Neal's fervent display brought a bitter smile to my lips.

In my past life, he never uttered a word to me for five years. Yet now, to remain by Olive's side, he broke his silence so swiftly.

Liam finally broke his silence. "My skills aren't bad either. Let me protect Miss Olive Winters."

Richard thought for a moment, then proposed, "Let's settle this with a duel. The victor will stay with Olive."

The twins clashed instantly.

Neal fought with ruthless precision, striking at Liam's vulnerabilities as if he were a mortal enemy, not a brother. Liam held back initially, but as Neal's ferocity intensified, he retaliated with equal force.

In the end, Neal edged out a narrow victory.

Richard proclaimed Neal as Olive's bodyguard, then turned to me almost as an afterthought. "Liam, you'll protect Eira."

Olive's feigned distress melted away. Neal, after all, was the more striking of the two.

"Please, sir, send me back to the black market," Liam pleaded.

...

Richard's face darkened, his cane slamming the floor. "Are you defying my orders?"

Liam glanced at me, his disgust unconcealed. "I mean no defiance, sir. My rough nature is unfit to serve Miss Eira Winters."

I took a deep breath, aware that I wasn't as striking as Olive. My limp was from a childhood accident when I fell off a horse while saving her.

Quiet and reserved, I couldn't match her charm either. That was likely why Neal had rejected me in my past life.

Olive chimed in, sounding concerned. "You can't abandon my sister, Liam. The black market isn't the place for you."

I watched her performance with cold detachment. It had been so convincing in my past life, but now it only made my stomach churn.

"It's fine," I said firmly. "Forcing him will yield no loyalty. Let him go."

Richard froze, caught off guard by my decision. He'd intended to scold Liam to assert his authority and make me feel indebted.

Olive stiffened, too. Her performance was meant to burnish her image while highlighting my undesirability. She hadn't expected me to dismantle her charade.

She tried, "Liam is just upset. You can't just send him back. He'll suffer terribly there."

I wasn't impressed. "If you're so concerned, why not take them both under your wing?"

She blushed. "What are you talking about?"

I smirked, knowing that her heart leaped at the idea. After all, the Ramos brothers were both handsome, and she thrived on the envy of others.

Having both would make her the center of admiration wherever she went.

Richard stepped in, frowning. "Eira, is this truly your wish?"

"Yes," I confirmed. "I want neither of them."

The two men's faces tightened. Neal glared, as if questioning my audacity. It stirred a familiar pang and ignited my suspicion.

"And your safety?" Richard asked, his concern a hollow pretense.

"I wish to join the company," I replied. "The professional security team there will ensure my protection."

...

Richard hesitated, then agreed.

In my past life, I poured my heart into Neal, blind to the workings of our family's enterprise, which left me isolated and vulnerable. This time, I would seize control of my destiny, starting with mastering the company's operations.

Richard placed me in the marketing department, starting at the lowest rung.

He likely assumed I'd falter quickly, but I immersed myself in the work. During the day, I learned from seasoned colleagues; at night, I devoured professional texts.

My efforts bore fruit, and soon I was making significant strides.

Colleagues who once overlooked me began to regard me with respect. My reputation grew, eclipsing even Olive, whom Richard had long groomed as his successor.

Her position threatened, Olive played dirty. She tampered with my files and misrepresented my proposals in meetings.

But I was no longer the pliable sister she knew. I backed up my files to counter her schemes and refuted her distortions with clear, data-driven arguments, leaving her speechless.

One evening, she cornered me at home. "You're making quite a name for yourself at the company, sister. Father says you're progressing swiftly."

Her smile was cloyingly sweet, but her eyes gleamed with calculation. "Marketing is grueling, though, and with your frail health, perhaps I could ask Dad to move you to a less demanding department?"

I brushed past her, my voice flat. "No need."

She hurried after me, her tone overly warm. "I'm not trying to discourage you, but your little successes are just luck. A failure would shame our family. With your physical condition, finding a suitable match might prove difficult."

She glanced pointedly at the Ramos brothers nearby.

"You're just scared I'm stealing your spotlight, aren't you?" I snorted.

Her smile froze as her schemes were exposed. Her voice rose, her eyes welling. "How could you say that? I'm just looking out for you."

I stepped closer, my voice icy. "Looking out for me? Have you forgotten why I have this condition? I risked my life saving you from that runaway horse, and you pushed me. That was why I fell and injured my leg."

Her tears hit the floor, her face crumbling. "I-I didn't mean it like that."

The Ramos brothers quickly stepped in front of her. "That's too much, Miss Eira Winters!"

Neal glared at me. "Apologize!"

I slapped him hard, not indulging his defiance.

Neal's head snapped to the side, a red mark blooming on his cheek.

He turned back slowly, disbelief in his eyes. "You..."

"A bodyguard does not command their master!" I snapped, turning to walk away.

The three stood stunned in my wake.

...

I had believed that vigilance in this life would shield me from harm. I was wrong. The kidnapping came regardless.

When the cold blade pressed against my neck, I didn't resist, my fingers quietly triggering the emergency call on my phone. I closed my eyes, the fear from my past life creeping in, but this time, my heart stayed calm.

The lead kidnapper toyed with his dagger. "Take a guess. Who will Richard save first, you or his illegitimate daughter?"

I remained silent, listening for sounds beyond the warehouse walls. Soon, the heavy iron door crashed open, and two figures burst in.

They quickly spotted Olive, huddled in a corner.

Neal rushed to her, his voice trembling with an urgency I'd never heard. "Don't be afraid. We're here."

Liam followed, and the two formed a protective barrier around her, their gazes never once drifting to me.

"Looks like Richard doesn't care about his second daughter," the kidnapper sneered, pressing the blade to my throat. "One move, and she's dead!"

Neal paused, glancing back at Olive. "Close your eyes."

In a flash, he seized a stick from a nearby thug and carved a brutal path toward the exit. Liam kicked the iron door open, shouting, "Go!"

As they passed me, Olive's eyes flicked up to meet mine. There was no guilt, only a smug glint of triumph.

This was their choice, immutable across lifetimes.

The blade's chill deepened, but I stayed calm until sirens wailed outside. The kidnappers panicked, shoving me aside to flee through a hidden passage.

Neal paused, casting a fleeting glance back at the warehouse, but their footsteps eventually faded, leaving me behind.

The sirens grew louder, and I took a deep breath. These chains that bound me for two lives finally shattered.

During the police's chaotic sweep, I slipped through the passage to an alley behind the warehouse, where I changed into a plain T-shirt and jeans from my bag, pulling a cap low over my face.

A beat-up sedan waited in the shadows. The window rolled down, revealing Wallace Pearson's weathered face.

He used to be my mother's trusted driver, retiring after her death. I had contacted him right after my rebirth.

"Miss, everything's ready," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

As the car left the city, I glanced back at the distant Winters Mansion, shrouded in twilight.

From this moment, Eira Winters ceased to exist. Only an adversary, determined to reclaim her mother's legacy, remained.