REVENGE OF THE DESPISED HEIR

WEDDING HAS ENDED

"I'm the only son of this family," Jake's words hit Bryan like a thunderstorm.

Confusion clouded Bryan's mind as he struggled to understand what his brother meant "What?" He asked while not being able to hide his bewilderment.

But Jake quickly dismissed Bryan's question with a casual kind smile on his face, "Ah, it's nothing, brother, I'm just glad to see you, welcome home brother," he sounded cheerful as if he was excited to meet Bryan for a long time.

Despite him being certain about what he had heard, Bryan couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt regarding whether he heard it for real or just imagining the odd things.

His mother, Josephine, affectionately ruffled Jake's curly hair, being proud of his kindness, "My sweet boy, I can see how excited you are to meet your big brother," she took Jake to her embrace with maternal warmth.

"Yeah, Mom, I can't wait to have fun with my brother," Jake shared his thoughts with a bright smile, his behaviour suddenly shifting to innocence and kindness like a normal kid.

Bryan couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right, but the sight of his parents beaming with pride at Jake's words momentarily distracted him from his suspicions.

As Neil, their father, nodded approvingly at Jake, being proud of Jake just like Josephine, "I always knew you'd grow up to be a gentleman, Jake, I'm so proud of you my son,"

Bryan watched in silence as his parents are praising Jake endlessly and being so proud of him, that's when he caught the smirk playing on Jake's lips as he hugged Josephine and Neil.

Bryan couldn't help but wonder if his brother was trying to remind him of who held the upper hand in recieving their parents' affections.

"You're just an outsider here, Jake is our only little brother," Mia, Bryan's third eldest sister, spoke harshly with words full of dislike towards Bryan, as if declaring him an intruder in their family, no matter how hard he tried to be a part of it.

"Mia, is that how you talk to your little brother who has come back home after all these years?" Josephine scolded Mia for her harshness towards Bryan.

Mia rolled her eyes in response, "Who knows if he's even real or just an imposter!"

Ignoring her mother's glare and scoldings, Mia just left from there to her room without a second glance.

Josephine gently patted Bryan's head, trying to reassure him, "She's spoiled a lot by your father and me, so she doesn't know well about how to behave around others, don't let her words hurt you dear, she'll get to like you soon."

Bryan nodded, forcing a smile, "it's okay, I can understand."

Watching his matured way of reacting, Josephine glanced at him warmly but her attempt to praise him was interrupted by Jake's sudden burst into tears, "It's all my fault, sisters love me so much, that's why they treat you badly, brother, Mom, Dad, I'm really sorry for being bad."

Josephine and Neil's attention immediately shifted to Jake from Bryan, comforting him in a warm hug, "you're not bad, Jake, it's not your fault," Neil tried to calm him.

"Mom brought your favorite cookies, why don't you go enjoy them with your sisters?" Josephine suggested with a warm smile, as his other two sisters also joined in coaxing him, Jake with an innocent smile replied, "I want to enjoy it with sisters, along with mom and dad too, can't I?"

Soon, all five of them disappeared into the house, leaving Bryan alone at the entrance, ignored and forgotten by his own family.

Bryan never expected this to be the beginning of being left out and his life to live as an outsider within his own home, since from then in every aspect, Bryan tried his best to prove himself, but neither praises nor any attention was given to him.

"I hope things will change one day," Bryan keeps telling himself all these years, "if I keep working hard, maybe my parents will notice me one day."

But as time goes on, things just get worse, Jake, his younger brother, steals all the attention wherever he goes, while Bryan just lives as a nobody.

Even on his wedding day, Bryan was left in the darkness, while Jake's the protagonist, they're more concerned about their adopted son feeling left out than their own flesh and blood.

Meanwhile, the guests are getting impatient, they're wondering if there's even going to be a wedding at all or not.

"Dear, is this wedding happening or not?" The priest asked while being tired of waiting, "I've other work to do, I can't possibly stay here for the entire day."

Bryan tried to reassure him while apologising politely, "I'm so sorry for taking too much of your time, just a few more minutes, Father, my brother is yet to arrive, the wedding will resume when he arrives."

"Are you the groom or your brother?" The priest raised an eyebrow, being baffled by Bryan's words, "I've seen weddings getting delayed for the late arrival of the groom or bride, but I've never seen a wedding ceremony being delayed for a guest who hasn't even arrived yet."

"You can see that here, Father," Ronald remarked, being sarcastic, "this might be a new experience for you, but we're used to it."

Bryan glared at Ronald, silently urging him to keep quiet, he knew very well the consequences of his parents overhearing Ronald's sarcastic comments about Jake.

Just then, the silence was shattered by the ringing of a mobile phone, Neil's face lit up as he saw the caller ID displaying Jake's name, "Jake, where are you, son?"

But Neil's expression quickly turned to one of shock and concern as he listened to the voice on the other end, "what do you mean?" he exclaimed as his voice trembled, "How is he now?"

Josephine is worried as she approached her husband, "Honey, what's wrong? Why isn't Jake here yet? Did he get stuck in traffic?"

Neil's voice cracked as he spoke, "Our Jake met with an accident," he said drowning in sorrow, "he's been taken to the hospital."

"Oh God!" Josephine gasped, placing her hand on the mouth, "my poor boy, how did this happen so suddenly?"

Mia, Bryan's sister, stepped forward, being concerned about her little brother, "what are we waiting for, Dad? We need to go check on Jake, lets go."

Bryan's voice trembled as he spoke up, hoping his family would understand his pain, "Mom, Dad, it's my wedding day, how can you all just leave like this?"

But Josephine's response was harsh and unforgiving. "Everything related to you is a bad omen, Bryan," she spoke piercing his heart with her words, "because of your so-called wedding here, our Jake met with an accident, how can you even think about your wedding when your younger brother is lying in a hospital bed? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

His mother, father, and sisters rushed out without even sparing a glance at him.

Bryan glanced at his bride, who threw her veil and was preparing to leave, "you too?"

"I'm not heartless like you, focusing on a wedding when a person dear to us lying on the hospital bed," she responded coldly, "I can't stand to see someone suffering like this." With those words, she headed to change and hurry to the hospital.

For the past decade, Bryan's important moments were always interrupted by Jake's tricks, pulling attention away from him, and even now, the situation remained unchanged.

Bryan couldn't help but force a wry smile, suppressing the deep pain in his heart.

The wedding guests, unaware of what's happening, were busy gossiping about the sudden turn of events.

As the guests curiously awaited to know about what would happen further, Bryan took a deep breath, "the wedding has ended" he announced,  "thank you for making the effort to be here."