It surprises me. I never thought a bottom feeder like you would be eating at such a fancy restaurant. At the restaurant, I happened to run into Marcus, who heads the department for one of our biggest clients.
My older brother, Ryan, who was ten years my senior, was taking me out to dinner for my birthday. Marcus was the type of person who always treated me with contempt and spoke in the most demeaning terms. I just smiled politely at him because I was used to it, but Ryan spoke out right away.
“Jordan's older brother is me. We came over for supper because it's his birthday today. I appreciate you always taking care of him,” Ryan greeted him politely.
But Marcus scowled and remarked, “I see Jordan's big brother obviously splurged on him because he couldn't have afforded such a property with his own income. But really, isn't it a bit excessive to spend this much money on your younger brother, even if it is his birthday? If you're Jordan's brother, you're probably not all that superior to him.
You're older now, and I doubt you're earning a lot of money. ” Aren't you? Hearing my brother mocked infuriated me.
Even though I was accustomed to being humiliated myself, I yelled, “Marcus, I don't care if you look down on me. ” Before I could stop myself, I added, “I'm accustomed to it, but you can't insult my brother, whom I greatly admire, and I won't put up with it. Leave now, please!
” Marcus's expression contorted in rage as soon as I said that, and I knew I had made a mistake. Usually, I would dismiss his comments with a blank stare, but this time, with my brother in the picture, I became angry. However, it was too late.
Marcus laughed softly and added, “Oh, so you dare speak to me like that, Jordan? ” in the most threatening voice I'd ever heard him use. “You truly don't know who you're playing with.
” In a panic, I briefly considered getting down on my knees and pleading, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry. ” However, I couldn't help but believe that I wasn't at fault, so I glared at Marcus instead of apologizing. “Kneel and apologize, Jordan,” Marcus snarled, sneering down at me.
“Consider how amusing it would be to witness someone groveling in such a posh establishment make a favorable impression on the other patrons. ” I glared at him even more and refused to apologize. Marcus smirked and continued, “If you won't apologize—” All of a sudden, he swung the pricey cognac he was holding and threw its contents straight at Ryan's face.
Before I could react, “Whoa! ” Ryan yelled uncontrollably. I was stunned.
“What the devil are you doing? Wait! Do you have a breakdown?
” Flustered by Marcus's ludicrous actions, I demanded, “You're quite bold to respond to me. Get down on your knees now! You'd better follow my advice if you don't want to lose your job.
” Marcus gave a bark; however, Ryan calmly replied, “Wow! ” as he wiped the dripping booze off his face. “I'm genuinely in awe, I must say.
In my 37 years of life, I've seen a lot, but I never thought I'd get a pricey bottle of cognac poured all over my face. I may be the only person in the world to have ever enjoyed this luxury. It's somewhat of an honor, to be honest.
The cost of this drink alone is thousands of dollars, or even tens of thousands. It's similar to receiving a cash shower. What an opulent experience!
” His reaction was so unexpectedly cheerful that I nearly burst out laughing. The only one who wasn't amused was Marcus. “What the hell?
Is Jordan's brother insane? You two are both absolute morons! ” Marcus spat out, clearly thrown off.
Then Ryan turned to me and said, “Jordan, I know you wouldn't do this, but just in case, you don't have to apologize to this guy, all right? ” Marcus stalled and scoffed, “Your brother is just as arrogant as you, but that's fine. If you refuse to apologize, I don't care.
I'll simply cut off all business with your company. Without our partnership, your company will probably go under. And when that happens, Jordan, you'll have to take responsibility and resign.
No, actually, you'll be fired on the spot! Hell, the whole company might collapse. Either way, you're out of a job!
” Marcus laughed maliciously, clearly enjoying himself. At that moment, Kenneth, the restaurant owner, who had noticed the commotion, walked over with a towel for my brother to wipe his face. Then Mr Kirk of Kirkland Corporation, who had been sitting at the table with Marcus, also noticed the commotion and walked over to our table.
Surrounded by various people, Marcus said, “Ha! Everyone's watching, Jordan. You just disrespected an important business partner; you're fired!
” Watching Marcus laughing gleefully, I didn't miss the cold stares from both Kenneth and Mr Kirkland. Only my brothers seemed to be genuinely enjoying the situation, grinning from ear to ear. Now that I fully grasped the situation, I confidently said, “You're the one who's getting fired first!
