Note*- This is a prequel, the incidences in this chapter takes place before the actual novel. It is entirely written in third person. 

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Bonus Chapter - II

"Rowan, stop it!" Lauren shrieked as she watched Rowan punch the wall.

He wasn't going to stop. The fury in Lauren's eyes didn't stop him from reaching the nearest flower vase and pushing it down on the floor with a crashing thud. Rowan had almost damaged each and everything that was breakable.

"I SAID STOP IT!" Lauren shrieked as Rowan cowered down and sobbed which only fueled her anger. "I swear to you, Rowan, if you don't cut this shit. I'm going to call on the rehabilitation and lock you in and make sure you stay there for a long fucking time. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Rowan sobbed loudly, pulling the bottle of alcohol close to him and crying like a little boy wanting to be in his mommy's arms. Maybe he needed just that, but his mom was too busy attending her charity shows with his father to pay attention to her grown up mentally ill, alcoholic son. He loved his girlfriend, he loved her so much and thought that maybe she was his future. He'd been dead wrong.

"Please don't leave me, Lauren." Rowan pleaded, the tears wouldn't stop. "I love you, baby."

"You don't love me, this is just your sick obsession." The disgusted look on her face broke his heart.

Darkness. He saw people laughing at him; everyone hated him including his family, his girlfriend too. Rowan pulled the bottle of Chivas closer. He felt like a four year old rather than twenty-three. The only woman he ever loved said she hated him, the tears began spilling again.

"Would you stop crying already?" Lauren asked.

"Lauren, please baby. Don't do this to us." Rowan pleaded. His eyes were bloodshot, hair in an array. If he was in a better state of mind, he would've looked better. That was a given. Rowan had always been a bright student, but somehow his mental health never agreed with that particular fact. His inner demons caused most of the problems in his life. He wished he knew how to stop it, but he couldn't.

"I tried to love you, but you..." Lauren couldn't find the right word, she pointed an accusing finger at him, "You've become a monster. I thought you'd pull you're act together after you spent six months in that godforsaken mental asylum, I thought you'd find a good job, instead you're repeating it again. I don't have the patience for your nonsense. I need to live my life, not sit here and look after your drunk ass."

"You cheated on me..." Rowan whispered, "Why did you have to cheat?"

"It was your goddamn mistake." Lauren spat. She was going to throw the It's you not me line again. "I tried to handle you for four years in hopes that you'd be fine again, I thought you'd stop drinking eventually and get a hang of your life. Take over your father's company the way you told me you would. The CEO position was going to be yours, instead your father is training your brothers for that one. I asked that old man why and you know what he tells me, that you're too sick to take over."

Rowan shook his head frantically. "No. No. Dad would never say that. I'm not sick."

"BULLSHIT!" Lauren said, "Your father is right, you are never going to be right in the head, and you're going to take down every other person that comes near you. Your family thinks I'm your nanny or something. I'm not going to stay with you and throw away my life. If I stay here for another second, I might end up like you. In a mental institute."

By the time Lauren was done making sure Rowan had drowned in self hate, the walls had already started to cave in on him. He knew he was good for nothing, and everyone was right. He was bat-shit crazy. His body shook violently.

"Stay." He whispered. Pity was written all over his face. He hated how pathetic he sounded, but his heart always took over his mind. Lauren had cheated on him and yet, he was trying to forgive her because he was convinced that it was his fault. "Please stay. I love you. I'll be fine again, I promise."

"I can't." Lauren said firmly. "I've had enough."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Rowan asked. The thought made the hollow in his chest larger.

Lauren sighed, "Yes."

"NOOOOOO.." Rowan climbed to his feet, ready to stop her from bolting out of the door. She couldn't leave him. If Lauren left, Rowan would be left with nothing. She was his only ticket to a family of his own. She could never leave him, she said she loved him.

Lauren took a few steps back. "Stay right there or I swear I'll tie you up and sedate you."

Rowan's breathing was erratic. He hated to sound like a whinny guy, wanting his girlfriend's pity but she had turned the wrong wheels in him. "Please."

She grasped her designer purse tighter, one that was gifted by Rowan and started to make her way towards the door when he stumbled but made sure he blocked her way. He looked straight at her, "You can't go. I need you."

There was nothing that was between them that she could use, Lauren used all her strength and pushed him onto the couch. She retrieved her phone and dialed his older brother.

"Drew. Your brother is having one of his latest episodes. I can't stay here for another minute; I'm just doing my job and letting you know." She hung up the phone and turned her glare towards Rowan, "Be a good boy until your brother comes."

Rowan was a blur of tears, he coughed as he spoke. "I love you. Please, don't leave me baby."

"I don't." Lauren insisted, her silhouettes made the annoying sound as she bolted out of the door, locking the apartment door with the spare key. The last words she heard were 'I love you, Lauren.'

