

On my birthday, one of my husband’s subordinates leaned close to him and whispered in Russian, “Sasha has a surprise prepared for you tonight.” My husband smiled at me as he finished cutting my cake. Then, in the same language, he replied, “She has quite a few tricks in bed. I’ll see her later. “Just don’t let Madam find out, or I’m afraid I’ll get thrown out.” Everyone around laughed and assured keep it quiet. None of them knew that I’d been fluent in multiple languages since I was a child. What they also didn’t know was that I’d found the hidden phone he kept in the false drawer, where all the filthy videos of him and Sasha were saved. I didn’t confront him. Instead, I contacted a few remaining connections in the Vegas and had them prepare a new identity for me. In three days, Claire Vega would no longer exist, and he would never have me again.

"My name is Catherine Moretti. I’m the illegitimate daughter of a mafia family—a woman who died once and clawed her way back. In my last life, my sister Rosa pushed me toward Grayson, who was stuck in a wheelchair, so she could marry Sergei. I became his caretaker, his crutch, and his outlet for desire. Then seven bullets from a rival family tore through my womb. At that exact moment, the man who had faked being paralyzed for years stood up and shoved me into the line of fire—just to protect the “heir” growing in Rosa’s belly. I was reborn on the day of the marriage selection. I pried Rosa’s hand off mine, looked everyone in the eye, and smiled. “This time, I choose no one.” They thought I was just throwing a tantrum. They had no idea I never wanted love. I wanted the highest seat in the mafia—the one they were all fighting over. Two men, the same face, and in both lives they picked the same woman. Fine by me. Saves me the trouble of getting revenge one by one. But this time, Grayson and Sergei are losing their minds with regret."