” Marcus's eyes widened in shock, and then the surprising truth was revealed. My name is Jordan. I'm a 27-year-old sales representative at a manufacturing company.
My job is going fairly well, and I consider myself lucky to work in a friendly and supportive environment. “Jordan, starting next month, you'll be taking over the Kirkland Corporation account. It's a big one, so do your best,” one day my senior colleague Kyle told me.
“Understood. Kirkland Corporation is one of our biggest clients, right? I'll do my best to handle the account as smoothly as you have,” I responded enthusiastically, determined to meet expectations.
But then Kyle continued, looking a bit apologetic, “Actually, they've switched their representative on their end too. Until recently, a woman named Hannah was in charge, but they just reassigned someone named Marcus. ” I met him the.
. . the time.
He was determined to keep his second marriage intact and became more patient with my mother. However, the damage had already been done. Ryan and I grew up in separate worlds, with our experiences shaped by the very different parenting styles of our fathers.
"Are you free tomorrow for dinner? " Ryan asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Yeah, I'd love to," I replied.
"Thanks for the reminder about my birthday. " "Of course! I thought we could go to that new Italian place downtown.
" "Sounds perfect. What time? " "How about 6?
" "Great! I'll see you then. " We hung up, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia mixed with excitement.
It was nice to have this connection with my brother, despite our complicated family history. Tomorrow would be a day to celebrate and reflect, and I was looking forward to spending it with Ryan. Least a little, and treated my mother better than he had treated Ratchel.
Additionally, my mother had a bright and carefree personality; even when my father did or said terrible things, she wouldn't dwell on them and would wake up the next morning as if nothing had happened. This likely helped her cope. That's why my parents' marriage, despite some arguments, managed to last for 13 years.
But to put it another way, it only lasted 10. When I was 13, my parents separated for the same reason my father had divorced Ratchel. My father grew dissatisfied with my mother and escalated his verbal abuse until she was ultimately forced out.
However, there was one key difference this time: my father did not demand to keep his son. I still remember that day vividly. My father screamed at my mother to leave.
My mother was in tears. Then my father said, “This one isn't like Ryan; he's useless. He has no value.
Take him with you. ” Of course, this "one" referred to me. Unlike my brother, I wasn't particularly good at studying or naturally skilled at many things.
Apparently, that made me unworthy in my father's eyes. A normal person would probably be deeply hurt to hear something like that from their own father, but since the man had been a villain my entire life, I felt bad, but not devastated. I had simply grown numb to it.
Looking at Ryan, I sometimes wonder if it was a miracle that he grew up to be such a kind, sincere, and hardworking person, or if he turned out that way because our father served as the perfect example of what not to be. Either way, the fact that neither of us ended up as complete social misfits is something I feel genuinely grateful for. Anyway, back to the story.
At 13, I left the house with my mother. At the time, Ryan was 23, and shortly after we left, he moved out on his own as well. My mother worked hard to raise me on her own.
We weren't well-off, but after escaping my father's tyranny, I felt peace and relief living alone with my mother. Looking back, those days were the happiest time of my life. Why was it only for a short time?
Because soon after, my mother fell ill and passed away. She died just one year after divorcing my father. She had been feeling like she was getting headaches more often, then one day she collapsed at home and never woke up again.
At the time, I was still in middle school. My heart shattered, and I stopped going to school altogether. But before I had a chance to spiral completely, Ryan reached out his hand.
“Jordan, come live with me. I'll take care of you. ” He wasted no time handling the paperwork to terminate my mother's apartment lease and took me in.
By then, Ryan had already graduated from college and was working. He had a decent income for his age, so we weren't struggling financially. On top of that, he was surprisingly good at household chores, which made me respect him even more.
I didn't want to just rely on him, so I tried to help with housework, but whenever I did too much, Ryan would say, “You have school to focus on, Jordan. Just do what you can. ” Thanks to Ryan, I always had proper meals while growing up, and I was able to attend both high school and college, even when I was struggling with friendships, relationships, or academics during my teenage years.
Ryan was always there to listen and support me. He was like a father, a mother, and a brother all in one. At times, he even felt like my best friend.
