Chapter 3

A Shocking Reunion

As I drove down the familiar dirt road, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. It's been six years since I left the pack, I thought.

Waves of memories came flooding back as I drove on, the pack hadn't changed much since I'd left, there were a lot more houses than I remembered.

I saw a few familiar faces in the distance but I ignored them, there would be time for reunions later. I wanted to see Vincent.

"Are you sure it's not Chloe you really want to see?" A voice echoed in my head,my face flushed and my breathing quickened. It had been years since I saw her but her blue eyes were etched in my memory.

As I got out of the car I heard strange noises from inside and my hair stood on end - something was wrong. I rushed to the house and what I saw made my blood run cold.

I stood frozen in the doorway, my eyes fixed on the scene before me. My brother, Vincent, was forcing himself onto his wife, Chloe. The same Chloe I had secretly loved for years, but never had the courage to confess my feelings to. The same Chloe who was now married to my brother.

My eyes blazed with anger, how dare he! "Vincent, stop it! What's going on here?"

Vincent looked up, his face whitened like he'd seen a ghost, he stuttered; "It's… It's been ten years."

"Ten years and the first thing I come home to see is you trying to force yourself on Chloe." I stared at him murderously, I clenched my fists instinctively.

"Know your place, Mark!" Vincent snapped,"This doesn't concern you."

My eyes locked unto Chloe's and it broke my heart to see her look so frightened,her face was stained with tears.

Memories of the past flooded my mind, the day I left the country, heartbroken and defeated. I couldn't bear to stay and watch the woman I loved be with my own brother. But now, I was back, and the pain was just as raw. And now on my return, I met with this horrific scene.

Chloe took advantage of the distraction and shifted from underneath Vincent. She stared at me and her eyes softened,"Get out, Mark. This is none of your business. Leave!...please," her voice broke.

I felt a surge of anger and hurt, but I tried to keep my cool. "I'm making it my business. You're my brother, and I won't stand by and watch you hurt someone I care about." I glared at Vincent, I indirectly answered Chloe.

I'd backed down all those years ago, I wasn't backing down this time.

Vincent snorted. "You care about her? You left her, Mark. You left us all. You don't get to come back and pretend like you're concerned about our well-being."

Vincent's words sent a surge of rage into me, my eyes narrowed menacingly.

I took a step forward, my fists clenched at my sides. "I left because I couldn't bear to watch you two together. But I'm back now, and I'm not going to let you hurt her again." I kept my eyes fixed on Vincent, his face twisted in anger, as I spoke. Chloe's eyes widened as my words sank in, she was dumbstruck.

"You dare speak to me like that?" Vincent's eyes bulged as he stared at me, he looked ready to blow his top off.

Chloe stepped forward, her eyes pleading. "Mark, please. Just leave. This is between me and Vincent."

I hesitated, torn between my desire to protect Chloe and my need to confront my brother. But my eyes hardened, I'd rather disappoint her than leave her here with Vincent in this state.

"Leave, I'll talk to him," I whispered, Chloe's eyes widened. She started shaking her head.

"You're leaving, now go!" I said firmly. Chloe hesitated before she nodded and left, leaving me and Vincent.

I stood in the doorway, my heart still racing. I couldn't believe what I had just walked in on. My brother, Vincent, forcing himself on his wife, Chloe. The woman I had loved in secret for so long.

I felt a wave of anger and betrayal as I watched Vincent try to brush off the incident. "It's just a normal fight, Mark. Don't worry about it," he said, his voice dripping with condescension.

I took a step forward, my eyes narrowed, my gaze piercing "Normal fight? You call that a normal fight? You were forcing yourself on her!"

Vincent rolled his eyes. "You're being dramatic, Mark. It was just a misunderstanding."

I felt my anger boil over. "A misunderstanding? You're not even sorry, are you? You're not sorry for what you did, what else have you been doing all these years, ohh asides the fact you're ruining Dad's business." My expression became colder as I spoke.

Vincent shrugged. "It's just an argument Mark, just pressure from business.." Vincent's lips curled up in a mocking smile,"Something that you have no idea in, why is that so? Oh I remember now, you were a coward and you ran away." Vincent spat at me.

My hands clenched as Vincent spoke,the business? The very same one that was on the verge of collapsing, thanks to Vincent's mismanagement. The one that our father had built from the ground up, and that I had always been passionate about.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. But the anger and betrayal were still there, simmering just below the surface.

"You know, Vincent," I said, my voice low and even. "I think I will focus on the business. And I think I'll start by taking it away from you."

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "You'll never be able to do that, Mark. You're just a stepson, a nobody. You'll never be able to take control of the business away from me." He snarled, his expression twisted.

I smiled, a cold, calculated smile. "We'll see about that, Vincent. We'll see about that."