without taking her eyes off me, then stands next to Olivia. "People continue to think less of me, giving me a rare opportunity to blow their minds. That right there is my super power. Isn’t that right, Madeline Dunn?"

I crane my neck to Olivia and instantly gasp at the shock written all over her face. I see it now. The lips. The glasses inside the house were to hide her eyes which are different from her sister’s. Even the baby bump is slightly smaller than Olivia’s at the moment.

Skylar yanks off the fake belly strapped around Madeline.

"You must be really stupid to not do your research before coming here to pose as your sister. I just spoke with her an hour ago and she’s out of town. She never visits my prisoner without informing me first." She whacks Maddi in the face, causing her to fall over.

"MADDI!" I tried to go for her but get stopped when my handcuffed wrist snaps me back and burns with pain. Crap, I need the damn drugs.

Skylar’s eyebrows slant up. "You should be ashamed." She snaps at me. "She’s your pregnant ex-wife’s little sister and you let yourself think of her in that way?" When Maddi tries to fight back, she sadly realizes Skylar is too strong for her.

"Please, your fight is with me. Let her go." I beg.

But Skylar continues to yank Maddi’s hair. "She just joined the party all by herself."

In one move, Maddi slips something out of her shoe and shoves it under Skylar’s arm. The taser makes Skylar jerk and sputter like a car engine until she passes out cold on the floor. Maddi rises, flinging her disheveled hair out of her face like a diva.

She waves the taser at me. "I could have taken her down easily but I played her game and made her believe I was weaker. Her dropping her guard down around me made the sudden surprise of this bad boy more epic."

I shoot her a warm smile. "Cool. Are you okay though?"

"Yeah. You should see the other girl."

"Please, could you check on her?"

Maddi tries to rouse Skylar. "I think she’ll be out for a bit but her pulse is strong. Don’t worry. Your crazy sister will be fine." She shoves the taser back in her boot, retrieves the key to the handcuffs and runs to me. Her arms wrap around my body as she pulls me into a hug.

"Ouch."

"Sorry. I’m so sorry." She leaves little kisses all around my bruised face. "Look what they did to you. Poor baby. Why did this have to happen right after you got your condition in check. Black out Ashal would have busted his way out a long time ago..."

I ignore her humor and cup her face with my hands. "Maddi, you shouldn’t have come here. That was too risky."

"I had to. I couldn’t stand you being hurt or even killed. I could never recover from that." Heavy emotions flit across her eyes. She leans forward and kisses me softly on the lips. "I’m getting you out of here. It’s all Demi’s plan. I made Liv suggest to Skylar that you be moved from Liam’s place. Demi worked on getting Liam’s dad to call him off his revenge plot by telling them how your family was planning to invade Liam’s house with FBI agents to rescue you. Thankfully, there’s no one else here but Skylar. Then, I made Liv travel to..." I capture her lips with mine, tugging her close against my aching body. The pain I formerly felt is lost on me now. Maddi is all the drug I need.

"Thank you for loving me back. I mean that."

She smiles sheepishly. "Let’s get you out of here."

She helps me to my feet. When we get to Skylar, her breath is shallow.

"What are you doing?" I panic when Maddi starts pulling Skylar by her legs.

"Give me a sec." I watch her heft Skylar onto the bed and cuff her the same way I had been cuffed. "Someone will come get her in a few minutes."

"We can’t leave her here..." I begin to protest but she hushes me.

"It’s okay, Ashal. She won’t be harmed but we can’t let her escape either, not after everything she’s done." Maddi gives her a pitiful glance. "I bet you don’t want her slinking back into the shadows again. Asher too. He’s coming himself to move her somewhere safe until the party fiasco is over. Then you all can decide what needs to be done about her. For now, my priority is getting you home."

When we shove the door open, we almost bump into someone behind it. Our eyes simultaneously widen with shock but only Maddi has the courage to speak first.

"Liv?"