He was just a weak man who could not go against the family but outside of the family was someone who was strong, healthy and was capable enough to escape the families control and was living freely.
The two brothers grew up in different directions, one married a rich mans daughter increasing the families wealth and political ties within their area while the other continued to keep up his duties as a security groups leader and expanding the groups power and influence.
He had met someone who had been a great help to him after many years of struggling and married them building a family of his own in his late twenties.
Although her status was not high, she had been by his side for many years helping managing the books and contracts within the group.
At first they did not have a romantic relationship but as their relationship moved from a business relationship to one of friendship, they quickly bonded a deeper relationship resulting in their marriage with the approval and support of those within the group who wished that he would find happiness one day.
In his fifties, he had already become an Unrestrained realm martial artist for many years, married to his wife and was watching his three children grow up.
His guard and security group had grown further and they had been employed by many nobles and rich families to provide security during public events and gatherings between different families or clans.
One was smart like his wife, another was talented in martial arts like himself while the last and youngest had inherited his previous families talents for the arts like painting, calligraphy, poetry and the art of tea.
For the other children he had no problems nurturing their talents with his and his wife's efforts but the youngest was not someone he could properly give the best education to.
He called in his favour from many years ago with the previous family head and asked the heir who had now become the new family head to help provide his child with the right teachers and environment to nurture their talents.
After becoming an Unrestrained martial artist, the new family head could not handle his pressure or afford to anger him from not upholding the promise of the previous family head so he was forced to put away the hatred in his heart and arrange the youngest child to receive teaching from the family.
The previous illegitimate child had branched off from the family and begun to build a strong enough influence that could overwhelm the family, even if there were some that were dissatisfied with this there were many within the family that were too fearful of the strength behind him so they had to hide their dissatisfaction.
Even the current family head was forced to do the same, he was even more angry that his own children were not as talented in the arts than the youngest child that had been taught and was absorbing everything quickly.
No matter how bad he was filled with anger and jealousy, he forced it downtime and time again until he developed a problem with his stomach and had to have a doctor come into the family to give him treatment by his side.
Another couple of years and in the present day, the two families maintained minor contact in private because of the youngest child's studies but their relationship did not go beyond that.
In fact, the family continued to suppress any rumours about their involvement with the other but this did not stop information from leaking out in private about the blood connection between the two of them.
Due to this information leaking out and reaching information gathering groups, that information became available to certain existences that wished to test and use this connection.
During the chaos with the flood, the family head was approached and the family was threatened with the massacre of his entire family, the only way to stop that was to follow their plan and offer up his illegitimate brother to them to take their place.
Faced with the decision in front of himself, his hatred of his illegitimate brother lead him towards the final decision.
To prevent a massacre, he would offer up a sacrifice.
What he was going to do was to help his family avoid a calamity but to remove the person he hated the most was a bonus.
He had arranged a meeting between the two of them in private like the previous family head as if to ask for a favour without others knowing.
Upon meeting, his assistant prepared a drink for the both of them to begin their discussion.
Rather than making up a lie or another story, the family head spoke in a fearful tone. "The family is in danger, we have been threatened by someone that we can not afford to fight against. Even if we try to escape them, we will be hunted and completely wiped out."
The security group leader frowned upon hearing the reason why he had been called away from his business and family matters. "Are you serious? Who is it?"
The family head looked too frightened to mention it. "I. I cannot say! No! Do not make me say! They will kill me!"
The security group leader sighed. "Fine..if you cannot say, how am I supposed to help you? What did they ask for? They must want something."
The family head looked pained as he held his stomach revealing his distress that he had been suffering since meeting them. "They… they want.. they want.. aaah…"
At some point, he looked like he had gone mad from fear after coming into contact with those people revealing how terrible those people were and the danger they brought to the family.
He began to take some breathes and calm himself down while having some of his drink.
While doing so, he observed the state of his illegitimate brother who also observed him and asked. "Can you tell me no…?"
His body started becoming weak and he could not use his strength so he revealed a look of confusion.
The family head calmly observed his changes and suddenly dropped his fearful act. "They..they asked for…. They asked for you."
His eyed turned cold revealing his hatred towards the person opposite himself. "Finally I have been presented the chance to remove you, although I do not know who they are I am sure that they are powerful enough to do as they please if they can set up a plan like this to subdue you with ease."
He turned to the assistant and ordered him. "Transport him in secret and do not be discovered. Make sure that word is spread that he has left after meeting me before you leave."
The assistant nodded and began to move the body while the family head left the room and headed back to the family home.
So long as there was no proof that he had disappeared during their private meeting that very few knew people about, it would be difficult for the friends, family and business partners of his illegitimate brother to suspect his involvement for his disappearance.
After the disappearance, he can later go against his word and stop providing teaching for the youngest child and completely cut ties with the other family.
If the family does receive pressure from his illegitimate brothers friends or business partners then all he has to do is not reveal anything and play the weak person who is being bullied to make them back off.