Family (II)

JAYDEN

As I stepped out of my sleek black car, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the city. The click of my Italian leather shoes echoed through the marble foyer.

In the expansive living room, my half-brother, Ethan, reclined on a couch, engrossed in his tablet. The two brothers nodded.

“Long day at the office, Jay?” Ethan asked, not looking up from his device.

“You have no idea,” I replied, loosening my tie as I moved further into the manor.

My mother, Eleanor Steele, stood at the top of the stairs, an imposing figure with a stern countenance. Her disdain for Ethan, my half-brother, was apparent, a constant reminder of the infidelity that had fractured our family.

“Jayden,” Eleanor nodded, her piercing gaze assessing me.

“Mother,” I replied with a curt nod, keeping my composure.

Ethan’s eyes flickered between us, silently observing. He knew his presence was the reason for a lot of our disagreements. I moved towards the stairs, the air heavy with tens