After Julian spoke, he stared at me in silence, his eyes filled with warning.

Even knowing the truth, that look of distrust still stung.

In this life or the last, I could honestly say I had never done a single thing to wrong Julian Moretti.

When he insisted on going to California to "build his career," I was the one who smoothed things over with the family elders for him.

Don Moretti seemed friendly on the surface, but he was a total control freak, and Mrs. Moretti was a sharp-tongued, elitist woman.

Before my father got into trouble, they were decent to me. After he was accused, they dropped the act completely.

I cried and begged them, even if they wouldn't help, to at least let me see my father. But they ignored me.

If it hadn't been for Leo secretly climbing over the wall to see me and give me updates, I probably would have lost the will to live long ago.

I waited for Julian for years, even missing my own father's funeral.

And what did I get in the end?

I got them, walking hand in hand to my grave, telling me to rest in peace and stop bothering the living.

I got his hatred and suspicion now.

Thinking of all the suffering I endured because of him, a knot of anger formed in my chest. I had no desire to be polite with him anymore.

A sarcastic smile spread across my lips.

"Instead of wasting your time threatening me, you should be figuring out how to convince your parents."

"After all, the daughter of the Russo family's underboss versus the daughter of a nobody… I don't think it's hard to guess who Don Moretti will choose."

No one knew better than me, his former daughter-in-law, just how much Mrs. Moretti valued power and status.

Did Julian really think he could just cast me aside and marry Sienna this time?

What a fucking joke.

Julian’s face darkened as he glared at me.

"Sienna saved my life once. That alone is enough to get my parents' approval!"

My breath hitched, and I laughed at my own foolishness.

What a coincidence. I saved your life too, so why did you choose to betray me in both lifetimes?

I didn't say anything else. Julian turned and walked towards Sienna.

Watching him go, all the little things I had deliberately ignored in my past life came flooding back.

I don’t know when it started, but when Julian came to my house, it was Sienna he was looking for, not me.

At Julian’s birthday party, the first slice of cake always went to Sienna, no matter how far away she was standing.

On my birthday, he just gave me a simple Parker pen and told me to study hard.

I was so happy, treasuring it like a precious jewel.

But later that night, I saw him give Sienna a beautifully wrapped Tiffany-blue box.

It was an exquisite bracelet.

He said her birthday was during a time she was away, so he was giving it to her early.

Back then, I naively thought he was just being nice to her because he cared about me.

Now I see that I was the one getting in the way of their story.

"What are you thinking about? I've been calling your name."

Leo's hand waved in front of my face, snapping me back to reality.

He followed my gaze to Julian and grimaced.

"You really like him that much?"

"What?"

Leo mumbled something I couldn't quite catch.

"Nothing," he said, brushing it off and pushing me forward. "I said, if the organizer slacks off like this, I'm going to tell the Don on you!"

He deliberately led me right next to Julian, though his own expression soured.

I sighed. As I looked up, my eyes met Julian's.

He was holding the ladder for Sienna as she worked on the mural. He glanced at me for a second before looking away.

"Sienna, I'm going to get you some more paint," he said, his voice soft as he looked up at her.

"If you get scared, just come down. Wait for me to get back and hold the ladder."

Sienna smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry, I know. You can go."

I didn't care if Julian was avoiding me or what. I crouched down and focused on touching up the lower part of the mural.

Suddenly, I heard a gasp from above.