How it happened
Dylan’s pov
"Quit being envious of what your brother has..." These were the words spoken by my mother when Taylor and I were still very young. She was talking to Taylor, and as a mother, she had noticed our contrasting personalities. She observed that whatever belonged to me always caught Taylor's attention. Taylor was never content with his own possessions and often neglected to take care of them.
When we were kids, Taylor had a strong, muscular physique, which gave him an advantage over me when it came to forcefully claiming ownership. In the absence of our parents, he would become domineering, and I would quickly give up what was mine to avoid any physical confrontation. At first, I thought this was normal, but as we entered our teenage years, I realized it was escalating. It felt like I was living in bondage, where the only way to escape was by willingly giving away what was rightfully mine. When our parents were around, he would behave appropriately, and everything I had would remain mine. But in their absence, I would swiftly hand over my possessions whenever Taylor demanded them.
This situation led me to join a gym during my teenage years. It all began after watching a TV interview with a famous boxer who shared that he initially learned boxing as a way to defend himself against bullies at school. Through consistent workouts in the gym, he eventually pursued a career as a professional boxer. I didn't aspire to become a boxer, but I wanted to be able to defend myself when I was alone. One statement from the boxer resonated with me. He said, "These kids were the same size and height as me, but the only difference was that they had muscles, which gave them stamina. They took advantage of others simply because their physical strength intimidated others before they even threw a punch..."
For me, my goal wasn't to engage in violent confrontations with my twin brother, but rather to protect what rightfully belonged to me, even though my rival was within my own household, making it challenging for me to escape. Unlike other students who found solace from bullying once they got home, my brother was always a competitive presence.
I knew that the only way to outsmart him was to keep my gym activities a secret. If he found out, he would immediately join as well, rendering my goal of joining the class pointless. So, I became increasingly secretive whenever I interacted with him. During high school breaks, I would sneak into the gym and gradually transform my physique, but I made sure not to reveal my progress until I surpassed Taylor's natural body features.
With unwavering determination, I gained more muscle to the point where hiding the changes became impossible. Taylor eventually couldn't help but notice, and he asked me,
"How did you develop such a broad chest and abs?"
"I usually do push-ups early in the morning in my room when I wake up," I lied, knowing that he would start doing push-ups when he woke up as well.
However, the primary reason I built my muscles wasn't to prove myself in a physical confrontation. After some time, I wanted to test if my efforts were worthwhile and if they would make a difference. I began by not wearing a shirt inside the house so that Taylor could continuously see my muscles.
The real test came one day when our parents left us home alone. Usually, Taylor and I would play our separate video games. I knew that the best defense was a strong offense, so on that particular day, I wanted to see if all my efforts at the gym would pay off. I walked into Taylor's room as usual, shirtless and wearing only red boxers. I even applied some oil on my chest and arms to make them more prominent.
I knew Taylor was engrossed in his favorite soccer game when I confidently approached him, without any pleading or hesitation.
"Can I borrow your gamepad? Mine isn't working well."
He turned and looked at me, and in that moment, my heart skipped a beat as his eyes landed on my well-sculpted chest.
"Okay," he paused his game and made the most surprising decision he had ever made. It seemed like my appearance had a powerful effect on him, and just by looking at me, he was willing to give me what I asked for without hesitation.
Taking advantage of human nature, I tested him several times, and it worked perfectly. However, it wasn't in my nature to indirectly bully others, so I stopped doing it. I saw it as oppressing the weaker ones, and Taylor naturally became fearful of me, assuming I could easily defeat him in a physical fight. Despite his countless morning push-ups, his abs were no match for mine.
My new physique not only protected me from Taylor's bullying, but it also attracted attention from beautiful things—or rather, beautiful girls—at school. They found pleasure in talking to me and wanted to take selfies with me, shirtless. Unbeknownst to me, Taylor grew very jealous. On several occasions, my classmates would approach me and ask to have lunch together, which ignited intense hatred in Taylor's heart.
During this time, I met a beautiful girl named Tessy, who was a younger student. We fell in love, and I never took advantage of girls liking me to sleep with them. I knew my boundaries and even turned down some girls who tried to seduce me by inviting me to their homes when their parents weren't around. The most difficult part was receiving numerous calls from various school girls on the weekends, wanting to hang out with me and take pictures with me at the beach, all happening in front of Taylor's eyes.
Years later, even after we entered college, the attention from girls didn't cease. However, I remained faithful to Tessy, who also got admission to my school.
As a family, my parents knew about Taylor's possessive behavior when we were young, but they hoped he would outgrow it as he grew older. His negative behavior caused my mom to show more love towards me, which further strained her relationship with Taylor, leading to misunderstandings between them.
During the summer holidays, Taylor and I were spending time with our parents. It was one of the longest breaks, and we had just finished our exams. It was during this time that I learned that comparing two brothers publicly is never a good idea, as the outcome not only broke my heart but also caused ongoing pain.
"How many girls are you going to date before you finally settle down? Look at your twin brother, Dylan. He has been able to maintain a good relationship with Tessy since high school. What's wrong with you? I see girls coming into your life, only to leave shortly after. What's wrong with you? If you carry this attitude into marriage, you'll end up with a broken home."
These were my dad's words to Taylor as they sat in the living room. Just minutes ago, Dad had witnessed Taylor's girlfriend, Kate, break up with him as soon as they got out of the car. They exchanged hurtful words before she grabbed her bag and left without entering the house.
This was the only time my dad directly confronted Taylor. Until then, he had used gentle words to encourage him to treat women with kindness and maintain a consistent attitude throughout their relationships.
Usually, when Taylor starts dating a girl, he showers her with love and attention. But as the relationship progresses, the girl hopes that the love and attention will continue to grow. Unfortunately, that never happens with Taylor.
After the incident with Kate and our dad scolding him, Taylor came to my room and saw that I was on a call with Tessy. We were laughing and having a good time. This happened when Taylor and I were in our final year of college.
A few days later, I approached my mom, who has always been my closest confidante. It was natural for me to share my deepest secrets and plans with her. I closed the door gently, and I remember it was in the evening.
"Mom, I have this strong feeling that I want to commit to Tessy and marry her right after I graduate. I don't need to question or analyze her; she's the kind of woman I want to spend my life with. We've known each other for a long time."
"Settling down with Tessy will be one of the best decisions you'll ever make. I've been waiting for the day when you would confidently solidify your relationship. Tessy is a responsible young lady, and finding someone like her is not easy in today's society. That's how your dad and I knew each other for a long time. I found no faults in him, and we dated for several years before he proposed to me."
My mom and I were so caught up in our conversation that we didn't notice her room door had slightly opened, and someone was eavesdropping. It turned out to be Taylor.
Later that day, Taylor called Tessy and said, "Hi Tessy, what are your plans for tomorrow? I'd like us to meet at Keans bar, but don't tell Dylan. I have a secret to share with you, and Dylan will join us an hour later. If you want to hear the secret, let's meet at 4 pm."
That phone call changed everything.
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