CHAPTER 55: BROTHERHOOD

Chapter 55: Brotherhood

"Hahahaha! Hahahahah! Hahahaha!" There was this long and loud cynical laugh that left Theo’s mouth.

’Fragile paradise...oh, Ethan...if only you knew how strong this paradise of mine is standing...’ But he didn’t say it out loud.

Lifting his head slowly, blood started sliding down his jaw. Theo’s hands were bruised and cuffed behind him....

Even if he tried to ignore it, Theo’s bones ached with every breath, but his eyes held nothing except for that wild fire.

The kind that made killers flinch...to unbeknown to Ethan...Theo was worse than him.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, standing in front of him with that twisted smile he always wore when he thought he had won. This didn’t scare him.

"I said," Ethan repeated with a mocking tilt of his head, "how does it feel to kneel before me, Theodor?"

Theo let a breath escape and shook his head slowly, not bowing or breaking from his character.

A quick smirk spread across his face like a golden painting, Ethan couldn’t take his eyes off him.

"It feels like I am letting a child play king before I take the crown back."

Ethan’s face flinched for a second before the smile came back. He walked closer...

"You always had this attitude," Ethan muttered. "Even when you were a nobody."

"And yet...you still fear me enough to chain me."

Ethan’s jaw clenched. His fist hit Theo’s face.

The chair wobbled but Theo laughed again.

To him, his brother was so pathetically weak.

Ethan frowned his face. "What is so funny?"

Theo lifted his eyes, and there was something unhinged there.

Like some spark that should have been extinguished long ago, yet still was problematically wild.

"You spent your whole life trying to prove you are stronger," Theo said. "And still... you need ropes."

Ethan kicked the side, sending Theo crashing sideways. Pain shot through his back but the laugh only grew stronger...

"You want a fair fight?" Ethan scoffed.

Theo looked up at him through strands of messy hair.

"I want you to remove these cuffs," he murmured. "So I can break every bone you own."

Ethan crouched and gripped his chin. "Fair fights are for men with honor."

"And yet you call yourself a Hale...How embarrassing."

Ethan’s eyes darkened. He stood up again, pacing. "You think you are better than me."

"No," Theo replied. "I know I am."

Ethan punched him again. Harder. Blood splattered on the floor.

Theo spat it out and smiled. "You hit like a newborn."

Ethan’s body was covered in frosty chills.

Theo moved his head up. "The newborn. The one you looked at with disgust. What did he do to deserve a brother like you?"

Ethan’s breathing changed into rage...he didn’t even have time to comprehend how Theo knew that?

"You do not get to talk about that child."

"That child," Theo repeated, leaning slightly forward despite the cuffs. "Or just another victim? Another pawn in our father’s games? Because let us be honest... you are still begging for his approval."

Ethan looked like he might tear him apart with his bare hands.

Theo pressed harder. This time his voice dropped to sound calmer.

"You killed Bae. You broke your own mother. And still... he loves me more."

Silence...a suffocating, painful silence filled the warehouse.

Ethan’s fists shook from how much he wanted to deny it. But he could not...

Theo leaned his head back against the wall, smiling like the devil himself.

"You have always been second place."

Ethan finally snapped. His fist slammed into Theo’s stomach, forcing air from his lungs. Theo coughed but that terrifying smile remained.

"You see, Ethan," Theo breathed, recovering slowly. "You think you know how broken I am. But you are wrong."

Ethan lifted him by the neck and breathed in like a furious cow.

Theo whispered, "I am not broken. I am rebuilt."

Ethan slammed him back into the wall. "You think this ends with you? You think you can save her?"

At the mention of Danielle, something inside Theo snapped like fingers and forced him to take this like a warning or a threat.

Ethan smiled again, realising he found the weak spot. "She will never forgive you. When she learns who our father truly is... she will never look at you again."

Theo stared at him. The calm disappeared and the wild monster woke up...

"If you touch her," Theo widened his eyes and sounded like a real murderer, "I will rip the world apart."

Ethan chuckled. "Look at you. The loyal dog pretending to be a wolf."

Theo smiled again, but more wider this time... wrong.

"You really want to see the wolf?"

Ethan paused, obviously intrigued by his brother’s new character development.

Theo continued...

"Take these cuffs off."

Ethan stepped closer. "So you can kill me?"

"No," Theo answered. "So you can finally understand why you will never win."

Ethan’s head felt like it was exploding from the inside, trembling. "You will stay chained. You will watch me destroy your illusion. You will watch me take everything you love. And when you have nothing left..."

He leaned down, lips next to Theo’s ear.

"...you will beg to serve me again."

Theo shut his eyes. A chilling stillness grew around him. When he opened them again, every trace of sanity looked like it had abandoned him.

He hushed,

"You should have killed me the moment you found me breathing."

Ethan hesitated just for a heartbeat.

Theo’s calm voice became even more silent.

"The next time I am free... you will be the one kneeling."

For the first time, Ethan looked uncertain. He masked it quickly, but Theo saw it. And he smiled, clearly satisfied.

Because fear always revealed the truth.

And Ethan was terrified...

"You’re so stupid, Theo...you really are..."

"I see...Ethan, my dear older brother, let me make something clear for you..."

"Oh? Go on..."

"You’re the dust that needs to be wiped away so that furniture could look more beautiful."

"Hah! Is that it?"

"No...you think you killed Bae, and threatening Danielle would make me fear you, but I have something better for you."

Ethan raised his brow, "and what is that?"

"Your mother...the only person that you ever truly loved is lying chained at some dodgy hospital..."

"You wouldn’t dare..." Ethan growled since this was a very sensitive spot.

"You’re so wrong...let me ask you this, who do you think is looking after her now?"

"Who?"

"My mother."