Chapter 15
ASHTON
I can't believe Asher can be so reckless. What the fuck was he thinking kissing Anna? He even had it filmed? I jam my hands in my pockets to avoid punching something. Tearing my eyes away from Ashal who is trying to calm mom down, I let it sit on Demi. She's been on the phone for a while, mostly listening to her caller and speaking in hushed tones when she responds. That must be Anna calling to explain herself or perhaps Demi's overbearing aunt scolding her for her poor choice of a friend.
Asher isn't back from taking his call. I'm curious to find out what else he is hiding from us. He has a lot of explaining to do for going behind our backs like that and getting the family name smeared with distasteful gossip. He made the fucking rules of quad behavior and now he has broken a vital one. Just as I am about to go look for him, Asher emerges from the hallway, all bright-eyed with a ghost of a smile on his face.
"Mom, I'm handling it. Please trust me." He plants a kiss to our mother's forehead and orders a servant to escort her to her room. Demi hangs up now and turns to us four. Her eyes are red and teary, worse than they looked when I rushed home to find her with mother, steaming over the leaked video.
"Asher?" Her voice is hoarse and raw. Asher turns to her. With mother gone, his eyes are now cold pools, his lips curved sternly.
"Demi?"
A storm is brewing in Demi's eyes. A war of anger and frustration. For a split second, I fear she plans to charge forward and tackle my brother. The tension between them is more palpable than the one between the four of us. To my shock, Demi lumbers forward, her tears pouring. Her eyes skirt across all four of us.
"Anna's been fired."
Not the words I expected to hear. Still, my heart aches at her reddening face.
"I know she didn't mean to get involved with you." She says to Asher now. "I know Anna. She won't risk her job like that knowing it's her only source of livelihood. Please Asher, her family depends on her. She has a sick mom and a kid brother who's still in school. She doesn't deserve the hate she's getting. She's not a whore."
Asher grinds his teeth. Everything about his body language tells me he doesn't want to help but then he goes on to say, "I'm sorry about her situation but right now, saving the family's reputation is my top priority."