All Chapters of The Day I Left, My Brother the Don Regretted: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

On the day I received the email for the international medical relief mission, Father Mario patted my shoulder in the shadows of the church."Vivian, congratulations. This assignment will keep you away for years. You’ll probably rarely see New York again.""Go home and spend some time with your family before you leave."I tucked the envelope into my pocket and walked toward the heavily guarded Corleone estate one last time.In the backyard, Rocco was preparing Elena’s eighteenth birthday gala. I walked slowly toward him."Rocco, I’m home."Rocco turned around, and when he saw it was me, his voice was like ice."Vivian, finally decided to show your face? It’s Elena’s birthday. Don’t you dare start any drama today."Afraid he’d kick me out, I quickly pulled out an exquisite gift box."I brought her a gift. It’s those handmade Belgian chocolates she’s always wanted.""Since when did you become so considerate?"I ignored his sarcasm and forced a smile. "Rocco, your shirt smells like blood a

Chapter 2

My chest tightened with a sharp, stinging pain. It was clear that the promise he’d made five years ago had been dead and buried for a long time."It’s nothing. My hand just slipped when I was clearing the table."After I finished scrubbing the mess in the kitchen, I walked into the living room. Rocco was sitting on the sofa, carefully stitching a tear in Elena’s silk dressing gown.I stood in the shadows for a long time, debating with myself, before finally deciding to come clean about the international medical relief mission."Rocco, in a few days, I’m planning to—"He cut me off, his voice like a blade."That supervisor job I mentioned at the Southside Trading Company? It’s off the table."He didn't even look up. The long steel needle in his hand caught the light, making my head swim."Elena says she’s tired of being cooped up at the university. She thinks it’s boring. I gave the position to her.""Just wait a few more days. Once I get the business out west sorted, I’ll find somethin

Chapter 3

"I got the assignment for the international medical relief mission—"I didn't even finish before Rocco cut me off with an impatient wave of his hand."Enough, Vivian. You’re trying to threaten me with that 'running away' bullshit again? Save it. I don't have time to coddle you today."The words died in my throat. I swallowed them back down. Forget it. He didn't care anyway. Once I completely vanished the day after tomorrow, he’d find out the truth soon enough.I gripped my old leather jacket and tossed out a casual lie. "I’m meeting some classmates to go shopping downtown. Just getting a head start on packing."Rocco’s expression softened slightly. "I’m taking Elena to Fifth Avenue tomorrow. Don’t wait up for us for lunch; you’re on your own."With that, he turned around and shut the door.The next day, Rocco didn't bring Elena back to the estate until late at night. Elena was cradling high-end desserts while Rocco followed behind, loaded down with shopping bags full of luxury goods. T

Chapter 4

Rocco had been on edge since the moment he woke up that morning.He had originally planned to spend another two days at the Long Island estate, but when Elena suggested going downtown to see the opera, he shut her down flat for the first time in years."Back to the city," he ordered the driver, his face like stone.As the car pulled away, he stared out the window. There was a knot in his chest—a sinking feeling that he’d lost something, though he couldn't put his finger on what.The second the car pulled up to the manor, Elena reached out and grabbed his suit sleeve."Rocco, look! A new French patisserie opened over there. Let’s go grab some black truffle cakes to take home."Rocco was about to refuse, but Elena let out a sharp scoff and began to complain."I don’t get why you’re in such a rush to get back. You made me miss the sunset on the Island. We finally get a chance to relax; can’t you just spend a little time with me?"Rocco went silent.He couldn't explain why he felt this des

