u/BBW_k1wigal

*‘Dear mom, dad and Elder.
I love you all so much and I know you love me. That is why I need to leave. I can’t let you destroy your friendships and standing in the pack for me. Know that I see how much you love me by your actions and know that I will always carry that knowledge in my heart and honour it.
Please don’t be angry with the Alpha family, please don’t destroy something that is so important to all of you. I will leave so I can find a new life and so you can live yours as it was intended. Please don’t try to find me, you have raised me well and I will be fine. I love you always.
With Love.
//A’*
I left the note on my bed with my set of house keys. Then I made my way downstairs and took a storm kitchen and a tent out of our storage. Making sure everything I needed was in the glove department in the car, I took a last look at the house that had been my home for eighteen years and I drove off.

Chapter 4
I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw how exhausted and sad I looked. I tried to brighten up as I got close to the pack border. The wolves manning the booth knew my car by sight and just gave me a little wave as I drove by. No doubt they had seen or heard what had happened, I thought. Usually when I left the pack territory I got a feeling of longing. It was a physical reaction that let you know you were leaving your pack. This time, I felt lighter as the miles between me and the pack steadily increased. I headed into the closest town that had everything I needed. First stop was the bank. I was eighteen now and I withdrew all my savings I had earned from working in the pack’s sawmill, all the birthday money I had saved over the years and, with a heavy heart, the savings account my parents had started when I was born. All in all it gave me a good sum of money. Enough to let me stay on the road for as long as I had planned and still have some over for a clean start somewhere else. The next stop was the car dealership. The car I had was a gift from my parents when I got my driver licence. It was a little over a year old and had rarely been driven. But it was an electric car, not ideal for long, cross country road trips. I traded it in for a Volvo that was a little older, but looked to be in good condition. I transferred all my belongings into my new car and got back on the road. I wasn’t trying to hide, or to disappear, but on the other hand I wasn’t going to announce to the world where I was going either. That could be because I had no clue. My plan was to get as far away from Verginia as I could.

