I've taken three knife blows and a bullet for Isabella Thornton. I'm one of the top bodyguards in the business.

My younger brother always trails behind her, cracking jokes. He's nothing more than a tagalong.

I've always believed my loyalty and scars are all she has to feel safe.

Then, the unthinkable happens—the three of us are kidnapped, and the kidnappers say only two of us can walk free.

Isabella doesn't hesitate. She looks me straight in the eye and says, "You stay. My dad will give your family double the compensation. But Jasper has to come with me."

Jasper Meyer is my younger brother.

That's when I realize that his daily little gestures and playful teasing have already won her heart.

Now reborn, I find myself back on the day the Thornton family is selecting their bodyguards.

"Damien Meyer, you're the one."

An aged yet powerful voice pulled me back from the endless darkness.

Before me was Thornton Estate's indoor training facility. The one speaking was none other than the family patriarch, Elliot Thornton.

That was when I realized—I had been reborn.

Around me, dozens of elite operatives stood in the same black training uniform. We'd been sent by major security companies across the country, each one a top contender for the job.

I stood there, caught in my thoughts, and didn't move when I was supposed to.

The hall grew tense as everyone turned to stare, their faces full of curiosity and confusion.

"Wait!" A clear, urgent female voice sliced through the stillness in the training hall.

The training hall doors flew open, and Isabella Thornton rushed in, slightly out of breath. Her gaze swept past everyone and settled on me. Panic and something darker, almost like fear, flickered in her eyes.

"Grandpa, I don't want him." She pointed at me, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm choosing Jasper as my personal bodyguard."

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

I saw the urgency in her eyes and suddenly smiled. So… she had returned too.

In my past life, Elliot had glanced at me and made his choice. Isabella had stood silently by, accepting it without a word. She treated me like her sharpest weapon. For five years, I was her shadow, shielding her from every threat, seen and unseen.

I thought those five years of loyalty, of standing by her side, would've warmed her heart. But in the face of life and death, she chose my pretty-boy younger brother, Jasper Meyer, without a second thought.

My thoughts returned, and I no longer hesitated. I stepped forward and gave Elliot a slight nod. "Mr. Thornton Senior, this works out. Since Ms. Thornton has already chosen the person she trusts most, I'm confident Jasper can take on the responsibility."

I paused, letting my words carry across the training facility. "Starting today, I'm officially leaving Sentinel Security Group. I won't be signing a contract with the Thornton family."

The moment the words left my mouth, the entire training facility went silent.

Isabella's flustered expression froze, replaced by sheer disbelief. She probably expected me to act as I did in my past life, following her blindly, no matter what she did.

Too bad that version of Damien was long gone.

"Nonsense!" Elliot's cane slammed against the floor with a heavy thud. "Isabella, do you even know what you're doing?"

He was furious. He pointed at me, then turned to Isabella. "Damien is the best we have! When he pulled that oil tycoon out of a deadly ambush unscathed, the kid you picked was still sniveling in training camp!

"His skills and instincts are worth more than any amount of money! And you're letting him walk for some smooth-talking brat?"

His words were ruthless. Jasper, standing behind Isabella, went pale.

"Grandpa…" she said, trying to argue.

But Jasper was quick to interrupt, tugging at her sleeve. His voice was fragile, almost breaking. "Bella, forget it. I should go. Mr. Thornton Senior is right. I… I really can't compare to Damien. Only he can truly keep you safe. For you, it's fine. Really, I don't mind."

As he spoke, he casually wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, revealing a fresh, unhealed cut on his wrist.

"What happened to your hand?" Isabella immediately focused on it, grabbing his wrist. Worry and concern flooded her eyes.

"Who did this? Tell me!"

Jasper quickly pulled his hand back and hid it behind him. His eyes flicked toward me before he swiftly looked down again.

Isabella's rage flared. She spun toward me, her voice sharp and accusing. "Damien! How could you be so cruel? Grow up! Stop playing these cheap, petty tricks. Are you serious? How childish can you get?"

Hearing Isabella's blind accusations, I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

That minor injury was just from yesterday's combat training. Jasper scraped himself on the mat while doing a defensive move because his fundamentals weren't solid.

Everyone in the organization had injuries like that, and many had even worse.

"If he can't handle the pain of training, he has no business in this line of work. Pretty faces mean nothing to bodyguards. A good-looking face won't stop a bullet."

My words were blunt and biting. Both Isabella and Jasper stiffened at once.

I continued, "Besides, haven't you already chosen him as your personal bodyguard? And I'm leaving Thornton Group's security division. From now on, he won't have to put up with my so-called 'bullying.' Sounds perfect, doesn't it?"

Isabella froze for a moment, her face burning with anger and embarrassment. She clearly never expected the man who had once obeyed her every command to become so quick to retort.

"Did I say you could leave?" she snapped, her tone harsh and unreasonable.

"You're staying. You need to protect me, and you need to protect Jasp. Damien, don't forget—you owe the Thornton family."

With that, she turned on her heel, dragging Jasper away without another glance.

I stood there, watching her retreating figure, with an icy gaze.

Owe? In my past life, I had already repaid that debt—with my life.

After Isabella stormed off, the training facility fell into an awkward silence. The other candidates exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to speak.

Elliot cursed under his breath, muttering something like 'damned brat'. In the end, all he could do was let out a long, weary sigh. With a dismissive wave, he signaled for the others to leave. Soon, the vast training facility held only the two of us.