Chapter 5

Rocco sat in that empty room all night long.As soon as the sun came up, he drove like a maniac toward St. Marino’s Church in the city. That was Father Mario’s territory. When he shoved open the heavy oak doors, he looked like a wreck—his pajamas were sticking out from under his overcoat, and he was still wearing his house slippers."Mario! Where the hell is Vivian?"His voice was terrifyingly raspy. He didn't even know what to ask first. Did he want to know why she left without a word, or why she’d throw herself into some international medical mission? After a long silence, he finally choked out the question he feared most: "Is she... is she done with the Corleone family for good?""No one can say for sure, Rocco."Father Mario poured a cup of coffee and handed it to him. "Getting accepted into an international aid organization isn't easy. Vivian worked harder than anyone this past year. she spent every night in labs and simulation wards.""We have to respect her choice," the priest s

Chapter 6

Back at the manor, Rocco pulled out a blank notepad. He wanted to write a letter.His hand was shaking so violently that the fountain pen left a jagged ink blot on the paper. For a long time, he couldn't squeeze out a single decent sentence. He wanted to explain everything—to tell me he didn't leave me behind on purpose, that it was Elena who had lied.In the end, he only managed one line:"Vivian, there will always be a place for you here. I hope you’re okay."He cleared out all the cash he’d been stashing in his private safe—money he had originally set aside to buy Elena a villa in the suburbs. He stuffed the bills and the note into an envelope and rushed to the post office just before they locked the doors.When he opened his eyes again, it was late at night.Elena was gone.Even though he was drowning in guilt over me and felt a growing rift with her, he couldn't just ignore her—not with the promise he’d made to the old Don on his deathbed. He grabbed his coat and stepped out into

Chapter 7

Ten years later.I stood on the podium at the World Health Organization in Geneva. The project on "Anti-Drug-Resistant Virus Research" had reached a flawless conclusion. After spending two weeks following my mentor through UN headquarters and press conferences, handling interviews from global media and dignitaries, I finally found a moment of peace.That was the day I received a letter from Father Mario’s assistant. It said the Father was gravely ill and might not last the winter. He wanted to see me one last time.The next day, I turned down every lecture invitation from top-tier private hospitals and boarded a flight to New York. Unlike my pathetic departure ten years ago, I felt nothing but a dead calm.Over the years, I’d regularly received packages from Rocco. No real messages—just a scrap of paper saying "Take care of yourself" and a stack of cash that smelled of cheap tobacco. I never kept a single cent; I sent it all to the church orphanage.Father Mario mentioned Rocco in his

Chapter 8

Rocco must have been terrified that I’d just turn and walk away, because he hurried to add, "Old Duke passed a few years ago, but he left a pup. Looks exactly like him.""I took him back to my apartment. You want to see him?"Duke was the Golden Retriever Rocco and I had back in the day. Back then, when he first started doing field work for the family, he’d stay out all night. I used to sit in that smoke-filled house alone, shaking. To cheer me up, Rocco went to the black market and brought home a puppy.He told me, "When I'm not around, Duke’s gonna be the one looking out for you."But then Elena showed up. She made up some story about Duke scratching her, and Rocco didn't even hesitate—he decided to get rid of the dog. Even though I begged him through my tears, he still handed Duke off to one of his associates."You only needed a dog because you were afraid of the dark. Now you have Elena to keep you company; you don't need anything else," he had said back then.From that day on, I s

Chapter 9

For a split second, I felt like I was back ten years ago.Before Elena ever showed up, back when he was still the big brother who shielded me through a hail of bullets. But the illusion only lasted a few seconds.After dinner, Rocco rubbed his hands together nervously, trying to get me to stay the night."Vivian, I clean your room every single day. I haven't moved a single thing. It’s exactly the way you left it.""No thanks. I booked a hotel downtown.""Vivian..."Rocco’s voice rasped behind me, carrying a tremor like he was about to shatter. I didn't turn around, and I didn't stop. This meal was the last bit of grace I could afford him.I hadn't told Rocco my flight details, but he managed to find out anyway. When I got to JFK the next morning, he was already waiting at the terminal entrance.Both of his hands were loaded down with bags—specialties from the old neighborhood. There was the cheesecake I used to crave as a kid and several boxes of cinnamon rolls from the shop on the cor

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