Chapter 4

As Ethan descended the stairs, Lily's face lit up with relief. "Hey," She said, slipping her hand into his. Ethan's instincts recoiled at the touch, but he forced a reassuring smile.

"Marcel said you got nervous and left. Are you feeling better now?'' She asked, concern etched in her voice.

"I'm fine now." Ethan replied. His gaze wandered, scanning the crowd for a familiar figure. He spotted Alex laughing with a group of ladies and a plan began to take shape. Ethan's eyes locked onto Alex, a calculating glint sparkling in their depths. He squeezed Lily's hand, feigning affection. "Wanna dance?"

Lily was stunned by his question, but it made her happy; although she knows that their marriage is mainly because of their family businesses, and Ethan doesn't truly love her, but she loves him so much and is willing to wait for him to fully accept her; she'll do everything to make sure he accepts her. "Sure." She replied with a smile, trying to hide her excitement a bit.

Ethan held her hand and led her to the dance floor. When the musicians sighted the couple, they instantly changed the music to a slow and lovely one. Most of the guests even gave the couples some more space to dance, letting them be the only ones who occupied the dance floor.

Ethan slowly wrapped his hand around Lily's waist, then he pulled her close to him, and they both began slow dancing to the rhythm of the music. While they danced, Ethan would occasionally glance at Alex, he didn't know if it was his mind playing tricks on him, but he thought he could see some sort of jealousy in Alex's eyes as he watched them dance. Anyways, tricks or not, he's just happy to have his attention.

Carefully, Ethan began asking Lily questions regarding her brother, and Lily who saw it as something normal answered all his questions.

"Why did he leave the city?" Ethan asked.

"To study." Lily replied. "He studied abroad and when he was done, Dad had to put him in charge of his business there, but it was more like a test. The company wasn't doing so well over there, and Alex miraculously brought it back to life." She laughed, her eyes shining with pride; yes, she was super proud of her older brother and everything he's accomplished. "Dad just wanted to make sure he was fully ready before bringing him back here to oversee things at the company, and Alex is ready, so he'll be in charge of most things now."

Ethan nodded in understanding, then he asked the question he was most curious about. "I hope you wouldn't mind me asking, but I would like to know if he also has a fiancee." He asked.

"I don't think so, Alex doesn't really talk about those things, he's a bit private, and if he does have someone, I should know about it, but I doubt he has someone he's serious with. He's been with some ladies, but it was never serious."

"Just ladies?" Ethan unknowingly blurted out.

Lily furrowed her brow in confusion. "I don't understand."

Ethan mentally scolded himself for speaking too fast, but he was quick to deal with the situation. "I mean, he's really good looking, I'm pretty sure it won't just be the ladies who are after him, you know what I mean." He winked.

Lily laughed. "That can never happen, Alex is literally disgusted with the idea of being with a man. I've teased him about it once. When he wasn't taking any of the women he's been with seriously, I asked if he liked men instead, and you should have seen the look of disgust on his face.'' She shook her head. ''He's straight, so even though some men approach him, it's all going to be a waste of time."

Ethan didn't say anything more, so Alex was indeed telling the truth, he really didn't know he was his sister's fiance, and him doing what he did must have truly been because he was drunk. But that didn't make any difference, and hearing Lily's words made Ethan even more determined to carry out his plan.

The dance ended to thunderous applause, and congratulatory smiles flooded in. Lily radiated with genuine happiness, her eyes sparkling as she accepted well-wishes. Ethan could only fake a smile and pretend to be happy. He sensed Alex's piercing gaze and met it across the room, their eyes locked in a charged moment. The air seemed to vibrate with tension before Ethan broke away, murmuring an excuse to Lily. He slipped outside to the garden, the cool afternoon breeze a welcome escape from the suffocating charade. 

Lost in thought, Ethan didn't notice the approaching figure. But as a presence loomed behind him, he spun around, his eyes locking onto Alex's chiseled features. For a moment, he was caught off guard by Alex's piercing gaze and chiseled jawline. Ethan's mind momentarily stuttered, his breath catching in his throat. He swiftly collected himself, mentally chastising his reaction. What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to hate him, not admire him!

 "Why did you leave the party again?" Alex asked, a serious expression on his face.

Ethan scoffed, "That's none of your business, and I'd appreciate it if you can give me some privacy." He replied, glaring hatefully at Alex.

"You don't seem to be happy with this marriage, and anyone with a good eye will be able to see it. Tell me something, Ethan." He took a step closer to Ethan. "Knowing who you really are, why are you agreeing to this marriage? Why would someone who isn't interested in women want to marry one? Why not tell everyone the truth, and I'm only saying this for my sister's sake. She likes or maybe loves you, and I don't want her to get hurt in the end. She's an amazing person and doesn't deserve that."

Ethan's anger was simmering below the surface. "You think you know everything, right? You know nothing! So don't just come here and try to make me the bad guy. I didn't ask for this. I never wanted any of this, and if you also don't want me to get married to your sister, then do me a favour and ask her to call off the wedding herself." Ethan replied, a very angry look on his face.

Alex's expression remained impassive, unfazed by Ethan's words. "Why don't you just tell your parents the truth - that you're gay and can't marry my sister? Don't ruin her life to hide your own secrets. If you're not going to speak up, then I will.''

