Chapter 50
ASHER
It had to come out someday and maybe today isn’t exactly ideal but Ashley and I have been lugging this secret alone for far too long. My world has been falling to pieces ever since father broke his promise to me. I figured it’s time he feels a few thorns of his own.
Ashton doesn’t take it well and that is no surprise. He walks right out of the restaurant and knocks down one of the cameras of an annoying guy that got too close to his face to get a shot. The ruckus outside is wild. Thankfully, we are at a distant table from the handful of elite customers in here.
Father is mad that I could have stopped Ashton but refused to. He isn’t wrong. I need him to see that my brothers and I can very well destroy everything he’s built if he ever thinks of casting us away.
We helped him build Rollins Empire and with our popularity, we expedited its growth to the top. Blood or not, we’ve earned the right to be called sons. I won’t let father oust us of our rightful positions or snatch my birthright so easily.
"Did you enjoy that?" Father grunts. I polish off my steak and wipe my oily lips with my napkin before answering.
"Yeah, the steak was a ten out of ten."
"Don’t get cute with me, Asher. Why did you just sit there and watch your brother have a meltdown? You could have calmed him but you chose not to."
"Meltdown?" It’s laughable that he doesn’t know what Ashton’s meltdown looks like. "That wasn’t a meltdown, father. Ashton was holding back. If he had had a meltdown, the cops will already be here, as well as the firefighters." I dump my napkin. "You broke your promise to me. There’s no reason for me to keep mine. Enjoy your lunch with your precious son."
"Asher, please sit down."
Please? Is father really pleading right now. Did Christmas come early? Like my day can’t get any more surprising, father ignores Josh’s nudging and proceeds to bargain with me.