Chapter 11: He's Still Alive

Ashton

I can't move my feet, it feels like my heart stop beating as I'm trying to contain my breathing. H-How come my twin is alive? Am I just hallucinating? Is this true? My heart seemed to stop beating at what I just witnessed. My twin Nick is in front of me in a flesh? If he's alive then whose corpse did we had a vigil for a week? I thought my twin was dead. I thought my twin had left me forever.

"Ash?" Zie looked at me and then to my twin on the stage. I could see that he's surprised by what he just saw.

The day came back to my mind when my parents told me that my twin was dead, they told me that my twin did not survive the accident they were involved in two years ago. All these years, they were telling me lies, but why would they lie to me?

I gulped when I glance at my twin brother again, his eyes seem so tired and sad, he was emotionless looking at the guests in front of him. My heart sank knowing that my brother is a victim of human trafficking, why are they selling my brother? He's not for sale for fuck sake. I can't let my brother be bought by some horny fuckers.

I held Zie's hand, I looked at him in the eyes, begging, right now I can do nothing, but I can ask Zie for help.

"T-Take him, please?" I begged Zie. The mask I am wearing could no longer hide the tears that kept flowing through my eyes.

"Okay, the last bid is five million, going once ... going twice ..." Said the auctioneer.

A moment of silence enveloped the surroundings as everyone was anticipating if someone will bid higher than five million. I stop breathing when someone raised his board.

"10 Million." The bidder interrupts the auctioneer's speech. I looked at Zie but he just shrugs his shoulder as if telling me he can't help me this time.

"Please Zie, take him and I will do whatever you want," I begged him bargaining myself for the second time. I don't know if Zie cares about me but I hope he feels sorry for me. I hope he helps me.

"I'm sorry Ash, but I can't invest that amount of money," Zie said weakly but enough for me to hear it clearly, his voice was like a bomb in my ear.

"Please," I begged but Zie seemed to hear nothing, all he did was hug me. But I do not need his hug right now, I need him to save my brother. I know that it's too much for me to ask him this, but I don't know what to do anymore.

"Ten Million. Going once ... Going twice ... Going thrice ---" The auctioneer was interrupted again.

"20 Million."

I buried my face on Zie's shoulder, there's no way I can help my brother anymore, the bid was too big to beat. I can't look at my brother knowing I didn't do anything for him.

"20 Million. Going once ... Going twice ... Going thrice ... And ..."

"SOLD." The auctioneer shouted as the light goes out and the eerie darkness welcomes me.

When the light came back my twin brother was gone. He wasn't on the stage anymore.

I started to cry out loud, fortunately, the music in the hall was loud and the people were noisy so no one noticed my crying. I can not take the pain anymore. It's suffocating me, I put my hands on Zie's broad shoulder and cry with him embracing me softly.

...

Zie

Ashton had fallen asleep crying. I don't know if I made the right decision to take him to that fucking event. It shocked me when the auctioneer revealed tonight item and I saw a replica of Ashton's face. For a moment, I thought it was him but then I realized that it might be his twin brother. I did not know that Ash has twins, they are very similar, the only difference between them is that his twin brother does have a petite figure compare to Ashton's twink body.

I feel sorry for his situation, he is too young to be dealing with too much stress and problems. I swear I wanted to help him earlier, my heart almost broke when he begged me to help him but I could do nothing. I can't afford to spend that much money, my company will be at stake if I will invest that much money.

I laid Ashton's head on my legs after getting in the car, it looked like he was so tired of crying because he didn't even flinch when the car started moving. During the trip I was just staring at Ashton's gloomy face when my cellphone suddenly vibrated, I took it out of my tuxedo pocket and looked at the caller ID, I saw Rex' number registered on the screen. I swiped the answer button immediately.

"Hey," I said on the other line.

"How's Ash? Is he okay?" He asked with a concerned tone.

"I don't know Rex, he fell asleep crying on my shoulder, but I think he'll be happy if he ever finds out his twin is with you. I hope we can set a date for them to meet Rex." I said in a hopeful voice.

"Of course bro. Nick is sleeping here too." Rex answered I released a sigh of relief hearing his response.

"Thanks for saving Nick, bro. I want to help Ashton but I can't afford to lose my company." I said sadly as I lay my hands over Ashton's rosy cheeks and caress it carefully.

"I understand bro, no worries. Just tell me if you need help regarding your company, you know I am more than willing to help you." I slightly smiled at what he said, I am grateful for all the things that he's done to help me.

"Thanks, bro. I don't know what I would do without you." I said sincerely. After a few minutes of talking on the phone, we bid goodbye to each other with a promise that we'll set up a date for the twins to meet.