I Spent Thirteen Years Taking Bullets for the Mafia Heir

The day I died, my cousin Theo Valenti was being named heir to the Valenti family. And I was wearing his suit, riding in his car, and luring the killers away from him. When I was seven, Dad chopped off my long hair and trained me to walk and talk just like my cousin. I even had to shoot like him. Theo was the only heir to the main branch. My parents had handed me over to take his place whenever danger came knocking. When someone tried to kidnap him, I got in the car instead. When someone was waiting to ambush him outside a party, I walked out the front door in his place. Over 13 years, I took two bullets for him and was kidnapped three times. Every time Mom saw me hurt, all she ever said was, "Nothing can happen to your cousin." Dad would give me a rare pat on the shoulder. "Daisy, being chosen as Theo's stand-in is an honor." When I was little, I actually believed him. Dad hardly ever praised me. The only time he ever straightened my tie was when he sent me into danger. Then he'd warn me not to embarrass the family. I thought that if I proved myself worthy of that "honor," one day they'd look at me the way they looked at Theo. The night Theo turned 21, our rivals found out which route he'd be taking. So I put on his suit and went out in his place one last time. My cousin made it to his succession ceremony safe and sound. I got shot. Blood soaked through the suit fast. I called Dad. "Dad, I'm at North Hill. I've been sh—" "Daisy, wait another half hour." Dad cut me off. Deafening applause filled the background. "Your cousin's ceremony isn't over yet. We'll come get you when it's done." Then he hung up. They all thought I'd wait for them, the way I had for 13 years. Only this time, I didn't last long enough. Chapter 1 When I opened my eyes again, I was floating above the ballroom at the Valenti estate. Theo had just finished taking his oath. The Don himself slipped the obsidian ring onto his finger, and the ballroom erupted in deafening applause. I looked down at myself. I felt weightless. When my fingers passed straight through a champagne glass, I finally understood that I was dead. Mom stood among the members of the family's main branch, her eyes shining with pride as she watched the Don place the ring on Theo's finger. The big screen began cycling through photos of my cousin growing up. I floated closer and quickly recognized that several of them were actually me. The public shooting exhibition when I was seven. The family event when I was nine. The security training when I was 11. That was me in every photo, wearing Theo's clothes and pretending to be him. But the name under every photo was Theo's. I reached out to touch the screen, but my fingers went right through my own face. I'd spent years living as Theo, only to have my own name erased. Mom checked the time and frowned. "Why isn't Daisy back yet?" I floated straight to her side. Mom, you finally thought of me. But the next thing she said was, "If she's not back here keeping watch, what if someone else comes after Theo?" Dad didn't even look up. "Her job is to keep them tied up at North Hill. Why would she come back early?" Mom still sounded annoyed. "We spent 13 years training her. She'd better not mess things up now, of all times." I floated in front of them, my chest aching as though something were crushing it. "Mom, Dad, I took care of it. Theo's safe now." But they couldn't hear me. They never once asked me if I wanted to be a stand-in. They just told me that taking the hits meant for the main family's heir was an honor someone from a lesser branch like ours could only dream of. I was too little to understand what sacrifice meant. All I knew was that if I did well enough, Mom and Dad would be proud of me. Every time I put myself in danger for my cousin, I held back my tears and told myself it was what I was supposed to do. I even started hoping that maybe, if I was just a little braver, they'd finally feel sorry for me. Even once. Maybe if I did enough for the family, they'd hug me the way real parents would. I waited 13 years. I waited until I died. It never happened. It turned out that "honor" just meant my life was the easiest one for them to spend. Now I'd never have to take another hit for Theo, but I didn't feel any lighter. The first time I got shot for Theo, I was 11. The bullet tore into my shoulder, and when they carried me back to the estate, half my shirt was soaked in blood. Mom rushed over, and the first thing out of her