My father ordered my older sister, Valerie, and me to choose our fiancés from the Thorne family’s twin brothers. In my previous life, Valerie chose the healthier younger brother, Brandon Thorne, leaving me with the disabled, quiet, and introverted Julian Thorne. I didn’t want him to die in the future, so I accepted my fate. He walked with a limp, so I took him to top specialists nationwide. He couldn’t protect me, so I learned self-defense to get strong, begging my father not to send him away. I thought he was just physically disabled and emotionally withdrawn. I believed if I was patient enough, he’d eventually open up to me. Until the day the mansion caught fire, with thick smoke billowing everywhere. He spoke to me for the first time, his voice clear and icy: “I’m sorry, but Valerie is still inside.” He let go of me, turning and rushing back into the flames. I was trapped under a fallen beam, watching his retreating back as he jumped from the second-story window carrying Valerie. The last thing I heard was his hoarse voice: “I failed you in this life. I promise to make it right in the next.” I realized then that his disability and silence had been only for me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day we chose our fiancés. This time, I’d choose the ruthless man who controlled half the city’s underworld.
I stood in front of the two men, frozen. Valerie glanced at me, pursing her lips. “Forget it, I’ll choose Julian Thorne. Sera isn’t feeling well—she should pick a strong fiancé to protect her.” With that, she moved from Brandon Thorne’s side to Julian Thorne’s. Brandon Thorne, impeccably dressed in his suit, tensed visibly, his fists clenching slightly. I stood frozen, processing the shock of being reborn. In my past life, I’d also hesitated after Brandon and Valerie chose each other. Seeing my indecision, Valerie suggested we swap fiancés. Looking at Valerie’s face—so perfectly innocent and wounded—I genuinely believed back then that she wanted to give Brandon to me. I was naive, thinking she cared about me, so I flat-out refused. I didn’t want Valerie to miss out, and I couldn’t bear to see “disabled” Julian get sent back and scorned by the family. Until the mansion fire, when Valerie’s fiancé Brandon had already reached her. But Julian Thorne still rushed in to save Valerie first. Valerie clung tightly to Julian Thorne’s neck, yet she was murmuring, “Put me down.” She was always like that—knowing she wouldn’t truly lose anything, yet always managing to come off as sweet and kind. But this time, I nodded. “Okay.” Valerie, who’d been expecting me to refuse, froze. She wasn’t the only one shocked—Julian Thorne looked at me too. His deep-set eyes held a mix of confusion and surprise. “Absolutely not!” my father cut in. “You’re the eldest daughter of the O’Connell family—your safety comes first. Julian Thorne has a leg injury and barely speaks; he’s not fit to be your fiancé.” I smiled. So my father had known about Julian Thorne’s condition all along. Yet he still brought him here. It seemed letting Valerie and me choose was just a formality. “But…” Valerie secretly let out a relieved breath, dabbing the corner of her eye, about to speak. But then Julian Thorne spoke up, his voice low but perfectly clear: “My leg works fine.” I looked up, shocked. The man who hadn’t walked normally in seven years in my past life—the one supposedly with a severe leg injury—was standing perfectly straight now? Meeting the knowing depth in his eyes, I finally realized. He’d been reborn too. Typical. All that talk about making it right in the next life… but when he actually got a second chance, he was still scared to be my fiancé again. But he had no idea I didn’t want him anymore. “As for protection,” Julian Thorne continued, “Mr. O’Connell can reassess.” I didn’t doubt Julian Thorne’s abilities. After I died, my spirit had watched him jump from the second floor of the burning building to save Valerie, using his body to shield her as they landed—his back badly burned. The irony of it all. In my past life, I’d learned self-defense, terrified my father would send away this “broken, defenseless” fiancé. Sure enough, once Julian Thorne dropped the act, he easily took down the top bodyguards sent to test him. My father started to waver. The wounded innocence vanished from Valerie’s face. Between the two, Julian Thorne was undeniably more handsome. If not for his supposed disability, Valerie would’ve picked him from the start. “Very well, then Julian Thorne will be betrothed to you. Brandon Thorne, you’ll be responsible for protecting Sera O’Connell.” At my father’s decision, Brandon Thorne glanced my way. When he saw the scar on my face, his brow furrowed noticeably. He stepped forward. “Mr. O’Connell, I must respectfully decline this arrangement.”
