My Son Calls His Father Don Vito, Driving The Mafia Crazy With Regret.

When my husband broke his promise again, my son, Leo Espinoza, only said, "Go deal with it, Don Vito." I looked quietly at the stunned godfather, knowing that all the time I'd spent helping Leo and myself let go had not been wasted. We were finally free of him. My husband, Vito Espinoza, was the godfather of the Arieana Mafia that controlled the southern coast of Arieana. ７-year-old Leo used to be so attached to his father. He once pestered Vito repeatedly to take him out to sea fishing, only to be flatly refused with the excuse. "As the Godfather, I bear heavy responsibilities and cannot indulge in pleasure." Yet a few tearful pleas from Caroline Howard, the widow of a gang member, easily shattered all his principles. He put aside all his affairs and personally drove a yacht to accompany Caroline and her son for three days. Caroline immediately posted the photos and videos on social media. The caption was piercing. Caroline: Someone who truly cares about you will give you all their love and time. We had a quarrel, and Vito didn't feel apologetic. He said Caroline had lost her husband, that looking out for the vulnerable was the family's code, and as the Don's wife, I should be more understanding. I didn't argue further and quietly filed for divorce with the court. During the 30-day waiting period for the procedure, I slowly helped Leo see the reality clearly. For 28 whole days, Vito stood us up over and over to be with Caroline and her son, Tony Howard. Leo had once idolized his father, but Vito's repeated neglect slowly shattered that admiration. Right then, he told Vito coolly, "Go stay with your other son. Mom and I will be just fine at the charity gala on our own." Vito clearly never expected that his son, who had always been so attached to him, would say something like that. "Leo, what kind of attitude is that?" Vito lowered his voice, his brows furrowed as he stared at Leo. "Tony suddenly came down with a high fever, and Caroline is all alone in Tustania with no one to rely on. "As the Godfather, protecting the orphaned family members left behind by our people is a responsibility I must take on." He stood to Leo's left, looking down at Leo. "You're already 7 years old. It's time you learned to be a man and to be more forgiving and generous." Half a minute passed. Leo just stared straight ahead, his eyes blank and unfocused. I clenched the corner of my clothes and reached out, tugging lightly on his sleeve. Leo's whole body trembled. He straightened his back, stepped back, then lowered his head and bowed in the manner of a subordinate. "I understand, Don Vito. Please go take care of your matters." The title left Vito staring in shock, his mouth open but no words coming out. Annoyed, he grabbed his coat from the sofa. "You're getting slower by the day. It takes you forever to respond when someone speaks to you. "Avril, is this how you've been raising our son? He doesn't have an ounce of the sharpness expected of a Mafia heir." Vito slammed the door shut and left. A moment later, the sound of tires scraping against the pavement came from outside. "Mom," Leo whispered close to my ear, "Dad isn't coming back, is he?" I stood there, staring at the fading car lights outside the window. I gritted my teeth, saying, "No." Last month, while reviewing the family trust accounts, I found a massive donation. 12 million dollars had been given to the city's most prestigious private school. The donation was listed under the name: Caroline Howard Memorial Library. That was how Vito bought an admission spot for Caroline's son. Three years ago, when I wanted Leo to attend the same school, Vito had slammed his hand on the table during the board meeting and objected. "My son won't get special treatment. He won't be pushed in through connections. He'll take the entrance exam like every other child." Leo was only 4 years old that year. To pass the exam, he memorized 30 new words every day and practiced the piano for 2 hours. Before the test, he developed a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit. I held him in my arms while he received an IV drip at the hospital until midnight. In the end, he passed. At the celebration dinner, Vito hugged him proudly and announced, "Did you see that? This is my son, Leo. He earns everything through his own efforts." Everyone applauded. I smiled too, believing that was a father's love for his son. ***** That night, we had the worst argument we'd ever had. I told him I wanted a divorce. Vito accused me of being unreasonable. He asked how I could be so cruel as to take our young son away from his father. He insisted that there was nothing between him and Caroline, that they were merely friends, and he was only trying to help her. "You've always been so understanding. If I turn my back on a mother and son who've lost everything, what will people think of me?" At that moment, I finally saw the truth. To Vito, his sense of duty and his reputation would always matter more than his wife and son. I knew that if I took Leo away from him then, my son would spend the rest of his life longing for his father. So I chose a different path. ***** Three days later, while Vito was signing a stack of tax-exemption documents, I slipped the divorce papers in among them. At the time, he was on the phone with Caroline. Tony's voice came through the receiver. "Daddy Vito, I miss you. When are you coming to see me?" Vito smiled as he answered. I was standing right in front of him. "This is one of the documents the lawyer needs for the tax filing," I said. He signed it without even looking. Over the next 28 days, I did everything I could to help Leo detach himself emotionally from Vito. Every time Vito chose Caroline and her son over us, I had Leo practice calling him "Don Vito" instead of "Dad." It served as a reminder to both of us. We could not waste our tears on someone who did not deserve them. At first, Leo would cling to my leg and cry, asking if his father no longer wanted him. Every time he tried to say the words "Don Vito", his voice trembled and tears filled his eyes. Now, he could say them without a flicker of emotion. I knew the past days had worked. I reached out and gently stroked Leo's hair. "Let's go, Leo. It will be just the two of us attending tonight's family charity banquet." Leo nodded and took my hand as we walked out. ***** When we pushed open the doors to the banquet hall, the music was already playing. In the past, whenever I appeared, people would rush over to flatter me. But tonight, when Leo and I entered alone, whispers immediately spread through the crowd. I had Leo tell the guests, "Don Vito had an important matter to attend to." Their mocking voices still reached me clearly. "Why did Madam come alone with Leo? Where is Don Vito?" "You haven't heard? Don Vito even took Caroline and her son on one of his private fishing trips." "She's nothing more than a figurehead now. Sooner or later, she'll be cast aside." I picked up a glass of champagne and glanced at them. 28 days earlier, Leo had begged Vito several times to take him deep-sea fishing. Vito had refused, saying, "The head of the family has too many responsibilities. I don't have time for such diversions." But when Caroline tearfully told him that Tony had dreamed of his late father taking him to see the ocean, Vito canceled his meetings and took them out on his yacht for three days. That same day, while I was at the hospital, I filed the divorce papers with the court. Under the law, the divorce had to be finalized within 30 days. Today was the 28th day. The doors to the banquet hall opened again. Caroline, who was supposedly at the hospital caring for her feverish son, walked in wearing a red dress. Tony was holding her hand. The necklace around her neck glittered beneath the lights. Rosy-cheeked, Tony looked nothing like a child suffering from a high fever. The custom-made suit he wore was the birthday gift Vito had promised Leo. Now, Tony was wearing it instead. The moment Caroline appeared, the guests gathered around her. "Caroline, you look absolutely stunning. Isn't that the necklace Don Vito bought at Sotheby's last week?" Caroline covered her mouth as she smiled, then looked straight at me. "Vito worries far too much. Tony just had a cold, but he insisted on getting him checked out. Then he thought Tony could use some fun, so he brought us along tonight."