mouth was, "Where's Theo?" Only after she learned that Theo was just shaken up did she look down at me. She frowned and asked the nurse, "How did she get hurt this badly?" I was hurting too much to talk. I thought she was worried about me. Then she started blaming me. "Weren't you supposed to draw all of them away? How did they get anywhere near Theo?" Dad sent Dr. Russo, the family doctor, to the safe house to look after Theo, leaving only a nurse to treat my wound. I held on to Mom's hand. I didn't want her to go. But she pried my fingers off. "Stop it. Your cousin just had a scare. I need to go be with him." I ran a high fever all night, and I waited for her all night. Late that night, I heard footsteps in the hall. I pushed myself up, thinking it was Mom. But the door opened only a crack. The nurse slipped some fever medicine through the gap and left. The next day, one of the maids told me Theo had nightmares all night, so Mom stayed by his bed the whole time. Dad didn't get back until noon. The first thing he said when he saw me was, "You got shot on a simple decoy run. You need more training." I froze for a few seconds. Suddenly, my shoulder hurt worse than it had all night. He glanced at my bandage. "At least Theo didn't get hurt. Otherwise our whole branch would've been disgraced." I swallowed the words I'd been about to say. I'd only wanted him to praise me, just once. I was only 11, and I'd already learned to check whether I'd completed my mission before worrying about my injuries. That night, Theo snuck in to see me. He brought a slice of the strawberry cake I loved. He stared at my bandage for a long time. "Don't do this for me anymore." I ended up comforting him. "It's okay. Mom and Dad say it's an honor." Chapter 2 By then, Theo had tried calling me four times, but I hadn't answered. I floated over to him. He looked panicked, his brow furrowed. He took off his badge, his face turning pale. "Uncle Paolo, has something happened to Daisy? I'm going to North Hill to find her right now." Dad blocked his way, his face set. "This is the most important moment of your life. Daisy has spent 13 years taking the hits meant for you. Wasn't it all for today? Just wait a little longer. She'll be fine even if she gets back a little late." I floated to Dad's side and suddenly wanted to ask him one thing: If Theo were the one who'd gone missing today, would you still say it was no big deal? Mom agreed. "Taking the hits meant for you is a blessing for Daisy. She's come home on her own with worse injuries before. Don't delay the succession ceremony because of her." Dad added calmly, "No one else matters more than you today. If she can't hold out through this, then 13 years of training were for nothing." Just wait a little longer. I'd heard those words over and over throughout my childhood. On my 12th birthday, the only thing I asked Mom for was a tiny strawberry cake, no bigger than my hand. Mom said yes without really thinking about it, but I was happy all day. That evening, word came that someone was planning to attack Theo on his way home from school. Ten minutes later, I was dressed in my cousin's school uniform and riding in his car through the school's front gate. Mom and Dad took the real Theo out through the back entrance themselves. I led the people tailing me around the city for four hours, and I didn't go home until I knew my cousin was safe. By then it was almost midnight. The first thing I did was run to the kitchen. The cake was gone. All that was left was a crushed box in the trash. A maid said, "Your mother said the strawberry cake would go bad if it sat too long, so she told me to throw it out." I didn't cry. I just fished the empty box out, wiped it clean, and hid it in my drawer. It was the only proof I had that Mom had promised me anything for my birthday that year. I still went to find Mom. She was sitting by Theo's bed. My cousin had only been a little shaken up, and he was holding a glass of milk she'd warmed for him herself. I reminded her quietly, "Mom, today's my birthday." She frowned. "Theo almost got hurt today, and all you can think about is your birthday? Grow up." I opened my mouth. I wanted to tell her I'd just spent four hours being hunted too. But in the end, I said nothing. The next day, the family threw a small party. Dad said it was to help Theo get over the scare. I sat at the top of the stairs, listening as Mom, Dad, and the members of the main branch celebrated Theo's safety. A maid brought me a leftover slice of