Isabella’s POV

The next morning, I woke early and headed downstairs for breakfast.

As I walked down the hall, I caught Vivienne rushing to her room—her face a complete mess.

By the time I reached the dining hall, Julian and Sebastian were already seated at the table. Neither of them looked particularly well.

So something did happen between the three of them. And considering last night was supposed to be my trap—Vivienne had taken my place instead.

I wondered how they planned to deal with it now. And whether Vivienne would end up pregnant… just like I had.

“Bella!” Sebastian noticed me the moment I walked in, flashing his usual bright smile.

“You didn’t leave the manor after the party last night?” I asked.

The instant the words left my mouth, both Julian and Sebastian flushed red.

Julian cleared his throat. “We drank too much last night—”

Before he could finish, Vivienne walked in—composed, nothing like the wreck I saw in the hallway—and smoothly cut him off. “They were both very drunk. I left them in the guest room.”

“Alright,” I said, not pressing further.

As I sat down and began eating my toast, Vivienne spoke again. “I was thinking of going up to our usual villa today.”

Julian turned to me, wearing the same perfect-boyfriend smile. “What do you think? I thought it might be nice for us to go too. A short getaway—just a day or two—before your big birthday party.”

I remembered this.

In my last life, they’d made the same suggestion. Back then, I’d still been shaken, hungover from waking up between Julian and Sebastian. Julian had framed it as an escape from the chaos.

I’d agreed.

But I spent most of that trip asleep in the hotel room—while Vivienne, Julian, and Sebastian went out together.

At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it.

Now, everything felt different.

I wondered how much more had happened back then that I’d never noticed.

So I smiled—exactly as I had in my past life—and gave the same answer. “I’d love to.”

Vivienne visibly relaxed. “Wonderful.”

For the first time since being reborn, I’d be alone with the three people who had tormented me in my last life.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous.

But more important was playing dumb—letting them think I was still in the dark, just long enough to gather what I needed.

…

I packed a few dress and joined the three of them in the garage.

“How about you sit in the front?” Julian said, taking my hand, every inch the perfect fiancé. “Vivienne can take the back seat with me.”

He knew I got carsick. Sitting up front always helped.

I used to think his suggestion of this was about caring for me. Now I saw it clearly. Julian probably just wanted to be closer to Vivienne on this five-hour drive.

“Don’t worry,” Sebastian added, handing me a small pouch. “I also packed your motion sickness pills.”

What a considerate best friend.

Though after learning what Julian and Sebastian truly were, I couldn’t bring myself to take anything from them.

So when no one was looking, I tossed the pills away and got into the car.

I closed my eyes the moment Sebastian started driving, pretending to fall asleep just to avoid speaking to any of them.

Somewhere along the road, hushed voices reached me. I kept my eyes shut anyway.

Then Vivienne asked softly, “Are you sure she can’t hear us?”

“I gave her sleeping pills, not motion-sickness meds,” Sebastian replied calmly. “She’ll be out for at least ten hours. Like a dead elephant.”

So that was why I’d slept so deeply in my past life. My fingers slowly curled into a fist.

“We have to keep what happened last night a secret,” Vivienne said. “Julian. Sebastian. Am I clear?”

“I know, babe,” Julian replied easily. “Though I have to admit—it was exciting. First time we did it right in the Vale manor.”

Vivienne’s voice turned syrupy. “If this gets out, it’ll be the last time we ever do anything there. So keep it quiet. We can’t let Isabella suspect our relationship. Not until she announces she’s dropping out of the heir selection.”

Sebastian spoke next. “If nothing happened between Julian, me, and her, she won’t get pregnant. What else could we do?”

Julian hesitated. “Maybe I propose to her. She’s always wanted a peaceful life. She’s just torn about disappointing her father.”

“Cheap,” Vivienne scoffed. “Always thinking about men.”

Julian chuckled. “And you don’t?”

“Not as essentials,” she replied primly.

Then came the sound of kissing. Vivienne laughed. “Stop.”

“You’d better keep your voices down,” Sebastian warned. “She’s asleep, not dead.”

Vivienne laughed again—and I felt her move closer. She pinched my arm hard. I forced myself not to react.

“See?” she said lightly. “Nothing. Honestly, she’d better be dead. I can’t stand another day of her.”

The rest of the drive was filled with their laughter. And the occasional sound of them making out in the back seat.

My heart went colder with every mile.

If I hadn’t thrown away Sebastian’s pills—if I’d taken them like I did in my past life—I never would’ve heard any of this.

To think… in my last life, I’d slept in the front seat while my boyfriend and my stepsister fooled around behind me. And my best friend cheered them on.

Disgusting.

Isabella’s POV

As soon as we arrived at the villa, I took my room key and slipped inside without a word. When Julian knocked later and asked me to join them for dinner, I declined, saying I needed to rest.

“Please, Bella,” he said, stepping closer and reaching for my hand.

I shifted just enough to avoid his touch. Knowing he’d spent most of the drive kissing Vivienne made the thought of being near him unbearable.

