Chapter 1

Two of New York’s most powerful Cosa Nostra dons, Vincent Luciano and Nick Valentino, made a brutal wager over me.

The terms were simple: whoever won my heart first would win the right to marry Seraphina Moretti, the sole heir to the Moretti crime syndicate.

The ruthless Vincent swept me into his Fifth Avenue penthouse, lavishing me with luxuries all of New York would kill for.

Cold, reserved Nick played the lovesick fool, kneeling beneath the moonlight over the Hudson to swear he’d give me a safe life, free from this world’s bloodshed and chaos.

I said yes.

But the second we stepped into Vincent’s oak-paneled study, Nick’s warmth turned frigid.

“Vincent, we had a deal. I’ve won the Moretti marriage.”

In my past life, I was discarded by both men, betrayed by my family, and left to die of a forced heroin overdose.

Now I’ve been reborn.

And this time, I still said yes to Nick’s proposal...

But everything would be totally different.

...

Nick knelt on one knee before me, a custom-made diamond ring glinting between his fingers.

“Leah. Marry me. I’ll give you a home, a safe life. I’ll never break my promise. Not for as long as I live.”

My fingertips trembled, but not from longing.

I’d always known who Nick Valentino and Vincent Luciano truly wanted: Seraphina Moretti, the untouchable heiress to the Moretti crime syndicate.

I was nothing but a pawn; my resemblance to Seraphina was the entire premise of their sick wager: whoever won my heart first would win Seraphina’s hand in marriage, and with it, unchallenged control of the East Coast underworld.

In my past life, I’d screamed myself hoarse, demanding to know if his late-night comfort, whispered vows, and the silver bracelet engraved with our initials had ever been real.

He’d stared at me coldly and told me it had all been a game to win the bet. His heart had only ever belonged to Seraphina.

Vincent, the man who’d sworn to protect me no matter what, had laughed in my face.

“You want undivided love? Neither Nick nor I can give you that. You were always just a playing piece. His promises were only ever for Seraphina.”

This time, I stared at his feigned devotion, nails digging into my palm until I drew blood, and nodded, my voice soft but steady.

“Yes. I’ll marry you.”

Light exploded in his eyes.

He slipped the ring onto my finger, pulled me into a tight hug, and whispered endless endearments into my hair.

But I knew the truth: he was rushing to seal his win on the bet, to hightail it to Chicago and kneel before his precious Seraphina.

This time, I’d said yes not out of love.

Nick led me to Vincent’s Fifth Avenue penthouse, the very same setting from my past life.

Vincent sat behind his mahogany desk, spinning a silver Beretta 92 between his fingers, dark eyes cold and unreadable.

Nick dropped my hand, stepped forward, and spoke the same icy lines I’d heard a lifetime ago.

“Vincent. We had a deal. Whoever won the girl’s heart secures the Moretti marriage. I’ve won.”

He pulled a pre-signed partnership agreement from his pocket.

“You’ll be my witness. I’ll take care of Seraphina.”

Not once did he glance back at me.

Barely three hours earlier, he’d slipped that engraved bracelet onto my wrist and sworn to spend the rest of his life with me.

Vincent’s gaze snapped to me, sharp as a blade.

“You said yes to him?” His voice dripped with the same mocking contempt I remembered.

“Too bad you were just a bet. His promises were only ever for Seraphina.”

A faint twinge of pain lanced through my chest, but I didn’t move.

No screaming, no crying, no desperate demands like I’d made in my past life.

I’d always known I was a prop.

The game was over, and they had no use for me anymore.

Nick secured a nod of agreement from Vincent, then bolted out the door, already bound for Chicago.

The study fell silent, leaving only Vincent and me.

He leaned back in his chair, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.

“What? Still here? Hoping I’ll let you stay on as my mistress?”

Once, he’d stood before all his capos and vowed, “I, Vincent Luciano, will never harm Leah Rossi, for any reason. No one in this family touches her.”

He’d sworn to protect me, no matter who I chose.

Now he looked at me like a cockroach he could crush under his boot without a second thought.

I swallowed the bitter taste rising in my throat, gave a sharp, curt nod, and turned to leave.

But his chief bodyguard stepped forward, blocking the door.

“Miss Rossi. You’re not permitted to take anything belonging to the Luciano family with you.”

In my past life, I’d screamed and cursed them, and they’d stripped me bare, thrown me into the snow, made me the laughingstock of the entire New York underworld.

This time, I didn’t fight.

I’d already learned the cost of that.

This time, I closed my eyes.

No hesitation.

I pulled the diamond studs from my ears, slipped the engagement ring and engraved silver bracelet off my wrist, and dropped them all into the guard’s outstretched palm.

“Is that enough?” My voice was a little rough, but perfectly calm.

The guard froze, glancing back at Vincent.