strawberry cake. I didn't eat it. It was never about the cake. I just wanted to know if Mom and Dad could put me before Theo, even once. But the answer was always no. Dad cut my long hair short because I had to look exactly like Theo. Mom threw out all my favorite dresses because "Theo would never wear anything like that." They were even willing to sacrifice my life for him. Dad always told me my job wouldn't be done until Theo officially took over the family. That was why I'd been so eager for this day to come. I thought I had my whole life ahead of me. Once I was no longer Theo's stand-in, Mom and Dad would finally get to know the real Daisy instead of seeing me as nothing more than his double. But I died on the very last day. Chapter 3 Theo couldn't wait anymore. He insisted on leaving, but Dad grabbed his shoulder. "Get back here. Your succession ceremony isn't over." Theo shook him off. "Uncle Paolo, Daisy never goes this long without answering. I'm going to North Hill now." Dad's face darkened. "She'll be fine." He glanced at the stage as if the answer were obvious. "Today's the day you officially take over the Valenti family. We've all waited 13 years for this. Daisy's been training since she was seven. Wasn't it all to make sure you got here?" Mom tried to calm him down too. "Why would she call now, of all times? Daisy knows North Hill well. She knows how to handle herself. Don't worry. Get back onstage. It's almost time for the final signing." I watched my parents reassure Theo. Once again, it hit me that they'd raised me for one purpose: to take the hits meant for him until he could claim his place as heir. That was when my grandfather, Vittorio Valenti, arrived. He came in, looked around, and the first thing he said was, "Where's Daisy?" On pure instinct, I floated straight to Grandpa's side. If I could still touch him, I probably would've grabbed his arm like I did when I was little. But my hand went right through him. Dad just said calmly, "She's still at North Hill. Once Theo signs the last papers, we'll go get her." Grandpa's face went dark. "She's alone at North Hill. How much longer are you going to make her wait?" Mom rushed to explain. "Vittorio, Daisy's hard to kill. Remember when she was kidnapped at 17? She was gone for three days and still managed to get home on her own." I remembered that better than anyone. The kidnappers wanted to trade me for the real Theo. Dad said no. He didn't even tell my uncle about it. All he said on the phone was, "Daisy, hang in there. Find a way out on your own." In the end, I cut the ropes, threw myself down a hillside, and walked a long, long way on a broken leg before I made it back to the estate. I came back badly wounded, and the first thing Mom said when she saw me was, "You didn't tell them where Theo was, did you?" Once Dad confirmed the main branch's routes hadn't been exposed, he finally relaxed. "I knew you wouldn't embarrass us." I used to think that was just how they loved me. It took dying for me to see the truth. They were never proud of me for surviving. They were proud that Theo hadn't gotten so much as a scratch, even though I'd nearly died protecting him. Grandpa obviously remembered that time too. He looked at Dad, his voice low. "She's your own daughter. Her life isn't yours to spend just so you can curry favor with the main branch." Dad frowned. "Dad, Daisy's been training for this day since she was seven. There are only ten minutes left. We have to think about what's best for the family." At that, everyone went quiet. My heart wasn't even beating anymore, yet pain still stabbed through my chest in waves. So in their eyes, my life was always measured against one thing: Theo's safety. As long as Theo made it into that seat, whether I lived or died didn't really seem to matter. Those ten minutes dragged on forever. Grandpa kept checking his watch. Theo kept urging everyone to finish the ceremony. But Mom and Dad couldn't take their eyes off the stage, their faces glowing with pride. They'd waited 13 years to see Theo become heir. And I'd waited 13 years to finally shed the label of "stand-in." The moment the ceremony ended, Theo ran out of the estate without even adjusting his ring. Mom and Dad finally followed. When they got to North Hill, they found the black sedan riddled with bullets, surrounded by the bodies of the rival family's men, their boss among them. The driver was dead behind the wheel. The back seat and the ground were covered in blood that had already gone dark. Mom's legs