Genesis

Alexander is a regular guy, He had a wonderful family

A loving and caring mother and a cute younger brother who always tried to imitate their father, Blake, in everything.

Blake was a very responsible man, He almost never lied and always kept his promises, He always tried his best to take care of his family and to keep everyone happy,

Blake lived by his principles and made sure to follow them no matter the situation, And like any loving father, He was always ready to sacrifice even himself for the sake of his family.

Lara, Alexander's mother was very beautiful,

She tried to take care of her son's needs since the day he was born with the utmost diligence, Or so Alex was told by his father.

He didn't remember the earlier years, But as far as he could remember, She used to fulfill his and his brother's every wish as long as it was even remotely possible, That is until things started going downhill.

Alex was 7 or 8 At the time,

His brother was 4 or 5 and his mother was in her early 30s like his father.

In the beginning, Things were bearable,

Lara used to feel breathless, Unable to do any work, and even if she laid down her condition didn't improve.

Naturally, Blake took her to various doctors until the reason was known,

At the time, Alex didn't understand much,

But he knew one thing, His mother was not well and her health was not improving, The home's atmosphere was no longer lively or cheerful, And there always was a sense of gloominess hovering around them.

As time passed, Lara's family came to visit more,

Alex noticed that he and his brother received more toys and looks of pity from the female side of the family,

He knew that the reason was his mother, However, There was nothing he could do about it, And so life went on.

When Alex was 11, Blake returned home with a bright smile on his face,

He had some papers in his hand and he spoke to Lara,

After he spoke with her she became energetic and happy as well,

Blake told Alex and his brother that soon, Lara would be okay again,

This memory was one of the happiest in Alex's life, But fate had other plans.

A year passed, And the gloominess returned to their home,

One night it seemed that Blake and Lara came to an agreement about something, And the next day the family moved to a smaller apartment

Alex came to know that for some reason Blake sold their old house and his car, Along with some other valuables Lara had,

When Alex asked about the details, His father said that a home is only a home because we're all in it together, And gave him a vague explanation that these things were sold for a good purpose and someday he would understand everything,

But for now, He should focus on spending more time with his mother and focus on studying.

Another year passed and Lara's condition only worsened,

Blake took a leave from his work and stayed by her side, Until the end.

By the time Alex was nearly 14, Lara died.

His brother, Oliver, Was 11 at the time,

It was heartbreaking, No words could express how they as a family felt, And since that day, Something in Blake changed.

Alex felt as if Blake was preparing him to become his successor,

He made him take care of all of Oliver's matters, Whether regarding upbringing or school,

Blake made Alex also manage the family's budget and take care of anything necessary related to it

As a result of all this Alex became a lot closer to Oliver, And became a very responsible teenager,

By the time Alex was 15, Blake contacted one of his friends and arranged a part-time job for him, He didn't really force him, He just told him that it was the right thing to do, And that he expected him to accept it and take it seriously, And so Alex did.

Another year passed, Alex was 16 and Oliver was 13,

After Alex's 16th birthday, He told Blake that he wanted a full-time job,

Blake readily agreed and within a few days he arranged a decent job for him,

After 2 months, When Alex received his second salary, Blake had a serious conversation with him,

He explained how He has become a man now, And that he can be independent whenever he wants,

However, he also told him that he still had the responsibility of Oliver, And he expected him to teach Oliver everything he taught him,

Blake explained to Alex that from this moment on he was no longer going to treat him as a child but as an equal, And that from now on he'd have to act as a real man and keep his words

"A man's word is a sword on his neck" Blake said

After that conversation, Alex had many more serious discussions with his father,

And according to Alex

'Dad makes me feel like he's one of those knights I used to read about in fairy tales'

He told Alex to never lie, To be kind and to help those in need, To set boundaries, and never let anyone harass him or his loved ones as if his life depended on it,

To protect those whom he was supposed to protect with his very soul if needed 'And he said, Most importantly, There are things that are unforgivable'

Alex still remembers how Blake's eyes gleamed dangerously after he said that.

After Alex's 18th birthday, He had a final conversation with his father:

"There's nothing left for me to teach you, You've grown into a fine man, I'm truly proud of you Alex,

I expect you to take care of your brother, It's about time you find him at least a part-time job,

Make sure he grows to become a responsible and decent man"

"Haha, Dad, Don't talk like you won't be around to make sure of that"

"It's not like that, I'm just telling you what I expect from you"

"I understand"

Their conversation paused for a while, Then Blake said

"In my office, You will find papers, I transferred the apartment's ownership to you,

You should also find my bank account's details, The account contains a decent amount, It won't last for years but it should be sufficient for a while if you face difficulties and have no income"

Blake's tone was very serious, So Alex asked

"Dad, Is there something going on?"

"You can say like that, But aren't you more than ready anyway? You'll soon come to understand everything, Just trust me, okay?"

"I trust you Dad, But you're making me nervous"

Blake wryly smiled

"It's about time you sleep, It's late anyway"

"... Alright, Good night Dad"

For some reason, Alex gave his dad a hug before he went to sleep that night.