CHAPTER 26: ETHAN

Chapter 26: Ethan

When Ethan was a boy, he used to play in the garden behind their old house.

The maids would often talk about him, saying he was strange. They said he liked to hurt things just to see what would happen.

One afternoon, when he was only five, Ethan found a slug crawling on the stones. He picked it up, laughed, and cut off its eyes with a small knife he stole from the kitchen.

Then he poured salt on it and watched as it twisted and dried up. He laughed louder, clapping his hands like it was a show.

When Theodor was brought into the family a few years later, Ethan was already known for that same cruel smile.

Their father told him, "This is your brother." But Ethan didn’t see him as a brother. He saw someone who was going to take what was his.

From the first day, he hated Theodor.

There was another brother, younger than both of them, who never liked to interfere. And a sister, gentle and quiet, who was sent away to a private school to protect her from Ethan’s temper.

But she never came home again. They said her classmates bullied her to death. Ethan never cried. He only smirked when their mother did...

When Theodor started growing, Ethan did everything to get rid of him. Once, he pushed him down the stairs.

Another time, he locked him outside in the snow for hours. Nothing worked. The nannies always stopped him before it got too far.

Ethan hated that their father liked Theodor. Even though Theo was a bastard, their father said he had discipline, manners, and brains.

Ethan was the legitimate son, yet he was always the disappointment.

Things grew worse when their mother adopted Bae, a deaf Korean girl with soft eyes and a shy smile.

She liked Theo more than anyone else. She always followed him around, showing him drawings and little paper stars she folded.

That made Ethan furious...

He once pulled Bae’s hair and made her cry, just to see if Theo would come running. When Theo did, Ethan smiled and said, "You love playing the hero, don’t you?" Then he beat Theo so hard he could barely stand.

Every time, Theo still protected Bae. He never once hit back. He learned how to fight only to stop Ethan from touching her again.

Now, years later, the same pair stood across from each other in the dark.

Theo’s hands were tied behind him. His face was bruised and his lip was bleeding. Ethan was in front of him, wearing a black coat that matched the night around them.

His smile hadn’t changed even after so many years...that selfishly-coward smile.

"I should’ve known," Theo managed to mutter. "I knew you couldn’t die quietly. You never had the courage to face punishment, so you faked your death instead, huh?"

Ethan rolled his head, grinning like a wild wolf ready to eat the sheep. "You sound disappointed, little brother. Did you want to attend my funeral?"

Theo spat blood on the ground. "I wanted to make sure you stayed buried."

Ethan laughed. "Still the same, aren’t you? Always thinking you’re better. Always acting like you’re clean when your hands are dirtier than mine."

Theo just looked at him with cold eyes, the kind that had stopped feeling anything years ago.

Ethan crouched down, meeting him at eye level. "Tell me, do you still dream about Bae? I heard she didn’t make it after all."

Theo’s jaw tightened so hard, one bite and Ethan’s head would be ripped apart, but he said nothing.

Ethan smiled wider. "I thought so. Poor little thing. She was so easy to break. But I must admit, you made it fun. Watching you protect her again and again, like a dog chasing its own tail."

Theo’s chest rose up slowly. His voice came out lower. "You talk about her again, and I will end you."

"You can try. But I don’t think you’ll live long enough."

He stood up, brushing the dust off his coat. His boots crunched the leaves beneath them. "It’s funny. The bastard child turned into the president’s most trusted guard. Who would’ve thought?"

Theo looked up to face his brother that he had no connection with.

Growing up, Theo couldn’t understand exactly why Ethan hated him so much...especially, when Theo didn’t want to inherit the dirty family business.

Even their father never taught Theo how to rule, but he did admire how smart Theo was.

However, Theo couldn’t forget what Ethan did to Bae when they were still teenagers...and adults...especially adults...

"You should’ve stayed dead." A growl escaped Theo’s lips, completely matching Ethan’s energy.

This surprised his brother, it made Ethan chuckle. "Oh, come now. You’re not the only one who knows how to hide. But let’s talk about something more interesting."

He leaned close enough that Theo could smell the cigarette smoke on his breath. "That girl," Ethan said slowly. "Danielle."

Theo widened his eyes, and his lips turned into a frown.

Ethan noticed and smirked. "Ah, so she matters. I thought she might. She has her father’s arrogance but none of his caution. Beautiful, spoiled, easy to manipulate."

"Don’t," Theo warned.

"Don’t what?" Ethan asked while laughing, enjoying Theodor’s struggle very much. "Don’t speak the truth? You really think she’d stay beside you if she knew?"

Theo’s brow furrowed. "If she knew what?"

"Oh! How much I love when you play dumb!" Ethan kicked Theo in the stomach. "Come on, give me a hug! I caught you! Aren’t I so brilliant?"

"Shut up..."

"The poison is killing your spirit, brother...should we entertain this baby by waking her up and talking about our past?"

"Ethan...." Theo growled through clenched teeth.

But Ethan just grinned. "You already forgot where you came from. The family that raised you. The one that destroyed hers."

Theo’s heart started pounding slower. His head was still spinning from the poison, but he forced himself to stay upright.

Ethan smiled darkly. "What do you think Danielle will do, little brother, when she finds out which family you belong to?"