****

Andrew knew what he could find behind the closed door. He'd told Lauren to stay until he turned up but that bitch turned out to be the worst skank he'd ever come across. If Lauren could, she would kill Rowan without batting an eye. The only person who'd ever looked out for his baby brother was Drew because he understood Rowan on a different level. He knew the type of demons Rowan battled with and Lauren had only made situations worse. Last time, there was a major episode and Rowan had tried to kill himself.

As Drew made his way towards Rowan's apartment, he wasn't sure what he would find when he opened that door. He just wished his brother hadn't taken that step.

Drew grasped the door knob and turned, which gave in easily. He walked past the foyer and into the living area. "Rowan."

At first Drew wasn't sure what to expect but what he saw was still better than all that had crossed his mind. Rowan appeared to be hunched close to the couch on the floor, crouched into a fetus like position. A few bottles were empty and broken. The table wear was tugged down with the entire placed cutlery. Rowan cradled a hand-gun in his hand. He'd told his father numerous times to take that license away, but his father wanted his son to be safe. As far as Drew could tell, Rowan wasn't safe from only one person. Himself.

"Rowan." Drew called out to him. "It's Drew."

He had to thread through the situation with caution, one wrong word out and Rowan would pull the trigger. Drew walked slowly towards him and lowered onto the ground, taking in his brother's condition which had worsened. He wondered if Rowan was taking medication or if the bitch had also made sure he didn't get those. He was leaning towards the latter.

For a few minutes the silence continued to waltz in a slow dance. Rowan's eyes leveled with Drew's, he said, "She left me."

"I know."

A tear grazed Rowan's cheek, "I love her..but..she said she doesn't love me." He pulled the gun closer, like it was a little dolly he needed to hold for assurance.

Drew hated to pity his brother, but his heart broke every time he saw him like that. He knew part of mental instability was all their parents fault. If his father had given Rowan the attention he deserved, if he had relied on Rowan the way he did with Dwight, maybe he wouldn't have grown with lack of love. There was so much a brother could do. Their mother wasn't much of a help either, she'd only been terrified of Rowan which was the last thing he needed.

"You're stronger than this, Rowan. You don't need that woman in your life." Drew told him.

"Am I crazy, Drew?" Rowan asked. The innocence in his voice proved he wasn't crazy.

"Is that what she told you?" Drew asked.

"JUST ANSWER ME! Am I crazy?"

Drew looked straight into his eyes, "No. You are not."

Rowan pulled himself in a sitting position. "Are you going to throw me in the asylum again?" his voice came off as choked.

The last time they'd done that mistake and Rowan was tied to the hospital bed and sedated. He'd improved with time, but that improvement was an illusion. A temporary illusion.

"No. You're going to stay right here and I'm going to visit you every day and we are going out like we used to do before. You and I." Drew continued, "Do you want to come live with me and Stephanie?"

Stephanie had been Team Rowan for a long time, and Drew knew how pleased she would be to have her brother-in-law over. Rowan was a difficult boy, like his teachers used to say but he wasn't the bad guy. He was only mistreated and misunderstood.

"I want Lauren back." Rowan said.

While Rowan was lost in his thoughts, Drew took his chances and took the gun slowly out of his hands. "You don't deserve her."

"Why does everyone leave me, am I that bad, Drew?"

"You just met the wrong person." Drew pulled Rowan closer and hugged him; Rowan willingly put his head on Drew's lap.

"I can't live without Lauren, Drew..."

That wasn't true. She was never the person for him. And even though Drew hated how she'd broken his brother's heart, he was also glad she'd left.

"You have me. You have Dwight and Stephanie and Claire. We love you, maybe Dwight just doesn't say it but he wants to see you stronger."

"I'm going to be alone, right?" Rowan asked, "For the rest of my miserable life."

"I don't believe that. There's still a long way to go, Rowan. You're giving up too fast. People come and go, but life goes on. I believe there's someone else who is going to walk into your life like a hurricane and sweep you off your feet. She is there somewhere, Rowan. She will find you, eventually and love you just the way you deserve."

Drew wanted to believe that there was still that someone out there who wasn't Lauren. She was yet to step into the story and take Drew's place. He was looking forward to that day.

"I don't think so."

"You wait and watch."

For days, and nights Rowan tried to peel off the plaster of the walls. Drew knew that taking him to their parent's house wasn't the smartest decision, but Rowan needed to remain under surveillance. It was the same old, but Lauren had said some vile things that had disturbed him more. Bottles were hidden, the gun taken, leaving Rowan more frustrated than ever. Drew would walk into his bedroom after midnight when he'd wake up screaming and ask for Lauren.

Two weeks later, Rowan calmed down. He took his medication, didn't speak a word, just continued with his daily routine, putting the rest of the family members in awe. That was improvement. What was even better was the fact that he'd applied to a good university for an Economics professor's job. Their father was going to make sure that Rowan's history with drug abuse wouldn't get out.

