I am the only daughter of the Milton family—a title worth billions, and a childhood haunted by three kidnappings.

To keep me safe, my father assigned me a hundred bodyguards. Even going to school required an escort of three bulletproof cars.

“Choose a husband—someone who can stay by your side day and night,” my father said.

Without hesitation, I chose the gentlest one among them, Wyatt. But on the day of our wedding, he suddenly dismissed all my bodyguards.

I was kidnapped and tied to a rooftop, with a cold blade pressed against my neck.

On the other end of the phone, Wyatt sneered, "Aubrey, are you trying to be funny? You bullied Olivia with gangsters—she’s the real victim here! Who are you putting on this act for?"

"I only assigned your bodyguards to protect her 24/7. Now, you will feel what it's like to live in fear."

I counted the chimes from the rooftop clock.

With each passing hour, I lost a finger.

By the final hour, my blood had drained, and so had the life in me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I had to choose my husband.

In my father's hand were still those eight photographs.

This time, I didn’t hesitate. My fingers brushed past Wyatt’s warm, gentle face and pointed directly at the corner photo—the one with a roguish smile and a devil-may-care expression.

But my father said, “That man is already dead.”

——

I stared at the eight photographs in his hand. Without a second thought, my finger bypassed Wyatt’s face and landed on the man with sun-kissed skin and a crooked grin.

Dad was stunned. “Aubrey, weren’t you always fond of Wyatt? Why choose Aidan?”

I clenched my fist so tightly my nails dug into my palm.

Aidan, the notorious playboy of Brooklyn's elite circles—excelled in sports, tanned from years of racetrack sun, a regular at clubs, always surrounded by flashy women.

My father disapproved of him and had exiled him to some remote mountain village to keep him out of sight.

But I remembered.

In my past life, when I lay bleeding on that rooftop, the last thing I saw before I jumped was Aidan—rushing toward me like a madman, panic and heartbreak written all over his face.

"I want him," I whispered, my voice trembling.

My father frowned and pulled out his phone to search his contacts, only to freeze awkwardly.

He didn’t even have Aidan’s number saved.

What a joke. These eight men were all his adopted "sons," but Aidan didn’t even merit a name in his contact list.

The assistant called back quickly.

“Chairman, Aidan passed away last month in a landslide while stationed in Green Belt Village.”

My father sighed. “Aubrey, choose someone else. Wyatt—”

“I’m done choosing,” I cut him off, standing abruptly, my throat tightened. “If I can’t have him, I don’t want anyone.”

In my past life, those so-called “brothers” were either falling over themselves to please Wyatt’s cousin or coldly watching me suffer.

Now, with this second chance at life, I would rather die alone than let their fake kindness stab me in the back again.

I stumbled out of the office, my mind replaying Aidan’s final expression over and over.

If even he was gone, who in this world would ever risk everything for me again?

Suddenly, a cold hand clamped around my wrist.

I looked up, and saw it was Wyatt.

Olivia stood beside him, her slender figure leaning softly against his, tears still glistening in the corners of her eyes like she'd suffered some great injustice.

Wyatt’s expression was gentle, but his words were blunt. “Aubrey, Olivia’s health isn’t good. Your hot spring villa is just sitting there empty—let her use it to recuperate for a few days. She’s not sleeping well and has a persistent cough.”

If it was before, I would have undoubtedly softened and agreed.

But this time, I merely gave them a cold glance.

“I don’t agree.”

Then I pulled out my phone and called my assistant. “Lock the villa. Don’t let any random people sneak in.”

Wyatt's expression darkened instantly.

“Aubrey!”

He grabbed my wrist with a force so strong it hurt.

“She’s my cousin—your future family. Can’t you just be reasonable?”

I let out a cold laugh and yanked my hand free.

“Who said I’m family with any of you?”

His pupils dilated, as if struck by my words.

“You're throwing a tantrum over a hair clip? Olivia borrowed it, so what? Your jewelry fills an entire room—what’s the big deal if she wore one?”

Right on cue, Olivia began to sob.

Tears trembled at the edge of her lashes, threatening to fall.

“Wyatt, it’s fine... Miss Milton clearly looks down on me. I shouldn’t have asked—I never deserved it...”

I couldn’t be bothered to watch them act out their little play any longer.

“I said no, and I meant it.” With that, I turned and left.

Back in my room, I threw the covers over myself and tried to sleep.

The dizziness from being reborn still churned in my head, until a piercing phone ring startled me awake.

“Miss!” My assistant’s panicked voice came through, choking with tears.

“Sir Wyatt broke into the villa with Miss Smith! I tried to stop them, but the bodyguards all listened to him—”

I shot upright in bed.

The memory of my past kidnapping flashed before my eyes—those very same bodyguards had followed Wyatt’s orders without hesitation, leaving me alone in the hands of the kidnappers.

When I rushed to the villa, a bodyguard had the audacity to block my path.

“Miss Milton, Sir Wyatt said no one is allowed to disturb—”

SLAP!

My hand struck his face with a loud crack.

“You eat my food but take orders from someone else?” My body trembled with rage. “Get lost!”

I stormed into the inner chamber, and the sight before me froze my blood.

Steam curled around the hot spring.

Olivia leaned languidly against the edge of the pool, her skin was flushed unnaturally pink.

