bloodline
1141 Words
Alessia
The mansion had been quiet—eerily so—for the past few days. With my father buried in his endless meetings and Jay lurking in the shadows like the overbearing protector he was, the air felt stifling.
Until now.
I knew something was wrong the moment I heard the low rumble of an engine pulling up the driveway. Not just any car—his car. Nathalian’s unmistakable beast of a vehicle, one that announced his presence before he even stepped out.
The front door swung open, and there he was. Nathalian Young, the eldest of the Young siblings, the family’s golden boy turned enforcer.
His presence was magnetic, his confidence palpable. Broad-shouldered, towering, and every inch the man who could silence a room with just a look. His dark hair was neatly combed back, and his piercing blue eyes, so like my father’s, scanned the grand hall like a predator surveying his territory.
“Nathalian,” I greeted, stepping into the hallway, my voice deceptively calm.
“Alessia,” he replied, his tone carrying that authoritative edge he always wielded like a weapon. He walked toward me, pulling me into a brief but firm hug. His cologne—a mix of cedar and something darker—lingered even after he pulled away.
“You’re back,” I said, searching his face for signs of trouble.
“Looks like it,” he said, his lips tilting into a smirk. “Miss me?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Should I have?”
His laugh was low, almost fond. “Still a smartass, I see.”
I was about to reply when another sound froze me in place—the unmistakable crunch of tires on gravel. My heart dropped to my stomach as the second car came to a stop just outside.
No. Not now.
Nathalian must have noticed the change in my expression because his smirk vanished, replaced by a steely edge. “Who’s here?”
I didn’t have to answer. The door opened again, and there he was.
Sebastian.
My younger brother was a different kind of storm. Where Nathalian was sharp edges and calculated control, Sebastian was raw energy and unpredictable chaos. He had that same Young family arrogance, but it was tempered by the wild defiance in his brown eyes.
“Of course,” Sebastian drawled, stepping inside and letting the door slam behind him. His voice was casual, but the tension in his body told a different story. “The prodigal son returns.”
“Sebastian,” Nathalian said, his tone clipped. His entire frame stiffened, his jaw tightening as he regarded our younger brother.
“Don’t sound so thrilled to see me,” Sebastian shot back, shrugging out of his leather jacket and tossing it onto a nearby chair. “I’m sure this is just as painful for you as it is for me.”
I stepped between them before either could say another word, raising my hands as if I could physically stop the explosion I knew was coming. “Enough. Both of you.”
“This doesn’t concern you, Alessia,” Nathalian said, his tone calm but firm.
“Like hell it doesn’t,” I snapped. “Do you two even realize what you’re doing? Dad specifically told you not to come here until you worked out your issues. And now you both show up at the same time? Are you trying to start World War III in the middle of the house?”
Sebastian crossed his arms, his smirk infuriatingly smug. “Relax, Lessie. I’m just here to drop by. Didn’t know Nathalian was planning a family reunion.”
“Maybe because you don’t bother telling anyone where you’re going,” Nathalian shot back, his voice like a whip.
“And maybe you shouldn’t pretend to care,” Sebastian retorted, his words dripping with venom.
“Stop,” I said, my voice louder this time. “I’m serious. You two need to get it together, or you’re both leaving. I don’t care what Dad says.”
Nathalian’s gaze softened slightly as he looked at me, but it didn’t last. His attention snapped back to Sebastian, and the icy edge returned.
“You think this is a game?” Nathalian said, stepping closer to Sebastian. “You’re reckless. You put this family at risk every time you act without thinking.”
“And you think you’re so much better?” Sebastian fired back, refusing to back down. “You’re just Dad’s lapdog, Nathalian. Always have been, always will be.”
The air between them was suffocating, charged with years of unresolved tension.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nathalian said, his voice low and dangerous.
“Don’t I?” Sebastian smirked. “You’ve always been his favorite. The perfect son, the golden boy. But let’s not pretend you’re any less of a screw-up than I am.”
“That’s enough!” I snapped, my voice echoing through the hall.
They both froze, their gazes snapping to me. For a moment, the tension shifted, their anger directed at each other replaced by something else.
“You two are unbelievable,” I said, my voice shaking with frustration. “Do you even hear yourselves? This isn’t about Dad, or who’s the favorite, or who screwed up more. This is about you two refusing to let go of the past and move the hell on.”
Neither of them said anything, but the silence wasn’t comforting—it was heavy, filled with things they weren’t ready to say.
“I’m serious,” I continued, my voice softer now. “You’re brothers. You’re supposed to have each other’s backs, not tear each other apart.”
Nathalian’s jaw clenched, and Sebastian looked away, his expression unreadable.
“This isn’t over,” Nathalian said finally, his tone icy. “But it doesn’t need to happen here.”
He turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing through the hall as he disappeared down the corridor.
Sebastian let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Same old Nathalian.”
“Sebastian,” I said, my voice softer now.
He looked at me, his expression softening just a fraction.
“You don’t have to do this,” I said. “You don’t have to keep fighting him.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not that simple, Lessie.”
“It could be,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He didn’t reply, and I didn’t push him. Instead, I watched as he walked away, leaving me alone in the middle of the grand hall.
I sank onto the loveseat, my head falling into my hands. The weight of their feud felt heavier than ever, and for the first time, I wasn’t sure if they’d ever find a way to fix it.
- Writer
