NovelGoldChapter 136: Chapter 136
DEMI
| pride myself as being a human shock absorber ever since | married into the Rollins family but nothing prepared
the villa.
"Are you Camille Branson's daughter?"
My heart rate slows down. My vision swims as | blink at him. Did he just mention my mother’s name? Does he
know my secret? How? How long has he known? How much does he know?
"W-What?" | stutter with palpable shock.
"WAS CAMILLE BRANSON YOUR MOM, DEMI? PLEASE, ANSWER ME." He persists, shaking my numb body to stir
"Hey, lunch’s ready." Ashley calls out to us with a big smile from the porch. In the second it takes Ashton to tear
his eyes and hands offand acknowledge his brother, | realize | had stopped breathing and suck in a greedy
chunk of air through my nostrils and into my dry lungs. My heart is thudding violently in my chest with equal
parts fear and shock.
"Cin, Demi. The wind definitely plans to undress you the longer you stay out there." Ashley waves at me.
Smiling awkwardly, | seize the opportunity to get away from Ashton, ignoring his quiet plea that | spare him a
few more minutes.
If I thought my first lunch with Ashley and Nicola at the villa was awkward, the one | share now with Ashton
around is simply worse. Nicola is awake from her nap. She sits with tensed shoulders, poking at her food. Her
head is bowed, avoiding everyone's eyes. | wish she can lift her head so | can remind her not to be too damn
obvious and expose herself. Our conversation from my first day here drifts into my mind.
That day, | yanked her arm and pulled her into the bathroom when she showedthe note. After flicking on the
shower, | turned to her.
"What the hell do you mean by that? Are you kidding right now? You're not pregnant?"
She wrung her hands guiltily while | raked mine through my hair. What the hell did she mean? How could she
have fooled everyone like that?
| should have been relieved that | didn’t have to pretend to be pregnant anymore or forced to care for my
husband's child born by another woman. Yet, | wasn’t. | was livid that | had gone through all that humiliation for
nothing. | was pissed that | had lost yet another gem with which to threaten the Rollins family.
"I'm really sorry. It was a spur of the moment decision. | wasn’t thinking. | had lost everything; my father, my
status, my career. Losing Ashley scared the shit out ofso I did what | thought would force him to be a part of
my life forever."
"What about the test results? Ashley said you were prepared to do the tests at any hospital of his choice to
confirm your claim."
She scratched her head. "I know all the key hospitals the Rollins family patronize. They never go outside those
three. | had already bribed those working at the labs to give a positive pregnancy result if | showed up for the
test with Ashley." | was amazed at her determination.
"And the doctor here? How did you get him to not inform Ashley of the truth?"
"He's an old family friend and owes my dad a favor." When she saw how uneasy | was despite everything, she
dared to add, "I thought you'd be happy to know Ashley remains yours."
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"Happy?" | laughed hysterically. "You're so slow. Maybe that’s why he loves you. You can keep him for all | care. |
am not in love with him. He made that really easy for me." | stepped up to her face. "Do you know what I've
been through since your little pregnancy announcement, Nicola Grey? With one lie, you made my life hellish.
When are you going to realize that no matter what you do with respect to Ashley and his family, my life gets
screwed up? Do you think your confession will make my life easier? Heck, Mr. Rollins will find a way to make me
shoulder the responsibility of keeping up your lie to save the family’s reputation" | shake my head as | pace back
and forth.
"Because of you, | might remain stuck with Ashley for much longer than | envisaged."
| really wanted to hit her at that moment. Mr. Rollins was never going to letwalk away after six months. | had
to figure out a way to ensure my escape from the marriage contract at the agreed date.
| was very anxious as uncle Marcel’s worries were catching up to me. Six months suddenly felt long enough for
"Ashley is going to be really mad at me."
"Ashley should be the least of your worries, Nicci." If | couldn't hit her for fucking things up foryet again, |
resolved to make her suffer in sway. "You have no idea, do you? You don’t know the kind of people you've
toyed with. Don’t you want to know how I lost my baby in the first place and why the media didn’t get a whiff of
it?" Hurtful as the memory was, | recounted the spine-chilling details to her and watched the horror spread all
over her ashen face.
