A Donna Reborn: No Longer a Substitute

I'd never forget how cold the icy waters of the Sandford River were. In my previous life, I was Dalia Valentino, the future Donna of the Rossi family that they'd already acknowledged. But later on, I got betrayed by my fiance, Marco Rossi, and my cousin, Alice Palermo. They stole my betrothal contract away and took over my family's resources. In the end, they used me as a human shield and got me killed during a crossfire between our families. The moment I felt a bullet penetrating my chest, I saw Marco protecting Alice. As for my childhood friend, Riccardo Corleone, who had always watched me from behind, rushed over to me like a madman. He scooped my cooling corpse into his arms before letting out an anguished roar. That was why after I got reborn, I didn't hesitate to kick Marco to the curb and marry Riccardo, resulting in me becoming the Donna of the Corleone family. I thought Riccardo was my savior. Little did I know that fate was just playing a crueler prank on me. Both men had always been in love with the same woman this whole time. In this case, I decided to quit this game of romance and deceit. Chapter 1 In my past life, Marco Rossi, the Don of the Rossi family, swore before me that he'd protect me for the rest of my life. Yet he secretly married Alice Palermo. I became the laughingstock of the entire Porthaven mafia circle. In the end, during a bloody shootout between the two major mafia families, I was hit by a stray bullet, and my body was dumped into the Sandford River. Given a second chance in life, I was sent back three months before that deadly clash. I immediately tore up the marriage contract with Marco and threw myself into Riccardo Corleone's arms. He was the youngest Don of the Corleone family and my childhood friend, who had always protected me. In my past life, after I died, he risked his life to retrieve my remains and avenged me by slaughtering the rival forces that had betrayed me. I thought that this time, I'd finally chosen the right man. That was until the day I stood outside the study door at the family manor and overheard the conversation inside. Riccardo's Underboss, Antonio Greco, asked in a lowered voice, "Don Corleone, why are you marrying Ms. Valentino when you don't even love her?" Riccardo's icy cold voice came through the heavy wooden door. "Marco was supposed to be her fiance, but now he's tangled up with Alice. I'm afraid Dalia might get in the way. I just want Alice to live happily ever after." I froze in place, my fingernails digging deep into my palms. I felt as if my heart were pressed against a cold gun barrel, each heartbeat a searing pain. It was Alice again. In my past life, she took Marco from me. In this one, I escaped from Marco, only to stumble headfirst into another trap set for Alice. How could I have been so stupid? The memory of Riccardo proposing to me from a year ago flashed in my mind. He was down on one knee, holding a ring set with a black diamond. His gaze was so tender that one could get lost in it. "Dalia Valentino, I've loved you for a very long time. Marry me, and I will protect you for the rest of your life." At the time, I thought I'd finally found my salvation. Now I knew that it was just another carefully staged lie. Late that night, Riccardo returned to the bedroom carrying the chill of the outside world. He pulled a warm bag of sausage rolls from his coat pocket and pressed it to my hands. Then, he gently pinched my cheek and asked, "Have you been waiting long? I passed that old shop in Parkmouth District and remembered you mentioned wanting some last time." The food burned against my palms. I looked up at the warmth in his eyes and felt nothing but irony. "Riccardo, do you really love me?" I asked softly. He smiled, leaning down to kiss my forehead. "Of course. If I didn't love you, why would I make you Donna of the family?" I clutched the sausage rolls tightly, almost blurting out everything I'd overheard. But I managed to stop myself and instead said calmly, "I went to the manor today to drop off some documents for you." Riccardo's eyes flickered imperceptibly. Then, he said with feigned nonchalance, "I didn't see you, though. What happened?" "I ran into the family doctor. He dragged me in for a routine check-up, so I just came back." I saw the tension in Riccardo's shoulders slowly melt away. At 2:00 am, Riccardo was fast asleep. I quietly got up and retrieved an application form from the hidden compartment in my vanity. It was my ticket to Capitolium Medical University, a spot I'd secured through family connections. In my past life, I was the family's designated physician. However, I had let emotional entanglements pull me away from my calling. This time, I would never give up my life for anyone again. By the pale light of the moon filtering through the window, I signed my name on the form—Dalia Valentino. Chapter 2 When I woke up the next morning, Riccardo had already left to handle family business. The moment I stepped out of the bedroom, I ran straight into Riccardo's mother, Sofia Fiore. She was lounging on the leather couch in the living room, toying with a string of black pearls. Her gaze swept