I believe the only reason that was possible was because Ryan was extremely capable and skilled, and because he was a kind, compassionate person. I respect Ryan more than anyone else in the world. Three years ago, we started living separately.
It wasn't because we had a falling out or anything like that; I just felt that I couldn't rely on him forever and needed to become independent. So I moved out on my own. Even so, Ryan never stopped looking out for me.
Every year on my birthday, he calls me. If our schedules align, he takes me out for drinks or treats me to a nice meal at a good restaurant. When he asked if I was free tomorrow for dinner, I immediately responded, “I'm free!
Let's go,” without a second thought. Ryan chuckled over the phone and said, “I'm glad you're free and that we can meet up, but I can't help but worry that you're always available at night. It's about time you got a girlfriend, but we can talk about that tomorrow.
Let me know if you have a restaurant in mind. ” Then he hung up. Feeling excited, I looked forward to tomorrow.
The next day, I finished work quickly and headed to the restaurant where I was meeting Ryan. It was the kind of place I wouldn't normally be able to afford on my own, but Ryan treated me to an amazing meal. “Thanks for everything, as always.
Honestly, I feel like I've been way too lucky compared to others my age. Is that really okay? ” I muttered, sipping wine that paired perfectly with the food.
Ryan smiled and said, “Jordan, you had a tough childhood. You went through a lifetime's worth of hardship back then, so now you should feel free to enjoy as much happiness as you want. But that applies to you too, doesn't it?
It wasn't just me; didn't you also endure Dad's yelling and watch Mom cry growing up? ” I wanted to acknowledge everything he had gone through too. He gave a rueful smile and said, “Yeah, well, that's true.
” Wanting to hear more about his life lately, I asked, “So how. . .
” "Have things been for you recently? That's when he brought up something unexpected. Speaking of which, last week was Mother's Day, right?
I sent flowers to my birth mother, and she called to thank me. Every year, Ryan sent gifts to Ratchel on Mother's Day and her birthday. After all, it wasn't like he had chosen to be separated from her, and he always said he wanted to show appreciation while he still could.
I respected him for always being thoughtful toward others. Then he continued, 'And guess what? She's getting remarried!
' I was a bit surprised and asked, 'Remarriage? You mean Ratchel? ' Ryan simply replied, 'Yeah.
' At that moment, I wondered: was he happy about it, or did he have mixed feelings about his mother marrying a man he didn't know? Then I reconsidered. Knowing my brother, it was definitely the former.
'I feel relieved, honestly. Ever since she was kicked out by Dad, I always worried about whether she was really okay on her own. When I moved out of the family home, I considered living with her, but she told me, "I've been living alone all this time, and I'm doing just fine, so don't worry.
" Well, since I knew I might get married someday too, I figured I didn't have to force it. But still, aging alone is tough, and I couldn't help but worry. I knew she had been dating a kind man five years younger than her for the past three years, and now she's finally decided to marry him.
I'm really happy for her! ' He smiled brightly as he said that. Just as I had thought, he was genuinely happy.
I had never met Ratchel, but even I felt happy for her. Then Ryan suddenly paused and said, 'Wait, I'm sorry. Talking about my mom like this must be insensitive, considering you lost yours.
' I quickly shook my head. 'Why are you apologizing? I'm really happy to hear this!
I mean it, I swear. My mom always asks about you whenever we talk. She's really fond of you, Jordan.
She always asks, "How is Jordan doing? Is he doing okay? " She even told me to let you know that if you ever need anything, you can count on her as a mother figure.
' Ryan said that and smiled. Hearing that filled my heart with warmth. The people around my brother were always kind-hearted, and I was sure it was because he himself was such an exceptional person.
His kindness naturally attracted good people. At that moment, Ryan, you actually came! It's been so long; you're looking great,' a cheerful voice called out to us.
Looking up, I saw a man around my brother's age, a staff member at the restaurant. 'Kenneth, glad to see you! ' I figured if I called ahead, you'd feel obligated, so I just showed up instead,' Ryan said to him.
Ryan introduced him to me, saying, 'Jordan, this is Kenneth, one of my old classmates. He owns this place. ' Then, turning to Kenneth, he said, 'Kenneth, this is my younger brother.
