"This isn't a game of finders keepers, Sebastian. She didn't wash up on the beach like salvage. She's a woman; a flesh and blood woman with feelings."
"I know that. I know that better than you because she made love to me first, before you did. She came for me first and my God, it was spectacular."
Alex bunched his fists. He knew his brother was lying in order to provoke him and it was working. He was furious. However, he didn't intend to show up in his father's office having assaulted his brother on the way there.
Sebastian continued.
"The difference between me and you big brother, is that I'm not stupid enough to expect her to love me in poverty the way you do. You can do your Romeo stuff with Dad, lose everything you are entitled to, and then see how long Melanie stays with you when you're delivering pizzas to make ends meet and while she's applying for food stamps. Won't that be romantic?"
"Fuck you! Can't you just accept that she chose me over you and then move on with your life?"
"I am moving on, Alex. And eventually Melanie will move on with me. When she gets tired of struggling from check to tiny paycheck, I'll be there; rich, strong, well-fed, and waiting. She has strong feelings for me, just as she does for you, but when I'm still a billionaire and you can't scrape together enough money for a romantic meal out, then who do you think she'll choose?"
Alex looked at his brother for a long time as the engine hummed in thick midtown traffic.
"God, I can't believe you're even my brother. What the hell happened to you? What did I do to make you so angry?"
"I'm not angry goddamn it! I just don't want Melanie to be poor. You can do whatever the hell you like. Tell Dad you never touched her; tell him that Larry is a liar and that you don't love her. Then we'll see which one of us she turns to."
"She won't turn to either of us because it's the same endgame either way."
"Oh, she will. Melanie is an angel, she's perfect -- but she's also a flesh and blood woman, just like you said. She has needs and those needs deserve to be fulfilled. You can't do that without money in your wallet and prospects for your future. Outside of the Drummond family circle, you can say goodbye to both of those, and Melanie won't be far behind."
"You're wrong bro, just way off the mark. You must know that Melanie isn't the kind of girl to go sneaking around having affairs in the dark. She won't accept being afraid to be seen with the person she loves."