His Endless Hate

Ethan was my brother. But for the past 21 years, he had harbored nothing but hatred for me. In his eyes, I was the one who killed our parents.It happened on my fifth birthday. Mom and Dad were away on business in a nearby province, but they hadn't forgotten me. As soon as they wrapped up work, they called to ask what I wanted as a gift.Young and naive, I only wished to celebrate with them and my brother—to share my birthday cake, to share that simple joy.To make that wish come true, they jumped in the car and rushed home through the night.But instead of a birthday, it became a day of mourning. My birthday marked the day they died.After they were gone, the family tore itself apart, fighting tooth and nail for custody of me and Ethan. None of them cared for us—it was all about getting their hands on our parents' wealth.Finally, my maternal uncle stepped in, beating them all to win custody. When he brought us home, his eyes were red with grief. He promised that every pen

Each day passed, my health slipping with the sands of time.Ethan had berated me with biting sarcasm over the phone that day, and since then, he hadn't reached out.The silence was a blessing. Alone in my tiny hideaway, I flipped through my calendar, savoring the quiet, tracking how little time I had left.Suddenly, I received a message from Hannah.She was inviting me to the exhibition party for Eternal Dawn. At the end of her message, she added a pointed line, 'Emilia, I'm sure Aunt Eleanor would want you to see her life's work come to life.'I hesitated, but curiosity got the better of me. I had to see it for myself.…The grand hall was bright and brimming with noise. Clinking glasses, lively chatter, and laughter swirled in the air. It was overwhelming, a stark contrast to the solitude I had become accustomed to.My fingers clenched instinctively at my side.Across the room, I spotted Ethan walking beside Hannah, introducing her with a smile to the guests. It felt surre

Emilia's parting words had barely faded when Ethan's own response slipped out, thoughtless and reflexive. "Then go ahead and die."She laughed—a quiet, broken sound—then stumbled out of the hall, leaving behind a trail of red.The blood seared itself into memory, a garish reminder that lingered long after she had gone.Later, he would lose count of the nights he spent wondering—what if he had been paying closer attention, just that once? What if he hadn't let those words escape so carelessly? What if he had followed her instead of letting her walk away?But all he had done was turn away with an expression as blank as a slate, gesturing coldly to the staff. "Clean this mess up. It's unsightly."Hannah hurried to his side, looping her arm through his naturally, her voice soft with practiced guilt. "Sorry, Ethan, I didn't mean to upset you. I only thought it was right to invite Emilia since we're family, after all. "But it's my fault for not stopping her… This is all on me…"Her v

Those words cut into his heart like a blade, leaving him breathless from the pain.Ethan took out his phone and dialed Emilia's number with shaky hands. However, no one answered, no matter how long he waited.Once, twice, thrice…The mechanical voice on the other end seemed to mock him as if it were taunting him for bringing this upon himself.Suddenly, his phone rang.Ethan's breath caught right then and there. He picked up immediately and exclaimed, "Emilia, you're…""Ethan, where are you?"Hannah's voice merged with his, choking off his words and snuffing out his hope."Ethan, I made a new design today. Can I show it to you?"Ethan clutched his phone tightly and tried to suppress his impatience. "I'm busy. We'll talk later." Then, he immediately hung up.Then, he ignored Hannah's shock, gathered all of Emilia's belongings, and loaded them into his car.Ethan was nearly at his breaking point. His heart pounded wildly as if it were about to leap out of his chest.He search

I closed the photo album and looked out the window.The warm sunlight spilled onto the edge of the bed, and the reddening maple leaves were a beautiful sight to see.I wondered how many days I still had left.I collapsed on the street right after I left the banquet hall. Still, someone managed to get me to the hospital. The doctor said there was little hope left, and it would be best for me to fulfill my last wishes anytime soon.When I heard the verdict, I only smiled in reply.After all, I had no more wishes left. I had already finished the designs my mother left behind, even though my name wouldn't be on them. As for Ethan… He had Hannah. Perhaps he would even feel relieved once I was gone.Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, "Emilia!"When I heard that voice, I blinked and thought in amusement that the sayings were indeed true. They said one would start to hallucinate as their life came to an end."Emilia! Emilia!" Ethan's voice grew clearer.When the familiar scent sur