Chapter 1

My name is Kiara Reed. When my sister Valentina Reed and I turned eighteen, our father, the head of the Reed family, gave us a choice.

One of us would take over the family's territory and business in the South Side of Zicago, and the other would be sent to marry into the Monti family, who ruled the North Side with an iron fist.

In my previous life, Valentina was obsessed with gaining family power and didn't hesitate to take over the family business.

But she only cared about living the good life, partying, and slacking off while completely neglecting the family business.

Within a year, she blew through the family fortune, burned every bridge, and the Reed family's assets were seized by rivals. In the end, she was left with nothing.

As for me, I was used as a bargaining chip and married off to Marcus Monti. I bore him two sons and managed to secure my place in that ruthless Monti family.

Valentina's jealousy consumed her. During a family Christmas dinner, she stabbed me repeatedly until I died, her rage unleashed in front of everyone.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself back in the day when we had to make our choice.

Valentina jumped in before I could speak, her voice shaking with excitement. She declared, "I want to marry Marcus Monti. Kiara can take over the family turf."

I couldn't help but laugh at my foolish sister. The Monti family was pure hell on earth, and she was walking right into it.

Valentina insisted, "I fell for Marcus hard. It was love at first sight. I just have to be with him. Kiara's way smarter than me, so she'll totally handle the family business."

Seeing my father and the family elders frozen in shock, Valentina's cheeks burned crimson.

She was itching to tie the knot with Marcus Monti and claim her spot as queen of that powerhouse crime family.

Just days ago, Valentina had been shamelessly boasting about becoming the Reed family's first female Boss, but today she seemed like a whole new person.

My father and the family's consigliere were left speechless, totally confused by how she suddenly ditched the power that had been hers for the taking.

I sat quietly on the couch, flipping through the ledger, unable to hold back a sneer.

Now that life had given us a do-over, Valentina was still just as impatient. She thought she'd sidestepped her old failures, but she had no clue she was diving headfirst into the nightmare I'd already survived.

My mother stayed quiet, but my father, a man who had seen it all, had a different opinion.

He said, "Valentina, in this business, you can only rely on yourself. Marcus might like you now, but what if he loses interest later?

"I've heard Marcus's reputation is not great. You really need to think this over. I can't just stand by and watch you get hurt."

Trusting one's entire life to another man's protection was the worst mistake a woman could make.

My father had spent his whole life surviving gunfights and betrayals, and he'd watched men discard women like spent ammo. Once they'd used them up, they were tossed aside without a second thought.

The women who fought alongside the family through every turf war and bloodbath ended up with nothing to show for it. Naturally, my dad didn't want his daughters to repeat that fate. But Valentina was too stubborn to see the truth.

Maybe it was the glamorous life I had in my previous life that got under Valentina's skin: cruising around in bulletproof Cadillacs, bank accounts so deep one'd never see the bottom, and bodyguards who'd take a bullet for me.

Valentina stubbornly believed her previous failure was all because she'd taken over the family business, and it had been way too much for her. In her mind, marrying Marcus was her real ticket to success, the fast track to living large.

She brushed off my dad's advice, waving her hand impatiently.

Valentina said, "Oh, Dad. Those other women just didn't have what it takes. I have got looks and charm, and Marcus would never let me go. He'd be crazy to dump me.

"And you've all seen him. He's smooth, totally a gentleman. All that gossip out there? It's just fake news."

Her eyes were shining, full of determination, like she was already picturing herself as Mrs. Monti.

To her, this was a road lined with flowers, nothing but sweet dreams ahead.

After all, compared to hustling between the docks and factories, constantly dealing with family bosses who were all out for themselves, she was way more suited to being a pampered canary: staying home, listening to opera, and partying her nights away.

I had to duck my head, or else I'd totally lose it and start laughing out loud.

Marcus might play the perfect gentleman in public, but I was the only one who saw the real him, a twisted monster beneath the charm.

He was born out of wedlock, and to claw his way up as the Monti family's heir, he spilled more blood and endured more brutality than anyone could ever imagine.

He pushed me to schmooze with every big shot in town, all to strengthen his network. Even if I drank so much my stomach bled, he couldn't care less.

If he was even slightly displeased, he'd beat me black and blue. No matter how hot the summer got, I had to cover up every inch just to hide the bruises.

Worst of all, the Monti family was a nest of vipers. Every day started with fresh schemes and assassination attempts. Waking up meant facing a world where betrayal and murder were routine.

It was a snake pit that chewed one up and spat out nothing but bones.

Honestly, nothing compared to inheriting one's own family empire and ruling as its queen.

Seeing that Valentina had made up her mind, my father and the family elders had no choice but to drop it.

With a sigh, they filed out of the room.