“What is the meaning of this?” My father scowled. “The Thorne-O’Connell alliance was settled long ago. Are you really going to break our agreement?” Brandon Thorne couldn’t hide his disgust for my appearance. “Brandon Thorne… isn’t worthy of the youngest miss.” I sighed. Ever since I got this scar at ten years old saving Valerie, this face has been a constant source of contempt. Maybe Julian Thorne’s behavior in my past life was because of this too. “Brandon Thorne! Are you abandoning Sera O’Connell?” Valerie grabbed his arm anxiously. Brandon Thorne looked at her, his eyes filled with affection. “I never came here for her.” I said nothing. Valerie quickly hid the brief flash of joy in her eyes, replacing it with a fake frown of anger. “No! That’s not how this works! The engagement has to stand!” “Simple solution,” I said. “Valerie can just take both of them, can’t she?” Valerie’s face flushed. “You… what are you talking about?” Both men were devastatingly handsome—from the moment they walked in, Valerie hadn’t taken her eyes off them. My father looked contemplative. “You truly don’t want either of them?” “No, I have no interest in either of these men.” Both men turned to look at me at once. They seemed to be wondering what gave me the right to say such a thing. Julian Thorne’s gaze was more complicated—his pupils narrowing, as if his confusion went beyond just my words. I couldn’t read him, and I didn’t care to try. “Then can you guarantee your own safety?” I looked up, meeting my father’s gaze with calm resolve. “I can. Not only can I protect myself, but I can also become an asset to this family.” My father paused, clearly taken aback. “Your brother’s been struggling to secure that territory, hasn’t he? Let’s see what you can do.”
In my past life, all my focus had been on Julian Thorne. I’d even overlooked the true foundation of our family’s power: territory and influence. Valerie and I were different. Though my father claimed to treat us equally, the family’s most profitable territories and businesses always went straight to Valerie and my brother. My brother expanded our territory and solidified our reputation, with his businesses and income growing year after year. Valerie, just collecting her annual share of profits, earned enough to last several lifetimes. Meanwhile, I’d had to beg my father just to cover Julian Thorne’s medical bills. If I wanted to raise my status, I had to get my hands dirty—fight for it, take it for myself. My brother, who barely acknowledged his less-favored sister, didn’t even bother meeting with me. He just tossed me a run-down operation in some backwater district, told me to “figure it out myself,” and never asked about it again. I wasn’t angry. I took it over quietly, starting with restructuring—weeding out the disloyal and those colluding with outsiders. Step by step, I reclaimed territory that small gangs had taken over and reestablished order. In my past life, I never got to handle things like this. Now, doing it, I surprised myself with how naturally I handled street politics, balanced competing interests, and even outmaneuvered stronger opponents. After single-handedly taking down a troublesome rival gang from the next district—making them agree to pay protection fees and hand over two key intersections—my brother actually agreed to a formal meeting, which surprised everyone. He threw me a belated welcome party, three months late. He even handed over management of another chaotic waterfront area that connected to major smuggling routes. The family’s recent expansion had hit a wall, with several tough problems stalling progress. We needed someone to break the deadlock badly. Even though he favored Valerie, my proven skills and value meant he had to take me seriously. Slowly, my reputation in our circles even started to overshadow Valerie’s famous beauty. One day when I got home, Valerie stopped me. “Sera O’Connell, don’t you think you’re showing off too much?” I frowned. “You’re meddling in violent conflicts everywhere, putting yourself around ruthless thugs way too often. I’m not trying to put you down, but your success in such a short time is just luck—and those goons being idiots.” “What if