Lahat ng Kabanata ng Left for Dead, My Brother Said It Was My Fault: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

Bella’s POV“I’m sorry for overstepping, Don,” Lorenzo said quietly, lowering his head.Before Matteo could respond, his phone rang.I saw the name on the screen.Victoria.My fingers curled into a fist. I never got the chance to confront her about what really happened—but after what the Moretti told me, I knew she was nothing like the sweet, considerate girl my brother believed her to be.“V, hey,” Matteo said, smiling. “Your birthday’s coming up. I’ve taken care of everything. You just have to show up and be the prettiest birthday girl.”He paused, his voice softening.“Don’t worry about the Moretti. I’ll make Bella admit it was her fault. Not yours.”The words burned.Ever since our parents died, Matteo had treated me like a spoiled, useless brat—as if every disaster in our lives could be traced back to me.So when I doubted myself about the contract, he shut me down. And because of the guilt, I turned that blame inward too.If only I’d stood my ground. If only I hadn’t gone to the

Bella’s POVThe moment I followed my brother into that warehouse, my entire body trembled.This was where I’d been tortured. Where I’d died.Matteo walked in slowly, eyes scanning the space. The Moretti were nowhere in sight. Maybe Victoria had warned them—given them just enough time to run before Matteo arrived.It didn’t take long for Matteo to find the room.The room where they’d kept me.Blood was everywhere—splattered across the floor and walls. The chair I’d been tied to was stained with things I didn’t want to name. The smell alone made Lorenzo gag.Even Matteo recoiled.I stood there, frozen, staring at that chair.And the memories came rushing back.I’d arrived at the address the Moretti gave me, expecting a tense negotiation. A confrontation over the contract, maybe.Instead—I blacked out.When I woke, I was already here.Back then, I still believed the Moretti were simply mad at me for that contract. About business.But it was never about the contract.They were mad at the D

Bella’s POV“Don, please, don’t be like this.” Lorenzo stepped forward, steadying Matteo by the shoulders. “The most important thing right now is finding who did this to Bella.”“I was an idiot, Lorenzo.” Matteo’s voice broke. His hands curled into fists on the table, trembling hard. “It’s my fault. My own sister’s dead because of me. How am I supposed to face our parents when I die? How do I tell them—”“Don.” Lorenzo’s tone softened. “None of us could’ve seen this coming.” He tilted his head slightly, and I saw it then—the sadness in his eyes too.During all those years Matteo ignored me, it had been Lorenzo who spoke up for me, who defended me when no one else would. He’d been like a brother to me too.Lorenzo waved the others out of the room before turning back to Matteo. “My bet’s on the Moretti—and Victoria.”“Victoria?” Matteo looked up sharply. “No. She couldn’t. She and Bella never had issues—it was Bella who always picked on her. And I protected Victoria. I made sure she was

Bella’s POVJames kept talking like he hadn’t heard him. “Even after I broke her bones, she still wouldn’t talk. Wouldn’t give you up. When I offered to let her call you, it was her last chance. All she had to do was bring you to me. I would’ve let her go.”His grin widened, cruel and satisfied. “You should’ve seen her face when that call connected. I put it on speaker—she couldn’t hold the phone, after all. But you…” He tilted his head mockingly. “You told her to shut up and fix what she’d done wrong. Then you hung up.”Matteo froze, the color draining from his face.“How could you treat your own sister that way?” James’s voice was low, poisonous.“I—” Matteo’s words broke apart. Guilt and horror twisted across his face.James smiled wider. “So I did the only merciful thing left. I ended her suffering.” His laugh was sharp and ugly. “You should’ve seen it—how her head just… burst. Such a waste. She could’ve lived, Matteo. But because of your ignorance and your precious pride, you help