When we reached the garage, Marcus Black and Damian Knight were both eager to open the passenger door for Elena Rivers, each trying to outdo the other.

Elena Rivers feigned hesitation, glancing at me with an air of fake discomfort.

"Aren’t the passenger seats just for you, Amara?" she said, her voice dripping with feigned sweetness.

"If I sit there, wouldn’ Amaraget upset?" she added, throwing a smug look between the two of them.

Marcus Black was the first to act, quickly pushing Elena Rivers into the passenger seat.

“She doesn’t mind... She’s the calmest one,” Marcus said with a forced smile.

Damian Knight shot him a vexed look, slamming the car door shut, clearly frustrated.

It wasn't until the car was about to start that both men realized I hadn’t gotten in yet.

They rolled down the window, glancing at each other awkwardly, unsure of how to explain.

“It’s fine, I’ll just drive my own car,” I replied, not bothering to hide the indifference in my voice.

Upon hearing this, they both sighed in unison, relieved but still perplexed by my odd behavior.

“Amara…” they both called in unison.

I rolled up the window, not wanting to hear their insincere words.

But the scenery on the way made me reflect on many unforgettable memories.

The three of us had grown up together as childhood friends.

Our families had long been vying for me to marry into either of their households.

But everything changed when my parents died in an accident, leaving my grandmother and me to depend on each other.

An old woman and a young girl, alone in a world that was filled with predators, trying to hold up a crumbling family.

I threw myself into my studies, determined to take on the family business one day.

Elena Rivers, on the other hand, came from a poor background and wasn’t well-liked in school.

When I learned she was also an orphan, I felt pity for her and extended a hand of friendship.

I sponsored her schooling and encouraged her to endure with me through the hardships.

But to my dismay, she took my kindness as charity, jealousy seething within her for everything I had.

She used every trick in the book to seduce my two childhood friends, turning them against me.

Together, they shattered my life.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at our destination.

The events from earlier seemed to have unsettled Marcus and Damian, who both rushed to open the car door for me and grab my bag.

“Amara, look,” Marcus said, his voice thick with nostalgia.

“This is the old vineyard by the hills—the place we used to sneak into as kids. Damian and I bought the land and turned it into our private retreat.”

Damian nodded, clearly proud.

“I even had jasmine planted everywhere. You always loved how romantic it smelled. By next year, the whole vineyard will be wrapped in it.”

“We’ll come back here together,” they said with easy smiles, as if the future had already been written.

“Late at night. Just us. Watching the stars.”

I said nothing, only stood there, staring at the rows of vines stretching into the distance.

This place had once been our secret refuge, tucked away from the world, filled with memories that used to feel warm and safe.

But there was something they had never known.

I had never loved jasmine.

In fact, I was allergic to it—

the very scent they associated with romance, devotion, and love.

Lost in thought, I noticed a dazzling display of fireworks lighting up the sky above.

The colorful explosions seemed to spell out my name, a dazzling illusion in the night sky.

In the midst of this dreamlike scene, Marcus Black pulled out a family heirloom and presented it to me.

“Amara,” Marcus said quietly, opening the velvet box in his palm.

Inside lay a ring—dark, understated, unmistakably powerful. The Black family crest was engraved on the inner band.

“This ring has been passed down through generations of my family,” he said. “It belongs to the future Donna of the Black family. My parents entrusted it to me years ago.”

His gaze never left mine. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment to give it to you.”

Damian stepped forward, his voice sharper, more urgent.

“Amara, don’t you remember the night you nearly drowned?” he said. “I went into that river knowing I might not come back. I’d give my life for you without hesitation—this ring is nothing compared to that.”

In my past life, I had been fooled by devotion that looked this sincere.

Back then, I truly believed we were bound together by fate—that growing up side by side meant we were destined for the same ending.

That my grandmother, the Black family, and I would always remain together.

It wasn’t until the day I died that I finally understood the truth.

