Lines Crossed For Love

"You are just good for nothing!" Theodore shouted, his voice could be heard miles away from the wick's mansion as he roared at Ethan.

The tall glass windows of the Wick mansion stood  out over the vast acres of green land and tall palm trees. The sun was beautifully shining in its glory, but inside the house, the atmosphere was cold and tense.

Theodore Wick sat at the head of the elongated shiny table in his epic dining room just across the main living room with his two sons. He is an influential man in his late sixties. His grey hair neatly combed to perfection and his dark suit, well tailored and neatly ironed showing the intricate details of the outfit. He had established an empire consisting of hotels, estates, and a multinational manufacturing company with everything having his name on it: Wick Holdings.

Tyler, the older son sitting on his right hand side, wore a charming yet deceptive smile. He is always elegantly dressed in expensive clothings. He mostly speaks politely in front of his father but a rebel behind his back. Theodore admires and favors him a whole lot.

To Theodore, Tyler was strong, smart, reliable and capable. He always said, "Tyler brings me immense joy-he's my pride!"

Ethan, the younger son positioned on the left side, sat quietly with his head bent, mumbling softly underneath his breath, having just been scolded by their Dad. He is in his early forties and had soft eyes that held pain and anguish. Unlike Tyler, Ethan rarely smiled. He had learned not to. Growing up, he knew he was not the favorite and had learned to stay in the shadows. With his feelings always being suppressed, he has grown to be a man void of love.

Theodore hardly praised Ethan; rather he gave most accolades to Tyler even when he did nothing and was always showering him with praise. Whenever Ethan tried to share ideas for the company, his father would totally ignore them or quickly move on. Even though Ethan was honest, hardworking, and loyal, it didn't seem to matter to Theodore.

Buried in Ethan's heart, was emptiness,stillness and sadness that had grown for years. He was used to being overlooked so he had stopped trying to impress his father long ago.

Ethan didn't want wealth, status or titles. All he wanted is peace... and his children's wellbeing. He wanted to be loved and validated by his father as a good son but got none of that even from his younger age.

He had two kids: Maya, who was 15, and Jason, who was 8. His wife, Lillian, had died two years ago after seriously battling breast cancer. Since her demise, Ethan had become an extremely quiet man, like a snail withdrawn into its shell. He focused only on raising his children the best he could.

He hardly spoke unless it was quite necessary and seldom laughed too. His eyes showed that he had been through a lot of pain, anguish, years of being unloved and trying to prove himself worthy of it.

After their breakfast, Theodore leaned forward and tapped his wine glass with his middle finger, signaling the attention of his kids.

 "I have made a decision," he said firmly, staring intently into their eyes. His voice filled the room.

"Tyler will be the one to take over the entire company. He will be my successor, I want him to inherit Wick Holdings."

Tyler smiled wider, joy erupting from within him but pretending to be humble. "Thank you, Father. I'll do my best" he said softly .

Ethan said nothing. He wasn't surprised as this was the usual norm. This had always been coming. Still, it stung deeply but somewhere deep inside, he had hoped and longed for a different ending.