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"Hey, look at me," I say gently. When he reluctantly meets my gaze again, I continue. "I know how much I'm asking of you. Taking over the Bratva, dealing with the backlash of my choice... it won't be easy."
I grip his shoulder tightly. "But you are more than ready for this. You're strong, Aleksandr. Stronger than I ever was at your age. You can do this."
He doesn't look convinced, uncertainty clouding his youthful features. I curse myself for putting him in this position.
"I'm sorry I've let you down, brother," I say heavily. "You deserve better than the mess I'm leaving you with. But I believe in you, with all my heart. You will rise up and do great things for the Bratva."
"No... no, Dimitri. this is fucked up. You have fucked up"
I let Aleksandr's words sink in. He's right - I have fucked up. There's no denying that walking away from the Bratva, the only family I've ever known, is a monumental betrayal.
"You're absolutely right," I say heavily. "I've made a mess of things. All I can do now is try to clean it up as best I can."
I meet Aleksandr's gaze, seeing the swirl of emotions there - anger, disappointment, uncertainty. "I know there's nothing I can say to make this better or easier. But I meant what I said - I believe in you, Aleksandr. You're more than capable of leading the Bratva."
Aleksandr shakes his head bitterly. "Maybe so. But that doesn't change the fact that you're abandoning us."
"I'm not abandoning you," I reply firmly. "I'll always be here if you need guidance or help. Anything at all, you call me and I'll come running. Understand?"
Aleksandr doesn't respond, his jaw clenched tight.
"I'm still your brother, no matter what. That will never change."
"For what it's worth, I'll be here to support you too, Aleksandr," Ivan says. "You won't be alone in this."
I watch helplessly as Aleksandr moves away from me, putting physical distance between us to match the growing emotional chasm. His youthful features are etched with bitterness and disappointment as he looks at me now - not with the warmth of a younger brother, but the condemnation of a betrayed ally.
"I should have known you'd pull something like this eventually," Aleksandr says scathingly, his words cutting me to the core. "Abandoning your people for some tail." He spits on the ground in disgust. "The great Dimitri Morozov, brought down by a pair of pretty eyes and a Mafia dowry."
I open my mouth to respond, to try and make him understand, but Aleksandr holds up a hand to silence me.
"Save it. I don't want to hear any more of your excuses or justifications." His voice drips with contempt. "When did you think to tell Father of this... arrangement."
Ever the traditionalist, our father will see my choice as the ultimate betrayal of the brotherhood.
"Aleksandr, please listen-" I begin, desperate, but he cuts me off again.
"No, you listen," Aleksandr says coldly. "You made your choice here today. And now you get to live with the consequences." His eyes bore into mine, hard and unforgiving. "I'll be the one to tell Father. He deserves to hear it from family, not some bastard mafioso."
I flinch at his words, each one landing like a physical blow. I search Aleksandr's face for any hint of the boy I helped raise but find only hostility in the set of his jaw, the flash of fury in his eyes.
"Don't bother inviting me to the wedding," Aleksandr adds dismissively as he turns to leave. "I have no interest in celebrating your betrayal."
His parting words slice through my heart like a blade. I reach for him instinctively. "Aleksandr, please..."
But he is already striding to his room, not even sparing me a backward glance. As Ivan and I stand there in hollow silence, I grapple with the magnitude of what I've lost - not just my position, but my brother.
I stand there frozen, staring at the closed door of Aleksandr's bedroom as his rejection settles heavily upon my shoulders. Ivan places a gentle hand on my arm, breaking me from my stupor.
"Give him time, he'll come around," Ivan says reassuringly.
I let out a bitter laugh. "No, you don't know Aleksandr like I do. He can hold a grudge tighter than a vice."
I run a hand through my hair in agitation as I start pacing the room. "I knew he'd be angry, but I wasn't prepared for..."
My voice trails off. The sheer contempt in Aleksandr's eyes is seared into my mind.
Ivan regards me sympathetically. "This is a lot for him to process. Once the shock wears off-"