Their so-called devotion had only ever been a performance.

I inhaled slowly, preparing to refuse.

That was when Elena Rivers suddenly spoke.

“Amara,” she said softly, her gaze flicking to the ring in Marcus’s hand before dropping away. For a split second, jealousy flashed through her eyes—then she looked wounded.

“Why would you tell people that I was the one spreading rumors online… saying you slept your way into everything you have?”

She took a step closer, her voice trembling just enough to be heard.

“Everyone’s attacking me now. They’re saying I’m the one who dragged your name through the mud, that I tried to destroy you.”

Marcus’s expression darkened.

Damian’s jaw tightened.

Elena lifted her phone and turned the screen toward them.

Messages. Posts. Anonymous accusations—framed neatly, selectively.

“I never did any of that,” she whispered. “I thought we were friends.”

The air shifted.

In that moment, I knew exactly what she was doing.

Before I could reject the ring, she had made sure they saw me not as the girl they wanted to crown as Donna—

but as someone capable of betraying a friend to protect herself.

And once again, they chose to believe her.

On the school’s website, hundreds of comments were accusing me of shamelessly using my body to get into college.

A few comments defending me were twisted in Elena’s words as proof that I had attacked her.

Damian Knight snatched the phone from her hand, his face flushed with anger.

“Amara, how could you do this? If you’re reckless, that’s one thing, but why drag Elena into it?” he scolded.

Marcus Black, more composed but no less stern, gave me a look of accusation.

I swallowed the accusation whole.

Forcing my emotions down, I said evenly,

“I didn’t do it. If you don’t believe me, then investigate it yourselves.”

Neither of them listened.

Instead, they both turned to Elena Rivers at once.

“Elena, don’t worry,” Marcus said, already pulling out his phone. “I’ll have our PR team take care of this. Nothing that touches my family’s name lasts long.”

Damian’s voice softened as well.

“Come with us. Christie’s has a private evening auction tonight. You like those pieces, don’t you? I’ll make sure you get whatever catches your eye.”

They closed in around her instinctively—shielding her, guiding her away—

and left without sparing me a single glance.

I drew in a slow breath, watching the remnants of fireworks drift down like ash.

After everything I had lived through—after facing death itself—

what were these petty wounds worth?

At least I was still alive.

And this time, a new life—and a future untouched by them—was waiting for me.

I wanted to drive myself home, but then I remembered that Damian Knight was the one who had carried my bag.

Reluctantly, I had no choice but to catch up with the three of them.

As I passed a cluster of trees, I heard Damian Knight’s irritated voice.

“Elena, baby, how much longer are we going to keep pretending? I can’t take it anymore. Amara’s been acting so wild lately, who knows what kind of disease she’s hiding.”

“Amara’s such a fool, she can’t even tell the difference between real valuables and fakes. No wonder some old man could trick her into bed with a few words. A person like that doesn’t deserve to be the future lady of the Black family. Elena, the real family heirloom ring should only be for you.”

Elena Rivers looked at the two men with an innocent, almost pitiable expression.

“Amara has done many bad things, but she has been kind to me. How could I just ignore her? If you don’t do what I say, I’ll never talk to you again!”

At the sound of her ultimatum, both of the high and mighty men immediately became apologetic, bowing to her with humility.

It was as if they were willing to trample on me just to elevate her.

Years of shared friendship couldn’t match the few manipulative words of Elena Rivers.

I fought back the tears, turning away.

Under the endless night sky, I walked home with exhaustion weighing heavily on my shoulders.

By the time I reached home, my previously twisted ankle had swollen to an alarming size.

Grandma was heartbroken when she saw me. She immediately helped me sit down and gently examined the bruise, pressing a cold compress against it with careful hands.

Not wanting her to worry any more than she already was, I told her I’d been accepted into university.

My Amara, you’re really doing great! I’m old now, and it’s only you who can carry the Luciano family's future.”