over me with undisguised contempt. "My, how spoiled of you to wake up so late. You've been married into the family for a year and haven't even conceived an heir yet, and you still run off to the hospital every day? What, does Riccardo not earn enough to support you?" For the past year, I'd swallowed her taunts for Riccardo's sake. But now, I didn't need to anymore. "Madre, a woman has the right to choose her own life," I said evenly. "And for the record, I can very well support myself with the income I earn from working at the hospital. In fact, I've never spent a single cent of this family's money." With that, I grabbed my bag and walked straight out of the manor. Outside, I slid into a black sedan and drove toward the hospital. At Westworth Private Hospital, I handed the application form to the hospital director, Angelo Santoro. "I've decided to accept the offer from Capitolium Medical University. Here's my application." Mr. Santoro's face lit up with approval. "Very wise, indeed. I was worried you might give it up because of your position as Don Corleone's wife." I let out a self-deprecating laugh. Wise? If I were truly wise, I wouldn't have chosen the wrong man twice. "Mr. Santoro, please keep this a secret for now, especially from the family." As I walked out of his office, I came face-to-face with Alice. She was dressed in a white nurse's uniform, her blonde hair braided into two pigtails. Not only did this make her look innocent, but also delicate. But I knew exactly what kind of evil lurked beneath that sweet exterior. Alice grabbed my arm affectionately, her smile sickly sweet. "Dalia, come over for dinner tonight. Marco said he'd make your favorite lamb chops." The Marco she mentioned was once my fiance. I was about to refuse when Riccardo's voice came from behind me. "Sounds good. I just happen to be free tonight." I turned to find him standing there. I hadn't even heard him arrive. He slipped an arm around my waist naturally. But his gaze drifted past me, following Alice until she disappeared into the nurse's station before finally looking away. My heart sank to the floor. "I have work tonight, so I won't be going," I said quietly. Riccardo's brows furrowed instantly, his voice turning cold. "You're still hung up on Marco? He and Alice are happily together now. It's time you moved on." I looked up at Riccardo and gave him a bitter, ironic smile. "I've moved on. But have you?" Riccardo froze. Instead of waiting for an answer, I just walked away. After my shift, Riccardo dragged me to Alice's place anyway. It was an apartment in Princefield District. Dressed in a black suit, Marco stood at the door to greet us. When he saw me, something flickered in his eyes before his expression settled back into calm. At the dinner table, Alice suddenly linked her arm through Marco's and announced shyly, "We have some good news—I'm pregnant." She gently stroked her belly, her eyes full of smug satisfaction. Only now did it dawn on me that she'd invited me over to show off. Alice turned to me with a look of manufactured concern, asking, "Dalia, when are you and Riccardo planning to have kids?" Before I could even open my mouth, Riccardo answered for me, "We're not planning on it anytime soon." "Why not?" Alice asked with shock. "Dalia's health isn't great. I couldn't bear to put her through all that suffering." Riccardo looked at me tenderly. "If we ever want kids down the line, we can always adopt." I could feel my hands shaking as I held my knife and fork. My health was perfectly fine. In my past life, I'd run through hails of gunfire to rescue wounded family members. I understood now that Riccardo just didn't want to have kids with me. After dinner, Riccardo and I returned to the manor. Madre immediately pulled him aside, clearly to complain about me. I ignored them entirely and headed for the bedroom. I was leaving for Capitolium in two months, so I needed to rest up. Late that night, Riccardo came in and wrapped his arms around me. "Madre's old and set in her ways. Don't take anything she says to heart." His hand started wandering. I caught his wrist. "I thought you didn't want kids?" Riccardo pressed a kiss to my neck, his voice low and husky. "I just don't like kids, nor am I ready to be a father yet." I closed my eyes, a chill settling over my heart. I clearly remembered that in my past life, Riccardo had said he'd only have kids with the woman he truly loved. Clearly, I wasn't that woman. But it didn't matter anymore. Once I came back from Capitolium, I would have a life on my own. And Riccardo would have no place in it. Chapter 3 The next morning, the moment I walked into my office at the hospital, I found Marco waiting. He was sitting on the couch, his expression complicated as he watched me. "Dalia, you know that Riccardo doesn't really love you, right?" I paused for a beat, then said calmly, "That's none of your business." In my past life, I'd given Marco my heart and my savings just to help him gain a foothold in the family. Yet, in the end, he and Alice had betrayed me together. "Do you regret breaking off our engagement?" Marco pressed, a flicker of hope in his eyes. I laughed coldly. "Regret? I only regret not seeing who you really were sooner." Having said that, I paid Marco no further attention and walked out of the office. That day was the hospital's community clinic day. Alice and I were on the roster. Settling into the hospital's minivan, I leaned against the window and watched the city streets blur past. In two months, I'd be leaving this city that brought me so much pain. Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes. The minivan lurched, then spun out of control, crashing hard into the guardrail. Metal screeched against metal. The sharp smell of gasoline flooded the air. The minivan tipped over onto its side. I was pinned beneath the seat, blood trickling from my forehead. Just as my consciousness began to fade, I saw a black sedan pull up on the side of the road. Riccardo flung the car door open and anxiously rushed toward the wreckage. "Riccardo," I called out with the last of my strength. His gaze flickered to me just for a second, then snapped to the other side. Alice was pinned beneath the passenger seat, groaning in pain. I watched as Riccardo charged into the wreckage without a second thought. Then, he carefully lifted Alice into his arms and sprinted toward the ambulance without ever looking back. In that moment, my heart froze solid, and darkness swallowed me whole. When I woke up again, three days had passed. Riccardo was slumped beside my hospital bed, exhaustion written all over him. His eyes were bloodshot, and dark stubble shadowed his jaw. Seeing that I was awake, he immediately grabbed my hand. "Dalia, you're finally awake. Are you in pain anywhere?" I pulled my hand back, my voice cold. "How's Alice?" Riccardo's eyes flickered. "She's fine. The baby's safe, too. She's your cousin and pregnant, so I had to save her first," he scrambled to explain. "It's my job as the Don to protect the vulnerable." I laughed, but the sound that came out was worse than crying. In the moment between life and death, he'd chosen another woman. Worst still, he'd dressed it up in noble excuses. I didn't want to wait two months anymore. I wanted to leave this hypocritical man right here and then. When I didn't respond, Riccardo stood and said, "You must be hungry. I'll go get you something to eat." After he left, I waited until night fell. But he never returned. The other patients in the ward all had family members by their beds. Only I was completely alone. When I needed to use the bathroom, I realized that my leg was injured too. I had to brace myself against the wall and shuffle slowly. I finally made it to the bathroom door, only to find that I couldn't pull my pants down with one hand still hooked to an IV. Helpless, I called out softly, "Is anyone there? Can someone please help me?" A janitor heard me and hurried over to help. She looked at me, disheveled and struggling, and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, where's your family?" I had no answer. In that moment, it suddenly dawned on me that love and marriage were worthless when survival was on the line. On my way back to the ward, I heard Riccardo's voice. I turned toward the direction it came from and saw he was carefully guiding Alice by the arm toward the examination room. Our eyes met. For a split second, panic flashed across Riccardo's eyes. "Dalia…" "Dalia, don't get this the wrong way. Marco had family business to handle, so I had no choice but to ask Riccardo to escort me," Alice explained, smiling. I stood there watching them, and for the first time, my eyes burned red. It wasn't from heartbreak. But it was because it'd taken me two lifetimes to see people for who they really were. Chapter 4 "If my husband's taking you for the examination, then who's going to take me?" I asked, each word deliberate. Patients and nurses alike glanced our way. A flicker of embarrassment crossed Alice's face, but she quickly masked it with practiced hurt. "Dalia, don't be so petty. I just asked Riccardo for a little help." Riccardo frowned. "Dalia, Alice is pregnant, so don't give her a hard time." "Answer me this. Who do you choose—her or me?" I stared into his eyes, waiting for an answer. Three seconds passed, and Riccardo's hand stayed firmly on Alice's arm with no sign of letting go. A self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips. "Riccardo, we're done." I turned on my heel and walked straight to Mr. Santoro's office. "Mr. Santoro, can I leave for Capitolium early?" Mr. Santoro looked surprised. "It'll take at least another week to process the paperwork. Why are you in such a hurry?" "I want to start my new life as soon as possible," I replied, my voice catching slightly. Mr. Santoro sighed. "Alright. I'll expedite it as fast as I can. But you'd better think it over carefully. You'll be gone for at least three years, so shouldn't you at least say something to Don Corleone?" "No. There's no need." I shook my head and walked out of his office. The next morning, Riccardo walked into my hospital room carrying breakfast. "Croissant and hot cocoa—your favorites." I looked at the food in his hands and suddenly laughed. "Riccardo, have you forgotten that I hate sweet food the most?" In fact, the person who'd love them