"I need you to smile, darling," Adrian whispers, his fingers digging into Isabella's waist as cameras flash. "Your father's business empire depends on it." The champagne in her glass trembles as Isabella forces herself to play the perfect mafia bride. She hasn't told him about the baby yet. Hasn't mentioned the way his eyes linger on the judge's daughter, Elena. Hasn't revealed that she knows about the poison they've planned for her "tragic accident." But Isabella Romano isn't going down without a fight. "Please," she whispers to Santa Muerte as poison burns through her veins. "Give me a chance to make them pay." Death has a price. Isabella awakens in the body of Valentina Salvatore—wife to Adrian's greatest rival and mother to twin girls who somehow see through her deception. She has 150 days to either claim vengeance or find true love. The clock is ticking, and Nicolas Salvatore, her new "husband," is proving dangerously easy to fall for. "You're not really her, are you?" Nicolas murmurs one night, his fingers tracing her jaw. "My Valentina never looked at me the way you do." But as Isabella navigates the deadly waters of rival crime families, she discovers Valentina had secrets of her own—secrets worth dying for. Now, with her father plotting a takeover, Adrian suspicious of her resurrection, and her borrowed body slowly rejecting her soul, Isabella must choose: the revenge she died for, or the love she never expected to find. In this dangerous game of second chances, some fates are worse than death. And some loves are worth dying for twice.
View More"Rise." Santa Muerte's voice filled the ritual chamber. "You bear the mark, Shadow Walker."Nicolas knelt before the altar. "I don't understand.""Your blood carries ancient power," she said."I don't believe in—" Nicolas's words cut off as Santa Muerte's finger touched his chest. "Look." I grabbed his arm as sigils erupted across his skin."The marks," he breathed. "They match the walls.""The Shadow Walkers were guardians once," Santa Muerte said. "Before darkness claimed them.""Nicolas, we need to—" Valentina's consciousness surged through me, making me stumble."Your wife carries two souls," Santa Muerte's laugh echoed. "Just as you carry two bloodlines."The door slammed open."How touching." Adrian stepped in, brushing dust from his suit. "A family reunion."Nicolas moved between us. "Get out.""Those marks." Adrian's eyes locked onto Nicolas's glowing skin. "So the prophecy was true.""What prophecy?"Adrian pulled out weathered papers. "See for yourself. Your bloodline was s
"The Carboni family will agree to—" "Mrs. Salvatore?" Carboni's gravelly voice cuts through the fog. "You were saying?""I..." My eyes fix on the wine glass."Perhaps my wife needs a moment," Nicolas says. "Gentlemen, shall we take five?""Of course, of course," Carboni says. "These negotiations are delicate.""Excuse me." I push back from the table."Isabella." Nicolas catches me in the hallway. "What happened in there?""I lost time again. Five minutes, maybe more.""This is getting worse.""I know." I turn to the bathroom mirror. "I—""Get out." The voice from my mouth isn't mine. "Get out of my body!""Valentina?""Stop pretending to be me. Stop stealing my life!""Mom?" Sofia's voice breaks through. "Luna says you're fighting with yourself again.""I'm fine, sweetheart.""No, you're not," Luna calls out. "Other mommy is sad.""Other mommy?" Nicolas asks sharply."The one who holds her coffee different," Sofia says. "See? Like this.""And likes different flowers," Luna adds. "We
"Look at me, Isabella Romano." Santa Muerte's voice filled the bathroom.I gripped the counter. "I'm looking.""Each power strengthens her. Each shadow feeds Valentina's soul.""You didn't tell me this would happen.""The others failed. Watch."Pain shot through my chest where her finger touched. "Stop—""See their fates. Feel their pain.""I can't—""You're different. Stronger. But time runs short.""What do you want from me?""Choose wisely. Control the power, or let it control you."The mirror cleared. * * *"Mama, who hurt you?" Luis pointed at my chest."No one, baby.""The lady in black did it," Maria said."There." Both twins pointed to the empty chair.The coffee cup shattered in my grip."Children!" Eduardo snapped. "Enough of this nonsense.""I'll clean it—""My study. After breakfast." Eduardo's eyes narrowed. "We need to talk.""About what?""Your husband's... activities."* * *"Sit." Eduardo spread photos across his desk. "Explain this.""Nicolas meeting federal agents?
