The Soldier I Married Is the Don’s Heir Chapter 01

The Soldier I Married Is the Don’s Heir Chapter 01

My brother Luca thought I wasn’t worthy of the same treatment as my sister Aurora, so he gave her a luxury chef’s tasting menu while I was left with a meal worth less than six bucks.

After I learned the truth, I left that house.

Later, Luca was so consumed by regret that he went crazy and searched everywhere for me.

But then he heard my friend Serena say, “Estate? Some guy bought her one square meal, and she became that soldier’s partner.”

Luca’s face drained of color.

…

“How could Esta let a soldier keep her just for one meal?”

Serena looked at him like he was a fool.

“Why not? She ate one vegetarian meal under six bucks a day. Months of barely eating enough changed her completely. No one could stand it forever.”

“At least with that man, she won’t go hungry.”

Serena wasn’t wrong.

Six months ago, I never would’ve believed I’d end up with some unknown soldier over one meal.

But just six months ago, the Conti family was hit by a huge upheaval. Our Manhattan mansion was seized by the court, the treasures in our wine cellar were sent to auction.

And we, who used to move through private clubs, had to move into a cramped apartment in Brooklyn.

I’d never learned anything about funds. Luca, the oldest in the family, naturally took over my and Aurora’s living expenses.

“You’re both my sisters. How could I bear to let you suffer?”

Luca raised his brows and set a stack of meal vouchers in envelopes on the table.

“Even hard times need a little fun. Come on, draw lots. Whatever you get is what you eat for the next week.”

I thought it was just a game to pass the time in our frugal life, so I happily agreed.

But for weeks in a row, I drew either six-bucks vegetable soup with bread or nine-bucks tomato pasta. There wasn’t even a speck of meat on my plate.

Aurora’s standard of living didn’t drop at all. She still went in and out of high-end Manhattan restaurants, and the photos she posted were either caviar or delicately plated chef’s dishes.

If I stared at the photos too long, Luca would gave me a cold remark.

“Estate, don’t blame Aurora. Who told you to have bad luck? She draws vouchers for high-end restaurants every time.”

I checked the restaurant’s website.

The place Aurora went to eat cost 268, even with a discount voucher.

I could only comfort myself that the family really was struggling.

I told myself it was just a diet.

Every day I was so hungry I felt dizzy. My waist shrank from 27 inches to 24, and in six months I lost twenty-two pounds.

During another drawing, a row of comments only I could see suddenly appeared before my eyes:

[Luca really knew how to spoil her. He’d already told Aurora the codes to the high-end restaurants. As for Estate? Even six bucks was wasted on her.]

[That girl deserved whatever happened. She was always embarrassing the family.]

[Don’t worry. Luca and Aurora already decided they wouldn’t let her eat her fill for the next year. Once she’s thin enough to go out, they’ll toss her a piece of bread.]

My breath caught. I opened the stack of envelopes in my hand.

As usual, they were all cheap meal vouchers. Vegetable salad, bean soup, and the most basic tomato pasta.

Then I looked at the stack of envelopes beside Aurora.

“One champagne brunch at a hotel, a chef’s roast duck set at a French restaurant…”

I swallowed hard.

It had been so long since I’d known what roast duck tasted like.

Before everything went wrong, I used to eat it with Grandma on Sundays. I could never get enough of it.

Luca frowned.

“Estate, why are you staring at Aurora’s vouchers? You want it? Don’t be so greedy. Wait until you draw it next time.”

Aurora was grinning from ear to ear.

“Esta, who told you to have such bad luck? This roast duck is all mine.”

So bad luck was just an excuse.

They just didn’t want to spend funds on me.

I dug my nails into my palms and walked out alone.

No one followed me out.

Behind the door, I could still hear Aurora laughing.

“You really did drive our sister away. Who could stand eating vegetarian every day?”

Luca’s tone was indifferent.

“She needs to be taught a lesson. Who told her to ignore the family’s image? Want to wager she’ll come crawling back for those meal vouchers tomorrow?”

“I believe it. She can’t miss a single meal. It’s like she’s never seen food in her life.”

“You’re terrible.”

They laughed together.

I wiped away my tears and walked all the way to a rough bar near Brooklyn. In the corner, I found the meanest-looking soldier and held out a C-note to him.

I asked, “Hi. Can you help me find a job where I can eat my fill?”

“Once you find one, this C-note is yours.”