was Alice. When we were kids, my nonna, Arianna Messina, always made sugary pastries for Alice. And I never liked them. Riccardo froze for a moment, then quickly said, "I'll go get you a sandwich instead." "Don't bother. Just take me back to the manor. I want to be discharged," I said, throwing off the covers. My leg was only lightly injured, so I could recover just as well at the manor. After getting into the car, I happened to spot an exquisite pearl hair clip sitting in the glove compartment. I'd seen it at the department store last time, and Alice had loved it. I picked it up, turning it over in my hands. "Is this Alice's?" Riccardo quickly explained, "Marco's in Aztlan for business. Alice said it's cold out, and she doesn't have anything to wear. So, I took her to buy a few things. She probably dropped it by accident. "Besides, she's pregnant, and it's not easy for her to be on her own. We're all family anyway, so we should help when we can." I couldn't help but feel amused watching him trip over himself to explain. Only someone with something to hide needed that many words to cover it up. "Just drive." I tossed the hair clip back into the glove compartment and turned to look out the window. Back at the manor, Madre spotted me and immediately started in again. "You got hospitalized for a tiny injury? Talk about being pampered. Back when I was Donna, I handled family business even with a bullet in me." I stopped walking and turned to face her. "If you want to rough it, that's up to you. But my parents didn't raise me just so I could suffer in life." Madre froze, clearly not expecting me to talk back. I ignored her and walked straight into the bedroom. First, I circled a date on the calendar. A week later, on December 15th, it would be both Riccardo's birthday and the day I'd leave. Second, I took down the wedding photo and every picture of Riccardo and me and threw them all into the fireplace. As I watched the photos burn, the false memories went up in smoke with them. Third, I gathered every gift Riccardo had ever given me—gold necklaces, designer watches, custom dresses. Whatever could be thrown away, I tossed. The rest I packed up and gave to the manor staff. When it was all done, I felt a weight lifted off my chest. Riccardo returned in the evening. When he saw the ashes in the fireplace, his expression immediately darkened. "Dalia, you burned all our photos?" "They were old and just taking up space," I replied calmly. "Old?" He repeated with a hint of anger in his voice. "Those were our memories!" "There'll be new ones." I finished washing up and lay down on the bed. "I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep now." Riccardo looked at me, a flicker of hurt in his eyes. But in the end, he said nothing and lay down on the couch. Late at night, I heard him whisper, "Is that circle on the calendar for my birthday surprise?" I kept my eyes closed and didn't answer. A surprise? All I had for him was a clean goodbye. Chapter 5 Early the next morning, Riccardo left to mediate a dispute in another district, whereas I headed to the hospital to complete my resignation. The nurse looked surprised when she saw me. "Dr. Valentino, are you really leaving?" I nodded. "Yes. To further my studies at Capitolium." "Do come back. We'll all miss you so much," the nurse said sadly. "I will." I smiled, though I wasn't sure myself. My return depended on whether there was anything left here worth returning for. As I walked out of the office, I ran straight into Alice. "Dalia, what are you doing here?" She blocked my path, her tone laced with provocation. "You're still hung up on Marco, aren't you? That's why you've come to beg him to take you back." I couldn't be bothered with her, so I tried to step around her to leave. But Alice wouldn't let it go. She shoved me and barked, "Do you think marrying Riccardo makes you superior? Well, let me tell you—whether it's him or Marco, the one they truly love is me." I lost my balance and stumbled back a couple of steps. But suddenly, Alice let out a sharp scream and fell to the ground herself. "My stomach! Dalia, why did you push me?" She clutched her lower abdomen, her face twisted in pain. I was stunned. Before I could even process what had happened, I was yanked aside and thrown to the ground. I looked up and saw Riccardo. His face was taut with anxiety as he lifted Alice into his arms, glaring at me furiously. "Dalia, why did you push her? She's pregnant!" "I didn't push her. She fell on her own." I got to my feet and brushed the dust off my clothes. Just then, Marco rushed over. When he saw the scene, his gaze turned icy. "Dalia, if anything happens to Alice, I won't let you get away with it." Two men, for the sake of the same woman, abandoned me once again. I watched as they frantically rushed Alice to the emergency room, finding the whole scene both ridiculous and pathetic. In my past life, Marco had defended Alice just like this. In this life, Riccardo was repeating the same mistake. I turned and left the hospital, returning to the manor. As soon as I entered, I saw Madre sitting in the living room, her face dark with anger. "You jinx. The moment you're back, you cause