Chapter 136
DEMI
I pride myself as being a human shock absorber ever since I married into the Rollins family but nothing prepared me for the words that came out of Ashton’s mouth as he gripped my shoulder and stared into my soul outside the villa.
"Are you Camille Branson’s daughter?"
My heart rate slows down. My vision swims as I 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?" I stutter with palpable shock.
"WAS CAMILLE BRANSON YOUR MOM, DEMI? PLEASE, ANSWER ME." He persists, shaking my numb body to stir me awake from my entranced gaze.
"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 off me and acknowledge his brother, I realize I 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.
"Come in, Demi. The wind definitely plans to undress you the longer you stay out there." Ashley waves at me. Smiling awkwardly, I seize the opportunity to get away from Ashton, ignoring his quiet plea that I spare him a few more minutes.
If I thought my first lunch with Ashley and Nicola at the villa was awkward, the one I 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. I wish she can lift her head so I 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, I yanked her arm and pulled her into the bathroom when she showed me the note. After flicking on the shower, I turned to her.
"What the hell do you mean by that? Are you kidding right now? You’re not pregnant?"