ᴛᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜᴇʀ

ᴏɴᴇ

I've never considered myself an outcast. I just don't like talking to people. I prefer to keep to myself. People call me shy and reserved, but I'm okay with that. I do my work, get good grades, and follow my parents' rules. I've never broken any, and I don't intend to. I want to make them proud, so I decided to major in business. Eventually, I'll take over my father's company.

But the truth is, I don't care for business. I'd rather do photography. My mother, however, isn't particularly fond of that idea, so business it is. Every subject I took in high school was business-related, and I passed all of them with ease. I guess you could say I'm gifted.

My mother always says she "knows best." I want to believe her. I want to make her proud. Unlike my twin brother, Cayden.

She calls him a disappointment.

He's the opposite of me wild, reckless. He smokes, drinks, and brings home random girls. And yet, my parents well, mostly my mother aren't as strict with him as they are with me. She lets him do whatever he wants, but when it comes to me, I have to follow her rules to the letter.

Cayden doesn't like me. He can't even tolerate being in the same room as me. When he looks at me, there's nothing but disgust in his eyes. I don't know what changed, what made him turn against me, but when we were younger, things were different.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

"Brother, let's go play," Cayden had said, his small hands pulling me toward the playground.

He handed me a tiny toy car, and we sat in the grass, pushing it back and forth under the warm sun until our mother called us in for dinner. That night, like always, we slept in the same bed. We were inseparable—wherever you saw one, you'd see the other.

"Ciel, when we get older, we'll move out together. We'll always be together, okay?" Cayden had whispered, squeezing my hand. "As your big brother, I'll protect you. If anyone tries to bully you, tell me, alright?"

I nodded sleepily, too drowsy to respond properly.

Ironically, Cayden became the bully.

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

"Dear, where are you, my darling boy?" My mother's voice drifts in from the living room, pulling me back to the present.

"I'll be down in a second, Mother," I reply, descending the stairs.

As I reach the last step, Cayden walks past me, shoulder-checking me hard enough that I nearly lose my balance. I grip the railing, steadying myself.

"Morning, brother," I say, offering a small smile.

He scoffs. "Tch." His head whips around, a sneer twisting his features. "Don't call me that."

I flinch at the venom in his voice, lowering my gaze to my shoes. Swallowing down the familiar sting, I continue toward the living room.

"Mother, you called?"

"Today's your first day at Harvard! Aren't you excited? My baby is finally going to college!" She beams, smothering my face with kisses. "Oh, I'm going to miss you dearly!"

I force a small smile. "Yes, Mother."

"Have you packed yet?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Jonathon!" she calls our butler. "Get Ciel's bag and bring it to the car."

"Yes, Ma'am," Jonathon replies with a slight bow.

"Is Cayden coming with us?" I ask.

"Don't worry about him, darling. Your father is having a... talk with him before he leaves," she sighs.