Chapter 1

Returning to 1985 New York, I quietly changed the man I wanted to marry most. It was no longer Julian Moretti, the heir to the Moretti family. It was now the man everyone in our circles knew as a playboy—Leo Falcone.

My father was a little surprised, but he respected my choice.

In my last life, when my father asked me which of the young men from the Five Families I liked best, I blushed and whispered Julian Moretti’s name.

My father nodded. "Julian is the son of Don Moretti. You're childhood sweethearts. An alliance between our families would be unbreakable."

"You two grew up together. I'm sure he'll treat you well."

After that, Julian and I got engaged and then married.

The wedding was the talk of the New York underworld. The heads of all Five Families came in person to congratulate us.

But just six months into our marriage, Julian announced he was moving to California to start a legitimate business and find his own purpose in life.

Not only did he leave me alone to face his demanding parents, but when my father was framed as an FBI informant, Julian cut off all contact with me.

I was still reeling from the pain of my father’s death when I received the horrific news that Julian had been "killed" in a yacht accident.

Hit with this double blow, I ended my own life in despair.

I never expected that forty years after I died, an elderly couple would visit my grave.

Julian, who was supposed to be dead, stood before my tombstone with my cousin Sienna in his arms.

"Aurora, it was wrong of me to trick you by faking my death," he said, his voice heavy.

"Marrying you was just what my father demanded. The one I've always truly loved is Sienna."

"It was all my fault. I just beg you, please stop haunting her. If you have any anger, take it out on me."

So that’s how deep their love ran.

He was willing to give up his position as the family heir and fake his own death just to spend a lifetime with her. They were even superstitious enough to believe that my lingering spirit was the cause of Sienna’s cancer in her old age.

Once I learned the truth, I let go of my obsession and my soul faded away.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day my father asked me who I wanted to marry.

"Aurora, out of all these young men, who do you want to marry?"

Looking at my father, so full of life, I couldn't stop my eyes from welling up. I threw myself into his arms.

In my past life, the Moretti family had locked me away in their estate, terrified that the accusations against my "traitor" father would tarnish their name. They only let me out after he was already buried.

I never even got to see him one last time. All I could do was clutch a photograph of him and cry until I passed out.

I quickly wiped a tear from my eye and told my father, "I want to marry Leo Falcone."

My father froze. "Are you sure? When you were little, you used to scream that you'd marry no one but Julian."

I was sobbing too hard to speak, but I nodded again and again.

My father had no idea why I was crying like this, so he finally gave in.

"Alright, alright. In a couple of days, I'll go talk to the 'Old Captain' of the Falcone family, okay? Don't cry, my daughter."

After drying my tears, I had just stepped out of the mansion when my best friend, Chloe, ran over and grabbed my arm, looking annoyed.

"You were the one who organized the church mural restoration today. So why did you agree to your cousin’s idea to go to the Feast of San Gennaro for the bonfire wishing?"

"She's always trying to one-up you and steal your spotlight. Can't you see that?"

Chloe had complained about my cousin Sienna countless times before, but I’d never paid it any mind.

Thinking back now, she was right.

When I was thirteen, she ripped my necklace off in front of all the other kids from the families, then asked with a look of fake concern, "Aurora, this chain is so old. You should have your mother take you to buy a new one."

She knew damn well my mother had been dead for two years.

When I was eighteen, our families took a trip to the beach on Long Island.

Julian and a group of boys decided to go for a swim. I happily followed, and Sienna tagged along.

I wasn't a strong swimmer, so I stayed in the shallows. But then someone pushed me hard from behind.

I fell into the icy winter water and almost drowned.

Looking back, that must have been Sienna, too.

And this time, while we were restoring the community church mural, Sienna suggested we go to the Feast of San Gennaro for the bonfire wishing.

We were supposed to write our crush's name on a slip of paper and toss it into the flames. Whoever's wish came true, we’d all celebrate together.

I thought it sounded fun, so I agreed.

When I was reborn, I had just written the first two letters of Julian’s name, ‘Ju-’. I quickly crumpled it up, grabbed a new slip, and wrote Leo’s name instead.

Just as Chloe was about to say something else, Julian walked over.

She gave me a knowing look and quickly scurried away.

Julian stared at me, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Aurora Russo, give up any idea of marrying me. I will not marry you."

I was stunned and about to explain.

But he cut me off.

"The person I love has always been Sienna. If you can help us, I’ll let you back out of this with your dignity intact, for the sake of our families' alliance."

Julian's face turned cold.

"But if you refuse and make a scene, then our families don't need to associate with each other ever again."

But he never said any of this in my past life.

Seeing the complicated look in Julian’s eyes, a thought popped into my head.

Could it be... he was reborn too?