The fearsome Romano family has made an announcement. Whoever among me and my sister, Vivienne Everhart, can give birth to the first grandson of the Romano bloodline shall inherit the Romanos' wealth that's worth tens of billions of dollars. Also, said grandson will be the next Don of the Romano family.

In my previous life, Vivienne had married Dominic Romano, a healthy and strong young man of the Romano family. My parents were the one who had arranged for this marriage to happen.

I, on the other hand, got married to Julian Romano, a gloomy man who was confined to his wheelchair due to his crippled legs. In less than a year after our marriage, Julian had regained his ability to walk once again. At the same time, I got pregnant with the first grandson of the Romano family.

As such, Vivienne got abused by Dominic to the point that she completely lost her marbles. That was how she became the laughingstock of the rich socialites of the upper crust.

On the day I was about to go into labor, Vivienne stabbed my belly with a blade. Then, she grabbed me before jumping off a tall building with me in her arms.

When I open my eyes again, I see Vivienne snatching away the bouquet made of blue roses that's given to me by Julian.

"I want to marry Julian!"

"Vivienne, how could you snatch Isabella's bouquet away?"

As soon as Vivienne receives the fancy blue rose bouquet, she freezes in place when she hears our father scolding her.

After Dad grabs the bouquet from Vivienne's hands, he passes it to me before saying, "Isabella, you have a healthy body. Julian might be handicapped, but at least he's pretty talented when it comes to running his business."

Then, he pats Vivienne on the head lovingly.

"Vivienne, you're in poor health. Marrying Dominic is your best option."

As I stare at the blue rose bouquet in my hands as well as the wedding gown I'm currently wearing, I dig my nails into my palm forcefully. Finally, I realize that I've gotten reborn.

In my past life, I had deferred to Mom and Dad's will, allowing my frail sister, Vivienne Everhart, to wed the physically formidable Dominic Romano.

Yet, the result had been a crazed Vivienne rushing into my delivery room with a knife, screaming, "Why is it you who bore the Romano famiglia's first grandson while I was locked in a mental institution? It's not fair!"

I had been left bruised and battered by her actions. She had then dragged me down from the high-rise building, yelling, "You're only worthy of being beneath me, Isabella Everhart!"

It was then that Vivienne grabbed the blue bouquet, fiddling with the gold-laced petals with a derisive grin. "I don't care, Dad. I'm going to marry Julian."

I could tell that Vivienne had been reborn as well from that one remark.

Mom and Dad, powerless to sway Vivienne, could only regard me with resignation.

I fully understood the significance of their look. Growing up, I could never beat Vivienne's grades. I was required to sacrifice whatever Vivienne sought.

In regard to the matter of marrying into the Romano famiglia and bearing their first grandson, Mom and Dad consistently prioritized Vivienne, arranging her marriage to the healthy Dominic.

"I'm willing to switch if that's what Vivienne wants. After all, the Romano famiglia is only concerned with who produces the first grandson," I said nonchalantly as I accepted the bouquet from Dominic.

There were two cars parked outside. There was Julian's Ferrari, complete with a red carpet and heaps of flowers, and Dominic's plain sports car, which looked quite unremarkable in comparison.

Just before we put on our veils to leave for the cars, Vivienne caught sight of my bouquet and shook her head dismissively.

"You should consider this a warning, Isabella," she began. "Dominic might appear robust, but rumor suggests that he's not really good in bed. Julian is so thoughtful. The roses he sent have a special scent."

Having said that, Vivienne appeared gratified, breathing in the aroma of the bouquet. She stepped forward with a dignified and confident stride amidst the envious looks of the onlookers.

I took a step back and inhaled slowly. "I hope you get exactly what you want, then, Vivienne."

Once I got into the car, I scrutinized the bouquet. I was only reassured after confirming that all was as it should be.

In my past life, the blue rose bouquet Julian prepared was lavish beyond imagination, but it almost cost me my life. Julian never wanted to get married, so he had laced the bouquet with an aphrodisiac—a perfume meant to provoke powerful emotions.

