DEMI
"Yes, uncle Marcel, I am fine. I didn’t an to scare you. I just needed a few days to myself. I had a lot of thinking to do. I’m sorry I got you worried."
Anna almost drops the serving tray in her hands when she spots entering the honey pot. I wrap up my call with my uncle just in ti to accept her embrace. She quickly grabs my hand and takes outside. We go around the back.
"Anna, are you sure you won’t get in trouble for taking an unsanctioned break?" But all she does is pull into a longer hug.
"Where have you been, Demi? How could you scare like that? It’s so unfair. Tell now, was it your in-laws that detained you? Was it Liam? Why didn’t you call once?" She continues to bombard with questions without giving a chance to answer them. I grab her shoulders and shake her.
"I’m fine, Anna. Look at ! I’m really fine. I’m sorry I scared you. That won’t happen again. "I flash her my pearly whites. "I JUST CONCLUDED MY DIVORCE. Ashley and I are DONE."
A big smile tugs at her lips. "Really?"
"Yeah."
She hugs again. "Are they going to make it public? The people have to know so they can stop associating you with the Rollins especially now."
"I don’t mind informing the dia myself or living through whatever backlash might co with that. I’m just glad that sham marriage is all over."
Anna dims her eyes. "So, what’s next? What’s with you and Ashton."
The sound of his na nearly shatters my resolve to go ahead with my new life being unpredictable to even the closest people around . I grit my teeth when I recall the response he gave to his family when asked about us. I know he’s trying to protect from his family by pushing away. I just wish he hadn’t usurped the position of being the decision maker about MY life and what’s best for .
At the very least, he could have asked first and respected whatever decision I took regarding us. He shouldn’t have made feel like the family’s distrustful enemy.
"That’s over too, Anna. I’ve decided that romance isn’t worth putting my head on a chopping block for. I just got my freedom back. I’m not about to ruin it by bonding myself to another brother, to the sa sick-twisted family that oppressed for months. That would be insane, especially now that their secrets are coming to light." I scoop so hair out of my face and pace a bit. "Speaking of secrets, Liam’s been awfully silent. That can’t be good. I wonder what he and Skylar have planned."
"Skylar?" Anna reiterates. "Who’s that?"
Right. She has no clue. Best to leave her out of it too before she’s roped in like I am.
"Oh, no one of consequence." I shrug before texting Liam. I need to know his plans with Skylar. They had sent Cree all the way to my uncle’s place to threaten . I’m certain they’re not just going to let off the hook for going radio silent on them for over twenty-four hours. I need to know they aren’t nursing plans to make my loved ones suffer just to punish .
Liam calls almost imdiately.
"Where have you been?"
"In Danvarr but I needed so ti to finalize my divorce for good."
"Co over. We need to talk." The call ends. I assure Anna that she’s got nothing to worry about before leaving her restaurant. On the way to Liam, I make a few unscheduled stops.
"Mrs. Rollins, what do you have to say about your family’s cris that are coming to light?
Is your husband truly responsible for the death of Tobias Woodley?
Are you going to stick by your husband in these trying tis or follow through with the divorce?
I squint as the caras continue flashing in my face.
"As of this mont, Mr. Ashley Rollins and I are officially divorced. You can just call Demi or Ms. Branson. Thank you."
"But Mrs. Rollins, I an Ms. Branson, what about the baby? Are you two settled on being co-parents?"
"I lost the baby a while back." I reply to their horror.
"Ms. Branson, was your divorce influenced in anyway by the death of your parents at the hands of your in-laws?"
"Yes Ms. Branson, can you ever forgive them? Did you accidentally miscarry because of the shocking reveal?"
"Mr. Ashley and I have parted ways. That’s all I have to say. Thank you."
I plow through the wall of limbs and caras because they wouldn’t let through otherwise.
By the ti I arrive at Liam’s house two hours later, he’s watching on TV with a blank expression on his face. I scan the living area but can’t find Skylar. Is she not around today? The last ti we had spoken, she had used Liam’s phone so I had assud they were together at the ti. Was she over at his place or he went to hers.
Liam switches off the TV.
"You’re late."
"Sorry. The dia won’t stop hounding after I announced my divorce."
"Is that really done? You’re no longer fettered to the Rollins clan."
"Yeah." I et his eyes. "Where’s your partner, Skylar Sanders." Crossing my arms over my chest, I incline my head to the side. "Don’t deny it. I already spoke with her over the phone. In fact, she and I have been formally introduced once. Where is she? I’d like to talk to her."
Liam laughs. "If she wants to see you, she will. You don’t call the shots."
I fend off the rising bile in my throat. "When did you et her? Did she also convince you to go down this rabbit hole of revenge the sa way you convinced to go after the family that was connected to the death of my parents?"
"Convince you? Are you nuts, Demi? What sort of bold-faced lie is that? You stand there and make it appear like you didn’t already have plans in place to exact your revenge one way or another. If I hadn’t stepped in to steer you correctly, you’d have been caught long ago by the Rollins family and maybe your body would have been pulled out of a bridge leagues from here." He frowns deeply.
"No, I had plans to uncover the undiluted truth about my parents’ death. I wanted to shine so light on so discrepancies between the facts of that night and the story told by the Rollins’ family. I wanted them apprehended if they were guilty. I NEVER intended to hurt them outside the confines of the law. That was all your idea, and Skylar’s apparently. And now when I choose to back out of this ridiculous revenge sche, you two are conniving to use as a scapegoat. How are you any less guilty of the very sa thing you’re accusing other people for? You’re lying, manipulating and stomping on others because you feel you’re entitled to. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT GOT THE ROLLINS FAMILY HERE! Don’t you get it, Liam? Revenge is toxic. It isn’t the way."