“Come with us. I’ve prepared a big surprise for you.”

A big surprise. Was this the proposal he’d mentioned?

Proposing tonight would be rushed—but from their perspective, it made perfect sense. If Julian proposed now, I could announce our engagement at my birthday party. Everything would move faster.

Vivienne would being named the Don of Vale in three days and took over the entire family business.

Julian noticed my silence and frowned. “Bella?”

I looked up at him again and forced a small smile. “Alright,” I said. “I’ll go.”

…

When I stepped into the hotel restaurant, everything had been staged. From ceiling to floor, the place glowed with forced romance. Julian had clearly gone all out.

“You looked beautiful tonight, Bella.” Julian walked over me, smiling.

We sat down and began our so-called romantic dinner.

Right after dessert, a group of flower girls entered, singing and dancing. I widened my eyes, feigning surprise.

Julian smiled, stood, and walked to my side. He knelt and opened a velvet box.

“Will you marry me, Isabella Vale?”

I stared at the diamond, barely holding back a cold laugh. Instead of answering, I reached out, took the ring, and examined it closely.

Julian took that as a yes.

He looked ecstatic. And I didn’t correct him.

Back in the room, I went straight to the bed. Julian stayed with me at first. I pretended to fall asleep, and sure enough, moments later, I heard the door open and quietly close again.

The instant he was gone, I sat up and reached for my phone.

Before dinner with Julian, I’d slipped into Vivienne’s room across the hall and planted two hidden cameras. It would’ve been foolish to think they wouldn’t do something interesting tonight. I wanted proof—not just for them, but for myself. Proof that I hadn’t imagined any of it.

The moment the live feed came on, my suspicions were confirmed.

Vivienne was on the bed—with Julian and Sebastian.

Last night hadn’t scared them at all. If anything, it had only made them bolder.

Vivienne lay between them, loud and unrestrained. They moved together shamelessly, as if no one else existed.

I thought watching this would break me. That seeing my boyfriend and my best friend betray me so openly would hurt.

But all I felt was relief.

I hadn’t been wrong.

They really had gone behind my back. Turned me into a joke.

Only now, the joke was on them.

I didn’t watch until the end. I saved the footage and shut the feed down.

It was nearly three in the morning when Julian finally slipped back into the room and climbed into bed beside me.

I clenched my teeth, forcing myself not to move.

Just two more days, Bella. You can endure this.

…

When I woke up, Julian was already dressed.

“Vivienne wants to go shopping for your birthday present today,” he said casually. “Feel like tagging along?”

“Sure.” I agreed even though I tried to vomit when I saw Julian’s face.

Vivienne looked extra energetic today. Probably because last night’s proposal had reassured her— or maybe it was the way Julian and Sebastian had soothed her, with their bodies.

Either way, she looked smug. Practically glowing. Like the world already belonged to her.

Inside a luxury boutique, Vivienne’s gaze locked onto a diamond necklace.

I cleared my throat. “Is that the gift you’re planning to give me for my birthday?”

Her smile flickered. Julian shot her a quick look before she recovered.

“Yes,” she said lightly. “Do you like it?”

I glanced at the price tag—six zeros.

Could Vivienne really afford it? And even if she could… would she spend that much on me?

Well, that was exactly what made it irresistible.

“I love it,” I said softly. “It would go perfectly with the ring.”

The implication landed perfectly.

Vivienne didn’t hesitate again.

After all, she believed she would soon be the Don of Vale.

“Wrap it up,” she said. “I’ll write a check.” She pulled out the Vale checkbook and signed her name. The sales associate beamed.

If only Vivienne knew.

She would never become the Don. And soon, she wouldn’t even belong to the Vale.

Would she still be smiling then?

Isabella’s POV

After returning to the manor, the agency delivered their findings on Julian, Vivienne, and Sebastian.

Julian and Vivienne had started sleeping together nearly a year ago. Since then, they’d met behind my back countless times—taking trips funded by my family, exchanging confidential information, and letting Julian into Vale business matters he should never have known.

One report stood out. Three months earlier, a major deal between the Vale family and another powerful house had collapsed at the last minute. My father believed the other Don had simply backed out.

The truth was uglier. Vivienne had leaked our pricing to Julian. He’d used it to undercut the deal—negotiating for his own benefit.

There was one thing my father would never forgive: betrayal of the family’s business. That was part of the reason he’d asked me to choose—marriage or inheritance. If I married Julian, I would no longer be a Vale. I would have to step away from everything.

If my father learned that Vivienne had been feeding family secrets to an outsider, he wouldn’t hesitate to cast her out.

As for Sebastian—he and Vivienne went way back. He’d actually been her boyfriend, long before her mother married my father.

Suddenly, everything made sense.

The best friend I thought I had was nothing more than a careful manipulator. The boyfriend I loved had been cheating on me with my stepsister. And the sister I had welcomed with open arms—trusted, defended, loved—was a monster. Taking the Don’s seat wasn’t enough for her. She wanted me destroyed. Miserably.