He even arranged for me to be sent to a hidden chamber, intending to tarnish my reputation and legally annul the marriage.

I was curious if Vivienne possessed the capability to avoid that trap after being reborn.

I had just stepped out of the car when I was abruptly seized around the waist, and a man hoisted me into his arms and swiftly carried me into the wedding suite.

I could hear a chorus of laughter and teasing from outside. "That's quite impressive! How about we get a look at the bride?"

Through the sheer veil, I could barely make out the man in the white suit standing in front of me. I could see him reaching over to raise the veil, his features twisted into a repulsive grin.

I acted swiftly, grabbing his wrist and lifting the veil before he could. I scrutinized the men and women in the room and stated coldly, "You're not Dominic Romano."

In that instant, the expressions of everyone present changed immediately.

The man in front of me tried to assault me in plain view, paying no attention to anything else.

I smashed the bouquet into his face, then pulled out the dagger I had ready and slashed across his cheek without hesitation. Blood sprayed in all directions as the man screamed in agony.

"That was quite the performance!"

Applause suddenly rang out as a man dressed in white appeared from behind the door, with a woman in his arms. He sat on the couch across from me and cocked his eyebrow slightly, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.

"You're quite ruthless, aren't you?"

I looked up at him calmly and matched his gaze. "I was only protecting myself."

I watched as he undid the buttons on his shirt, exposing his toned abs with a rebellious flair. I knew in an instant that the man before me was Dominic—my husband in this lifetime.

In my past life, I had seen Dominic several times at the Romano famiglia's social gatherings. I knew he always acted the part of a womanizer, engaging in frequent dalliances, but I didn't expect the wedding to turn into such a farce.

Dominic raised his hand, and part of the crowd that had been heckling immediately cleared out.

"You're not actually planning to marry this woman, are you, Dominic?"

I looked toward the voice, my eyes falling on the blonde woman with blue eyes nestling in Dominic's embrace.

Dominic offered no reply, opting instead to pinch her waist, which elicited a playful protest from that woman.

They kept up their public display of affection, utterly unconcerned with anyone watching.

I gave a contemptuous chuckle as I stared straight at Dominic, no longer hiding my intentions. "Why don't we strike a deal, Dominic?"

"What do you have to offer?" Dominic looked up lazily, seemingly indifferent to what I had said.

I wasn't bothered by it. As far as the upper class was concerned, people like me were only useful for procreation. I was done being controlled, whether by Julian or Dominic.

I looked past his contempt and pointed a finger at his head before moving it down to his groin. "I'm offering a deal that involves this part of you."

In that instant, a few people in the room stifled a laugh, though no one was brave enough to actually break the silence.

Dominic finally dropped his haughty and disrespectful attitude. He ordered the woman to leave with a grim expression.

He extinguished his cigarette the moment the door was closed, walked over, and gripped my chin roughly. "You should evaluate your own ability and status before you try to negotiate terms with me, Isabella Everhart."

Dominic forced my chin up until we were nearly nose to nose.

"I can cure your erectile dysfunction," I said.

Upon hearing that, Dominic's expression grew menacing before he wrapped his hand around my throat.

I could tell what he was thinking. He wasn't interested in a cure he didn't believe in. He only wanted to make sure I never spoke of his secret again.

I could abruptly feel the increasing pressure on my throat. I held onto his wrist firmly, struggling as I choked out a few words. "Y-You'll see the result in three days! Y-You can deal with me then if it doesn't work!"

Dominic finally loosened his grip.

For a split second, I had truly thought I was going to die. I had only dared to speak because of my absolute confidence.

Julian proved to be a far more formidable adversary than Dominic in my past life. I only remained with him for as long as I did because I still held value.

I had studied medicine at university, which proved to be very useful in my past life. Due to Mom and Dad's order, I had to be mindful of Vivienne's feelings and ensure that I never overshadowed her. Because of that, my true medical proficiency remained a secret.