"Damien, sorry you had to see that," Elliot muttered. The anger drained from his face, replaced by exhaustion and resignation. "I've spoiled Isabella since she was a kid, and she's always gotten away with everything."

I stayed quiet, my eyes fixed on the ground.

He studied me, taking in my calm, unreadable expression, and let out a bitter chuckle. "I know someone like you, with your skills and pride, won't stay forever."

He paused for a moment. When he spoke again, his tired eyes held a rare trace of pleading. "But Damien, I need to ask you for one last favor.

"In three days, there's a major deal happening at Southbay Pier. It'll determine Thornton Group's future for the next five years. The people we're dealing with are ruthless, and I don't trust anyone else with this. Only you."

His voice dropped, steady and heavy. "Before you leave, I need you to protect Isabella one last time. When the deal is over, you'll be completely free. Whatever you ask for, the Thornton family won't hesitate."

I raised my head and met his gaze. I didn't refuse.

Because I owed him. It wasn't the Thornton family I owed; it was Elliot.

When I was ten, I was a starving orphan digging through trash heaps and fighting stray dogs for scraps. He was the one who pulled me out of the cold and filth, brought me into the organization, and gave me the skills to survive. Without him, I probably would've died in some forgotten corner long ago.

It was a debt I had to repay.

"Alright." I nodded, my voice clear and steady.

"Three days. Once the deal is done, the Thornton family and I will be even."

"Yes… That's good." Elliot patted my shoulder, relief washing over him as if a burden had finally lifted. "Go on. Consider these three days the last favor you'll ever owe me."

For the next three days, I became Isabella's shadow again. But this time, my heart was in a completely different place.

I watched her flirt with Jasper in the backseat, laughing at the clumsy jokes he kept throwing her way. Then, I watched her slip a limited-edition watch onto his wrist.

Every moment lined up perfectly with the past.

Only this time, it didn't twist my chest in pain. The old me would have hidden in some dark corner with my fists clenched as I hurt in silence. Now, it all felt like a silent film playing out in front of me, one that had nothing to do with me anymore.

Then, while we were driving to the trade show rehearsal site, danger appeared out of nowhere. A runaway truck tore through the guardrail, heading straight for our car.

I kicked the door open and yanked Isabella out just in time.

Almost at once, black-clad men with knives appeared from every direction, cutting off every escape. Amid the blur of flashing blades, I shielded her and Jasper, who was already pale with fear, as we retreated step by step.

A knife, its steel blade gleaming coldly, shot silently toward Jasper's back at a lethal, precise angle.

"Jasp, look out!" Isabella screamed, and a sudden, violent force slammed into my side.

She shoved me without hesitation, straight into the path of the blade. I dodged on reflex, but the shove threw me off balance. The knife sank deep into my right shoulder.

Agonizing pain shot through me, and blood soaked through my shirt. Even though I had seen it coming, the familiar sting of betrayal still shot through my chest.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

"Move!"

Ignoring the blood gushing from my shoulder, I grabbed Isabella and Jasper, who were still frozen in shock, and pushed them behind me. Then, I led the way along the escape route I had scouted earlier.

My world narrowed to cold calculations and the mechanical rhythm of combat. Pain had long become routine.

I didn't catch my breath until I had led them into an abandoned factory that was completely safe. Only after confirming we had temporarily lost our pursuers did I lean against the wall and let myself relax a little.

The wound on my shoulder flared with pain after all the running.

As always, Isabella's first reaction was to show concern for Jasper. "Jasp! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me see!"

Her hands moved frantically over him, as if he had just fought for his life. She didn't look at me until she was sure he wasn't hurt, and then her gaze landed on my blood-soaked shoulder. Her face went pale, and her lips moved, as if she wanted to step forward.

Then, Jasper went limp and let out a sharp cry of pain. He clutched his side and slowly sank to the ground, his face twisted in agony.

"Jasp!" Isabella's attention snapped entirely to him. She grabbed him frantically, holding him close as her voice trembled with tears. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Don't scare me!"

Jasper weakly raised his hand, pointing to his side.

Isabella quickly lifted his shirt, revealing a shallow but messy gash. He had gotten it by accidentally hitting a pile of scrap steel during the chaos.

"So much blood… What do we do?" She panicked completely, tears streaming down her face.

She suddenly looked up, her eyes locking on me. "Damien! Get him to the hospital. Now!"

I leaned against the wall, my eyes cold as I said, "Help will be here in five minutes."

"I'm telling you to carry him there!" she screamed. "If anything happens to him, I'll never forgive you!"

Seeing me stay put, she gritted her teeth and tried to lift Jasper herself. But in those ridiculous heels and with her pampered upbringing, there was no way she could carry a grown man nearly six feet tall.

She barely got him off the ground before her ankle gave out, and they both fell. Her face was pale from the effort, and sweat beaded her forehead. It was both pitiful and ridiculous.

I couldn't stand it any longer. It was not out of concern, just sheer irritation.

I strode over and hoisted Jasper onto my back. Then, catching Isabella off guard, I slid my uninjured left arm under her and lifted her off the ground, holding her firmly in a princess carry.

"You—!" She grabbed onto my neck, going rigid, too stunned to speak.

I didn't bother responding.

With Jasper on my back and Isabella in my arms, I headed toward the exit.