On my 20th birthday, my father hosts a dinner for our allied families. He lifts his glass with a smile and turns to his old friend, saying, "It's time my principessa chooses a husband from your sons." Without hesitation, I choose the youngest—Salvatore Carlo. Everyone is stunned. After all, I'm Estella Vinci, the eldest daughter of the Vinci family. I was born into wealth and power, with a father from a long-established Virellian mafia family and a mother from Montavira's ruthless DeNucci bloodline. And yet, I was hopelessly in love with Giovanni Carlo, third son of the Carlo family. In my past life, I got exactly what I wished for. I became his wife. He got what he wanted too. With my father's power, he became the heir of the Carlo family. But after we got married, my adopted sister Eleanor Vinci became his mistress. When my father found out, he was furious. He sent her far away in marriage to Norland. From that day on, Giovanni hated me with everything he had. He drowned himself in nightclubs, night after night, always bringing home women who looked just like Eleanor. He let them mock me and humiliate me. On my birthday, one of them poisoned my cake. I died with hatred in my heart at eight months pregnant. Now that I am reborn, I decide to let them have each other. But the moment I choose Salvatore, Giovanni loses his mind.
View MoreA few months later, I found out I was pregnant.Uncle Michael called us in. He planned to step down early and hand over leadership of the Carlo family to Salvatore."Your brothers are useless. Don't trust them with power. Just make sure they have enough to live on," he said.Neither Giovanni nor Eleanor showed up on the day Salvatore officially took over the family.Uncle Michael knew exactly what kind of man Giovanni was, which was why he still kept him confined to the estate.As for Eleanor, she spiraled into addiction after Giovanni dumped her, just like the junkie father she was born to. Her mind and body both fell apart. Papa eventually had her sent to a rehab facility somewhere in Euravia.I overheard someone say, "I heard that if you gave her a hit, she'd crawl into your bed without hesitation. Like mother, like daughter. What a waste of all those years the Vinci family spent raising her."Eleanor's ending in this life was truly pathetic.Later on, after Giovanni's confi
That night, after the wedding reception, Salvatore and I returned to our house.I had already showered and changed when he stepped into the bedroom and saw me sitting on the edge of the bed.Even though we were officially married, he still seemed a little tense.I couldn't help but laugh and pat the space next to me. "What's the matter? Are you planning to sleep on the floor and make people think I bullied you on our wedding night?"He let out a quiet sigh and carefully sat beside me.I nestled against his chest and laced my fingers through his. "Can I ask you something?"I looked up at him. "We barely knew each other before. Why were you always so good to me?"His voice came out low and rough. "Good? If I hadn't been worried about what people might say, I would've done much more for you."I was confused. "Really? But why? Back then, I was always chasing after Giovanni. Didn't you think I was pathetic like everyone else did?"He paused for a moment, then said gently, "Not at a
On the morning of the wedding, my mother woke me before dawn to begin dressing and doing my hair.Salvatore came in person to escort me into the bridal car and take me to the church.Along the way, I stole glances at his profile. He was nothing like Giovanni. While Giovanni had the flirtatious charm of a playboy, Salvatore carried the quiet grace of a gentleman.I once thought he was cold and heartless—that was until I saw how far he had gone to avenge me in my past life. The thought filled my chest with warmth.It was the same church and the same path, yet everything in me felt completely different.In my past life, I was anxious and uneasy, afraid Giovanni would back out of the wedding. But this time, all I felt was a sense of peace I had never known before.Suddenly, a bulletproof SUV cut across the road and forced the bridal car to a halt.To my shock, it was Giovanni. He was dressed like a groom in a black suit, with a white boutonniere pinned to his chest.My expression
This had once been the moment I dreamed of, but now it only made my skin crawl."Save it, Giovanni. I'm not blind. I can tell you're in love with Eleanor," I said coldly.I turned to walk away, but he stopped me.His eyes were bloodshot with frustration. "No. Estella, please listen to me! It was all a misunderstanding. You're the one I care about. No one else matters!"I had died once already, so I wasn't about to fall for his sweet lies again. "Oh? Weren't you the one who told me to stay out of your affairs once we were married?""That was a joke! I'd never actually treat you like that!" he pleaded.I was disgusted by his desperate pleading, but it was Eleanor who broke down first."Giovanni! What are you saying? You told me I was the one you loved! That you'd marry me! Otherwise, I would've never—""Shut up!"Giovanni was worried she might say something that would set me off even more, so he slapped her. It was harder than the day he hit me.He dumped all the blame on Elean
Throughout the rest of the Christmas banquet, Salvatore never left my side. His gaze was always steady and tender.He carried a subtle woody scent that put people at ease.Choosing Salvatore wasn't a rash decision.In my past life, one of Giovanni's lovers poisoned my cake on my birthday.By then, Giovanni had already taken over the Carlo family. He had grown tired of me, enough to turn a blind eye. As I lay dying, he had me dumped in the countryside and ordered his men to make it look like an accident.Somehow, Salvatore found out. He shot the man who left me there, then tore through hospitals all over Velmont, desperate to save me. Unfortunately, it was too late. He couldn't bring me back.After that, he turned against his family and fought hard to build his own empire. In the end, he destroyed Giovanni and everything the Carlo family built.As I watched from the afterlife as the fire devoured half of Velmont's underworld, I thought he looked more like a vengeful ghost than
As Giovanni passed by, he glanced at me and deliberately lowered his voice. "Don't forget what I just said."He acted like he could already picture himself as the heir of the Carlo family.Unfortunately for him, he didn't get to enjoy the feeling for long.After everyone had gathered in the villa's main hall, Uncle Michael appeared at the spiral staircase, walking down with my Papa at his side.The room fell silent. They smiled warmly, but only at me.Papa gestured for me to come closer. Uncle Michael patted my head and said, "Tonight, on Christmas, I'll make an announcement alongside the boss of the Vinci family."His eldest daughter, Estella, has turned 20. According to the long-standing agreement between our families, she now has the right to choose one of my sons to marry, and the one she chooses will be named as my heir."All eyes shifted to Giovanni. He lifted his head and prepared to step forward.But Uncle Michael called out, "Salvatore, is the engagement ring ready? Go
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