Chapter 2

My parents froze for a moment, then stood up, their faces etched with disbelief. "Aria, what kind of joke is this?!"

I calmly replied, "No joke at all. I want Julian Vance."

My gaze settled on the tall, handsome man in the corner, and my heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

In my previous life, after Liam’s fake death left me utterly heartbroken, it was Julian who slowly helped me pick myself back up.

He stayed by my side my entire life, until the moment I died. Through a blurry haze, I saw him holding me, sobbing uncontrollably.

It was only then that I realized he had loved me all those years.

"Aria!" My father urged, his voice hushed and urgent. "Didn't you always say you liked Liam Sterling the most? And even if not him, there's always the Hayes and Collins families!"

"You grew up with all three of them; you know each other inside and out."

"Besides, Julian Vance is just a nanny's son. What can he offer you?"

My mother was almost in tears. "You're my only daughter! How can I stand by and watch you marry someone like that and struggle?"

I smiled, leaned in, and whispered a few words into their ears.

Their expressions instantly solidified.

My father's voice trembled slightly. "Is that… really true?"

I nodded firmly.

My parents exchanged a look, finally sighing in relief. "Alright then, in three days, your wedding will be hosted by the Thorne family."

Once that was settled, I turned, took Julian Vance's wrist, and pulled him along. "Come on, let's get you some suits."

He looked confused but just smiled foolishly, letting me drag him.

The moment we stepped into an upscale boutique, I immediately spotted the three men circling Chloe Miller.

Liam was helping her try on a diamond necklace, Brandon was kneeling to tie her shoelace, and Noah was holding a huge bouquet of roses.

The instant Chloe saw me, she feigned panic, quickly hiding behind Liam.

Her voice was soft and innocent, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, Miss Thorne, please don't misunderstand. I really didn't intentionally try to keep Mr. Sterling from going home and marrying you."

Liam pulled her into his arms, then looked up at me, his voice cold. "Aria Thorne, I've already told my family I won't be marrying you."

"In this life, I only love Chloe."

Brandon and Noah also rushed to shield her. "You're the city's richest heiress, you can have any man you want. Why do you have to fight Chloe for them?"

"Exactly. A spoiled heiress like you, all you care about is yourself. You can't compare to innocent Chloe."

I couldn't help but laugh, furious.

Chloe Miller was just a poor college student I’d sponsored.

I’d sympathized with her past, brought her to the city to live, and genuinely cared for her, even inviting her to be my bridesmaid.

But I never expected that she had been secretly seducing my three childhood friends all along.

No matter. Reborn, I finally see things clearly.

Before I could even retort, Julian, his face dark, cut them off. "Since the Sterling family refused, what about the Hayes and Collins families?"

Brandon and Noah immediately scoffed. "Even if we can't have Chloe, we'd never marry Aria Thorne and break Chloe's heart."

"She considers us good friends; how could we betray her?"

Liam eyed me warily. "As long as Chloe is fine in this life, I have no regrets."

I looked at Liam, a flicker of surprise hitting me.

In my last life, he hadn't been so quick to refuse the alliance, nor had he so openly declared his love for Chloe.

Could he have been reborn too?

Seeing my silence, Liam impatiently grabbed my wrist. "You're just so set on marrying me, aren't you? All for the business interests between the Sterling and Thorne families?"

"If you kneel and apologize to Chloe right now, and promise me that our marriage would just be a formality—"

"And after the wedding, we live separate lives, you can't object to me and Chloe sleeping in our marital home, and you ensure Chloe never foolishly hurts herself again—then I'll agree."

This time, before I could open my mouth, Julian swung his fist straight at Liam's face. "What status, what position does your Sterling family hold?! How dare you speak to Miss Thorne like that!"

That’s right, the Thorne family is the richest in the city. How *dare* they?!