trouble. Get out of this manor immediately!" "I will," I said calmly. "I'll be out of Porthaven in a week." Madre was taken aback, clearly not expecting me to agree so readily. I ignored her and went straight to my room. Just five more days and I'd be rid of this place for good. That evening, Riccardo returned. He looked at me and said wearily, "Dalia, you need to apologize to Alice." "Why should I? I didn't do anything wrong," I retorted, meeting his gaze. "I saw you push her with my own eyes." Riccardo's eyes were filled with disappointment. "She's pregnant. How could you be so heartless?" He saw it with his own eyes? A sharp pain pierced my heart. Was this really the kind of person he saw me as? "How do you want me to apologize? Should I get down on my knees?" I asked mockingly. Riccardo remained silent, his acquiescence serving as an answer. In that moment, my heart died completely. "I will not apologize for something I didn't do." I turned and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind me. Heavy footsteps echoed from outside the door. Riccardo had left. Leaning against the door, I finally let the tears fall, unable to hold them back any longer. Two lifetimes of love, wasted on two men because of the same woman. How pathetic. But I wouldn't cry for long, because my future wasn't worth wasting tears on people who didn't deserve them. Chapter 6 Over the next few days, Riccardo didn't speak to me. But he also stopped bringing up the apology. He came home on time every day, bringing back food he knew I liked. Yet, he always spent the night in the living room. I knew he was struggling internally, but that no longer had anything to do with me. It was December 13th. There were only two days remaining until my departure. I packed up all my belongings, preparing to go handle the divorce proceedings. In my past life, I remembered that Riccardo would be targeted in an assassination attempt around this time. Even though he'd ultimately survive, he'd sustain serious injuries. I hesitated for a long time but ultimately decided to warn him. After all, even if he didn't love me, we had once shared a marriage in name. I took a taxi to the alley near the family headquarters, the very place where the assassination would occur. From a distance, I spotted a man in a black trench coat and mask creeping up behind Riccardo with a silenced pistol in his hand. "Riccardo, look out!" I shouted, rushing forward and grabbing the man's wrist. The man froze for a moment, startled by my sudden appearance. Riccardo reacted immediately, spinning around and subduing the man. A stray bullet grazed my arm, and blood flowed instantly. "Dalia!" Riccardo's face went pale at the sight of my wound. "What are you doing here?" he asked, fear still in his voice. "I…" I hesitated, but ultimately couldn't bring myself to say it. "I was just passing by." Back at the manor, Riccardo looked at my wound, his eyes reddening. "How could you be so foolish? What if something had happened to you?" "As long as you're safe, that's what matters," I replied softly. We were even now. In my past life, he'd avenged me. In this life, I'd saved his life. Riccardo took my hand and said resolutely, "Dalia, I'll cherish you for the rest of my life." I pulled my hand back without responding. Late at night, I heard Riccardo on the phone with someone in the hallway. "She's more like family to me. There's only familial affection, no romantic love. Love can't be forced. Just because she saved me doesn't mean I can fall in love with her." I leaned against the door, my heart completely calm. I'd known the answer all along, but hearing it with my own ears still felt somewhat ironic. The next morning, I tucked the signed divorce papers between a stack of documents and handed them to Riccardo. "These are the contracts that have piled up recently. Please sign them." Perhaps out of trust, Riccardo didn't even flip through them and signed each one without a second glance. After signing, he handed me a black bank card. "You've lost weight lately. Go buy yourself something nutritious." I understood that Riccardo didn't want to owe me anything. That was why he was giving me an unlimited black card as repayment for saving his life. I never expected that when it came to settling debts, he and I would be so perfectly in sync. I took the card and turned around to leave. On December 15th, Riccardo's birthday, I wrote a letter and placed it on the living room table, along with the black bank card. "Riccardo, "I'm leaving. I know you don't love me, and that the one you love is Alice. In my past life, after I died, I saw you avenge me. I thought you had feelings for me, so after being reborn, I chose to marry you. "Now I see it was just wishful thinking on my part. Even so, you shouldn't have deceived me, let alone led me into this sham of a marriage. You sicken me even more than Marco does. "Still, we're even now. You helped collect my remains in my past life, and I saved you from an assassination attempt in this one. From this point on, we owe each other nothing. "This is goodbye. "Dalia." After finishing writing the letter, I dragged my suitcase out of the manor without looking back.