Chapter 75: Brotherhood Restored

Ethan sat in his wheelchair by the hotel window, the sunlight casting a soft glow on his face as he stared out at the waves crashing on the shore. The past few days had been a whirlwind of emotions and revelations, but the one thing still weighing on his mind was the fallout from the accident. He hadn't had a proper conversation with Alex since the truth started to unfold, and he knew it was time.

A soft knock on the door broke his thoughts. "Come in," Ethan called out.

Alex stepped inside, his usually confident posture slightly slumped. The tension in the air was palpable. As soon as he saw Ethan, his jaw clenched, and his eyes shimmered with emotions he was clearly holding back.

"Ethan," Alex said, his voice cracking slightly as he walked over. "I... I don't even know where to start."

Ethan nodded, his hand resting on his lap as he gestured toward the chair beside him. "Sit down, man. We need to talk."

Alex hesitated before taking a seat, running his hand through his hair. "I thought I lost you, Ethan. When I heard about the accident, and then... then everything that happened after—I couldn't believe it. You weren't the same guy anymore."

Ethan's eyes darkened. "That wasn't me, Alex. Patrick... that bastard, he took my life, my family, my company... everything."

"I know now." Alex's voice trembled as he leaned forward, his hands gripping his knees. "But back then, it felt like I lost my best friend. I—"

Ethan interrupted gently, "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. I was gone, man. A year of my life in a coma, and when I woke up, they told me Olivia and Eva were dead. I didn't know what was real anymore."

Alex's breathing became shallow, and without warning, he shot out of his chair and pulled Ethan into a hug, despite the wheelchair between them. "I thought I lost you, man. I was looking for you even an hour before the wedding. You promised to be my best man. I waited for you."

Ethan hugged him back, feeling the weight of the unspoken pain between them. He had no idea how much Alex had suffered, thinking he was abandoned. "I'm so sorry, Alex. If I had known... If I could've been there... I would've."

Alex pulled back, wiping his eyes roughly. "I didn't know what was going on. You changed. Patrick took over, and he wasn't you. He wasn't the Ethan I grew up with, the guy who would never let his family down. I looked for you—I didn't give up. But everything felt off. I should've known something was wrong."

Ethan shook his head. "Don't blame yourself. Patrick had everyone fooled. Even I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. But I'm back now, and we're going to fix everything."

Alex nodded, still trying to compose himself. "I've been digging into the company's affairs while you were gone. Patrick partnered with Alexander Quinn, and they've been making moves—shady ones. Carter Couture, Pierce Enterprise, Eva Enterprise—they're all tied up in his schemes now. He's taken control, Ethan. But we can take it back. We'll get everything back."

Ethan's face hardened with determination. "We will, but we need to be smart about this. We can't make a move until we know every detail of what Patrick's been doing. We need to gather evidence, figure out who's loyal to us, and make sure Martha and Mathew don't see it coming."

Alex sat back down, running his hand through his hair again. "I've already got some people looking into it. Linda's sources have been helpful too. But Ethan... there's one thing I need to ask."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue.

"Why didn't you reach out sooner? Even after you woke up, even if you thought Liv and Eva were gone, why didn't you come to me?"

Ethan looked away for a moment, guilt washing over him. "I didn't know how. I was broken, Alex. When they told me Liv and Eva were dead, I thought my life was over. And then... I wasn't the man I used to be. I didn't want you to see me like that."

Alex sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I would've been there for you, man. Just like I always have. We're family, Ethan."

Ethan smiled softly, his voice filled with regret. "I know that now. But I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

The two men sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the last few years heavy between them. But in that silence, there was also an understanding—a bond that hadn't been broken, only bent. 

"Now," Ethan said, breaking the quiet, "Let's focus on getting everything back. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

Alex nodded, determination flashing in his eyes. "We'll make them pay for what they've done. Together."

"Together," Ethan agreed, his hand gripping Alex's shoulder. "And this time, no one is taking anything from us."

Alex finally smiled, a rare look of hope crossing his face. "I missed you, man."

Ethan chuckled softly, "I missed you too."

For the first time in a long time, they both knew they had each other's back, and nothing was going to stop them from reclaiming what was rightfully theirs.