Mine

"She is the woman you will marry."

"Promise Will, promise me if I get better then we'll get married."

The two sentences that were spoken by Jackson and Gwen seemed to be at war in his raging mind. He wanted to meet his brother but he couldn't betray Gwen.

"I'm only going to marry you..." Those were the words William spoke this afternoon and Gwen took it as a promise, Gwen would be devastated if he married another woman. William would feel very guilty if Gwen's health condition worsened because of his actions.

But...

"How about meeting your brother?"

Meeting my brother...

The more William thought about it the deeper the longing pierced his heart.

His heart slowly felt torn apart only because of the longing that burst from the hole in his heart that he had been hiding for so long. It was painful and also tight.

"You won't leave me, will you? I only have you, if you leave me then I will die of loneliness. I can't live without you."

William's eyes filled with tears as his brother's voice resonated in his ears. It had been a very long time since he had left his brother when he was ten years old while his brother was only seven years old. His brother was so young and frail, that he always depended on him, and then he left him without a word to say goodbye.

All this time William had hoped that his younger brother could live well without him, William had always hoped so, a simple hope that made him trapped by the guilt that suffocated him every second.

He lives well, like a crown prince who has everything in his hands, a comfortable life, wealth, a perfect family, and lovers, he has everything happy except for one thing that is the fact that he has left his brother.

William is an older brother who has the heart to leave his younger brother alone even for good reasons but still, that guilt cannot be lost and continues to haunt his 'perfect' life.

"Will you accept me if I come back?" William asked for a bonsai tree located in the center of his room, a tree he had cared for since the first time he became William Alexander, a tree he considered his brother.

He did think that way so that he could atone for his guilt towards his brother who he couldn't protect.

Taking care of the bonsai tree and seeing the tree slowly grow and blossom and even flower, it has been a dozen years, and finally, his bonsai tree has flowered, could it be a sign that he will soon complete his happiness by reuniting with his brother?

"But I can't marry another woman, I love Gwen." He continued in a restless tone.

"I can't betray Gwen, she only has me but I miss you, I really, really miss you. What should I do now?" William's cries broke, and his body slumped down and sobbed on the floor.

William buried his face between his hands that grabbed his knees.

"Will... What's wrong with you?" Jane walked quickly to William when she saw William crying alone on the floor.

Jane used to check up on William every night and make sure William was doing well before she saw her husband calling William into his room and without asking, Jane knew that Jackson would get William into some trouble.

After placing the warm milk she had brought on a table not far from the door, Jane immediately kneeled and hugged William tightly.

"What's a wrong son? Did Jack do something bad to you? Why are you crying, what's wrong with you?" Jane asked, she gently stroked the top of William's head who was now crying in her arms.

"I miss him, Mom... I miss him like I'm going to die right now." He sobbed without letting go of his hand.

"He must be fine there. Your father promised to take care of your brother there so calm down." Jane said reassuringly, she knew that William had a younger brother who he had to leave because of the selfishness of Jackson, her husband.

"I know Jack very well, he may be rude and cold but he is a man you can keep his word with. So rest assured, everything will be fine."

"I miss him so much, I really want to meet him."

"Then go see him. I'll persuade Jack to let you see him, so don't cry anymore. My son is a tough guy, please so stop crying. It's hurt me..."

Jane reassured William, that she was sure that Jackson still loved her very much so she would comply with his request this time.

While wiping William's tears, Jane couldn't hold back her tears, her heart was so hurt seeing William like this.

After a dozen years, Jane finally could see William's sadness directly after William had always hidden it behind his smile and cheerful attitude.

"I want to meet him but I can't betray Gwen," William said quietly, Jane already knew his relationship with Gwen and Jane didn't mind at all and she approved of it even though Jane knew that Mark had special feelings for Gwen but Gwen loved William so there was no reason for her to oppose William and Gwen's relationship.

"I don't understand what you're saying, son."

"That man..." William clenched his fists to keep his tears from falling before continuing his sentence "...that man asked me to be a governor in my home country and not only that, he also asked me to marry another woman." It was clear to William, that his tears finally came back while Jane was stunned in disbelief because Jane was so sure that Jackson knew about the relationship between William and Gwen but why did he even set William up with another woman?

"That is a condition so that I can meet my brother again. What should I do now, Mom?"

Jane couldn't answer, she could only hug William again and let William cry in her arms.

****

"ARE YOU CRAZY!" For the first time in Jane's life, she snapped at her husband Jackson for being so angry at what Jackson did to William.

Jackson, who was sitting back on the bed reading a book, didn't look as surprised by Jane's anger as he had expected.

"What is it?" Jackson asked flatly after putting down his book and taking off his glasses on the nightstand.

"Until when do you want to use William? Why are you so mean to him, haven't you used him enough all this time? Why do you have to interfere with his love life too?" Jane shouted incessantly.

Her face reddened with anger, William was like her own son, and all this time, her heart was always hurt when Jackson brought William into trouble but this time seeing William fall like that made her heart shattered.

But instead of responding to Jane's anger, Jackson chuckled softly and said, "Stop acting like you're the woman who gave birth to him."

"What?" Jane was speechless at what Jackson had just said, William had lived with him for eighteen years, and it was clear that Jane loved him like her own child. "Your concern for him disgusts me," Jackson muttered before getting up and walking over to Jane.

Jane snorted and replied, "In this life, you are the one who disgusts, Jack!"

Jane's words made Jackson laugh but a second later he grabbed her arm and made her wince in pain.

"You support that adopted son's relationship with Gwen when it's clear our son is in love with Gwen, don't you have the brain to think how to hurt Mark will be if William and Gwen end up getting married!" shouted Jackson angrily.

"Since when did you care about Mark? You even made his position as our adopted son-in-law!" rebutted Jane undaunted.

"That's because of the circumstances! My father obviously wouldn't accept having a retarded grandson like Mark!"

"Because you love your money more than our Mark!" Jane's tears dripped from the corners of her eyes, she still looked at Jackson sharply even though Jackson looked very angry at this time. Jane is getting angry with Jackson because Jackson uses Mark as an excuse for his greed.

"Let's divorce Jack! I'm so sick of you!"

Jackson loosened his grip, he lowered his hand and took a step back. His heartfelt hot as a dagger when Jane asked him for a divorce.

Although Jackson is rude he loves Jane very much, Jane is the only woman he loves.

"Never!" He said firmly.

"Even if I die I'll not divorce you! And no one can oppose any decision I make in your life, Mark's life, or William's life! You three are mine, none of you will leave my life. I will not let anyone go even after I die!" Jackson continued firmly. Tears were welling up in his eyes but Jackson's possessive words made Jane completely untouched by the sadness that radiated from Jackson's eyes before leaving Jane who could only cry.

...