That night, the mansion was quiet, with only the sound of the clock and the slow footsteps of the guards echoing in the corridors. Meanwhile, in Alexander's room, the man was still busy returning calls.
Huan, standing next to him, was still glued to the tablet in his hands, focused on the words on the screen. He jumped slightly when Alexander slammed his phone down on the table.
"A problem?" Huan asked.
Alexander took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions before picking up his phone again and opening something on it.
"I can't believe they are going to miss Christmas again this year!" he replied irritably. The calmness he usually had was gone at that moment.
"You mean your parents?"
"Who else? They are the only parents who don't care about their children. Even after Nathan came back. What are they thinking?!" Alexander said.
Dante and Natasha were always busy, and he had to take care of everything at the mansion. If it were not for his grandfather Antonio, he might have left everything behind. He would not have cared about anything.
But he knew his grandfather did not get along with his father. That made Dante choose to leave their country and live happily with his wife. Antonio did not allow them to take their sons with them because Salazar needed heirs.
He did not like Antonio's strict ways, but he disliked his father's irresponsibility even more. And now, even though their son had returned, they still had reasons not to come.
"Whatever. They die, they live, I don't care," Alexander grumbled, running his fingers through his hair. His face was still sour.
Then there was a knock on the door.
"Alex!"
Roger's voice came through. Alexander sighed, but before he could answer, the door was already open. Roger's head popped inside with his usual smile.
"I know you are not asleep yet. Can I come in?" he asked.
Alexander stayed silent, still sitting on the sofa, watching his younger brother step inside. "Have you ever listened to me?" He was sure Roger would still come in even if he refused.
Roger chuckled softly, walked over, and put his arm around his brother's shoulder. "Hey, you need a spa. Come on, let's go to the spa."
"I'm not interested."
"Why? You don't have to be embarrassed. I know you spend a lot of time at the club playing with men. I have a gay spa subscription at—"
Roger stopped talking when Alexander glared at him. He quickly cleared his throat, looked at Huan, and smiled innocently.
Huan was still standing there, smiling calmly.
"Why are you here?" Alexander asked, because he knew his brother did not come just to invite him to the spa.
Roger clicked his tongue, pulling his hand away from Alexander's shoulder. "You really are old-fashioned and stiff."
"Tell me, what do you want?" Alexander said impatiently.
"I don't want anything, I just want to talk about Nathan. And Nael."
Alexander immediately became serious. "What now?"
"Well, you know. Nathan still has a hard time accepting us. We should try harder. But you also have to remember Nael. Don't you think you have been too harsh on him? You have ignored him all this time. If you keep doing that, he might end up hating you," Roger said. He was rarely serious, but he was serious now.
Alexander was silent. He knew his behavior toward Nael was unfair, but it was not because he hated him. He just could not look at him.
Alexander rubbed his temples. "I don't want to talk about it now."
"You need to know and you need to do something," Roger insisted. "He is angry. Jealous. Hurt. And he almost cried when he saw you interact with Nathan. Something you never did with him."
Alexander tensed. "He cried?"
"Almost," Roger said. "And that is not something you can ignore. He is hurt too. Don't be the cause."
"He is too sensitive."
"Of course he is sensitive," Roger replied sharply. "Could you stand there and watch your beloved bother ignore you and think you hate him? You never talk to him, Alex."
Alexander was silent.
Roger continued, his voice softer but still firm. "Do you know what he said before he went back to his room?"
Alexander did not answer, but he was ready to hear whatever it was.
"He did not say it just today, but many times. He said that you hate him. Especially today, when you bought Nathan a cell phone. Didn't you see him get jealous?"
Alexander closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I bought one for him too. Huan will give it to him tomorrow."
"You know he doesn't need that phone. He wants the same attention from you."
Alexander looked uncomfortable. "You know I love him with all my heart. I just can't look at his face."
"But you can't keep treating him like this."
"I know."
Alexander knew his behavior was terrible. And he really did plan to fix it.
Silence filled the room. Roger waited patiently for Alexander to say something.
Alexander finally continued, in a very soft voice. "Every time I look at Nael, I remember that night. I can't forgive myself."
Roger did not interrupt. He knew the burden his brother carried. He was old enough to remember seeing Alexander take Nathan out of the mansion in the middle of a snowstorm on Christmas Eve.
He did not know what had happened, but when Alexander returned, he looked gloomy and withdrawn. Alexander, who had always been cheerful and protective, looked fragile for several months.
Everyone was worried.
Alexander could not bring himself back to that night seventeen years ago. He was a brother who loved his siblings, and he was the one who had to take Nathan, leaving him at the gate of the orphanage. His heart broke that day.
Baby Nathan was so tiny, not crying, sleeping peacefully in his gold-lined box. Alexander cried uncontrollably. But he had no choice but to leave him there.
Alexander waited silently behind a tree, ignoring the guards who told him to get into the car. He stayed there until a woman carried little Nathan inside.
That innocent face haunted him, filling him with guilt. When he returned home, Nael's face made his chest hurt. It hurt so much it gave him a terrible headache.
He did not leave his room for weeks. He did not go to school or anywhere else. The image of Nathan in the snowstorm stayed in his mind.
Time passed without him noticing, and he still could not face Nael. But now he had to do something. The guilt still lingered, but Nathan had returned. He had to try harder to make Nathan accept him and lift that guilt from his heart.
"You don't have to worry. I will take care of everything," Alexander said, trying to reassure Roger.
"Nathan..." Alexander paused and took a breath, as if lost in thought.
For a moment, Roger was shocked, because he had never seen Alexander show weakness before. The man always seemed strong.
"That boy.... Seeing him alive, and standing in front of me for the first time in years, made me feel a little relieved. It felt like a heavy burden on my shoulders finally loosened. It felt like I could breathe."
Roger nodded slowly, then moved to hug his brother. "Damn, I never knew you were this soft."
Alexander clicked his tongue and pushed his brother's hand away. "Get away. You're making me uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable? I'm your brother!"
"Get away!" Alexander sighed, pushing Roger away again when he tried to hug him.
Roger pouted. "You are as old-fashioned as Grandpa!"
"Don't mention that old man."
They argued a little longer until Roger returned to the original topic.
"I think you have been torturing yourself long enough," he said. "And without knowing it, you are also torturing Nael. I'm sure you can fix it."