"I don't understand, father." Alex said. "What does all this mean?"
His father smiled and put his arm around his son's shoulders.
"I've been an old fool." He said. "Melanie was right. So were you. The only people I hurt with my stupid rules are the people I love the most. Myself, my sons, and worst of all your mother, the love of my life. In all these years, I never found anyone or anything to love as wonderful as her. When you and Sebastian were on the island and we didn't know if you were alive or dead, I had to contact her. It made me realise how important family is. No one else in the world cares about you boys as much as me, except for your mother." The brothers were amazed to see their stern father choke up with emotion. "We may have lost a lot of time," he continued, "but in the time we have left, we are going to enjoy every minute of it together."
He took the envelope with Alex's resignation out of his pocket.
"Here," he said, "I won't be needing this."
Alex was dumbfounded.
"I'm handing over control to you. As of this moment, I am no longer officially CEO of Drummond Corporation."
"Father, no. This can't be." Sebastian was slowly realizing what this meant for him. "We already agreed."
The tall old man turned to his shocked son and put two big hands to his shoulders.
"I love you son, every bit as much as I love Alex and Joshua. Don't you ever forget that."
"But father--"
"Shut up son, just shut up and listen. I know you've been lying. I've known since the very start. Larry and the rescue team arrived the night before you finally met them on the beach. I know about your strong feelings for this beautiful young woman here and quite frankly I don't blame you." He gave Melanie a warm and fatherly look. "She's delightful, but it looks like you're going to have to find one of your own because this little lady is clearly smitten with your older brother."
"But he broke the rule father, he's out and I'm in."
"Goddamn it Sebastian, stop lying to me! You're only making it worse. You both broke the rules but only Alex was mature enough to come clean. And the goddamn rules were stupid to begin with, so you have to live with a new reality now. Get used to it, son. Move on."
Sebastian dropped his head. He knew he had been beaten yet again. He looked to Melanie with a longing in his eyes that made her heart break in two.