"My own in-laws sacrificed their grandchild, their very own flesh and blood just because they weren't happy with
be the crazy person for not wanting to move past the incident. Your pregnancy however excited them. They're
ready for a grandchild and deem you worthy to bear it. Imagine what they would do if they realize you lied about
everything? Their hopes will be dashed. They won't forgive you for making a fool of them, especially not father
and Asher."
Nicci visibly shook. "They...they’ll k-kill me."
"And no one will ever know the truth about your disappearance."
She latched onto my arm. "Please Demi, | need to get away from here. | need to go as far away as possible.
Please say you'll help me."
| wrenched my arm free. "You want to run and leaveto bear the brunt of your foolishness? No way. You'll stay
right here and fix your mess."
"How the heck am I supposed to do that?"
"I don’t know, ok? | DON'T KNOW. All | know is that you have to find a way to maintain the lie you already told.
GET PREGNANT IF YOU MUST, NICCI. | don’t care how you do it but that belly has to produce a baby at some
point. Ashley and his family know | am faking my pregnancy for the world but you? If they learn you lied about
carrying their grandchild and ran away, you'll be a corpse within a week no matter where you run to."
Nicci started crying. "Ashley won't touch me. Trust me, | have tried."
"Try harder! Drug him if you must. Take fertility enhancement pills. Do whatever. I'll convince him to spend a few
days with you. If it doesn’t work out with him, you and | are screwed, Nicci." She looked shocked at how
indifferent | was about my husband.
| didn’t really care about her or what Brett would do if he got whiff of her lie. | just needed to buy more tto
guarantee my freedom from Ashley. Once the contract expires and my divorce is publicized, to hell with Nicci.
Sure, there are quicker ways to get a divorce. As long as the blis all mine and doesn’t rub off on my in-laws,
Brett might be down to cutoff from his family.
| can think of a few ways to use the wonderful and clueless people of Danvarr by making them declareunfit
to be Ashley’s wife. However, the timing sucks right now. A divorce would further hurt Brett's company which is
still recovering from the aftermath of his scandal at this time. He won't spareif | pile on a divorce. He would
bray for my blood after | leave Ashley which | don’t want. Hence, | am settling for the long gwith Nicci
keeping up her lie till I can find a wiggle room to free myself.
Ashton keeps stealing surreptitious glances aton the dining table. Ashley is not too comfortable himself as
everyone on the table is unusually quiet.
Dinner comes to an early end with everyone dispersing to their various rooms. Nicci loops an arm around Ashley
to join him in to his room but before he can protest, | tell him to indulge her for the baby’s sake. Both brothers
trade shocked glances.
"Take her to your room, Ashley. She's already carrying your child and pregnancy comes with cravings. She's been
lonely for weeks. | understand. It’s totally fine with me."
"Demi?"
"You have nothing to explain or apologize for. We're way past that in our relationship, remember?" | lurch to my
feet. "I'll go see a movie in my room. Goodnight, everyone."
"Goodnight, Demi. Thanks." Nicola replies. With a small smile, | skip up the stairs. The second | reach the hallway
upstairs; | increase my pace and rush to my bedroom. | slide in and try to shut the door when a foot gets stuck
between. | lift my eyes to find Ashton through the crack.
"Ashton." | echo with a raspy breath. He shoves the door back, lets himself in and shuts it. The light in here is at
a low setting. Shadows play around his handsface, illuminating the clean angles of his jawline. He advances
close towhile | back up till the back of my legs hit the bed.
"You didn’t answer my question earlier, Demi." He says, cupping my face. My heart is racing from the gentleness
of the gesture and his eagerness for the truth.
"It’s true, isn’t it? Your mother was Camille Branson, the swoman who died accidentally in a faulty elevator
at Rollins Shopping Mall six years ago."
My eyes get blurry with tears at the details. So, he knows. With his thumb, he pads away the tears that roll down
my cheek.
"Why didn’t you say anything?"
| pull my face away and go around him. Is he seriously pretending to feel bad forwhile lying about what
really happened that fateful evening? Accident? Faulty elevator? | can’t believe | almost let myself feel
something in his arms.
