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UPDATE:Well today I learned that after all the "don't burn any bridges," "keep the faith." "there are opportunities opening up down the road," "everyone loves you and wants you back," "your devotion and loyalty is not in question," "Keep an open dialog," "try not to go after our business so that there are no bridges burnt," I have been informed that they hired a new person to take my spot today.I am completely done with that relationship. I shouldn't have ever trusted him at all over the last ten years. Should have seen the disrespect and dishonesty long ago. I'm such an idiot I believed him and trusted him AGAIN.

I am new here and hope that i can gain some insight with my problem.I have spent 54 years trying to be best friend, confidant, working partner with my brother. I have worked for his company off and on for 20+ years the latest stint being 8 years straight.I really enjoyed my job and did a very good job. I was the top salesman in my office and moved across the country to be his eyes and ears for him in the new office.He has a GM in front of me. I have been passed over for promotion 5 times. I have taken 3 voluntary layoffs when the business was slow so others could work. I was told by my boss in October of 2010 that I should go ahead with a home purchase I was considering because I had established myself here and my place was here. In Jan of this year he came to me and told me I was being laid off indefinitely.My brother who is president of the company agreed that i was doing a great job, and that my boss told him it was performance related even though I was the top salesman in a down year. My brother would not over rule his GM's decision to make me stay. My counterpart in the office rarely even comes into work and never does the complete job that i do and really doesn't even like his job nor care about it much but he's friends with the GM.I have been sacrificed again and my level of dedication to the company and the family business is not in question. Yet i am still out right after I bought a home. My brother takes a hands off stance saying he cannot over rule his GM because it would undermine his authority. My brother has always kept me at arms length, has passed me over for promotion many times and has tried to convince me to change careers entirely even though I have a great passion for the business.I am seriously hurt, heart broken and every time I try and get him to understand my contribution he says its a business decision. I was told by the GM that he cant keep the budget under control and he needs to cut it by coincidentally my salary and benefit package. They just hired a new person to come in at 75K a year. Hired her and then let me go one week later.Something doesn't smell right and the ripples are being felt throughout the whole company. No one understands this decision.I have been offered another job at his direct competitor. My brother has worked hard to convince me that I shouldn't burn any bridges and try to go after his business. he says its temporary lay off but can give no time frame of my return. And the GM has intimated it could be a year. The new company wants me to chase the business I had been doing with clients from my brothers company. My heart and soul are with my brothers company but i feel I have been manipulated, used, and thrown out like a used kleenex and really have a hard time wanting to keep a good relationship with my brother. he has hurt me time and time again, and will not stand up for me even though he knows I do a great job.I just am struggling very much with my loyalty to him and his company but my new position will be in direct competition with him. Should I shut the door on my relationship with him and move on? Should I keep that door open that could slam in my face again during hard times. I believe that if the company is not making its nut the GM should be looked at as bad management. he has given away 1/2 of my salary in free stuff to clients over the last year which my brother knew nothing about until i told him. But he is willing to lose his eyes and ears in his satellite office rather than look at perhaps the GM's management of the office.I am in such a quandry and feel like my brother manipulates me at every chance he gets to make the situation work out for him. he is viewed by the rest of my family as cold and heartless and I have to agree at this time.What would you do?I need help navigating this situation.