Julian’s venomous words were still hanging in the air when Chloe chimed in, her voice dripping with poison disguised as honey.

"Yes, if my sister chooses Lord Evan, she'll be a widow before the wedding gifts are even unwrapped." She gave me a look of fake concern. "And there'll be no one left to even cry for you."

I stared at her, my voice cold and flat. "Who I choose is none of your business."

Anger flashed in Chloe's eyes, but she hid it in an instant. She clutched her chest and began to cough, sagging against Julian like a frail flower.

"Cough, cough... I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you, sister," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. "I remember that night at the auction... those rival families ganging up on you. I was terrified they'd draw their silver on Julian..."

Her voice grew weaker, as if she might faint at any moment.

The guests around us began to murmur with sympathy.

"That poor child. So fragile, and her own sister treats her so cruelly."

"She seems like such a kind girl."

Julian immediately wrapped a protective arm around her. "Chloe, don't push yourself."

"I'm alright, Julian," Chloe said with a weak smile. "All that matters is my sister's happiness."

The sight of her performance made me want to vomit.

I fell for this same innocent act in my last life. Hook, line, and sinker.

"Enough." I turned to leave, sick of the whole charade. I'd seen this play before.

The moment I turned my back, the mask dropped. A vicious glint flashed in Chloe’s eyes. She deliberately stumbled into a nearby table, "accidentally" knocking over a priceless bottle of bloodwine.

"Ah!"

The crystal decanter shattered on the floor with a sharp crack, spilling crimson liquid everywhere.

"Gods, that's a million-dollar bottle of bloodwine!" someone gasped.

Chloe scrambled to the floor, pretending to clean up the mess. But she "tripped" right at the edge of the puddle, flinging herself backward onto the stone floor.

"Ahhh!" she shrieked, tears streaming down her face. "Help! Maggie pushed me! You all saw it! She pushed me because she's jealous!"

Julian was at her side in a flash. He cradled her as he helped her up, his face a mask of fury. "Maggie! How could you!"

In his arms, while all eyes were on Julian, Chloe shot me a triumphant smirk.

That smirk. The same one she wore as she tore my life apart, piece by piece.

"I didn't touch her," I said, my voice calm.

"Liar!" Julian roared, his silver hair practically crackling with rage. "Everyone saw you!"

"Saw what?" I scoffed. "Did you see me push her? Or did you just see her fall all by herself?"

"You're a monster, Maggie!" Julian's eyes burned with rage. "You're just jealous that she's more beautiful than you! Jealous that I love her, not you!"

Chloe sobbed harder in his arms. "Julian, don't blame her... She's probably just upset. I don't blame her."

That was the last straw. A shockwave of raw power erupted from Julian.

BAM!

I was slammed backward, my back hitting the stone wall hard. The pain was so sharp it almost buckled my knees.

Julian stood there, his eyes blazing. "Touch her again, and I will erase you from this house. Forever."

The fire in my back screamed for blood. My fingers twitched, my body aching to retaliate with the combat moves I knew from my past life.

But I couldn't. Not now.

Tonight was my birthday. The night of the Blood Bond announcement. Every important member of the Clare family was here. I couldn't make a scene.

I clenched my jaw, swallowing my anger, and pushed myself off the wall. "I'm fine," I said, brushing the dust from my dress. My voice was steady.

Chloe continued her performance in Julian's arms, tears still streaming. "Julian, I'm really okay... My sister was probably just nervous," she whispered. "Tonight is so important, after all."

Julian's followers chimed in, eager to twist the knife.

"A mere human, and she can't even stomach her own sister."

"How can she lead a family with a heart full of jealousy?"

"Lord Julian, you should reconsider your choice."

A smug look crossed Julian's face as he listened. He released Chloe and stalked toward me, his presence suffocating.

"Maggie," he said, looking down his nose at me. "Apologize to Chloe."

"Apologize?" I laughed. "For what?"

"For pushing her!" His voice was a command. "If you want me to choose you, you need to learn to control that venomous tongue of yours!"

He took another step, his face inches from mine. "Know your place. After the bond, we will live separate lives. As long as you accept that, I will choose you."

Separate lives.

He could be with Chloe openly, and I would have to suffer in silence. That was exactly how they drove me mad in my past life.

"Julian," I said, looking at the face I was once so obsessed with. "Do you really think I have no other choice?"

"Don't you?" he smirked, his eyes full of contempt. "Who else would have you but—"

A calm voice cut through the tension. "My apologies for the interruption."

Marcus, the Lord's right-hand man, stood at the entrance to the hall.

"The banquet is about to begin. Lord Alistair will be arriving shortly." Marcus gave me a respectful nod, then scanned the room. "Please prepare yourselves."

Just then, the lights in the hall dimmed.

A living storm of black bats poured from the vaulted ceiling, their wings making an eerie, flapping sound. When the vortex of shadows subsided, a tall figure stood in its place.

Evan.