Ethan immediately burst into laughter. "Really? Be my guest. But please don't leave out the part about you having sex with your sister's fiance, and to think we even did it more than once." He chuckled. "I wonder what your family would think about that, and your dearest sister who seems to adore you so much." He shook his head, feigning sadness. "Imagine how she would feel when she finds out that her brother has actually slept with the man she's supposed to get married to in a few months. I'm sure she would feel betrayed, and she might even hate you. Your family won't see you as someone who's so righteous anymore. You still want to tell them? I won't be going down alone, Alex. I'll be sure to take you down with me." He threatened, his gaze cold.

For the first time, Alex finally showed his anger. "I told you I didn't know you were my sister's fiance, and I was drunk!" He half yelled.

Ethan shrugged. "That wouldn't matter when you tell them the truth, so let's go then, let's go tell everyone, at least I'll be getting out of this marriage I don't even want in the first place, and I won't be the only one who's at the risk of losing everything." Ethan replied. He made to leave, but Alex grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"You won't be going anywhere!" He stated, his voice firm.

Ethan could only smirk inwardly. "Why? Don't you want your sister to get out of this marriage as well? What happened to the over protective brother?" He taunted. "You also claim to be disgusted by who I am, but that clearly wasn't how it looked last night. You obviously seemed to be enjoying yourself when you were doing it."

"Enough!!" Alex said through gritted teeth.

Ethan jerked his hand free from Alex's grip. "Don't play games you can't win." He warned, turning to leave. But Alex's anger flared, and he lunged to grab Ethan's arm. In his haste, his feet tangled, and he stumbled. Ethan spun around just in time to see Alex's face contort in a mixture of rage and surprise. Then Alex crashed into him, sending them both tumbling to the floor. Ethan's back hit the ground, and Alex landed on top of him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, they just stared at each other, the world around them melting away 

As they lay there, Alex's anger dissipated, replaced by a newfound awareness. He found himself gazing into Ethan's eyes, and his features seemed different now — sharper, more defined. Ethan's jawline, his nose, his lips.... Alex's gaze drifted to Ethan's mouth, and he felt a jolt, he could also feel his manhood throbbing in his pants the longer he stared. Those lips were slightly parted, and Alex's eyes lingered there, his mind going still. For a moment, the world narrowed to that single point of contact, and Alex felt himself drawn in, his thoughts unraveling. 

Ethan felt a shiver run down his spine as he caught Alex staring at his lips. He should push him away, create some distance, but instead, his body seemed to move of its own accord. Without thinking, Ethan's eyes locked on Alex's , and he felt an inexplicable pull. In a moment that felt both reckless and inevitable, Ethan's lips brushed against Alex's, sparking a connection that neither of them could ignore.

Just as things were about to get out of hand, Ethan's mother's voice cut through the air, calling out his name. Panic surged through Ethan, and he shoved Alex off him. "Shit! What do we do? My mom can't see us like this," He whispered urgently. 

Alex's eyes darted around the garden, and he spotted a large statue. "Let's hide behind that," He whispered back, grabbing Ethan's hand. They sprinted towards the statue, their hearts racing. They managed to slip behind it just as Ethan's mother reached the spot they'd been lying. "Ethan?" She called out, but there was no response. After a moment, she gave up and walked away. Ethan and Alex let out a collective sigh of relief, their chests heaving with exertion. They peeked around the statue, ensuring they were alone once more.

"That was close," Ethan whispered, relief washing over him. Alex's face softened, and a small smile played on his lips. Ethan's eyes widened in surprise; he'd never seen Alex smile before. 

As their eyes met, the weight of their shared moment lingered in the air, unspoken but undeniable. Alex's expression shifted, his features tightened as a shadow passed over his face. His voice, once warm, turned cold —resolute.

"What just happened can't happen again," He said, his tone clipped. "You're engaged to my younger sister, and this—this isn't something we can keep letting happen. I'm not like you, and I never will be. I won't feel the same way, so please... we need to put this behind us. Forget it ever happened. It's best if we act like strangers—as if none of this ever existed between us.'' 

Alex's gaze was unwavering, his words carrying the weight of both regret and cold resolve. "I need you to rethink this marriage.'' He said, his voice low but firm. "I can't call it off myself, but you can—somehow. It wouldn't be fair to my sister, spending her life with someone who will never love her, never truly be drawn to her. And as much as it sickens me to admit it, someone who has been with her brother."

His expression hardened, a storm of emotions flashing across his face. "I'll never forgive myself for that night. It should never have happened. All of this is a mistake." He exhaled sharply, his frustration raw. "So do something about it. End things with my sister. Don't use her as your excuse, your shield. I may not be able to reveal the truth about you to everyone, but I won't stand by and let you have an affair with anyone else until you call off this marriage."

Alex leaned forward, his voice turning steely. "If you insist on going through with this marriage, then fix yourself. See a therapist. Get a cure. Do whatever you need to. Because I swear, as long as you're engaged to my sister, I won't allow you to be with anyone else."

The words struck like a blow. And with one final, cutting look, Alex stood up and walked away, leaving Ethan frozen in place —stung, humiliated, and utterly alone.

Ethan's pulse quickened as Alex's words echoed in his mind, each syllable sharpening the anger burning in his chest. A therapist? A cure? As if his existence was something to be fixed. The sheer audacity made his stomach twist. He blamed himself for what happened. How could he have let his guard down, even for a moment? What was wrong with him? He was supposed to hate Alex, not feeling drawn to him. And yet, he had allowed his emotions to cloud his judgement, let himself forget, even for a second, the kind of person Alex truly was.

Humiliation simmered beneath his skin, hardening into something darker. Alex's words had cut deep, but instead of wounding him, they reforged him—stronger, colder.

This wasn't about fleeting desires anymore. Ethan clenched his fists, jaw tightening. He would make Alex pay for what he had done.