I had been driving for most of the day and I felt the exhaustion in my bones. I hadn’t slept since the previous night and I knew I would soon be a danger to myself and others on the road. I found a small gravel road leading into a dead end in the middle of a dense forest. I stopped there, warmed a can of soup and forced myself to eat it even though I had no appetite. I then shut myself in the car, made myself as comfortable as I possibly could with my blanket wrapped around me. My family would have found the note hours ago, and I wondered what they were doing. I cried myself to sleep.
The days were all the same. I drove as far as I could. I stopped to get gas, food and use the bathroom. Once in a while, I slept in cheap motels so I could shower. But most of the time, I slept in my car or outside under the stars. The only thing changing in my routine was the landscape outside the car. From lush forests to grasslands, to desserts and finally I found myself on the other side of the country. I parked my car by the side of the road and stepped out, ending up in the middle of a grass field of flowers. On the other end of the field there was a dense forest, and far in the distance tall mountains stretched up towards a summer blue sky. I drew in a deep breath and some of the tension I had carried with me for almost two weeks left me. Somewhere along the way, I had come up with a goal: Oregon. There was only one pack in the state and they had their territory on the border to Nevada. If I stayed in the northern parts of the state, I would most likely never run into a werewolf. I was going lone wolf. It was the best thing for someone like me, I had decided. Since I didn’t have a wolf, I had no urge to shift. I could blend into the human society without too much trouble. That would also minimise the risk of running into other wolves. They tended to keep away from humans if at all possible. I needed to find a job and some place to live, preferably before winter. But that gave me at least two months. I could do it. It would get my mind off the throbbing ache in my chest. It wasn’t as sharp of a pain as it had been the first couple of days, but it didn’t go away. It was just a constant reminder of what I had lost and why I now needed to prepare for a life as a lone wolf. A lone wolf was not the same as a rogue. The werewolf society had shunned a rouge. Often because of a crime they had committed. A rogue could be killed by anyone, anytime. A lone wolf was a werewolf who had decided not to live in a pack. They still lived by the laws of the werewolf world and if they came across other wolves, they respected the built in hierarchy. It was just as bad to kill a lone wolf without cause as a member of a pack. But finding someone who cared enough to call someone out for doing it, on the other hand, would be difficult. A lone wolf could also re-enter the pack life without permissions from anyone other than the pack that accepted them in. A rogue could only become a member of a pack if they had the permission from the council or from the pack that made them rogue. I took out my new phone, I had sent my old phone back to my parents as it was on their plan. Now I had a new, cheaper one with a prepaid SIM-card. I pulled up a map of the state and started scrolling over it. I decided to head north-west and see where it would take me.
Two days later it took me into a sleepy little town. It looked to be the backdrop for one of those Hallmark-movies my mother loved. The main street was lined with two-story buildings with shops on the bottom floor. The town was located where the plains met the forest and had the towering mountains in the background. The air was clear and the town seemed filled with happiness and joy. This was a place where I could heal, I thought. As if faith and the gods agreed with me, I saw a sign for help wanted in the window of the local diner. I walked inside and could smell the mouthwatering combination of the different traditional diner meals.
“Hey miss, can I get you something?” an older lady asked me as I got close to the counter.
“Hi, yes, I saw the sign in the window and wondered if you are still looking for someone?” I asked. The woman stopped what she was doing and looked at me.
“Are you over eighteen?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Run away from home?”
“No ma’am,” I lied.
“Graduated high school?” she asked. This wasn’t going the way I had hoped.
“No, ma’am. But not far off. There was this thing that happened and my family…,” I stopped talking and looked down at my hands.
“I’m sorry dear,” she said with a heavy sigh, and I realised she had got the wrong impression. But I didn’t correct her. “I’ll give you a trial period of a month. If it works out, I’ll give you permanent employment. But, if you work here I want you to study for a GED. That’s not negotiable,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you. I will make sure to work and study hard,” I told her. She chuckled.
“That’s good dear. Call me Mrs Jones, everyone around here does. What is your name?” she asked.
“I’m Amie Sage, nice to meet you,” I said, using my nickname and my mother’s maiden name.
“Well Amie, if you are planning on sticking around, do you have a place to live?” she asked.
“Not yet. I saw a motel on the outskirts of the town. I was thinking of staying there until I found something.”
“Don’t do that. It’s not in the best condition. Tell you what. My sister owns the bakery a couple of houses down. She owns the apartment on top of it as well. Her last tenant just moved out because she got married and my sister hasn’t been able to find anyone new to rent to yet. How about the two of us walk over and I’ll introduce the two of you,” Mrs Jones said.
“Thank you. That is so nice of you,” I said. This was turning out better than I expected.
Two days later, I was moving into the apartment. It didn’t have much in the ways of furniture. But Mrs Andresen, Mrs Jones’ sister, gave me a tip on two good second hand stores in the area. I had started my job as a waitress in the diner the day before. Everyone has been so nice to me. It almost felt like being part of a new pack. The diner mostly had local guests, patrons that came in regularly to order the same food and to exchange gossip. Mrs Jones explained they got tourists during peak season. It was everything I had dreamed of and needed.

