All Chapters of A Donna Reborn: No Longer a Substitute: Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

18 Chapters

Chapter 11

The sun in Capitolium was still blazing hot.I sat in the cafe flipping through the lecture notes, a glass of iced espresso beside me releasing a cool mist."Is this seat taken?"I looked up to see Giacomo standing there with his coffee."Go ahead," I said, gesturing to the chair across from me.Giacomo sat down, glancing at the notes by my hand."Are you still preparing that case analysis?""Yeah, I have to present it next week, and I'm a bit nervous." I closed my notes. "What brings you here?""I was just passing by and saw you sitting here," Giacomo said, smiling. "I wanted to ask if you're free this weekend. There's a place I'd like to take you."I looked at him, wanting for him to continue.Giacomo seemed uncharacteristically hesitant. "It's my family's little house by the sea. I wanted to invite a few friends for a barbecue this weekend. Of course, it's fine if you don't want to come.""I'll come," I said.Giacomo paused for a moment, then his face broke into a deligh

Chapter 12

I tightened my grip on the phone.I asked, "What happened to him?""Don Corleone came to Capitolium to find you," Antonio replied anxiously. "But he was ambushed at the airport and is now in emergency surgery. Before he passed out, he kept calling your name. Please come see him."I remained silent.Outside the window, the sound of the waves remained gentle, the sun still blazing hot. But I felt as if something had seized my heart."Dalia?" Giacomo looked at me with concern.I took a deep breath and asked into the phone, "Which hospital is he in?"After hanging up, I turned to look at Giacomo.A flicker of disappointment passed through his eyes, but he still said, "I'll take you there."The entire drive was silent.By the time the car stopped in front of Capitolium City Hospital, night had already fallen.Just as I was about to get out, Giacomo suddenly grabbed my wrist."Dalia, I'll support whatever decision you make. But promise me one thing—don't let yourself get hurt aga

Chapter 13

A month later, spring had arrived in Capitolium. The plane trees along the Ruminal River were sprouting tender green buds.I stood at the podium in the medical school conference room, having just completed final case analysis.Enthusiastic applause filled the room.Mr. Rizzo rose to his feet, beaming with pride."Dr. Valentino, your performance was exceptional. I formally invite you to join our medical school's teaching and research team."I smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Rizzo. It'll be an honor."As I walked out of the conference room, Giacomo was leaning against the corridor window, waiting for me with a bouquet of daisies in his hand."Congratulations," he said, handing the daisies to me.I took them and inhaled their fresh, delicate fragrance."How did you know my presentation was today?""Because I want to know everything about you," he said, smiling, his blue eyes crinkling.We walked side by side through the campus.The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, casti

Chapter 14

A month later, I stood in the airport terminal, clutching my ticket to Olkeri.Giacomo walked over with his suitcase. He looked at me and asked, "Have you made up your mind?"I nodded and showed him my ticket.He smiled brighter than ever before.The boarding announcement echoed through the hall, and we walked side by side toward the gate.Just then, hurried footsteps sounded behind us."Ms. Valentino!"I turned to see Antonio, breathless and frantic, running toward me."You can't leave! Don Corleone, he… he…""What happened to him?"Antonio's eyes reddened. "Don Corleone attempted suicide. Last night in his hospital room, he used a blade he'd hidden to cut his wrist."Fortunately, a nurse discovered him in time, and they managed to resuscitate him. But he lost too much blood and is still unconscious now."I listened quietly, feeling not the slightest stir of emotion."Ms. Valentino, please go see him." Antonio was nearly begging. "The doctor says he has no will to live. A

Chapter 15

Life in Equatoria was simple yet fulfilling.Every morning, Giacomo and I woke to the crowing of roosters. After a quick wash, we'd begin seeing patients.Diseases rarely seen back home—like malaria, typhoid, and malnutrition—were commonplace here.A month later, I could already communicate with the villages in simple Equatorian.A young boy held my hand and said in broken Thalish, "Doctor, thank you."His name was Kip Castro, the first patient I'd treated since arriving in Equatoria. He had severe malaria and almost didn't make it.I crouched and ruffled his hair. "Make sure to take your medicine, okay?"Kip nodded vigorously and pulled a handwoven bracelet from his pocket."For you."I took the simple yet heartfelt bracelet, my eyes growing slightly damp.That evening, I put the bracelet on my wrist.Giacomo noticed it, smiled, and said, "I saved Kip twice, yet he never gave me a bracelet.""Because you don't need one." I wiggled my wrist. "He gave it to me because I'm a

Chapter 16

Six months later, the medical aid mission came to an end. Giacomo and I returned to Capitolium.As the plane descended, I looked at the Eternal City from the window and felt like I was coming home for some reason."Where do you want to go first?" Giacomo asked, smiling as he pulled his suitcase.I gazed at the familiar streets and thought for a moment before replying, "The cafe by the Ruminal River."The cafe was still there, and the owner was still that gray-haired Yitanian man.When he saw me, he waved happily at me. "Dalia, you're back! How was Equatoria?""It was wonderful." I sat and ordered an iced espresso.Giacomo sat across from me. The sunlight fell on his face, making his blue eyes sparkle."Dalia," he suddenly called me."Yeah?""I have something I want to ask you."I looked at his earnest expression and suddenly felt a bit nervous.Giacomo took a deep breath and said, "These past six months, I've been waiting for the right moment. But I've come to realize that

Chapter 17

A year later, Giacomo and I held our wedding right at that small cafe by the Ruminal River in Capitolium.Cesco had decorated the entire cafe with flowers and brought in the best band he knew.Oscar and Kip flew all the way from Equatoria just for the occasion.Kip had grown a whole head taller. The suit he wore was awkwardly fitted, yet his smile was full of happiness.I wore a simple white dress. And instead of an elaborate veil, I just pinned a small daisy at my temple.Giacomo stood before me in a dark blue suit, his blond hair neatly combed, except for one stubborn strand that refused to stay down."You look absolutely beautiful," he said softly.I smiled. "You're not so bad yourself."The pastor recited the vows, but my mind wandered as I listened.I thought of the Dalia from my past life, the one who'd died in the Sandford River.She could never have imagined that in this life, she would stand in the sunlight of Capitolium, marrying a man who truly loved her."Dalia,

Chapter 18

Ten years later, the acacia tree in the clinic's courtyard had grown tall.Kip graduated from medical school and returned to the village as the clinic's full-fledged doctor.He attended to patients in his white coat with the utmost seriousness. But the moment he saw me, that bright childhood smile would reappear on his face."Ms. Valentino!" He ran over, holding a letter in his hand. "It's from Porthaven."I took the letter and saw Antonio's familiar handwriting on the envelope.For ten years, his letters had never stopped, though I never replied.I opened the letter and read it line by line."Ms. Valentino, it is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Don Corleone passed away three days ago. He went peacefully in his sleep. The doctors said his body had long been exhausted, and for him to have held on for so many years was already a miracle."Before he died, he asked me to give you this letter. It was written before his death and kept locked in a drawer. He instructed me to

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