Adrian sat in the dimly lit hospital room, a plate of bland cafeteria food in front of him. The sterile scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, mixing with the faint whir of machines monitoring Ethan's condition.
His mind drifted as he mechanically chewed, the events of the past few days blurring together in a haze of exhaustion and despair.
Just as he was about to take another bite, his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with an unknown number. For a moment, he hesitated, wondering if he should ignore it, but something compelled him to answer.
"Hello?" Adrian's voice was quiet, almost tentative.
A familiar, mocking laugh echoed through the speaker. "Adrian, my dear brother," Wryn's voice dripped with sarcasm. "How's life with your husband? Must be thrilling, living with someone who's half-dead."
Adrian's grip tightened on the phone, his knuckles turning white. "What do you want, Wryn?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the anger bubbling within him.
"Oh, nothing much," Wryn drawled. "Just checking in on you. It must be so exciting to be married to someone who can't even respond to you. Tell me, Adrian, how does it feel to be the substitute, the one who got the leftovers?"
Adrian felt a pang in his chest, but he refused to let Wryn see how much his words hurt. "Don't insult my husband," he said firmly, though his voice wavered slightly. "And you have no right to talk about disgrace when you're the one who ran away from your responsibilities. You're the one who tarnished the Hudel family name by fleeing."
Wryn's laughter rang out again, colder this time. "You really are naïve, Adrian. You think I ran away? Oh, no, no, no. I didn't flee from anything. It was all part of the plan. Father's plan, to be exact."
Adrian's breath caught in his throat. "What… what are you talking about?"
"You really didn't know?" Wryn's tone was taunting, as though he took pleasure in revealing the truth. "Father orchestrated the whole thing. He never intended for me to marry Ethan Levidis. That was always meant to be your role, Adrian. He needed a scapegoat, someone disposable, and you were the perfect candidate. After all, what's your worth compared to the Hudel family name?"
Adrian's hand trembled as he gripped the phone, his mind racing to process Wryn's words. His father had planned this? All along, he had been nothing more than a pawn in Wuner Hudel's game? The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of him.
"You're lying," Adrian whispered, though the conviction in his voice was fading.
"Am I?" Wryn's voice was laced with cruel amusement. "Think about it, Adrian. Why else would Father insist on you marrying Ethan? Why would he go to such lengths to ensure you couldn't escape? You were never meant to have a choice in this. You were always just the substitute, the expendable one."
Adrian's mind reeled, the weight of Wryn's words pressing down on him. He wanted to deny it, to believe that Wryn was just trying to mess with him, but deep down, he knew there was truth in what his step-brother was saying. The coldness in his father's eyes, the harsh words, the way he had been treated all his life—it all made sense now. He had never been a son to Wuner Hudel, just a tool to be used and discarded.
"You're too stupid, Adrian," Wryn continued, his voice like a dagger twisting in the wound. "Too stupid to see how little you mean to Father, how little you mean to anyone. You're nothing but a convenient replacement, a placeholder until something better comes along."
Adrian's heart ached, the pain almost unbearable. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he stared down at the uneaten food on his plate. All his life, he had longed for his father's approval, for even a shred of affection, but now it was clear that he would never have it. He was nothing to Wuner Hudel, just a tool, a means to an end.
"Why are you telling me this?" Adrian asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Because it's amusing," Wryn replied with a chuckle. "And because I want you to know just how pathetic you are, how little you matter. You're nothing, Adrian, and you always will be."
"Enjoy your miserable life, Adrian," Wryn said with a sneer. "I'm sure you'll make a wonderful little housewife for Ethan, catering to his every need while he lies there, oblivious to your existence. It's fitting, really, for someone as insignificant as you."
The line went dead, leaving Adrian in a deafening silence. He dropped the phone onto the table, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed quietly. The truth was out now, and it hurt more than he could have ever imagined.
He wiped at his eyes with trembling hands, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. How was he supposed to go on after this? How was he supposed to continue living in a world where he meant nothing, where his very existence was a mistake?
But even as the despair threatened to consume him, a small, stubborn part of Adrian refused to give in completely. He had been forced into this marriage, forced to take on a role he never wanted, but if this was his life now, he would make the best of it.
With a shaky breath, Adrian stood up, pushing the plate of food aside. He looked down at his reflection in the screen of his phone, his silver eyes red and puffy from crying. He looked pitiful, defeated, but deep inside, a spark of determination began to flicker.
He wasn't nothing. He wasn't worthless. He was Adrian Hudel, and he would survive this, no matter what it took.
Adrian glanced over at the hospital bed where Ethan lay, still and silent. The man who was now his husband, even if only in name. A man he was now bound to, whether he liked it or not.
"I'll take care of you," Adrian whispered, more to himself than to Ethan. "I don't know how, but I will. I'll find a way to wake you up."
Atleast...you can live the life you want...unlike...me