Chapter 5
**Four years later.**

I walked into the backdoor of the bakery, put down the two bags of flour and got a kiss on the cheek from Mrs Andersen.
“Thank you, Amie. I don’t know what I would do without you,” she happily told me.
“I’m happy to help,” I said, and it was the truth. The two sisters had been good to me these past four years. They had helped me feel at home in the small town, introduced me to all the right people, according to them, and made sure I got out of my apartment for other things than my work. In return, I gladly offered them a hand with some of the heavier work. The sisters were getting older, and I felt bad for them working so hard. My strength was nowhere near that of a full werewolf, but I was stronger than the average human. I had made peace with being a latent wolf; a werewolf who didn’t have a wolf, or where the wolf was so weak, it didn’t manifest. It made it easier for me to live amongst humans.
“I have a treat for you on the counter over there,” Mrs Anderson told me.
“You didn’t have to, thank you,” I said before I sank my teeth into a still lukewarm danish and sighed with joy.
“Seeing you eat my pastries is a delight,” the older woman said with a warm smile. We did this every morning. I would bring her the flour from the storage, she would give me a treat and some of her amazing coffee and I insisted she didn’t need to, and she insisted she did.
“I have the lunch shift so I’ll be back before it gets dark,” I told her as I left, holding the to-go cup of coffee.
“Have a nice day dear, and maybe say yes if Jessie asks you out again?” I heard before the door shut behind me. Jessie was the town’s most desirable bachelor, not that it said much in this town. But he had been the highschool football star. He was good looking, hardworking, owned his own farm that actually made a profit and was, overall, a decent guy. Jessie had tried hitting on me since I arrived four years ago, but unlike the local women, I turned him down. Not just the first time, but every time since. It had become a running joke in town, and I knew people were placing bets on when I would finally give in. The thing with Jessie was that he never took offense at me turning him down. He joked about it just as much as anyone else and over the years, we had become good friends. As I walked into the diner, I was greeted by Rich, the cook, and Mrs Jones. I emptied the last coffee from my cup, careful not to spill anything on my mint-green uniform.
“CeCe is marrying the ketchups. Could you start with the napkins?” Mrs Jones asked.
“Sure thing,” I said as I walked out into the front part of the diner to greet my other friend. Yes, during my time in this town, I had only made two real friends. But that was two more than I had expected. CeCe was a year older than me and more upbeat than I had ever been. Usually there was only one waitress needed at the time in the diner. But it was tourist season, which meant we would be two. It also meant we had to take in a third, temporary, waitress as CeCe and I couldn’t cover all shifts. It sucked as this year we were stuck with Dara. Dara wasn’t a bad kid, she was just clumsy, unfocused and lived more in her own head than out in the real world. To be honest, she usually caused more work than she helped. But Mrs Jones said Dara needed to get out of the house and into the real world. She had a thing for rescuing people, like some old women rescued stray cats, Mrs Jones rescued stray people. I couldn’t object as she had rescued me. She had rescued CeCe as well, but in a different kind of way. We were both loyal to the old woman, so we didn’t object to having Dara in the diner.
“Am I happy to see you,” CeCe said as I walked up to her. We hugged and got back to work.
“How was your trip?” she asked as we got going.
“It was fine,” I said. It had been my day off yesterday and I had told everyone I was going to go away for the day, sightseeing and relaxing. What I was really doing was driving as far away as I could possibly get and still make it back home to my shift today. It was my mother’s birthday in a couple of days and that meant I sent a postcard to her. I usually just said I was doing well and I hoped she had a good birthday. I did the same for my father’s and brother’s birthdays, as well as for the end of the lunar cycle. It’s like Christmas and new years all wrapped into one for werewolves. I drove to remote towns so the postage couldn’t be traced back to where I lived. I didn’t know if I was being kind or cruel by sending the four postcards every year. I just wanted them to know I was okay. They didn’t need to worry. And I was okay. Life was maybe not perfect, but it was okay. The dull ache was still there in the pit of my stomach, but it had stopped hurting. Or maybe I had got used to the pain. Either way, it didn’t bother me as much now as it had in the beginning. It was a reminder that I was alive, I was a survivor and a fighter. I had built my life from scratch and I was proud of what I had, even if it wasn’t much.
“Have you seen the hunk who just sat down at your table?” CeCe asked me. We were in the middle of the lunch rush and the diner was full of both locals and tourists. I glanced over at the table I knew she had to be referring to, as it had been the only free one in my section. My body froze as I saw him. He was a werewolf, all my senses told me that much, and to add insult to injury, he was an Alpha. My mouth got dry and my legs refused to move.
“CeCe, could you do me the favour and take that table for me? I can take two, or three of yours in return. I’ll even trade you the one with the four children,” I asked. I heard the desperation in my voice.
“Are you sure, Amie? Have you seen him? Yummy,” she said.
“All yours,” I said. She wasn’t wrong. The Alpha looked like most Alphas, big strong, self-confident. Pair it with blond hair that looked to have a will of its own in a playful way and deep blue eyes and you had yummy. But Alphas were trouble, especially for me. He was the first wolf I had run into since leaving the pack and I didn’t want to bring any more attention to myself than necessary. I knew he already knew what I was. If I could detect him in a room full of humans. He, with his fully developed Alpha senses, would have no problem noticing me. CeCe walked over to him and took his order. I saw her flirt with him and he smiled politely back at her. I tried my best to ignore him and keep my distance. It was hard since he sat in my section of the diner, but I think I did a good job. When he paid and left, I felt relieved, he hadn’t tried to speak to me.
“You missed out on that one. Handsome, nice without being creepy and a great tipper,” CeCe said. “Want me to split the tip?” she then asked. I shook my head. She had earned it and even if the family with four children hadn’t left a huge tip, they hadn’t been skimpy either. I would gladly sacrifice the tip to avoid him. The rest of the day, I was on high alert. I was jumpy and kept checking to make sure the unknown Alpha wasn’t anywhere near me.
“Are you okay, dear?” Mrs Jones asked as I was getting ready to leave.
“I’m fine, but thank you for checking,” I told her.
“You seem a little… I don’t know,” she said.
“Skittish,” Rich helped.
“Yes, that is the right word,” she agreed.
“I’m fine, just didn’t get enough sleep last night. I was going to go home and take a nap. I’m sure that will make it better,” I lied. It gave me an excuse for staying home.
“Oh, poor dear. You do that. Do you want me to send Dara over with some dinner?” Mrs Jones asked. She really was a wonderful woman.
“No thank you, Mrs Jones. I appreciate it, but I was looking forward to the dinner I was planning to cook,” I told her. So many lies in one day, I would get a stomach ache if I continued like this.
“Well then, run along and call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Mrs Jones,” I said and gave her a hug. I hurried home and closed the door behind me. No Alpha. I was safe and he would leave town and everything would go back to normal.