Handsome guy, right? ' I had assumed Kenneth was just a staff member, so I was surprised to learn he was actually the owner. Kenneth smiled warmly and said, 'So you're Ryan's younger brother?
It's an honor to meet you. Please enjoy your time here tonight. ' He gave a polite bow.
Flustered, I stammered, 'Oh, the honor is mine! ' Seeing my reaction, Ryan chuckled and said, 'No need to be nervous. Kenneth's a great guy.
' Then he noticed the bottle of brandy in Kenneth's hands and asked, 'Wait, that bottle? What's the occasion? Did someone order it?
' I wasn't familiar with brandy, so I didn't think much of it, but Ryan widened his eyes and turned to me. 'Jordan, do you have any idea what that is? That's an insanely expensive brandy!
' Kenneth nodded and said, 'That's right. This is our most expensive KAC. A customer at that table ordered it, so I took it out of the safe.
' A drink kept in a safe? I had never heard of such a thing before. 'Just how expensive is that?
' I blurted out. 'Jordan, this bottle costs five figures! ' Ryan said to me.
'What? Are you serious? ' I was so shocked that I couldn't help but shout.
Kenneth laughed and leaned in to whisper, 'I'll sneak you a little taste later, Jordan. ' Then he walked away. I wasn't sure if someone like me, who was perfectly content with convenience store canned cocktails, deserved to taste such an extravagant drink.
A short while later, an older man entered the restaurant. He spoke to the staff at the entrance, 'My companion should already be dining inside. ' Then he stepped into the main dining area.
I glanced toward the table he was heading for and saw someone I recognized sitting there. 'Ah! ' My voice slipped out unintentionally.
Ryan noticed my reaction and asked, 'What's up? You know him? ' I lowered my voice and said, 'Yeah, he's a manager from one of our client companies.
Can't say this too loudly, but he's a real piece of work—kind of a nightmare to deal with. ' That person was Marcus, our client. 'I see.
Yeah, he does have that kind of vibe,' Ryan said with a small smirk. Then he pointed out, 'Looks like that expensive cognac was ordered by their table. ' Sure enough, there was a glass of deep amber-colored brandy in front of Marcus.
Considering Kirkland Corporation was a major company, I assumed they could afford such luxuries. By now, I had figured out that the older man who had just entered was Mr Kirkland himself. He sat down with a hearty laugh and immediately picked up his glass of high-end cognac.
I was watching too intently, perhaps. Feeling my gaze, Marcus glanced over at me. At first, he looked away, but then, as if realizing something, he turned back and glared.
Crap! I tried to avert my eyes, but then I. .
. " realized if he took that as a sign of weakness, he might make things even worse for me later. I decided it was better to be direct, so I gave him a small, polite nod.
Marcus abruptly stood up, holding his glass of cognac. He walked straight toward our table. Once he reached us, he stood beside our table, looking down at us with a smug expression.
Then he said, “Well, well, I never expected to see someone like you dining in a place like this. ” As usual, Marcus had a way of being incredibly rude. I forced a polite smile, but before I could say anything, Ryan smoothly stepped in.
“I'm Jordan's brother. Tonight we're celebrating his birthday. Thank you for always looking after him,” Ryan greeted him politely.
Marcus smirked. “I see. Well, it's obvious that Jordan wouldn't be able to afford this place on his own, so his older brother decided to splurge, ha!
But don't you think that's a bit much, even for a birthday? You must not be making much money if you're still treating your younger brother like this. I imagine you're just as unimpressive as he is.
” I was used to being insulted, but when my brother was insulted, I felt anger. I lost my temper and blurted out without thinking, “Marcus, you can insult me all you want. I'm used to it, but I won't stand for you insulting my brother.
Please leave. ” When I saw Marcus's face tense up at my words, I thought, oh no. Normally, I kept things diplomatic, carefully dodging Marcus's provocations.
But hearing him mock my brother had made me lose my cool, and it was too late to take it back. Marcus's voice dropped to a chilling tone as he said, “Oh, you've grown quite bold, Jordan, speaking to me like that. You really must not know fear.
” For a second, I panicked. Should I apologize? Should I grovel?
But no, why should I have to apologize? I hadn't done anything wrong, so instead of backing down, I met Marcus's glare head-on. Marcus sneered down at me.
“Get on your knees and apologize, Jordan. It'd be quite a sight, don't you think? A man bowing down in a place like this?
