Chapter 1

Serena's POV

As the Don of Italy's most powerful mafia family, my father adopted two orphaned brothers to serve as bodyguards for my sister and me.

The older one—tall, broad-shouldered, and watchful—fell for my sister the moment he saw her.

That left me with his "autistic" younger brother.

I didn't have the heart to send Edward back to the orphanage, where he'd surely be bullied, so I kept him.

He never spoke, so I took him to the best psychiatrists money could buy.

I spent two hours every day telling him jokes, even though he never once cracked a smile.

He couldn't protect me, so I taught myself martial arts—and begged my father not to cast him out.

I thought he was just deeply traumatized. That with enough patience, he'd come around.

Then the cruise ship went down.

He tore the last life jacket straight off my body.

The first words he ever said to me:

"Sorry, but Bianca's life jacket is defective."

Bianca—my sister.

He watched me slip beneath the waves, gripping my hand one last time:

"I failed you in this life. I'll make it up to you in the next."

Turns out his silence was never autism. Just an act—one he only kept up around me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day we chose our bodyguards.

I froze in my father's office, staring at the two brothers.

Bianca glanced at me and bit her lip. "Actually, I'll take Edward. Serena should have Donald. She needs the stronger protector." She stepped away from Donald's hulking frame toward his younger brother.

Donald's face fell instantly.

I stayed frozen, processing this twisted déjà vu.

Last time around, I'd fallen hard for Bianca's Oscar-worthy performance. When she'd offered to switch bodyguards, I actually thought she was being selfless—trying to give me the "better" option. Right until our yacht sank. Bianca had wept prettily as they strapped my life vest onto her—never mind that Donald was a certified lifeguard, or that there was a damn lifebuoy floating right beside her.

Classic Bianca. All performative resistance, zero actual sacrifice.

But this time, I shrugged. "Fine by me."

Bianca paled. She'd been so sure I'd say no.

Edward stared at me too, his eyes filled with confusion and shock.

"Absolutely not!" Dad cut in. "You're the Ferrari heiress. Your safety is what matters most. This boy has severe autism—he can barely function, let alone protect you."

I smiled. So he'd known about Edward's condition all along. But he'd still brought the younger brother here for us to "choose" from. This whole selection process was just for show.

"But maybe—" Bianca quietly exhaled in relief, dabbing at her eyes as she started to speak, but Edward interrupted:

"I can talk."

My head jerked up in shock. Edward—the guy who hadn't said a word to me in seven years—was actually talking now?

When our eyes met, I saw that calculating look—too mature for his age—and I finally knew for certain: he'd been reborn too.

So much for his dying promise to "make it right." Even with a second chance, he was still trying to ditch me, huh?

Little did he know—I'd already written him out of my story.

"My combat skills can be tested," Edward continued smoothly.

Oh, I bet he could. After I died, my spirit had watched him fight off sharks with nothing but a broken spear, keeping Bianca alive until rescue arrived.

How pathetic that I'd spent my past life learning martial arts, terrified Dad would send this "helpless" little bodyguard back to the orphanage.

Sure enough, once Edward stopped pretending, it took him exactly three moves to put our nationally-ranked trainer flat on his ass.

Dad's resolve began to crumble. The disappointed expression on Bianca's face completely vanished. Between the brothers, Edward had always been the more handsome one. If not for the autism, Bianca would've chosen him from the start.

"Fine then. Edward will serve you, and Donald, I'm entrusting you with Serena."

Hearing that, Donald shot me a look, his gaze lingering on the scar across my cheek with obvious disgust. Then he dropped to his knees.

"Sir, I'd rather return to foster care!"