gave out, and Theo caught her. A trail of blood led from the car door into the hills. Dr. Russo, who'd come with them, examined the scene. "She was still conscious after being shot. She managed to put pressure on her wound and get out of the car. That means she could still move at the time." Dad visibly relaxed. He sounded as sure as ever. "I knew it. She's been hard to kill since she was a kid. An injury like this won't kill her. She must be hiding somewhere, waiting for us to come find her again." I floated beside him, and the bitter irony hit me. He wasn't worried. He was proud because as long as I was alive, I could keep protecting Theo. To Dad, I wasn't even allowed to die. Unless I died right in front of him, he'd just assume I was making a fuss. Grandpa didn't relax. He just looked at the trail of blood leading into the hills. "Don't celebrate yet. Find her first." Chapter 4 Grandpa followed the blood trail into the hills, with Theo right behind him. But Dad stopped Theo again and stationed two bodyguards at Theo's side. "You're the heir. The rival family might still have people out here. You can't be out in front." Theo whipped around. For the first time, he sounded angry. "Uncle Paolo, Daisy's your own daughter. When she came up here alone, why weren't you worried about her?" Dad froze for only a second. Then he said coldly, "Because you're the heir. Her job is to stand between you and danger." In Dad's eyes, Theo couldn't be the one who got hurt. I could. As long as Theo was left standing, it didn't matter who went down, even if it was his own daughter. Only after Grandpa snapped at them did they continue. Before long, they found a torn piece of a black necktie, a bloodstained glove, and an empty magazine in the woods. Dad picked up the magazine. He spoke as if he were grading my performance. "She could still shoot, so she could still fight back. At least she didn't embarrass us on this job." Soon, they found my phone in the grass. The screen was cracked. The last call on it was to Dad. Grandpa picked it up and played the recording. My voice came through, quiet and breathless. "Dad, I'm at North Hill. I've been sh—" Then came Dad's cold voice. "Daisy, wait another half hour." After that, the recording picked up a dull thud. That was the sound of me being shot. I floated in front of Dad and reached desperately for his sleeve. "Dad, I really couldn't hold on anymore." But my hand kept passing right through him. Grandpa closed his eyes, his voice shaking. "She wasn't asking you to hurry up and come get her. She was trying to tell you she'd been shot." Dad opened his mouth, but he still shook his head. "She's been training since she was a kid. If she can't get through something like this, all those years were for nothing." Mom jumped right in. "If she really couldn't hold on, she should've made that clear. Now Theo's ceremony has been interrupted, and this was supposed to be the most important day of his life." Grandpa didn't argue with them. Then he remembered an abandoned ranger's cabin deep in the North Hill woods. He'd taken me there when I was little, and it still had water and basic first-aid supplies. "If she could still move, she'd have gone there." They practically ran. The wooden door was half open. Inside, it was eerily quiet. I was slumped against the wall in the far corner, still wearing Theo's black suit. I was curled up beside the cabinet, my back pressed against the wall. One hand was pressed to my stomach, the blood long since dry. The other still held a gun aimed at the door. Dad's eyes lit up. "See? I told you she was fine. Daisy, I'll let it slide this time. From now on, when the family has something important going on, don't bother us over some little injury." Mom started in on me too. "What were you calling for if you were fine? Theo left before his ceremony was even over to come find you." When I didn't answer, their faces darkened. "Get out here. Theo came all this way to get you." Before, whenever Dad spoke to me in that tone, I'd be on my feet in a second. But this time, I really couldn't get up. Grandpa and Theo came over and crouched in front of me. Grandpa carefully touched my shoulder. My body didn't respond at all. Grandpa's expression finally changed. "Daisy?" He took hold of my shoulder and slowly turned my stiff body toward him. A second later, the gun fell from my hand and hit the floor. Dr. Russo dropped to his knees beside me and pressed trembling fingers to my neck. A few seconds later, his fingers went still.