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.