Our fellow diners would be in for a real treat. ” I had absolutely no intention of apologizing. I glared back at him even harder.
Seeing this, Marcus muttered, “If you really won't apologize, then—” Without warning, he flung the contents of his glass, drenching my brother's face with the expensive cognac. Ryan yelped in surprise. I was shocked.
“Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing? Are you insane? ” I was caught off guard by Marcus's unexpected action and hastily asked.
“You're the crazy one for talking back to me! Now get on your knees if you don't want to lose your job. You'll do as I say,” Marcus said, Ryan still dripping.
Suddenly, Ryan chuckled, “Wow, now this is unexpected! I've been through quite a lot in my 37 years, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get a face full of high-end cognac. I might be the only person in the world to experience something this unique!
Honestly, I should be honored. I mean, how much did that splash alone cost? A few hundred?
A few thousand? It's like being showered in cash. What a thrill!
” His voice was so unbelievably cheerful that I almost laughed. The only one not amused was Marcus. “What the hell is your brother, insane?
You're both out of your minds! ” Marcus declared. Ryan wiped his face with the back of his hand and said, “Jordan, I know you wouldn't do this, but just to be clear, you don't need to apologize to this guy.
” Marcus scoffed. “Your bro is pretty cocky too! Well, whatever.
If you absolutely refuse to apologize, that's fine. I'll just cut off business with Jordan's company. Without our deal, Jordan's company might go under.
And if that happens, he'll have to take responsibility and resign. No, he'll probably be fired immediately after the deal is cancelled. Wait a second.
Either way, the company itself will be gone. Well, I guess losing his job is inevitable then! ” He laughed as if he were enjoying himself.
At this point, Kenneth had returned with a towel and quietly handed it to Ryan. Then Mr Kirkland of Kirkland Corporation, who had been sitting at the table with Marcus, also noticed the commotion and walked over to our table, surrounded by various people. Marcus sneered, “Haha!
Everyone's watching you, Jordan! You insulted an important client, and now you're fired! Ha!
” As he laughed, I noticed something: both Kenneth and Mr Kirkland were looking at him with cold, disgusted expressions. Ryan, on the other hand, looked like he was having the time of his life, grinning like he was thoroughly enjoying the situation. I took in the moment and confidently said, “You're the one who's getting fired first!
” Hearing my words, Marcus's eyes widened in shock. “What the hell are you talking about? Even now, you dare talk back to me?
Unbelievable! ” Mr Kirkland said, “This is the one who should be speechless: here is me. ” Marcus's face showed an expression that looked both disappointed and exhausted.
Hearing that, Kenneth gave a wry smile. “What do you mean, Mr Kirkland? ” Marcus asked, sounding flustered.
Mr Kirkland didn't respond and simply hung his head in silence. “Marcus, you really didn't know,” he smiled slightly before delivering the final blow. “Jordan, brother, Ryan is the president of Ryan Corporation.
You may not recognize the name, but surely you've heard of our dining group. ” Kenneth, the owner of the shop and my brother's old friend, explained that to Marcus. “Our dining group?
You mean the giant restaurant corporation that owns 300 locations nationwide? You're saying that he's the president? ” He was practically shouting in disbelief.
Ryan reluctantly took out his business card holder from his. . .
"pocket, pocket, and handed over his card. I only introduced myself as Jordan's brother earlier, so I apologize for the late introduction. I'm Ryan, president of Ryan Corporation.
" Marcus took the card with trembling hands as my brother handed it to him. "Ah, I see. I sincerely apologize for my behavior.
Your brother has always been a great help to us," Marcus said in a trembling voice. "But it was far too late! And what is that pathetic attempt at a turnaround?
Do you think we've all forgotten what you just said? Nearly everyone in this restaurant heard you insult Mr Kensington's brother. Not to mention, you poured liquor on the man himself!
That's not something a rational human being would do. " Mr Kirkland shook his head. "In this day and age, incidents like this spread fast.
If this gets out, our company's reputation will be in ruins. " Mr Kirkland then added, "Honestly, you've had way too many problems with clients for a long time. I've had enough!
" Marcus collapsed onto the floor in shock, completely dazed. But when he suddenly snapped back to reality, he fell to his knees and bowed deeply. "Mr Kensington, I'm so sorry!
