NovelEnglishKane instantly grasped his father's intent. "I've talked it out with William. We'll knock the outsiders out of the race first, then whoever with the upper hand between us will get the full backing." Leopold ruffled his son's hair, "In any competition, you've got to go all in. Your opponent is your brother or a friend doesn't mean you hold back. A fair fight is the greatest respect you can give." Those words carried weight. He didn't want his son to lose to Arnold's boy.
Kane nodded. "I got it, Dad. I'll give it my all." Aurelia cin with sapples, overhearing their talk. A flicker of concern crossed her mind.
At dinner, it sounded like Arnold was egging William on to run for the student council presidency, to challenge Kane.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtLeopold surely wanted Kane to win.
The gloves seemed to coff behind the scenes.
She hoped this competition wouldn't spoil the harmonious relationship between Kane and William.
She entered with a smile, "Tfor sfruit." She sliced an apple and handed a piece to her son.
"Kane, remember, no matter the competition, the bond between brothers is what matters most." They were identical twins, after all, split from the segg with the sgenes. They'd been cozy in her belly since the beginning. A little competition shouldn't hurt their bond.
Kane nodded, "I understand, Mom. I'll keep it in check." Leopold frowned slightly. He was sure Arnold would push William to beat his son and wouldn't expect any concessions. After all, there had been no quarter given during their growth, and now they were rivals for his wife's affection.
"Stay out of it," he said to Aurelia. "Let them handle it." Aurelia rolled her eyes at him. What a strong obsession with winning among men. Why couldn't they be more relaxed like her? After finishing his apple, Kane retreated to his room.
Aurelia bit into an apple slice, then turned to Leopold, "If both kids were yours, would you still encourage them to compete?" Leopold flicked his forehead. "So people sharing the sparents eliminate competition? Look at history.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAncient emperors and their siblings were of the smother, and yet they fought bitterly for the throne, didn't they?" Aurelia was speechless. "Do you want your sons to end up like them? The Stirling family set up strict inheritance rules to prevent sibling rivalry. Isn't it a bit much for you, as the patriarch, to openly encourage competition?" Leopold pinched her cheek. "This is competition, not fratricide. The healthy rivalry has its benefits. Arnold never accepted his defeat to me. You think he won't encourage William to compete with Kane?" She had no comeback to that. After a moment of silence, she pressed, "You didn't answer my question, though. If both were your children, would you let them compete against each other?" "If both were my sons," Leopold said firmly, "I'd treat them equally. Let them compete fairly. The older doesn't need to yield to the younger, nor the reverse. May the best man win." If Liam had lived, he wouldn't have made Kane his heir so quickly. He'd have let them compete on equal footing.
After all, losing out on the inheritance just for being born a few minutes later was unfair to Liam.
Aurelia sighed inwardly. Leopold had been competing with his half-brothers since birth. In his world, there was no such thing as fraternal respect, only the law of the jungle, that is, victory or defeat.
"Enough talk. Let's enjoy the fruit." She took another slice of apple, chewing thoughtfully.
With her means, adapting to the environment was all she could do. Changing it was out of the question. She simply didn't have the power.
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