All Chapters of The Rest of My Life, Without You: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

A familiar voice drifted into my consciousness as my eyes fluttered open."Scarlett, once you're elected Capo, I will honor my family's promise and marry you."My vision cleared. Tony Gambino stood before me, dressed in a white shirt with the top buttons carelessly undone, exuding a casual sensuality. His gaze wasn't cold this time—just faintly mocking.The sight of him made my breath catch, a familiar ache burning behind my eyes.I had been reborn. Not to the beginning, but to this pivotal moment: the day I became a candidate for Capo.In my past life, Tony's parents decreed that whichever of us—Elma Russo or I—became a capo first would became Tony's wife.I won. I married the man I loved. And we spent a lifetime tearing each other apart. Because the woman he truly loved had always been Elma—his childhood sweetheart, not me.I swallowed the lump in my throat and lifted my head, my voice quiet but steady."Tony... the woman you actually want to marry is Elma, isn't it?"He wen

"Mr. and Mrs. Gambino, please understand," I said, my voice soft but firm. "This isn't a whim. I had a dream—so vivid it felt like a memory. In it, after Tony married me, he was miserable. Elma died in an accident, and he blamed me. He grew to hate me. No matter what I did, it only pushed him further away. He told me the greatest regret of his life was our marriage."I paused, steadying myself. "I can't bear to see him live that life. I won't make that mistake again."Mrs. Gambino reached for my hands, her expression deeply troubled. "Scarlett, it was just a dream. To throw away your future because of it... it's such a waste."I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears. "It didn't feel like just a dream."Mr. Gambino let out a long, weary sigh. "Very well. If your mind is made up, we will respect your decision. If you do not wish to marry him, you will not be forced."I stepped forward and gently embraced Mrs. Gambino."Tony doesn't love me," I whispered. "He saved me because that

I struggled to climb out of the hospital bed, every movement tearing at the wound in my shoulder. Step by slow step, I made my way out of the hospital alone.By the time Tony soothed Elma and came to my room carrying a bouquet of lilies—my favorite—I was already gone.A wave of unease hit him the moment he saw the empty bed. Something inside him twisted, tight and cold. He searched the hospital halls in a rush, dialing my number again and again.But all he heard was the mechanical voice on the other end: The number you have dialed is unavailable.Panic rose in his chest. His heartbeat pounded faster and faster.Then one of his men ran in, breathless."Don Gambino, something's happened.""What is it?" Tony's voice was sharp, on edge."Miss Moretti just left the hospital. There was a shooting outside. The bullet hit her heart. She didn't make it."The lilies fell from his hand and scattered across the floor.Tony's eyes went bloodshot. His voice broke into a hoarse roar. "Who d

Unfortunately, my heart no longer stirred for Tony. I turned him down, packed my bags, and left for a foreign land to continue my studies.In the seven years that followed, I traveled through countless cities, met people from all over the world, listened to their stories of pain and happiness, and found pieces of myself in each of them. My heart had never felt so light, so free. I felt like the wind—untethered, drifting across the face of the earth.When my studies came to an end, I joined Doctors Without Borders.Around that same time, Tony discovered that I had withdrawn from the election, while Elma stood on the brink of winning. In front of the family council, he played the recording of her conversation with Nico.In an instant, Elma fell from her pedestal. Stripped of her protection, she was banished from the family. To Nico, who once saw her as an asset, she became worthless. He cast her aside, leaving her to rot in the city slums.But none of that had anything to do wit