you mess up later and provoke the wrong people? It would bring shame to the O’Connell name and could get us all in trouble.” “Besides, you already have that scar on your face. If you keep acting so tough, fighting men over territory, no guy will ever want you.” She then subtly glanced at Julian Thorne. I cut to the chase. “Are you afraid I’ll steal your thunder, Valerie? Or that I’ll claim power and profits that used to go only to you and my brother?” She froze. “Valerie, who do you think you are to tell me not to show off? The family’s pampered princess who just sits back and collects checks?” “You’re a beneficiary here. What gives you the right to look down on me for fighting while you enjoy your comfortable little life?” “Sera O’Connell, you…” Her eyes instantly welled up. But I didn’t let up. “Since you brought up the scar on my face, let me ask you: Have you forgotten what you did to me when I was ten?” “I was trying to protect you from an enemy. If you hadn’t pushed me, Valerie, I never would’ve fallen onto their blade—and this face wouldn’t be ruined.” Valerie covered her mouth, tears spilling onto her hands. “Save the tears. I’m the one who suffered and bled, not you. Go back to being your pampered princess.” I turned to leave. But she suddenly lunged forward, upset, trying to grab me to explain. The second our arms touched, her foot slipped, and she fell backward—tumbling down the winding staircase!
“Ah—!” A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the grand hall. Everything happened in a split second. Before I could react, I watched her tumble awkwardly to the stair landing, her arm sliced by shards of a broken vase—blood gushing instantly. Brandon Thorne and Julian Thorne came rushing over like lightning. “Valerie!” Brandon Thorne’s eyes widened in rage as he swept her into his arms. Julian Thorne quickly examined her wound, his movements surprisingly gentle yet urgent. He looked up at me, still standing on the stairs, his eyes full of shock and icy accusation. “Sera… I just wanted to hold you, to apologize… Why… why did you push me?” Valerie’s face was ashen, tears mixing with cold sweat, her voice weak and overwhelmed by incredible grievance. “I didn’t push her! She fell on her own!” I immediately shot back, but my heart sank. This scene was all too familiar—she’d used similar tricks to frame people in my past life. “We all saw it! Sera, you said those terrible things to Valerie, and she still tried to stop you and apologize—but you were so cruel to her!” Brandon Thorne held Valerie, his bloodshot eyes glaring at me like I was the most evil person on earth. Julian Thorne silently bandaged Valerie, but his silence was colder than any accusation. He believed her. “No, Brandon, Julian… don’t blame Sera…” Valerie leaned weakly in Brandon’s arms, her voice barely a whisper. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have made Sera angry… She didn’t mean it…” That performance sealed my “guilt.” My father rushed in at the commotion, only to find this scene: his oldest daughter covered in blood, weak and crying; both fiancés glaring at me; and me, standing on the stairs, “coldly” watching it all unfold. “Father, it’s not Sera’s fault—it was my own carelessness…” Valerie was still “kindly” trying to “excuse” me. My father’s face turned ashen. Finally, he waved a tired, disappointed hand. “Sera, you’ve disappointed me deeply! Go to West Hill Estate and stay there. You’re not to return without my permission!” West Hill Estate was a remote, dilapidated mansion the O’Connells used to punish wayward family members. Brandon Thorne carried Valerie off to the hospital. Julian Thorne, meanwhile, got stuck with “escorting” me to West Hill Estate. We didn’t say a word the whole drive. When we arrived at the eerily empty mansion, he finally spoke, his voice low: “You… should reflect here. Once Valerie’s injuries heal and she calms down, maybe…” “Maybe what?” I scoffed. “Maybe she’ll graciously forgive me? Julian Thorne, are you blind too?” He pressed his lips together, avoiding my gaze, and said nothing more. He turned and left, locking the heavy front gate behind him.
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