Older Brothers | Mafia Overprotective

chapter eleven - a mess

nero's pov:

I stood there, watching Isabella bolt out of the room, my heart racing. Dante and Lucian were right on her heels, leaving me alone with my father. The silence felt suffocating as I turned to him, my gaze narrowed in disbelief.

"I'm going to ask you one more time," I said, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "Did you really know where Isabella was this whole time?"

He looked down at the floor, avoiding my gaze. When he finally muttered a quiet, "Yes," it felt like a punch to the gut. My blood boiled at the admission.

"How could you let this happen?" I shouted, anger boiling over. "You knew where she was, and you let her stay with those people? After everything she's been through?"

He shifted, frustration flashing across his face. "I thought she would be safer there!" he shot back, his voice rising to match mine. "I thought it would be better for her to be away from this family. I wanted her to have a normal life!"

"Normal?" I felt incredulity rush through me. "You think leaving her with abusers is normal? How could you do this to her? To us?"

"I was trying to protect her!" he yelled, his fists clenching at his sides. "You don't know what I went through! I thought I was doing the right thing!"

"Doing the right thing?" I could barely contain my fury. "You left her in a place where she suffered! Where she was pushed to the edge! Do you even realize the extent of your failure?"

Leonardo stepped closer, anger radiating from him. "And you think you know better? You're just a kid! You have no idea how complicated this is!"

"I understand enough to know you failed her," I snapped, my voice rising. "You should've been there for her, protecting her instead of sending her away! You've made everything worse!"

His expression hardened, and he replied, "What would you have done, Nero? You think you could've done any better? You're just as lost as she is!"

"Don't you dare compare me to her!" I yelled, my voice trembling with emotion. "I'm trying to help her! You've done nothing but hurt her! Being a father is more than just writing letters and paying bills. It's about being present, and you have failed at that!"

The air crackled with tension between us, both of us too caught up in our anger to see the full picture.

"Four boys," Leonardo shouted, his voice echoing in the tense atmosphere. "I managed to raise four boys all on my own! That counts for something!"

"Just because you raised four boys doesn't mean you didn't fail your daughter!" I fired back, my heart racing. "If you're such a good father, then how could you let your daughter be abused? You should be removed from this house; you're not a safe person to be around!"

Leonardo's face twisted with anger. "I didn't know she was being abused her whole life! Do you think I would've let that happen if I had any idea?"

His outburst hung in the air, but I didn't back down. "You should've known! You were supposed to protect her! Instead, you left her to fend for herself with people who hurt her! She cried out for help, and you turned a blind eye!"

He fell silent, the weight of my words settling between us. For a moment, it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

"Follow me," he finally said, his voice low and strained. He turned and walked toward the basement, and I followed, anger still surging through me. I wanted to confront him, to tear him apart for everything he'd done wrong, but a part of me was curious about where this confrontation would lead.