Please, please forgive me! " Ryan responded cheerfully, "I don't mind at all. In fact, I found it amusing, so I should be grateful having cognac thrown in my face.
That's way too lucky! Our company is going to be even more prosperous now. " But immediately after, he turned serious.
"I don't care about what happened to me, but I won't forgive you for insulting my brother. Apologize to him by bowing down on the floor. " Marcus, looking completely broken as if he would do whatever he was told, immediately dropped to his knees and said, "I'm truly sorry, Jordan.
" At this point, having him bowing down didn't make me feel any better. It was probably just because my brother told him to do it, so it didn't feel sincere at all. Since I had nothing to say, I just stood there silently.
Then Mr Kirkland yelled, "Enough, Marcus! This is disgraceful! Let him go, resign, and reflect on your actions!
Everyone, he's fired! I sincerely apologize for the trouble he caused tonight. " After handing his credit card to Kenneth for the payment, he dragged Marcus out of the restaurant.
Once Kenneth finished processing the payment with Mr Kirkland's card and returned it to him, he headed back into the kitchen. "Thanks, Ryan. Do you want to wash your face?
" When I asked him that, Ryan grinned and said, "I'm good until I get home and take a shower. I think I'll just enjoy the scent of cognac on my face. " His ridiculous comment made us both laugh.
Then, at some point, Kenneth appeared out of nowhere and placed two glasses filled with amber-colored liquor on our table, saying, "Here you go. " "This is. .
. " I wasn't sure, but Ryan immediately confirmed, "It's the most expensive cognac in the house, the same one Mr Kirkland and his group were drinking earlier. It's a birthday present for you, Jordan," Kenneth said.
"Kenneth, this cognac is way too expensive! If you're treating us, your bar might go bankrupt! " Ryan said, half-joking, half-serious.
Kenneth then explained, "Actually, Mr Kirkland's table had ordered three more glasses of cognac, and the amount was already included in the bill. But with all that chaos earlier, we missed the timing to serve them. Then before they left, Mr Kirkland told me at the register, 'I'll pay for those as well, so please serve them to Mr Kensington and his brother.
'" Hearing this, Ryan laughed and said, "As expected, Mr Kirkland is a successful businessman running a big company, and he's got a big heart to match. Well then, let's accept this with gratitude, Jordan. " He lightly clinked his glass against mine and said, "Cheers.
" I let out a small, wry smile and said, "Cheers," before cautiously taking a sip of the luxurious cognac. Its fruity aroma—it's different from what I'm used to. That was my first impression.
It tasted like something for grown-ups, though I was already 27 and technically an adult; I felt like I wasn't quite qualified to appreciate this kind of drink yet. "I'm still as pretentious as ever. Does that mean Ryan isn't inexperienced?
Well, considering he's a true celebrity, I guess it's only natural. Still, no matter the situation, wasting such a fine drink by throwing it on someone's face like Marcus did was unthinkable. " Both Ryan and I took our time savoring the exquisite cognac.
The next day, when I called Kirkland Incorporated regarding our business deal, an employee informed me that Marcus had resigned and that a different employee, Shawn, would now be in charge. From then on, I worked with Shawn, who was a very pleasant person, making business interactions much smoother. I was relieved that I no longer had to walk on eggshells around Marcus.
Mr Kirkland personally apologized to me again, and he even went to see Ryan to apologize in person. Since Ryan was a forgiving person, there were no lingering tensions between our companies. In fact, he swiftly consulted the police and legal experts to ensure that no videos of Ryan getting drenched in cognac would be spread on social media.
He had it legally prohibited from being posted online. For some reason, whenever Ryan gets involved with troublesome people, they often end up reforming and becoming better individuals. Well, this is probably because Ryan is generous but also someone who firmly points out what's wrong.
He punishes yet forgives; this balance is probably what makes him so remarkable. Maybe even our father, Mark, might mellow out with age and become a better person when faced with Ryan. If that day comes, I hope he will finally apologize to Ryan's mother, Rachel, and to my late mother, Marie, and learn to treat people with kindness.
With my brother by my side, I believe that's possible. Possible, and I want to believe that I have inherited some of his good traits as well, so I will live my life with sincerity. That's what I decided.