It was common knowledge that I treated Julian's leg injury for a year and aided in his recovery, but no one knew he also struggled with erectile dysfunction. I had spent more than a month treating him before I finally conceived.

I took a few deep breaths at the thought, then escorted Dominic to the hospital for a quick check-up. It was treatable; the medical data was virtually identical to Julian's in my past life.

"How did you know I suffer from this?" Dominic asked, his eyes flickering with suspicion as he gripped my hand.

I smiled faintly and lied through my teeth. "I naturally had to do some research on my future husband before the wedding."

In my past life, Dominic's erectile dysfunction had been a matter of public record. Vivienne had tried every trick to get his attention without success, so she eventually resorted to sedating him and hiring a private doctor, whose diagnosis confirmed the condition.

Dominic had flown into a rage upon waking. He had covered up all news of the incident and had Vivienne committed to a mental institution.

Dominic's eyes narrowed slightly after hearing what I said.

I could tell what was on his mind. He was probably wondering why I still chose him over Julian despite knowing all of this.

It turned out that Dominic was more rational than I anticipated. I provided him with a prescription, and should the medication prove effective, the agreed-upon cost was his attendance at a visit to Mom and Dad's home in three days.

…

It was finally the day for the customary post-wedding visit. I waited outside for Dominic, but he was nowhere to be seen. After thinking it over for a moment, I eventually got into the car myself and returned home.

I had barely stepped through the door when Vivienne, pointing at the room piled with gifts, said in a sweet voice, "Julian and I picked out this watch for you, Dad, and this sapphire necklace is for Mom."

Mom and Dad were pleased with Vivienne's attentiveness. They kept smiling and saying, "You're so thoughtful, Vivienne—unlike Isabella!"

Noticing that I had arrived empty-handed, Vivienne asked sharply, "Did your husband make you come alone, Isabella?"

I smiled faintly and retorted, "Your husband isn't with you, either, Vivienne."

Vivienne pouted and showed off her huge diamond ring. "Julian serves as the famiglia's second-in-command and is understandably occupied. Dominic, on the other hand, merely holds minority shares without any executive authority.

"Julian will become the future Don once I give birth to the Romano famiglia's first grandson. You're going to end up with nothing, Isabella!"

As Vivienne lifted her hand, I caught sight of a purple bruise showing beneath her sleeve.

Julian had always been very concerned with his reputation. In my past life, he was handicapped and possessed a moody, peculiar temperament. He beat me viciously every single night with whatever was at hand.

I had tolerated his abuse for a long time, and it was only after his leg injury got better did the abuse stopped.

Watching Vivienne's delight as she envisioned her future, I knew she wouldn't listen to a word of reason. I didn't bother saying anything; I just walked by her and went to the bathroom.

Vivienne, noting my continued indifference, followed me hastily. "Your husband is impotent. You'll never get pregnant, Isabella! Julian might be crippled now, but he'll be walking within a year, and I'll be the one having a baby. You'll be nothing compared to me!"

"You should moderate your expectations regarding Julian," I said. "You should also get away from him while you still can. Otherwise, you'd end up dead, Vivienne."

Vivienne's expression turned grim after noticing that I didn't praise her or pay attention to her boasting. I had even tried to advise her.

She tossed the red wine toward me, but her high heels made her lose her balance, and she tumbled to the ground instead.

She cried out in pain, which drew Mom and Dad's attention. Instantly, she feigned being the victim, as always, and blamed me for everything.

"Isabella tried to hurt me, Dad! She said she wanted to make me barren so that I'd never be able to bear the first grandson for the Romano famiglia! She's out to get me, Mom!"

I was prepared to defend myself.

Dad glared furiously at me after hearing Vivienne's accusations and raised his hand to hit me. "You didn't even bring your husband over or a single gift, and now you even dare to bully Vivienne! You're so selfish and thoughtless—"

He didn't even get to finish his threat as someone stepped forward to shield me. "Who says I didn't show up?"