Chapter 1
Gianna's POV
My sister Chiara and I had fought over Matteo for more than a decade.
In my first life, I got my wish and married him. Everyone said he adored me, trusting me to manage the entire Salvatore family's books and money laundering operations. I worked myself to death, literally dying from exhaustion. On my deathbed, he coldly told me the truth: "I never loved you. You're the one who begged to marry me."
In my second life, I let Chiara have her chance. She bore him four children in five years, trying desperately to earn his love, only to die in childbirth. I rushed to her bedside for her final moments, and she cried out to me: "Matteo doesn't love me either... there's another woman in his heart..."
When I opened my eyes again, it was my third life.
This time, we would NOT make the same mistakes.
The Lombardi family estate's conference room was filled with talk about dock security and casino arrangements. I sat beside my mother, hands clenched, trying to control the anxiety churning in my stomach.
That's when Geoffrey, the Salvatore family representative, walked in.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Lombardi family," Geoffrey bowed respectfully, "I come bearing a marriage proposal from our boss—Matteo Salvatore."
The name Matteo made my blood freeze.
"Mr. Salvatore wishes to marry the Don's daughter to solidify the business partnership between our families."
The Don's daughter? I jerked my head toward Chiara. The same fear and anguish flashed in her eyes.
She had been reborn too.
Mother Elena's voice cut through the room. "Which daughter does Matteo want? I have two."
Geoffrey shifted uncomfortably. "Well... Mr. Salvatore said either daughter would be fine with him. He's leaving the choice to the family."
Tradition dictated it should be me, the eldest daughter. Everyone waited for my response.
I stood, my voice ice-cold: "I REFUSE this marriage."
The conference room fell dead silent, then erupted in shocked whispers.
Chiara rose as well. "I refuse too."
Now everyone looked terrified.
"Gianna! Chiara!" Mother's voice carried fury. "Do you know what you're saying? Matteo grew up with you girls, our families' friendship..."
Painful memories from my past life flooded back:
I'd cough up blood from exhaustion laundering money for the family while Matteo was screwing around with other women at nightclubs. "You're just a useful tool, and now you're expired."
Chiara dying in a pool of blood while Matteo didn't even attend her funeral, just sent a wreath through his men.
Rage boiled in my chest.
"No. We will NEVER marry that bastard," I said, voice low and deadly.
Geoffrey's face went hard. "Miss Lombardi, this concerns the alliance between two families and territorial agreements. Show some respect."
"My answer won't change," I stared him down.
Geoffrey gritted his teeth. "I must report this... unexpected development to Mr. Salvatore immediately."
He hurried out, leaving a room full of family members staring at each other.
Mother paced frantically. "You girls have lost your minds! If Matteo gets angry, our dock operations, our casinos..."
Neither Chiara nor I spoke. We knew the consequences of our refusal.
About an hour later, the sound of car engines suddenly filled the estate. Through the window, I saw three black Cadillacs pull up, disgorging a dozen men in dark suits.
Matteo had come personally.
He pushed open the conference room door and strode in, followed by his advisors and several armed bodyguards. Even after three lifetimes, facing his natural authority still made me nervous.
His gaze lingered on Chiara and me, his eyes going cold and dangerous.
"I hear someone refused my proposal?" Matteo narrowed his eyes. "Give me ONE reason."
"Because we don't want to," I answered directly, though my legs trembled.
Matteo studied me quietly for several seconds, clearly not expecting such direct defiance.
"Gianna, you once told me you wanted to be my wife, to share my empire." His tone dripped with mockery. "Now you're telling me that was a joke?"
His words hit like a punch to the gut. Yes, I had once loved him so naively.
"I'm not that girl anymore," I replied coldly.
Matteo's expression turned instantly dangerous. Then he looked at Chiara. "You're also betraying family honor?"
Chiara nodded. "Yes."
Matteo stood there for a moment, his face growing darker. As the future Don, being refused by two women simultaneously was a direct challenge to his authority.
"Fine," Matteo took a deep breath, his voice turning ice-cold. "Seems like you've forgotten some basic rules."
He turned to Mother. "Mrs. Lombardi, that contract our families signed ten years ago, including the marriage clause—you haven't forgotten, have you?"
Mother's face went pale. "Of course I remember, Matteo."
"A contract is a contract. This isn't a love story—this is BUSINESS." Matteo's voice carried clear threat. "Territorial agreements, shipping routes, casino profits... it's all written in black and white."
The atmosphere in the conference room became suffocating.
Matteo continued, "Of course, I understand girls' little emotional outbursts. But business can't wait, especially when we have... competitors breathing down our necks."
Mother looked at us helplessly. "Girls, Matteo's right..."
Matteo nodded, then his tone shifted. "Especially since the Volkov brothers have been sniffing around our docks lately. If our two families can't stand united... those Russians don't play by gentleman's rules."
"So I'm giving you seventy-two hours," his eyes went cold and dangerous. "After that, regardless of your feelings, this marriage WILL happen. Because business doesn't stop for personal emotions."
He turned to leave, then suddenly looked back, his voice carrying even more menace:
"By the way, yesterday my men caught Volkov scouts at the East Dock. Seems those Russian bastards have quite an appetite for Lombardi territory."
Matteo smiled coldly. "Hope you have enough firepower to protect your assets. Of course, without proper... protection, accidents tend to happen."
The threat couldn't have been clearer. Since Father Antonio's death, we'd lost our strongest ally. Without Salvatore protection, the Lombardi family was just lambs for slaughter.
After Matteo left, the conference room fell deathly quiet.
Mother looked at us desperately. "Did you hear that clearly? This isn't a GAME! If the Volkovs really move against us... our people, our operations... everything will be DESTROYED!"
Chiara and I exchanged glances. Matteo's threat was crystal clear: marry into his family, or be devoured by the Russians in a gang war.
My heart sank. Seventy-two hours. I had to find a way to protect our family empire without letting Chiara and me become victims of that monster again.
But who did Matteo truly love? Why was he so insistent on choosing one of us sisters?
