This question is about fictional characters from the Heated Rivalry universe (books and now the TV adaptation), not about real people, so everything here is interpretation and fan discussion rather than confirmed “facts.”

Short answer

Within the story, Ilya’s brother (usually called Alexei in fan discussions) is portrayed as resenting Ilya more than “hating” him in a simple way. His attitude is usually read as a mix of jealousy, bitterness about their father and family trauma, homophobia, and anger that Ilya escaped Russia and built a successful life while he stayed behind.

What fans say is going on

Many detailed fan breakdowns of their dynamic circle around a few core points. These are interpretations, not canon-confirmed motives, but they are widely shared in current forum threads and social media debates.

  • Jealousy and failure vs. success
    • Ilya becomes a wealthy, famous hockey star abroad, while his brother is often described in discussions as stuck in Russia, broke, addicted, and reliant on Ilya’s money.
* That contrast feeds a feeling that Ilya “left him behind” and now looks down on him, even if the story doesn’t show Ilya actually doing that.
  • Father’s favoritism and emotional neglect
    • Fans point to comments about their father focusing on Ilya’s talent and potential, while the brother is “ordinary” and overlooked.
* Even when the father is harsh with Ilya, readers note he still remembers and calls him, while the brother, who physically stayed to care for him, feels invisible and used.

* This creates a grievance: “I did the hard caregiving work; he got the love, the opportunities, and the exit.”
  • Homophobia and attacks on masculinity
    • In the show, the brother uses a slur against Ilya; discussions frame this both as straightforward homophobia and as a way to attack Ilya’s masculinity and power.
* Some fans think he genuinely suspects Ilya is not straight; others think he is just the kind of cruel guy who grabs the nastiest word available.

* Either way, it’s part of a pattern of trying to reassert dominance over someone who has surpassed him in every other area.
  • Resentment over Ilya leaving (and their mother)
    • A common theory is that his anger is tied to family tragedy, especially what happened to their mother and Ilya leaving soon after.
* In this reading, the brother feels abandoned: Ilya went off to chase hockey and a new life, while he stayed with their father and the grief, and he never forgave that.
  • Dependence plus shame
    • Threads repeatedly describe him as financially dependent on Ilya, yet desperate not to admit it.
* That dependence, mixed with humiliation and envy, easily turns into hostility: he needs Ilya’s money but hates needing it.

How the books vs. show frame him

Readers familiar with both formats note some differences in tone.

  • In the books, the brother is often described as more distant and disapproving than outright monstrous; he’s unpleasant but not always cartoonishly evil.
  • In the series, his behavior (slurs, open contempt, explosive scenes) pushes him closer to “irredeemable jerk,” emphasizing the toxicity of Ilya’s family ties.

Both versions, though, support the idea that his “hate” is really a tangle of:

  • envy of Ilya’s success and escape,
  • anger over their father’s treatment of them,
  • possible suspicion or contempt about Ilya’s sexuality,
  • and deep resentment about being the one who stayed behind to shoulder the family burden.

Multiple viewpoints from current discussions

Recent forum and social media conversations offer a few main readings.

  1. “It’s mostly jealousy” camp
    • They argue the brother is primarily bitter that Ilya is talented, rich, and gone, while he is trapped and dependent.
 * For them, homophobia is real but secondary—a weapon, not the root.
  1. “Family trauma + abandonment” camp
    • This group leans heavily on the idea that his hatred is rooted in their mother’s death and Ilya’s departure, plus their father’s warped parenting.
 * They see his cruelty as the toxic result of unresolved grief and generational abuse, not just personal nastiness.
  1. “He’s just a toxic leech” camp
    • Some viewers/readers reject sympathetic explanations and label him a parasitic, abusive sibling who uses slurs, money, and emotional manipulation because that’s who he is.
 * From this angle, the why doesn’t excuse the how; he chooses to hurt Ilya whenever possible.

Meta: why this is a trending topic now

The question “why does Ilya’s brother hate him” is trending because:

  • The TV adaptation has brought the relationship on-screen with vivid, confrontational scenes that clip well for social media.
  • The show leans into themes of queer identity, locker-room culture, and family homophobia, making his slurs and bitterness more charged in 2025 discourse.
  • Book fans are now publicly debating “book brother vs. show brother,” which keeps the topic in forums, recap articles, and reaction videos.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.