Xander stood atop the craggy cliff, the wind whipping his light grayish hair into a frenzy as he gazed out at the restless ocean. The waves crashed below, their foamy fingers reaching out to caress the jagged rocks with a brutal, unyielding rhythm. The sight filled him with a profound sense of disparity and a longing so intense it ached in his chest, a longing for a life he could never have.
At just 23 years old, Xander felt the weight of a thousand failures pressing down on him. Every path he'd taken had led to ruin, every choice had been the wrong one. He couldn't understand it. He'd always tried his best, but his best was never enough.
His mind drifted to the women he'd planned to marry, the one who'd shattered his heart and his trust. He'd caught her in the act, her lips locked with another man's her body pressed against his. The image was seared into his memory, a brand of betrayal that would never fade. When he'd confronted her, she'd turned on him like a cornered animal, her lies spilling from her mouth like venom. She'd painted him as the monster, an abusive fiancé who'd laid hands on her in rage. No one had believed his denial, not even his own parents. They'd cast him out, their disapproval a physical blow that left him reeling. And with their rejection, he'd lost his job, his home, his dignity.
Xanders heart pounded in his chest as he recalled the humiliation, the pain. He felt a fresh wave of anger and betrayal. How could they not believe him? His twin brother, Oliver, was the only one who'd stood by him, who'd offered him a lifeline. Oliver had promised to help, to take him away from this place and the echoes of his shattered dreams.
But as Xander stood there, the wind howling around him, he felt a sudden sharp shove from behind. His arms windmilled wildly as he stumbled forward, his toes scrambling for purchase on the crumbling edge of the cliff. Panic surged through him as he plunged downward, the world spinning around him in a dizzying blur.
He looked up, his eyes locking onto the figure standing at the cliffs edge. Oliver. His twin brother's face was a mask of cold calculation, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched Xander fall. Shock and confusion ripped through Xander, a second wave of betrayal crashing over him. Why? He wondered, his mind racing. Why would Oliver do this?
The ocean rushed up to meet him, the impact driving the air from his lungs in a painful rush. The water was freezing, the sting of it like a thousand needles piercing his skin. He sank, the dark abyss claiming him, pulling him down into its cold embrace.
He kicked and thrashed, his body's instincts for survival kicking in, but it was no use. His lungs burned, the need for air becoming unbearable. He could feel the darkness creeping in.
As consciousness slipped away, Xander's last thoughts were a bitter ones. He should have taken swimming lessons. He should have done a lot of things differently. But it was too late now. The sea claimed him, and he sank into the depths, his life ebbing away like the tide.
Oliver watched his brothers form disappear beneath the waves, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. He savored the moment, the power he held over Xanders life and death. Only the insistent ringing of his cell phone could tear his gaze away from the grim spectacle.
He answered the call, his voice laced with a mix of pride and affection. "Hey, baby. It's done. He won't be causing any more trouble." His footsteps crunched on the gravel as he made his way back to his car, not once looking back at the cliffs edge where his brother had met his end.
The woman on the other end of the line laughed, a sound that was equal parts cheerful and malicious. "Good riddance to that useless brother of yours. Now, nothing stands in our way. You're one step closer to taking control of your family's business."
Oliver's lips curled into a smug smile as he slid into the driver's seat, the engine purring to life beneath him. "I can't believe he actually thought I'd let him marry you. He was always so naive, always the good twin." He shook his head, a harsh laugh escaping his throat. "Well, now it's just you and me, my love. And soon, the world will be ours for the taking."
He hung up the phone his mind already racing with plans he and his accomplice would set in motion. The road ahead was clear, and Oliver intended to seize every opportunity that came his way. With Xander out of the picture, there was no one to stand in his way, he thought to himself as he sped down the road.
Xanders lungs burned with a final, agonizing plea for air as his vision swam and darkened. His body went limp, surrendering to the relentless embrace of the sea. In his fading consciousness, a torrent of regrets and unfulfilled dreams rushed through his mind.
I should have lived for myself, he thought, his heart aching with the weight of his unspoken wishes. I should have traveled, explored, and loved without fear. The images of the life he might have had flashed before his eyes—sunsets on foreign shores, laughter with friends, a partner who truly saw and cherished him.
Why did I always try so hard to please everyone else? He wondered, his regrets a bitter pill to swallow. My parents, Oliver, even her. The faces of those he'd tried to impress swam before him, their features blurring and fading like a photograph left too long in the sun.
A profound sadness washed over him, a tide as inexorable as the one that claimed his life. He'd been a puppet, dancing to the tune of others expectations, and now it was too late. The darkness closed in, a merciful end to his earthly suffering.
Xander's world went black, his final breath escaping in a silent bubble that rose to the surface, a ghostly echo of the life that had been.