Not too shabby considering I joined back after like 16 years back in September ‘25 💪💪

Rebirth: Becoming the Mafia Princess I Never Wanted to Be

In my previous life, I was adopted by a regular family. My younger sister, Regina Capasso, was taken in by a mafia Don, resulting in her becoming the principessa of Etalia's most powerful mafia family.

Unexpectedly, Regina is cast out by the Don in her third year of getting adopted. She was forced to roam the streets as a homeless person till the day she died a terrible death.

I, on the other hand, got into a prestigious university thanks to my good grades. Then, I furthered my studies with my adoptive older brother, Dario Bivona. With hard work, I eventually became the rising star of the AI industry who was sought out by all.

With my adoptive parents' blessings, Dario and I ended up getting married and having our own children. My life was filled with peace and happiness.

After we're given a second chance at the same life, Regina makes an entirely different decision.

She rushes into Dario's arms and starts calling him by his name sweetly. Then, she takes my ex-parents' hands while gazing at me gloatingly.

"You should have a taste of what it feels like to be a principessa, Livia. I seriously can't endure another second in that cruel, unforgiving family!"

I look at Dario expectantly, hoping that he'll say something in my defense. But he shields Regina behind him while glaring at me icily.

"Stay away from my sister."

In the end, I slowly make my way toward the Rolls-Royce as Regina continues to look at me smugly.

Chapter 1

During the adoption in my last life, my younger sister, Regina Capasso, was the first to choose the mafia Don. But three years later, she was kicked out of the family and tragically died on the streets.

Meanwhile, I rose to fame in the AI industry, married my adoptive brother, Dario Bivona, and lived a happy life.

Now, given a second chance, Regina jumped right into Dario's arms.

It turned out that she was also reborn.

She threw herself into Dario's arms and called his name in a sweet voice. Holding her adoptive parents' hands, she cast a smug glance at me. "Livia, you can take the role of the mafia Principessa. I'm not cut out for that life."

I looked at Dario, my husband in my last life, expecting him to say something, but instead, he shielded Regina like a prized possession. His cold gaze turned to me. "Stay away from my sister."

Dario had no memories of his last life. To him, I was just a stranger.

In the end, I walked toward the Rolls-Royce under Regina's triumphant gaze.

In our last life, when we had to choose, Regina had eagerly hopped into the Rolls-Royce.

She had turned around and said to me, smiling, "Livia, go live the tough life. I'm still young. I can't live that kind of life. You'll suffer for me, right?"

