Chapter 1 … ..0 Staring at the ten photos spread before me , I realized I'd been reborn . [ ] This time , I didn't hesitate to point at the last photo - Dex North . [ ] Dad looked startled . " But you've had a crush on Kieran since you were little . Why pick the youngest Dex ? " ] ] I shook my head without speaking, my mind echoing with the scene I'd witnessed before closing my eyes in my past life- Dex rushing toward me like a madman , his deathly pale face , and that desperate roar . Thankfully , Dad didn't push for details and nodded his approval . ] Leaving Dad's study , I headed to the mansion's courtyard where Mara suddenly appeared , dropping to her knees in front of me . " Miss Riley , please let me have Kieran ! " [ ] " You already have everything , but Kieran is all I have . Please , I'm begging you to let him go ! " ]] I froze . This scene was different from my past life . [ ] Had Mara been reborn too ? Just then , Kieran appeared out of nowhere . Seeing this scene , his eyes filled with rage . ] He rushed forward , scooped Mara up in his arms , and glared at me with pure hatred . ] " Riley ! How long are you gonna keep hurting Mara ? " ] " Just because she's the housekeeper's daughter doesn't give you the right to bully her like this ! " Watching this unfold , my heart clenched with inexplicable pain . [ ] Past life , this life - it was always the same . Kieran had never once believed in me . ] Kieran kept glaring at me . " Listen up - even if you pick me as your husband , I'll never give in . Don't think you'll get your way ! " } Memories of my death in the past life came flooding back . Since I knew Kieran would never choose me anyway , that's exactly why I let them be together . But my heart still throbbed with that familiar dull ache- Chapter 1 Before I could speak , several gunshots suddenly rang out in the distance . [ ] Looking toward the sound , we saw several heads poking out of a car outside the mansion , pointing guns directly at us ! ] Kieran reacted fastest - years of training had given him muscle memory . [ ] He sprinted toward me at full speed . [ ] But then Mara let out a pained moan . She collapsed on the ground , shot in the leg . Kieran's eyes flashed with conflict , but he didn't hesitate to dive toward Mara instead , shielding her with his body . [ ] Watching this scene , I felt my blood turn to ice . ] Just as the gunmen aimed at me , someone suddenly rushed out to protect me . [ ] After the gunshots died down , I opened my eyes to see who had shielded me - it was Dex North . [ ] The assassins , seeing they'd failed , quickly fled the scene . [ ] Dex radiated cold fury as he stared at Kieran . " Did you forget what your job is supposed to be ? " ] " What if something had happened to Miss Riley ? " ]] Kieran's eyes showed a flicker of guilt , quickly replaced by stubborn defiance . " Mara was already hurt - who else was gonna take of her ? " " Besides , Riley's fine , isn't she ? What's the big deal ? " ]