“Wyatt, I feel so dizzy...” she murmured.

Before she could finish, her body went limp and slipped under the water.

Without hesitation, Wyatt jumped in and scooped her up.

Droplets slid down his tense jawline, dripping onto her bare shoulder.

“Wyatt,” I said coldly, “I told you—you’re not welcome here.”

At that instant, he froze, while Olivia trembled faintly in his arms.

“Aubrey!” His voice wavered with panic, quickly replaced by anger. “Why are you being so aggressive? She nearly passed out! Must you be so cruel?”

Suddenly, Olivia wriggled free and dropped to her knees before me with a loud thud, her forehead hitting the floor hard.

“I’m sorry, Miss Milton! It’s all my fault!” Blood streaked down her pale face.

Then, she lunged forward and clung to my leg—only to suddenly flail backward and fall back into the water like she’d been pushed.

“Help! I’m cramping—help!” she screamed, thrashing in the water.

Once again, Wyatt jumped in and hauled her out.

When he looked at me, his eyes were filled with disgust. “Aubrey, you’ve gone too far.”

Then he shoved me hard—straight into the pool.

BANG!

My arm slammed into the edge of the pool, pain bursting through me in a wave of bruises.

“If you keep bullying Olivia,” he said icily, holding her trembling figure close, “I won’t marry you.”

I clawed my way out of the pool, soaked and humiliated.

Watching their retreating backs, I spat out, “Everyone who let them in today—you're all fired!”

As I changed out of my wet clothes, my assistant rushed in, breathless.

“Miss Milton! We found a lead on Aidan!”

That night, I left for Green Belt Village immediately.

The rain poured relentlessly, turning the washed-out mountain roads into a muddy trap.

Just as I settled down in the town, a pair of strong hands suddenly grabbed me, and I was yanked into a dark alley.

A warm, calloused palm clamped tightly over my mouth.

I looked up in alarm—and locked eyes with a gaze as bright as the stars.

“Aidan?!” I gasped.

He quickly let go of me, his face turning crimson under the mask.

“Miss Milton, what are you doing in a place like this...?”

“You’re supposed to be dead!” My voice trembled with disbelief.

He scratched the back of his head, revealing a charming little canine tooth as he smiled sheepishly.

“There was a mole in our operation here. I faked my death during the landslide to smoke him out.”

“You know how to pull stunts like that?” I was genuinely surprised.

But his smile dimmed in an instant. “Did I... disappoint you? Have you always thought I was just a fool?”

A sudden ache stabbed my heart.

I grabbed his hand urgently and said, “Listen! You must come back before the 8th—for the wedding.”

He froze, and his gaze darkened. “Of course. I’ll be there—for your wedding.”

“You idiot,” I stomped my foot in frustration, “I meant I want to marry you—”

“Boss! The mole’s on the run!” A shout came from the alley entrance.

Aidan quickly stepped back. “This place isn’t safe, Miss Milton. Go back for now. I promise—I’ll be there for the wedding.”

Then, without another word, he disappeared into the shadows of the alleyway.

I stood there, stunned, emotions surging in waves.

In my past life, he was the one I paid the least attention to among the eight “sons” my father raised.

Everyone said he was all brawn and no brain, spending his time in clubs and racetracks.

Unlike Wyatt, always calm and composed in tailored suits, gold-rimmed glasses framing his perfect strategies.

But now I realized—those “minor roles” and “dirty work” had always gone to Aidan.

The most dangerous dealings, the messiest connections—how could anyone manage those without real skill?

On the way back, I had a new digital wedding invitation made and sent it to him.

It wasn’t until the middle of the night that my phone lit up with a message.

[Miss Milton, you wrote the groom’s name wrong. Please fix it.]

The typing indicator blinked for a long time before he added.

[Don’t worry. I’ll definitely be at the wedding.]

I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

There was no way he’d believe me now. I’d explain everything in person when he returned.

Meanwhile, my phone buzzed nonstop with messages from Wyatt.

[Olivia deserves your apology.]

[Stop being so childish.]

I opened the thread and, without hesitation, deleted his contact.

Knowing Aidan was alive—and far more capable than anyone ever gave him credit for—filled me with a renewed sense of clarity.

I began preparing for the wedding in earnest.

That day, I pushed open the glass door of a bridal boutique—and was instantly hit by the overwhelming stench of cheap perfume.

“Wyatt~ do I look good in this?” Olivia’s sugary-sweet voice rang, making my skin crawl.

She was wearing my wedding dress—the custom gown my mother had commissioned for me—twirling in front of the mirror, admiring herself.

Wyatt stood beside her, gazing at her with gentle eyes. “Olivia, you look beautiful in anything.”

“Stop it~ You’re such a charmer, Wyatt~” She giggled, spinning again as her cheap perfume thickened the air.

I forced myself to swallow the fury rising in my chest and walked toward them.

The moment Wyatt saw me, his face stiffened.

He instinctively stepped in front of Olivia, his voice laced with forced calm. “Aubrey, don’t misunderstand. Olivia’s health isn’t good. She might not make it to see the wedding. She just wanted to experience what it felt like to wear a wedding dress—”

Olivia started coughing delicately.

I cut him off, my voice was like ice. “Take. It. Off.”

Her eyes immediately welled with tears. “I’m sorry, Miss Milton... I was just... so jealous of you.”