"Why Demi? Why didn’t you mention this at any point before or after your marriage to Ashley?"
"Why should | have done that?" | snap at him. "The death of my parents is a very sensitive subject for me. Why
would | go about telling people how they died when | can just tell them | am orphaned and not have to cry myself
to sleep? What's there to share, Ashton? It was an accident, right? Why do you feel your family needed to know
the details?"
"Because it happened on our property." He utters with clenched teeth, his voice broken and pained. "We owe you
an apology."
"I don’t want your pity. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF NOT TELLING YOU ALL. | never did and | never will."
The rage glistening in my eyes fuels the guilt in his. | want him to say it. | want him to own up to the truth rather
than trying to sympathize withlike it was a mere accident. Why can’t he break the mold for once and do
what's right irrespective of what it will cost his evil family? | wish he would surprise me. Maybe my frosty heart
will melt again.
He edges close to me, backing the light. His warm breath caresses my cheeks as he leans forward.
"You must hate us for everything that happened to your family."
"I do." | reply flatly. The shocked quirk of his left eyebrow sends a delightful thrill down my spine. "I'm only
human after all. | thought it was unfair that your closely knit family was still thriving, having meals together
while | have to drive to a fucking cemetery to see my own parents. | struggle with nightmares on my birthday
because it unfortunately coincides with their death anniversary. YES, Ashton, | hate you all for not fixing that
damn elevator early enough. If my parents were alive, | wouldn't be stuck with my avaricious aunt and her mean
daughter. | wouldn't have been so desperate for a new family that | was prepared to tolerate being married to a
man who doesn’t love or respect me. | would have run back into my mama’s arms when your family treated me
like dirt under their shoe."
When he tries to touch and console me, | slap his hands away. Tears are streaming down my face.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" | dry my eyes and refuse his pleas for forgiveness. If he was truly sorry, he would tell me
the truth of what happened that night.
"I know it’s more than that. You want revenge." He says to my surprise. "Kira filledin about how our
encounter at the blue cove wasn't totally coincidental or our marriage, a drunk move. It was all calculated and
planned. No, no, no, | am not mad at you." He tellsas the shock spreads on my face. "I don’t blyou at
all, Demi. I would want the sthing if | had been in your shoes. Honestly, | am in awe at your patience. | don’t
know how you’ve managed to rein in your anger till now. | know | wouldn't have lasted this long if | blamed
anyone for hurting my loved ones. Your feelings are justified. Whatever plans you have to avenge your parents
are also valid. | want you to know that."
I back away from him, uncertain of his intentions right now.
"Whatever you might have done to make my family suffer since you joined us doesn’t compare to what we've
made you endure before and after you beca part of our lives. | honestly don’t blyou."
"What are you saying to me, Ashton? Why are you saying all this?"
"| want to atone in my own way for all the pain we've cause you. I'll protect you, Demi. | won't say a word about
anything I've uncovered. | won't let anyone harm a hair on your head but to do that, | need you to trust me. If |
figured it out, my brothers and father won't be far behind."
"Trust you?"
"Yes. | need you to trustto shield you. | know how ironic that sounds right now but hearout. You're
playing a dangerous gwith the worst family as you already know. If you letin on your secrets, | can
cover up your loose ends and make sure you don’t get unmasked. | promise there is a safer way to get your
revenge on us without soiling your own hands or risking your life. You just have to letprotect you first."
"I don’t want your protection!" | try to walk away but he grips my arm firmly.
"Maybe, but you need it! Father is currently working on a plan that might put your life in jeopardy."
"What are you talking about?"
He straightens his back and inhales. "I know you're somehow affiliated with Billion-Err and all the damaging
articles that have cout against my family, including father’s recent cheating scandal. It makes sense
because that blog started targeting my family the second you showed up at the mansion. You clearly have the
motive to desire our downfall."
| shake my head in denial. "Ashton, I'm not..."
He cutsoff with a finger to my lips. "That's not important right now." Then with a somber expression.
"FATHER HAS MADE A FULL-PROOF PLAN TO UNMASK BILLION-ERR."
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