Another week later, something else happened that took a turn in the story. It was the most mindboggling twist that nobody had seen coming in a million years. Lauren walked into the Masters' house while everyone was still at home. Her declaration choked a few windpipes.

"I'm pregnant." Lauren was nervous, and from what Drew could tell, she wasn't happy with it. She'd declared it in front of everyone. His father's morning tea cup hovered in mid-air, his mother's kitchen knife still on the cake.

Rowan had a different expression on his face. First confused and then happiness. Sheer happiness. Drew wondered if he was already dreaming about white picket fences and St. Bernard's. Rowan's family dream was going to be a reality soon. Not so fast.

That bitch had a few tricks up her sleeves. Drew knew she was gold-digger than the first time he'd seen her. Turned out, Rowan was too much work for her. Four years of relationship was all about patience which hadn't paid off. Drew's twin, Dwight was taking over the empire as the CEO.

Lauren's dream of living the billion dollar wife came crashing down.

****

"I want an abortion." Lauren declared wiping the smile off Rowan's face.

Abortion? Kill his baby?

"You can't do that, Lauren." Rowan said. His body had gone slack. "We were supposed to marry. I want to marry you, baby. Let's just forget about the last three weeks. Let's pretend they never happened and we'll get married. It's our baby, how could you suggest something like...."

"This wasn't supposed to happen." Lauren's eyes were saucer sized, "It's because you were stupid enough. I have ambitions. I don't want to marry you and ruin my life. I don't want this baby."

"Please." Rowan pleaded. How many times had he begged at this woman's feet, "It's my baby."

"I don't want it."

Rowan was close to tears. He saw a ray of hope and he wasn't going to let Lauren take that away from him.

"I will not ask you for anything else, Lauren. If you want to leave, that's fine with me. But please keep my baby. I'll take the child. You don't have to see me again. I swear."

"Nine months of labor don't come for free." Lauren threw that in his face, like it was only his child.

"I will pay for everything." Rowan suggested.

She didn't say anything. Rowan continued because he knew what his question would be and knew the answer, "What else do you want?"

****

His own baby had caused him to lose all the savings he'd earned but he knew it was worth it. Rowan had remained in the hospital the entire day his little girl was born. He could hardly wait until he got the chance to hold her in his arms. The nurse came a few minutes later and placed the wrapped up little baby in his arms. For the first time in a few years, Rowan cried happy tears. Lauren had gone as far as to take the baby away from him but he had signed a huge amount of check for her. The last check was on its way and then, the baby's mother would be out of their lives for good.

"She has your eyes, Rowan. The same color." Rowan's mother Rachel said, smiling up at him.

Claire, his sixteen year old sister came rushing through the hospital doors, her eyes were glimmering. "Can I hold her, Rowan, please?"

Rowan was reluctant at first but handed her to his sister. Drew and Stephanie stared at him, they were glad for him. Rowan noticed that and knew that his brother and sister-in-law wanted a child too; they weren't blessed with one yet. And the doctors had told them they never would be. For all the years his brother had sacrificed and looked after him, Rowan knew what he had to do. Even if it broke his heart, he had to know.

Drew and Stephanie asked Rowan if the baby could even live with them sometimes. Rowan didn't see the problem. Minnie was the ray of hope, the sunshine of Rowan's day and his life. She was his everything. He'd struggled with the baby at first, because the baby woke up at unusual times and cried until it was dawn, but he Rowan loved every part of parenting. Because of her, he'd never touched the bottle of alcohol. He couldn't.

In mid November, on a dreadful day; Drew and Stephanie's car skidded off the road and crashed into a truck taking both of their lives.

Rowan was devastated, and had lost the ability to think. His brother was no more, Stephanie wasn't coming back. His hands shook violently after his funeral. He wanted to know what had gone wrong, why life had fucked up again and took his brother, when a little angel's hand grasped his.

The little angel with dark brown hair and mocha eyes stared back at him and smiled, "Daddy."

She was his savior. Rowan pulled the little girl closer and cradled her closer, and kissed her forehead and both her cheeks, "Don't you ever leave your daddy, baby. Never, okay?"

Minnie giggled in his arms. He looked back at her and he knew he'd do this for her. His brother wasn't going to be here any longer to keep him grounded, but his little girl would. She didn't look at him like he was bat-shit insane or didn't call him an alcoholic. For her, he was her only superman and the first person she loved unconditionally. Rowan knew he'd love the girl like his father had never loved him.

Three years later, another angel walked into his life. Her name was Alana, and like Drew had said, she swept him off his feet and loved him for the man he was. Sometimes he wondered if it was Drew and Stephanie who had sent her to him.

Rowan looked at Drew's picture and said. "You were right, brother. That someone just found me. Are you watching? I hope you are." 

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A.N: Hey guys! Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Would love to hear your thoughts. Next bonus chapter will be a Dwight side story :) 

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