All Chapters of My Father Sacrificed Me To Teach My Brother To Be the Don: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

A bullet tore into my left leg. The pain jolted me back to my senses. I knew right away that something was wrong.My father had told me this was only a drill.His men would stop my car, blindfold me, and take me to a warehouse outside the city. They'd set up a kidnapping that looked real, and my brother would have to handle it.But they wouldn't use live rounds, and they would never actually hurt me.Now a bullet was lodged in my leg, and blood had already run down my boot and onto the floor.I barely had the strength to lift my head and look at the six masked men standing in front of me.The man closest to me had a black snake tattooed between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand.To the Moretti family, that mark was the worst possible sign.The man in charge took my phone and called my father."Don Moretti. I've heard so much about you."I'm not going to get greedy. All I want is ten million euros. You have two hours."If the money doesn't hit the account, I take something from

My brother didn't get up."If the price of being Don is hurting Elena, then I don't want it.""What did you say?!"My father's voice rose sharply.A second later, I heard a chair crash over the line as someone kicked it aside."Matteo, I've spent more than 20 years grooming you!"And now, over one little test, you're telling me you don't want to be Don?!"My brother's voice shook with tears. "One little test? Dad, this test is putting Elena's life in danger!"After a long silence, my father answered through clenched teeth."I've spent 22 whole years teaching you, and I can't believe you're still not good enough!"With me here, Elena will be fine!"But you! If we'd done things your way, Elena would already be dead!"Hearing how sure of himself my father was, I closed my eyes in despair.I suddenly remembered when I was 13. My brother had talked back to one of the elders at a family banquet, and my father had made me kneel in the main hall all night as punishment.I could still hear what

"Matteo, today's lesson—"The moment my father saw me, he broke off.I lay lifeless on the operating table, my eyes closed.Dr. Conti stood beside me with his hands hanging at his sides.The monitor had gone completely silent.For a few seconds, my father's face went blank. Then he said my name twice, his voice thin and shaky.My silence and the grief on Dr. Conti's face finally made him realize what had happened.He crossed to the table in a few quick strides."Elena?"He grabbed my shoulders."Elena!"As he held my shoulders, my head lolled to one side. My eyes stayed shut. I didn't respond.The whole hallway went silent.My mother clapped a hand over her mouth and broke down sobbing. She swayed, barely able to stay on her feet.Matteo stood outside the door, his mouth open and his legs too heavy to move. His body reacted before his mind could catch up. His face was blank, his eyes wide, yet tears were already streaming down his cheeks.My father's breathing went ragged too."Doctor!

On the third night, my mother finally made a decision.My father hadn't slept in two days.In the early hours of the morning, he finally dozed off, slumped over the edge of the bed, still clutching a fistful of my clothes.My mother came into the room with Matteo and the people from the funeral home.The moment the funeral home staff wheeled the gurney toward me, my father jerked awake.He planted himself in front of me."Get out."The staff exchanged uneasy looks. None of them moved.My father's face darkened."I said get out!"My mother stood in front of him, her eyes red."Vittorio, that's enough."Elena's been dead for three days. You can't keep her here forever."My father looked down, his expression softening again."Elena's afraid of the dark. She'll be scared lying in a casket all alone."My mother's tears spilled over."When she was alive, you dumped her on the docks all by herself. Did you ever once wonder if she was scared then?"The room went silent except for my mother's c

My mother went straight upstairs when she got back from the cemetery.Half an hour later, she came back down dragging a suitcase.My father had been sitting on the couch, staring at nothing. When he saw the suitcase in her hand, he jumped to his feet."Where are you going?"My mother didn't answer. She wiped her tears and ran her thumb over her wedding ring a few times, as though reluctant to let it go. Then she slid it off in one smooth motion and set it on the coffee table."My lawyer will bring the divorce papers tomorrow."My father's face went white."You're divorcing me?"My mother looked at him with red, swollen eyes."Elena's dead. This family's gone too."Every time I look at you, all I can see is what my baby went through before she died."My father hurried over and grabbed her wrist."I know I was wrong. Give me one more chance. From now on, I'll stay out of the kids' lives."My mother gave a bitter laugh. "The kids? Vittorio, do you still have a daughter?"My father's hand