The firstborn of the Clare family. An ancient vampire who had slumbered for a hundred years.

He wore an exquisite black suit, his long silver hair a cascade down his back.

His pale face was inhumanly beautiful, and cold.

But the most shocking thing was the aura of raw power that radiated from him.

It was an ancient, predatory presence, stronger than any legend dared to claim, and it made everyone instinctively take a step back.

Hushed gasps filled the hall.

"Gods... it's Lord Evan..."

"Why has he awakened?"

"That power... it's overwhelming."

"I thought he was still gravely injured."

Everyone stared, too stunned to speak. But Marcus showed no surprise at all, as if he'd been expecting this. He even gave a slight bow. "Lord Evan."

Julian's face turned ugly. "I can't believe that fossil is still breathing," he muttered.

Evan's crimson eyes swept the room, finally landing on me.

He walked straight toward me.

The floor seemed to tremble with each step, and the crowd parted for him like the sea.

No one dared get in his way.

He stopped in front of me and saw my hand pressed against my back.

His brow furrowed. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.

Seeing his face, I was hit with a sudden flash of my death. A bloody night.

Everyone had abandoned me, betrayed me. Only Evan had avenged me.

After I was gone, he had slaughtered every last person involved in that dark ritual, including Julian and Chloe.

All those who had hurt me had turned to ash in his rage.

The memory made my eyes burn. "I'm fine," I whispered.

Julian saw this and stormed over, his eyes blazing with possessiveness. "Evan, she doesn't need your concern," he sneered. "Maggie will be my bonded partner soon enough. You're just an outsider."

Marcus's eyes widened in shock at Julian's claim, and he opened his mouth to speak.

But Evan raised a hand, silencing him.

"The Lord decreed that Miss Maggie's coming-of-age is a family affair," Evan said, his voice cool and proud. "I am merely observing basic courtesy."

With that, he strode toward the back of the hall, his back straight, radiating an untouchable authority.

Julian watched him go, then laughed.

He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close.

"You see?" he whispered in my ear. "Even if you threw yourself at him, a washed-up fossil like that wouldn't give you a second look."

His voice dripped with scorn. "So, play by my rules... or else."

Julian’s smugness was a physical thing, a foul stench in the air. He kept whispering threats, but they were just noise. I tuned him out.

I remembered what Lord Alistair had told me in his study—It is best not to reveal your choice before the official announcement.

So I just smiled and nodded. "You're right, Julian," I said, playing the part.

A triumphant grin spread across his face. He thought he had me, right where he wanted me.

He had no idea I was laughing on the inside.

Enjoy it while it lasts, Julian. It won't be for long.

The birthday banquet officially began.

Lord Alistair, over five hundred years old but appearing no older than forty, made his entrance.

Such was the power of the ancient bloodlines.

His silver hair was perfectly combed, and he wore a black tailcoat, leaning on his signature silver-tipped cane.

Everyone bowed. "My Lord."

Alistair gave a slight nod and walked directly to me. "Happy birthday, Maggie," he said, offering his hand. "Tonight is your night."

I placed my hand in his, my heart pounding.

Alistair led me to the front of the stage and addressed the crowd. "Everyone," he began, his voice clear. "We are gathered here tonight to witness a historic moment."

The room held its breath.

"By the ancient pact of the Blood Bond, signed by our very first ancestors," Alistair's voice echoed through the hall, "tonight, Maggie will choose her bonded partner."

Excited whispers rippled through the guests.

"And to honor this bond," Alistair continued, "I will be transferring eighty percent of my personal shares in Eternal Biotech, as well as control of the family Blood Bank, to the bonded pair."

A collective gasp swept the hall.

Eternal Biotech was the largest biopharmaceutical company in the world, worth tens of billions.

And the family Blood Bank, with its collection of rare blood types gathered over a millennium, was priceless.

Whoever she chose would instantly become master of half the Clare family's wealth and power.

Greed flashed in the eyes of every vampire in the room.

They all looked at Julian with envy.

Everyone knew how obsessed I had been with him.

In their minds, the choice was already made.

Julian stood in the crowd, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

He even shot Chloe a smug look that said, See? I'm about to become the master of all this.

She returned a sweet, adoring smile.

"Now," Alistair said, smiling. "Will the chosen one please come to the stage?"

Julian preened, straightening his tie. He was already basking in the glory, ready to claim his prize.

But as he took his first step, Alistair raised a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"Not you."

The hall fell into a dead silence.

Julian froze, the arrogant smile wiped from his face. "What?" he stammered. "Father, what did you say?"

Alistair ignored him, his gaze sweeping to the other side of the room.

"Evan," he said with a smile. "If you would."

Every head turned.

Evan emerged from the shadows.

In his hands, he held a single, priceless Glacier Rose.

He walked onto the stage and offered his hand to me.

"Maggie," he breathed, his crimson eyes locking onto mine, filled with a desperate hope. "Will you bond with me?"