Chapter 1

1.

When the Moretti family was on the verge of collapse, the godfather, Angelo Moretti, came to my family personally with his wife to beg for help.

My father, Don Falcone, knew I had been obsessed with Sonny Moretti for a decade, so he finally agreed to the marriage.

He put up a hundred million dollars in cash and resources, saving the crumbling Moretti family and marrying me―his only daughter, Serena Falcone―off to their heir.

On our wedding night, Sonny covered my eyes with a rough black cloth.

Then, I went through hell.

A month later, I got a positive pregnancy test and went to find him, ecstatic. But at a private club he always went to, I overheard him talking to his men.

"Hey, guys, take a guess," Sonny said with a laugh. "Whose kid do you think is in Serena's belly? There were, what, a dozen of us that night?"

One of his men snickered. "Boss, I only went three times. Can't be mine, right?"

"I think Johnny went the hardest that night," another one chimed in. "He had the Falcone princess screaming her head off. I bet ten grand the kid is his!"

That’s when I knew. The men I was with on my wedding night weren't Sonny. It was a pack of his thugs.

I stormed in, demanding an explanation, but he just polished his glass, a smirk on his face. "What are you crying about? If the Falcones hadn't threatened us with that aid package, forcing Tina to leave town, you think I would have done this?"

"I'm telling you right now," he sneered, "the moment Tina forgives me is the moment I let you go."

My heart turned to ash. I demanded to annul the marriage, but he threatened me with the video from that night. He locked me in the wine cellar of his estate.

"Don't be in such a hurry to leave," he said. "Me and my boys still have a bet going on whose bastard that is!"

Eight months later, I died on the cold cellar floor from complications during a traumatic childbirth.

When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn.

I was back on the day Angelo Moretti came to my family’s home to ask for my hand in marriage for Sonny.

This time, on my wedding day, Sonny Moretti would be the one crying like an abandoned child.

…

"Serena, deep down, Sonny really cares for you. If you marry him, I know he'll be so happy."

I snapped back to reality and saw Mrs. Moretti looking at me with a sincere expression.

In a daze, I realized I had been given a second chance.

Mrs. Moretti gently took my hand, her smile warm. "My dear, I know you've loved Sonny for ten years. If our two families can form an alliance..."

I glanced at my parents. I could see the forced smiles on their faces.

They knew the Morettis were only here because their enemies had beaten them into a corner. They desperately needed the Falcone family's help.

But they also knew I loved Sonny Moretti to the bone.

They figured if they could make my dream come true while also strengthening our family's power, why not?

But now, all I wanted was for Sonny Moretti to die.

I collected myself and cut her off. "I refuse to marry Sonny Moretti."

As soon as I said it, every eye in the room locked onto me.

They couldn't believe it. Me, the girl who used to follow Sonny around like a puppy, was turning down this god-sent proposal.

Mrs. Moretti was stunned. "Serena, darling, did you and Sonny have a fight? Don't worry, I'll have him apologize to you as soon as I get home."

I shook my head. "That won't be necessary."

Angelo Moretti paused for a moment. "Is this about that girl, Tina?"

When I didn't answer, he sighed. "Tina is just an ordinary girl our family sponsors. Sonny only takes care of her because he feels sorry for her background."

"Don't worry," he promised. "I'll send her away as soon as I get back. I'll make sure she never appears in front of Sonny again."

He made the same promise in my last life. And all it got me was Sonny’s infinite hatred.

He was convinced I was the one who drove his pure, innocent Tina away.

That’s why he planned that wedding night "party" for me, to make me suffer the ultimate humiliation.

And when I found out the truth, he locked me in the cellar, forcing me to carry that child just to satisfy his twisted bet.

When my parents sensed something was wrong and sent people to the Moretti estate to find me, Sonny showed them the video from that night. His face was twisted with malice. "This is the precious daughter the Falcone family raised! Screwing around with all those men behind my back. What a whore!"

My parents were devastated after seeing the video. The grief made them both fall ill.

Sonny felt no guilt. He even brought Tina to see me, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "As soon as your old man kicks the bucket, I'm taking over the Falcone business. And I'm giving it all to Tina as compensation."

My world crumbled, and I died in complete despair.

The memory made my entire body tremble with rage.

"Sonny Moretti," I spat, "isn't worthy of me."

Angelo's face darkened. "The Moretti family may be in some trouble now, but if the Falcone family is willing to help, I guarantee your investment will see a double return!"

He wasn’t lying.

In my past life, my father's help brought the Moretti family back from the dead, making them even more powerful than before. Our family also profited immensely.

I had no intention of turning down good money.

"I will marry into the Moretti family," I said coldly. "But my husband won't be Sonny. It will be Marco Moretti."

The air in the room froze. Angelo shot to his feet. "You mean... Marco?!"

"His legs are useless! He's a cripple who can't even stand! Serena, you can't be serious?"

My father quickly tried to intervene. "Serena! Stop this nonsense!"

I gently patted my father's hand to calm him down.