"SHUT UP!"
I flinch when he shatters the glass in his hand. So of his dostic staff rush out and panic seeing blood dripping from his tightened fist. "I didn’t call you here to question . I don’t need a moral compass, Demi. Save your lectures for that rotten family. I know exactly what I am doing and no one is forcing to do it."
He ignores the staff who tries to tend to his hand, grabs the towel from her and wipes the blood himself. I struggle to calm my beating heart. Did I push him too far?
I yelp when he grabs by the tail of my hair and pulls down to the basent.
"Liam, you’re hurting . Please, stop."
"Shut up. You wanted to see Skylar, right? Well, I’ve got another guest you’d like to et even more." He shoves head first into a dimly lit room with a single, flickering light bulb in the middle. Soone groans in pain, startling . I get on all fours and try to make sense of the room.
"You’ve got a visitor." Liam announces before hitting a switch. The room is instantly blinded by bright light. When my eyes adjust, a man is roughly tied up like an animal to be slaughtered. His face is swollen, bruised and bloodied. His lip is cracked open. His eyes have dark patches as a result of targeted blows.
Despite the ordeal he has been through that makes him barely recognizable, I instantly deduce his identity. That lush gold mane will forever stand out to .
"Ashal? ASHAL!" I rush forward and cradle his head. I deduce as much because I am certain that he was the only brother noticeably absent before I left the Rollins mansion. Tears blur his eyes as he whimpers softly.
I glare up at Liam. "How could you, Liam? You had no right! Even if you have a bone to pick with him or his family, there are proper channels to go through. This is illegal and against everything you claim to represent!"
I try to untie the ropes but get warned by Liam.
"Looks familiar, right? Don’t think I didn’t see the welts on your wrist. How could you defend the sa people who had you tied up in their mansion for almost two days, Demi? Seriously, what’s gotten into you?"
"How did you know that?" Then it clicks. "Halle told you."
"Now, you’re underestimating . You really think Halle is my only source? I have eyes all over that mansion and even the HQ. If they ever tried to get rid of my moles, their empires will crumble faster than it already is."
"Let him go, please. He doesn’t deserve this."
"And who does? Ashton?"
My chest tightens.
"Will you swap him for Mr. Innocent here?"
"Both of them are innocent until proven guilty. Isn’t that our law. If they’ve committed any of the cris alleged, the law will bring them to book. You don’t have to take the law into your hands like this..."
"Oh shut the fuck up. You actually sound dia trained right now. For soone who knows that family all too well and how they have the authorities in their pockets, you sound like a goddamn fool. NO ONE IS GOING TO PUT THEM BEHIND BARS, DEMI. They’ll pay their way through everything. They’ll buy a fucking Roll Royce Phantom for every officer in the force if they have to but no one is snapping handcuffs around their precious wrists. THIS is as close as this man will ever co to feeling pain over the lives he’s ruined."
He squats to stare at Ashley. "This one actually doesn’t know when to quit. He had the nerve to go visit his pregnant ex-wife and her family in their new ho, a secret ho they got to stay hidden from the Rollins’ family! He even had the nerve to stare google-eyed at the little sister. You sick fuck!"
I scream when he punches Ashal’s nose, causing more blood to ooze from the broken cartilage..
"Please, stop it Liam." I cry out. Actual tears are streaming down my face. I wasn’t prepared for this. I never thought Liam would do sothing like this. What if he kills Ashal? I will only get blad for it. How could I ever live?
"Please, call the ambulance. He needs dical care. He’s weak, Liam. Please, you can’t be this heartless. I know you’re nothing like them. We can sort this out so other way. Please let him return to his family."
"You’re a big disgrace, Demi. Your parents must be sorsaulting in their graves at the words coming out of your mouth. Where was his family’s humanity when they killed your folks and lied about it? Where was it when they stomped on people’s lives and altered their destinies forever? This isn’t even a dent compared to all the havoc they’ve wrecked. Do you know how many witnesses have co forward to reveal their sufferings at the hands of the quads and their parents? How could you still care if they bleed or not?"
Ashal’s breath is getting shallow with every passing minute. I can’t reach any of his brothers on phone without alerting Liam and who knows what he’ll do to Ashal to punish .
"Please, punish instead. I’ll do whatever you want. Please let him go. Trust , he’s turning a new leaf. I’ve seen the changes he’s been making to be a better man than his father, and he isn’t the only one. The quads have learnt the errors of their old ways and are now embracing a more noble life. Ashal actually divorced his wife because that’s what she asked for. He could have refused. He set her free despite knowing how his father would react. He’s not evil, Liam. Please, don’t punish him like this. His past regrettable actions against his ex-wife were mostly caused by his dical condition. Please let him go."
Liam shakes his head with a disappointed look on his face. "You won’t quit playing the saint, will you? Well, let’s see if the people you’re risking your neck to protect will do the sa for you."
He frisks and unearths my phone from my back pocket. In a flash, he shoves away from Ashal, takes pictures and makes a video of him.
"What are you doing?" I ask when he begins to type up a ssage.
"Sending Ashton and the rest of his family a little surprise from their ex-daughter-in-law. I wonder how they’ll react to this ssage."
"Liam, no!"
"Sent."
He smirks at before chucking the phone back. I stare in horror at the ssage with Ashal’s video attached.
[This is just the beginning. I’m coming for all of you one after the other. You’ll pay with your lives for everything you did to ruin my life. Guess who’s next?]
I stare up at Liam. "Why did you do that?"
"Because it’s necessary for the next phase of our plan."
I snap my head towards the door where Skylar erges from. She shoots a sick smile. "I hope you like parties."
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