Chapter 1

Olivia and her cousin were kidnapped.

The kidnappers said they could only save one.

I laughed on the spot.

In my previous life, my brother and I were kidnapped, and Olivia chose to save my brother.

History was repeating itself in this life.

As for who I would choose, wasn't it obvious?

In the European-style banquet hall.

Glasses clinked and perfume wafted through the air.

My father and I stood on the stage, smiling as we greeted the guests.

The butler quietly informed me: "Young Master, all the guests have arrived. Please start the opening dance."

Today was my 18th birthday.

My father had thrown a grand birthday party for me, with all the prominent figures in our social circle gathered.

I looked out at the crowd, but my designated "dance partner" was nowhere to be seen.

My father leaned in and asked:

"Where's Olivia? Wasn't she supposed to dance the opening number with you?"

Olivia Gu, the eldest daughter of the Gu family, was my childhood friend.

She was also supposed to be my "dance partner" tonight.

I looked up.

As expected, my half-brother Ethan was also absent.

If my memory served me right, today was the first time they met in my previous life.

Olivia had gone to the garden for some fresh air and encountered Ethan, who wasn't used to high society parties.

The two hit it off immediately, marking the beginning of their romantic entanglement.

In my previous life, upon discovering Olivia had left, I immediately rushed out to look for her.

I ended up seeing her chatting happily with Ethan. Consumed by jealousy, I punched Ethan.

The consequences were that Olivia despised me, my father reprimanded me, and the guests looked down on me.

Living this life again, I wouldn't make the same mistake.

Was a dance partner really that important? Could my birthday party not go on without Olivia?

My gaze swept coldly over the crowd.

A young woman in an unfashionable dress caught my eye.

She was standing forlornly by a pillar, lost in thought.

The girl had delicate features, a petite figure, skin as white as snow, and an elegant demeanor.

She stood out like a sore thumb in this lavish and extravagant banquet hall.

I walked towards her, much to everyone's surprise.

When the girl saw me approach, her rosy lips parted slightly, her face full of bewilderment.

"Sophia, would you like to dance with me?" I extended my hand to her.

Sophia Gu's eyes flickered, pointing at herself in disbelief:

"...You're asking me?"

"Who else would I be asking?" I smiled and asked:

"Do you know how to waltz?"

"Yes..." Sophia nodded, looking honored yet nervous.

She shyly placed her hand in mine, allowing me to lead her to the center of the dance floor.

The guests automatically made way for us.

The band began playing the lively "Tales from the Vienna Woods."

Sophia carefully placed her hands on my shoulders as we began to dance.

As we glided across the floor, I admired her bashful expression.

A blush crept up her fair cheeks, like a ripe peach.

"Relax, I'm not going to eat you," I teased.

Sophia's palms were sweaty, and her steps were a bit unsteady.

"S-sorry..." she apologized, flustered.

In my previous life, I had only cared about Olivia, following her lead in everything.

Influenced by Olivia, I had a very poor impression of Sophia.

But I would never forget that in my previous life, when I fell from a tall building and was broken and battered, it was Sophia who knelt in the blood, desperately performing CPR on me as I was dying.

Only after dying once did I see clearly who was human and who was a demon.

I pulled my wandering thoughts back and continued to tease Sophia:

"Is this your first time dancing with a boy?"

"Yes..."

"Well, I feel quite honored then."

As I was bantering, my eyes met a pair of shocked ones over Sophia's shoulder—