I nodded through my tears.

“It’s been so many years, and finally, the Luciano family has some good news. Grandma’s going to throw you a big celebration banquet!”

Her smile, warm and full of pride, reminded me so much of the day she sent me off to my wedding in my past life.

Back then, she believed I had found a good man, and her heart was full of joy.

But it was that joy that was shattered when Marcus Black abandoned me at the altar, causing Grandma to die from the shock on the day of my wedding.

Now that I was reborn, I swore I would not let history repeat itself.

With Grandma no longer able to manage large social affairs, the responsibility of hosting the celebration banquet fell to me.

I made sure it was executed with precision—grand enough to showcase the Luciano family’s influence, wealth, and standing in our world.

When the two childhood friends heard about it, they both rushed to offer their help.

They even brought a limited-edition pastry from a renowned patisserie—something I had loved when I was younger—offering it as an apology.

“Amara,” Marcus said cautiously, “have you been upset these past few days… because of what happened?”

“We didn’t mean to blame you. We’re just worried you’ll go down the wrong path. After all, for people like us, our reputation is everything.”

I didn’t forgive them, but I allowed them to stay and help.

They owed me too much in my past life.

No amount of resentment could undo the harm they caused.

All I wanted this time around was for us to never cross paths again.

After my parents passed away, the Luciano family had fallen into disarray.

Our once-proud household now stood in ruins, a shadow of its former self.

But now, with a single move, I had raised the Luciano family from the ashes, signaling to everyone that the family still had a future, and no longer was it a target for anyone’s mockery or scorn.

That’s why Grandma placed so much importance on the banquet—it had to be perfect, not a single detail could be overlooked.

The night of the banquet arrived, and the venue was filled with influential figures from all corners of the Luciano family’s network: high-ranking mafia members, influential businessmen, political figures with ties to the family, and trusted allies who had proven their loyalty over the years.

Every single person in the room had a role to play—some were there to honor the family, others to forge deeper alliances, and a few to demonstrate their unwavering loyalty to the Luciano legacy.

Elena Rivers, in a high-end gown, walked in behind the two childhood friends, her steps full of grace and arrogance.

She looked around at the lavish venue, her eyes filled with jealousy.

“Amara’s life is so fortunate,” she muttered under her breath.

“Though you were born into privilege and excelled in your studies, what does it matter? I have ways to make you suffer through this life, making it worse than death!”

The moment her words fell, the grand screen in the hall flashed with images of me.

One by one, photos of me, naked and in compromising positions with various men, appeared on the screen.

“Guess the rumors are true—Amara must’ve slept her way into college. It all makes sense now.”

These taunts and whispers were all too familiar. I’d endured them twice before.

Once was at my wedding, when Marcus Black had publicly abandoned me for Elena Rivers, causing my grandmother’s heart to fail at the altar.

The Luciano family became the laughingstock of the city.

The second time was at my funeral.

Before my body had even been laid to rest, Damian Knight was already kneeling before Elena Rivers—right there at my funeral—sliding a ring onto her finger as if my entire life had been nothing more than a prelude to their happiness.

The images on the screen kept changing.

I forced myself to look away and turned to Grandma.

Her breathing had grown shallow, each inhale trembling. Her eyes were red, fixed on the photos as though they were knives carving into her chest.

How could this still be happening?

I had relived this life once already.

I had checked every detail, retraced every step—again and again.

And yet, she had still succeeded.

Elena Rivers had still managed to frame me.

“My Amara would never do such a thing!” Grandma cried, her voice breaking.

Panic surged through me. I grabbed at the people around us, begging them to help me get her to the hospital.

But one by one, they stepped back.

No one wanted to be associated with a woman they now whispered about—a woman already marked as tainted.

In the end, it was Marcus Black and Damian Knight who emerged from the crowd.

Marcus took the wheel.