Knowing the truth didn’t shake me. It only steadied me.

With every ugly detail laid bare now, I would move forward with my plan—more determined than ever.

…

I spent the next day buried in back‑to‑back meetings with family lawyers and my father’s most trusted men—learning what it truly meant to become the Don and catching up on the latest Vale affairs.

Vivienne, meanwhile, was indulging in something very different.

She went on a shopping spree, fully convinced the family fortune already belonged to her.

That wasn’t all.

She went as far as hosting a private gambling night inside the Vale manor itself.

I wasn’t invited. I was told I needed to “prepare for the party.” That I didn’t need to worry about things that weren’t my concern.

But I still slipped out anyway and made my way toward the room where it was happening. I didn’t even get close before I heard Vivienne’s voice.

“Not again,” she pouted. “I’ve lost almost a million tonight. I can’t be this unlucky.”

A man chuckled. “If you don’t want to pay a million, we can settle the debt another way.”

Vivienne laughed lightly. “Please. I know your little kink. You like tying women up and watching them suffer. I’m not into that.”

His voice dropped. “Then you’d better pay before we leave this house tonight.”

Vivienne didn’t sound worried. “I didn’t say the other way wouldn’t work. I have a stepsister—Isabella. Have you met her?”

Another man snorted. “You mean that Bella who follows Julian around like a crazy fangirl?”

“That’s the one,” Vivienne said without hesitation. “I can deliver her to you.”

“For real?” The first man laughed, low and ugly. “The Don would let you hand over his daughter?”

“The Don?” Vivienne scoffed. “I am the Don of Vale. If she—or her sick father—objects, what can they do about it?”

The man laughed again. “She’ll do. But you knew me—I like my women powerless. What’s the word for liking them… disabled?”

“Abasiophilia?” Vivienne laughed. “That can be arranged. When I deliver her to you, she’ll be exactly how you want.”

Julian smirked. “Perfect. It’ll make it easier to keep her in line later. Where else could she go without us?”

I held my breath.

'Exactly how he wanted.’ Disabled. Broken. Their words sent cold straight through me.

“How do you plan to pull that off?” the man asked.

Vivienne smiled, cool and composed. “A little accident here and there should do the trick.”

I quietly stepped back and returned to my room, forcing myself to breathe steadily.

Facing Vivienne always made me uneasy—not because I was weak, but because I could never be as cruel as she was.

For a moment, I considered going to my father.

Then I stopped myself. I couldn’t afford to lose control now. I was strong enough to deal with her and whatever she planned to pull next. I just had to be more cautious from now on.

…

The next day, in broad daylight, Vivienne showed up at my door and suggested we go horseback riding. It had always been my thing.

But this invitation didn’t feel like a friendly gesture. It felt like the setup—the kind of “accident” she mentioned last night.

Vivienne smiled, looping her arm through mine. “I thought, at the very least, we could do something fun today. Something you enjoy—before your big day tomorrow.”

If she wanted a show, I could give her one.

I wore my most innocent smile. “Sure.”

When we arrived at the ranch, my usual horse was gone—missing, they said. Instead, another horse was brought out and handed over to me.

He was untrained—probably just another piece in the setup.

But Vivienne underestimated my skills. It took less than half an hour before the horse settled beneath me, responsive and calm. Almost sweet.

Just as I guided him along the lakeside, a loud bang split the air.

The horse spooked, bolting into a wild sprint. I steadied myself, murmuring softly, doing everything I could to calm him.

By the time I fell, his pace had already slowed. I wasn’t hurt. But I still screamed—for the performance.

Sure enough, Vivienne came running. Her face was painted with worry, but beneath it… I saw it.

The excitement. The smug little sneer she tried to hide.

At the hospital, when doctor asked about what happened.

“It was just an accident,” Vivienne cried, voice trembling. “You have to save my sister. She just got engaged. She’s so young…”

I wasn’t nearly as injured as she made it sound.

When the doctor wheeled me toward the imaging room, I caught his attention and quietly spoke.

“Whatever she says,” I told him, “just tell her I can’t feel anything below my ankle. That I’ll never stand or walk again.”

He hesitated, confused.

I explained calmly that today hadn’t been an accident. That my fall was, but everything else wasn’t. It would be better for everyone if this stayed quiet. I even mentioned compensation.

When the doctor delivered the news, that unmistakeable excitement lit up in Vivienne’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Bella,” she sobbed dramatically. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be spending your birthday in a wheelchair.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “It’s fine,” I said gently. “You couldn’t have known.”

“True,” Vivienne said, clearing her throat. “But look on the bright side—Julian won’t think any less of you. And since you’ll be marrying him soon…”

I looked at the flawless performance unfolding in front of me and thought—bravo. Few people could be as convincing as Vivienne.

Still, I hoped she’d be just as happy on my birthday.

After all, the old saying goes—you shouldn’t get too cocky too soon. You never know what’s coming next.