Nathan And Ethan:Destined To Be

hrough his mind. He took in a shallow breath, feeling the lingering tension like an iron band around his chest. The room was still, too quiet, as he rose from bed, every movement h

, relishing the way it jolted him from his half-dazed state. Nathan closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting the cold water pour over him. For a while, he simply stood there, hands braced against the s

e water, reaching for a towel and draping it loosely around his waist. Droplets still clung to his skin, his hair damp and unruly, as he stepped i

that whatever lay on the other side would bring no good news. As he pulled open the door, his stomach

ared his throat

ame out barely above a

garding a matter of debt. It's about your father... t

ing forward?" he echoed, his voice strained.

Gray, that they're preparing to take ownership of this property. We're here to inf

... they'll take it? Just like that?" His voice wa

s are no longer willing to wait." The officer's words held no malice, only a c

"There's... there's got to be something we can do," he said, desperation

d there's no more time for arrangements, Mr. Gray. This isn't negotiable." His v

his desperation was painted across his face for them to see. "How much time...

. But we wanted to give you this warning so th

y and save the only place he'd called home. He watched as the officers e

d walked back down the path, leaving him standing in the doorway. He watched them leave, their figures g

k, and he slid down to the floor, his back pressed against the wood, the rough carpet scraping against his knees. The weight of

calp, as if he could somehow ground himself in the pain. His head fell forward, damp strands of hair hanging into his eyes, but he didn't bot

voice breaking. It was the one place he had clung to, his last sembla

n to fall apart but Ethan world h

e twisted with barely restrained fury. Every muscle in Gaius's body seemed tense, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, his chest rising and falling with each

t always preceded his father's most vicious condemnations. Ethan's palms felt clammy, his fingers nervously clenching and unclenching

" he demanded, each word laced with ice. His tone was harsh, sharp enough to pierce t

is father's anger, but his mind was blank, words caught in his throat like stones. His heart pounded fiercely, each

rowed, dark and unforgiving. "Did you think you could hide this... this disgrace?" He spat t

o his palm, but he welcomed the discomfort, focusing on it to steady himself. He took a slow breath, trying to calm the cha

isper. But Gaius cut him off, waving a hand dismissively as if his so

ng with bitterness. "And you-you have the audacity to throw it all away. Do you have any idea wha

ndemnation. The accusation echoed in his mind, relentless, tearing at the fragile defenses he had spent years building up. He wanted to defend himself, to tell his father th

stare. The anger there was almost palpable, a searing, unforgiving heat that threatened to consume everything in its path. For a moment, Ethan thought he saw some

would not cry-not in front of his father, not now. But the lump in his throat wa

ed, his voice dangerously low. "Do y

ng, the pressure of everything he had kept locked away for so long pressing against the surface, begging to be released. His fathe

want... I didn't want you to find out like this," he said quietly, his gaze fix

, his tone mocking. "Is that what you think this is about? That I somehow

spread across the glass, each one a mirror of the fractures he felt inside. For a long moment, he simply stared at the broken screen, feeling the jagged edges of his o

e to you, Father. I tried. I tried so hard to be the son you expected, to keep up appearances, to uphold the name you've built." His voice

s face, but it vanished as quickly as it came. He remained silent, his gaze cold and un

ume him. He was tired-tired of hiding, tired of pretending, tired of bending himself into shapes he was never meant to fit. "I'm done hiding, Father,

attered expectations. Gaius said nothing, his gaze hard and unrelenting, the distance b

m was thick, the room steeped in a sense of finality. As he turned away, the broken phone clutched loosely in his hand, he felt

gh, he had finally claimed something back for himself. The sil