Damian and I supported Grandma between us, rushing her into the car and speeding toward the hospital.

As the city lights blurred past the window, only one thought echoed in my mind:

No matter how many times I tried to escape it,

fate always seemed to circle back to the same ending.

“Good thing we made it in time. A little longer, and we might’ve lost her,” the doctor said as we entered the emergency room.

I quickly thanked the doctor, my heart racing.

We stayed by Grandma’s bedside while I reviewed the surveillance footage from the hospital.

Sure enough, Elena Rivers was the one who had switched the photos.

Every single one was a fake, digitally altered.

I grabbed the footage and was about to call the police when the two childhood friends stopped me.

“It’s just a joke, Amara. Don’t overreact. You know what you’re doing could ruin Elena,” Damian Knight said with a condescending smile.

I froze, unable to comprehend.

“And what about me? What about my grandmother, who almost died? Doesn’t that matter?

Damian Knight quickly shielded Elena Rivers with his body, shoving me away with force.

“Enough, Amara! Your grandmother is fine, so stop making a scene! If rumors spread, it's because you must have done something shameful for them to come out in the first place!”

By now, their words didn’t hurt anymore.

I numbly pushed them aside, but Marcus Black grabbed my wrist, his expression cold and calculating.

“Amara, don’t make things harder than they already are. You know well the power our families have. No lawyer will dare take your case.”

When I resisted, Marcus Black tightened his grip.

“Don’t forget—your grandmother’s life is still in my hands. With just one word, I can have the doctors stop treating her.”

He then dialed a number and coldly began counting.

“Three.”

“Two.”

“I’m sorry! I’ll give it to you!”

I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face.

I couldn’t do it.

I couldn’t risk my grandmother’s life…

Damian Knight snatched my phone from me and smashed it to the ground. The pieces flew, and one of the shards cut my skin.

He glared at me coldly. “As long as we’re here, you will never harm Elena.”

I collapsed onto the floor, my body trembling.

As their figures disappeared, the pain in my heart finally erupted, and I cried with all my might.

The promises of youth were lies.

The bond of childhood friendship was a lie.

Only the hurt, the betrayal, was real.

I don’t know how long I stayed there, but eventually, I returned to the hospital, lifeless and broken.

I was terrified that Marcus Black and Damian Knight would sabotage Grandma’s recovery, so I stayed with her, not leaving her side for days.

During this time, Elena Rivers kept sending me messages.

The two childhood friends took her everywhere—

private island getaways, front-row seats at invitation-only galas, late-night yacht cruises beneath foreign skylines.

They did all the things we had once whispered about and planned together,

the things that were always postponed, always someday—

and turned them into memories with her instead.

I blocked his number.

When I looked up, I saw two men standing beside Grandma’s hospital bed. At the sound of my footsteps, they straightened and bowed politely.

“Amara,” one of them said, “we’re medical staff sent by Princeton University. You can rest assured—during your time away, we’ll be responsible for your grandmother’s care and safety.”

For the first time since my rebirth, something inside me loosened.

This was hope.

I finally understood—I hadn’t come back only to relive the same ending.

This life was already different.

I had changed Grandma’s fate.

I had broken free from the ending where she died alone and unprotected.

And I had escaped the future where I was nothing more than a tool, used and discarded by the boys I once trusted.

The moment had come for me to leave.

My ties to this place had been cut clean. The next chapter of my life was already unfolding.

I returned to the Luciano family home and began to clear it out.

Anything that reminded me of Marcus Black or Damian Knight was thrown away.

Letters. Gifts. Traces of promises that had never truly been meant for me.

Everything that bound me to the past, I discarded without hesitation.

Each item left behind marked the end of a life shaped by betrayal, manipulation, and plans that had never included my happiness.

Then I boarded a plane.

I didn’t look back.

Marcus Black and Damian Knight were no longer my refuge— and they never would be again.

From this moment on, I would rely on myself alone.