Chapter 1

“Lisa, you grew up with Quincy. You know how he feels about you.”

Hearing this familiar conversation, I immediately realized that I had been reborn.

I had returned to the day when I chose to marry Quincy.

The moment I heard the consigliere’s words, I stood up.

“No. I’m not marrying Quincy.”

The consigliere was clearly surprised by my decision, and the disapproval in his eyes was impossible to miss.

For generations, our two families had shared control over this territory through an agreement made by our ancestors.

If the younger generation were of the same gender, they would become siblings. If they were of opposite genders, they would marry.

Only the closest relationship could ensure the stability of the alliance between our families.

After my father died ten years ago, the agreement was passed into my hands.

Whoever I married would gain access to the Ortiz family’s intelligence network throughout Sicily.

“Even without the marriage alliance, you are still an honored guest of the Bennett family because of your father.”

“If I have to marry someone, I choose Luca Bennett.”

The consigliere was silent for a moment before asking only one question: whether I had truly thought it through.

I nodded firmly.

“I have. I am the daughter of the Ortiz family, and my ancestors have protected the glory of Sicily for generations. If I am going to marry into the Bennett family, I will only marry the most distinguished man in the family.”

After saying goodbye to the consigliere, I walked toward the entrance of the estate.

That was when I heard a commotion.

Quincy was standing in the garden with his cousins lined up beside him.

I wanted to leave, but they blocked my way.

He looked at me with a mocking expression, his eyes slowly sweeping over me.

“Lisa, did you just ask the consigliere to pressure the family into forcing me to marry you?”

“Stop dreaming. I will only marry Sophia in this lifetime. You will never step through the Bennett family’s doors as my wife.”

If I had heard those words in my previous life, I might have felt humiliated.

I might have hated Quincy for being so heartless, for allowing ten years of my devotion to leave no trace in his heart.

But now, all I could think about was the iron door of the freezer closing and the memory of my body slowly losing its warmth.

He was the one who needed the Ortiz family’s intelligence network, yet he was powerless against the family’s pressure.

Instead of accepting responsibility for being unable to marry Sophia, he placed all the blame on me and made me suffer again and again.

The resentment I carried from my previous life overwhelmed me, and I pushed him away.

“Move.”

“You brought people here to block my way. Is this how the Bennett family teaches manners?”

Quincy froze, clearly not expecting me to act this way.

His cousins immediately stepped forward.

“Miss Lisa, you chased after Quincy for ten years. Everyone in Sicily knows that the daughter of the Ortiz family was desperately in love with the second son of the Bennett family. What are you pretending to be now?”

“If it weren’t for the intelligence network in your hands, you would mean nothing to Quincy.”

Quincy stood at the front, looking at me with undisguised disgust.

“Are you trying to get my attention by acting like this?”

“A woman as calculating as you, even if you were brought to my bed, I would still find you disgusting.”

Quincy lifted his chin with complete confidence, but looking at him only made me feel sick.

I regretted the feelings and effort I had wasted on him over the past ten years.

“I am getting married,” I interrupted him. “But it has nothing to do with you. Move.”