"Mama Val!" "Sofia, Luna—""Your light," Sofia whispered. "It's all wrong.""Two flames," Luna added. "Dancing together.""Girls, we shouldn't—""Valentina!" Elena's voice cut through the ballroom. "Darling, you remember Madame Rousseau?""Of course."The old instructor's eyes narrowed. "That Swan Lake performance when you were twelve...""You were quite demanding.""Yet you never complained. Unlike that disaster with the broken toe shoe.""Aunt Elena!" Luna's scream pierced the air. "The flowers are burning!"Guests scattered from the smoking roses."Such dramatics." Nicolas's hand found my waist. "Dance with me.""Not the best timing.""You seem tense.""Just watching our backs.""Worried about my dance card?""More worried about the bullet with your name on it."His steps faltered. "What do you know?""Less than I should. More than they think."The orchestra's melody shifted. "Something wrong?" Nicolas pulled me closer. "You've gone pale.""Just warm—""The shadows!" Sofia's scre
"Mama, they're coming!" Sofia's voice crackled through the monitor."What's wrong, baby?" I jolted awake."Bad people, Mama. With guns.""Luna, get under the bed with your sister," I commanded, my skin glowing blue."Security systems down!" A guard's voice shouted through my earpiece. "Three SUVs breaching the gate!""Status report," Nicolas barked over the comm."Taking heavy fire at the south entrance," Lieutenant Ramirez responded. "We're overwhelmed!""Hold position. I'm coming." Nicolas's voice was steel."Mama!" Luna screamed.I sprinted down the hallway. "I'm coming, babies!""Target the children," a masked man ordered as I reached the door."Over my dead body." My eyes went black."What the hell?" One attacker raised his gun.Dark energy crackled around me. "Drop your weapons.""She's not human!" Another backed away."Last warning." The shield materialized.Bullets ricocheted off my barrier. The twins screamed."Valentina?" Nicolas appeared in the doorway.I executed his rival
"Left here." Valentina's voice pulled at my mind. "The stones remember, even if you don't.""Talking to ghosts now, Valentina?" Adrian's voice sliced through my thoughts.I whirled around. "What are you doing in this part of Venice?""I could ask you the same." He adjusted his silk tie. "These aren't your usual haunts.""Everything's changed since the accident.""Have they?" He stepped closer. "Or is it just you?""What do you mean?""The way you move, the way you speak..." His eyes narrowed. "Even the way you look at me.""And how do I look at you, Adrian?""Like you've seen a ghost.""Maybe I have." I moved into his space. "Do you ever think about how things used to be?""Every day." His breath hitched. "Val—"I kissed him before he could finish, letting muscle memory guide me. His hands gripped my waist, desperate and familiar.I pulled back. "Nothing.""What?""I needed to know if any feeling remained." I stepped away. "It doesn't.""Valentina, wait—""Let me go, Adrian. We both
"You're pale," Nicolas said, catching my arm at the Constantine mansion entrance."I'm fine.""Liar." His fingers tightened. "What did you see?""Blood. Signatures. Territory lines." I pulled away. "Nothing that matters now."The doors swung open. Marcello Vitelli's lip curled. "Well, if it isn't the replacement Mrs. Salvatore.""Careful, Vitelli," Nicolas said. "Or I'll give you something real to sneer about.""Threatening me already?" Marcello laughed. "The night's barely begun."Elena clutched her locket, eyes tracking my every move. "Valentina, you're looking... recovered.""Amazing what rising from the dead can do for one's complexion."Adrian stood, spreading maps across mahogany. "Ladies and gentlemen, I propose a new arrangement for our territories.""Stop." I pointed to the port boundaries. "Article seven, section three of the 1985 accord explicitly states no family controls more than forty percent of port operations without unanimous consent."Silence dropped like a blade."
"Val!" Nicolas's voice cut through my nightmare. "You're screaming."I jolted up in bed. "The crash—I saw—""What crash?""Nothing. Just a dream."The bathroom mirror flickered between faces. "Look at yourself," Adrian's voice echoed in my head. "Playing pretend in my sister's body."A child's voice called from down the hall. "Mama!"The twins stood in their cribs, pointing."Tía Val says hello," they said together.Elena backed toward the door. "Señora, something's not right with them.""What do you mean?""The way they speak together. The things they know." She crossed herself. "I need to make a call.""Stay right there.""I'm sorry, Señora. This can't wait." Her heels clicked away.In the kitchen, whispers followed."Did you see her face this morning?" Maria asked another maid."Shh, she'll hear you.""She's changed since the accident."The coffee cup slipped. Blood dripped from my cut hand."Here," Nicolas appeared with a towel. "Let me—"His touch sparked a vision. The garden. A
"Careful with that chalice!" Nicolas reached for my arm. Blood dripped onto my white dress."I'm fine—" The room spun. Power surged through me."You're not fine, Valentina. Let me help you." Nicolas's grip tightened."The ceremony affects everyone differently," Adrian's voice cut in. "Especially first-timers."Elena's heels clicked closer. "Such a shame to ruin that beautiful dress.""It's just a dress." I pulled away from Nicolas. A server bumped my shoulder."Mrs. Salvatore." The young man's whisper carried urgency. "Dr. Martinez needs you. Now.""Valentina." My father's voice boomed across the room. "A moment in my study?""Of course, Father." Nicolas blocked my path. "We should get you cleaned up first.""It won't take long," my father insisted.The study door clicked shut behind us. Father spread a map across his desk. "Beautiful ceremony. Though mixing blood creates... interesting situations.""What do you mean?""Family should stick together. Blood calls to blood." He tapped N
Isabella's POVMy hands shook as I stared at the pregnancy test. Two pink lines. Clear and undeniable. Tears of joy streamed down my face as I touched the silver Santa Muerte medallion around my neck."*Gracias, Santa Muerte*," I whispered. "Thank you for this miracle.""What miracle would that be, darling?"I froze at Adrian's reflection in the bathroom mirror. He stood in the doorway, holding two champagne flutes, his green eyes calculating even as he smiled."Adrian!" I spun around, clutching the test to my chest. "I thought you were at the office.""And miss celebrating with my beautiful wife?" He stepped closer, offering me a glass. "I had a feeling today was special."My heart raced as I accepted the champagne. Something flickered in his expression – something cold and foreign that made my skin crawl."I have amazing news," I said, forcing my voice steady. "We're going to have a baby."The silence stretched between us like a razor wire."A baby?" His smile didn't reach his eyes....
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