Chapter Thirty-Nine

The sun's rays dazzled the garden in a symphony of light and shadow. The gentle breeze whispered through the tall grass, swaying them in agreement.

Marcus approached the garden where he saw Alex kneeling by a bed of dahlias, their vibrant colors like jewels strewn across the earth.

Alex glanced up, catching sight of Marcus, and smiled. He bent down to clip a crimson dahlia, its petals soft and velvety under his touch.

"Ah, Marcus," Alex said, straightening up and holding the flower out to him. "Congratulations on your acceptance by the board."

"Thank you, Alex," Marcus replied warily, taking the offered blossom and standing beside his brother. Something was unsettling in his brother's tone, an ominous undertone that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Isn't it curious how flowers bloom?" Alex mused, gazing at the dahlias around them. "They push through the soil, reach for the sky, only to be cut and stopped from growing."

"What are you getting at, Alex?" Marcus asked,