Regina got her dream life as the mafia Principessa, but her expression grew darker with every passing day.

This time, without hesitation, she made the opposite choice.

That confirmed my suspicions. She, too, had been reborn.

When the Vicino family came to pick me up, there was only a butler and a driver.

"Signorina, shall we go?"

The butler, sitting in the front seat, silently observed me through the rearview mirror.

About ten minutes into the drive, he passed me a file. "I'm the Vicino family's butler, Sabele Recchio. Here are some things to keep in mind when you get to Vicino Estate. There's still some distance to go, so take a look.

"The mafia is all about rules, so be careful not to step out of line. Don and Donna Vicino are good people. While their son may have a bit of a temper, he's loyal and caring."

"Va bene. I'll keep that in mind," I replied.

Sabele smiled at my reply.

The car soon arrived at Vicino Estate. When we stopped, Sabele's voice came from the front seat. "Signorina, did you remember everything?"

"Sì, I did."

I followed Sabele into the luxurious mansion, which looked like a palace.

"Don Vicino, she's here," Sabele called out.

A tall man holding a cup of coffee turned from the floor-to-ceiling window. His gaze swept over me, taking me in. His deep voice rang out as he sat down on the couch, waving me over. "Come here. What's your name?"

"Livia."

He nodded. "No need to change your name. Just take the Vicino surname. From now on, you'll be our Principessa."

He looked at me with approval, clearly pleased with my composure.

"I'm your papa, Alano Vicino. From now on, this is your home."

He gestured to the beautiful woman by his side. "This is your mamma, Imelda Totino. If you need anything, just tell her. Don't be shy."

"Va bene. Grazie, Papa, Mamma," I replied, smiling.

I followed Sabele up the stairs.

The walls were adorned with expensive oil paintings, and the chandelier above was made from real diamonds. The staircase alone was so magnificent that it almost took my breath away.

In my last life, I had earned all this with my own hard work. Seeing it again now barely stirred anything inside me.

Sabele glanced back at me, surprised by my lack of reaction.

When we reached the second floor, he respectfully said, "Ms. Vicino, this is the room Don Vicino prepared for you. You can rest here. I'll come get you when dinner's ready."

The door opened, revealing a large room, all in shades of pink.

As I stepped inside, I was instantly enveloped in a cocoon of warm pink.

The walls, curtains, and bed canopy were all a soft pink. Even the headboard and vanity were lined with brand-new, tagged pink dolls.

The air smelled faintly of soothing fragrance.

Clearly, the Vicino family was being very generous with me.

A wave of joy filled my heart.

Everything in the room was on a level that most people could only dream of. And yet here I was, obtaining it all so effortlessly from my adoptive parents. I didn't even have to fight the way to the top as I did in my last life.

This time, I would make sure I achieved even greater success than before!

Chapter 2

I was smiling, daydreaming about the bright future ahead, when, suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud bang.

My brain froze as I turned around and saw a massive Mastino charging toward me.

Just as the dog knocked me to the ground, I noticed a young man leaning lazily against the doorframe. He looked a little childish but already exuded an air of toughness. His muscular arms were covered with two crossed pistol tattoos.

At that moment, he was looking at me with disdain.

He was Pardo Vicino, Alano's only son.

If all went well, he'd be the next Don of the Vicino family in a few years.

Suddenly, Pardo's expression shifted. He looked surprised and asked, "Why didn't it attack you?"

The Mastino was known for its ferocity. In the mafia world, it was often raised as a fighting dog. In my last life, this very dog had killed many traitors within the family, earning a reputation as a deadly killer.

But now, as Pardo asked his question, I was sitting up, holding the dog in my lap.

"It's so cute. What's its name?" I asked.

"Shado," he blurted, then raked a hand through the stray hairs on his forehead, his expression clouding with regret.

Shado sat on my lap, rubbing its big head against my shoulder. I took some jerky out of my pocket and fed it to the dog, which then sat quietly, focused on chewing its treat.

In my last life, to ensure my safety, I'd lived and slept with a Mastino for years. I knew how to handle it better than Dario.

I looked up at Pardo. "Ciao, Pardo. I'm Livia."

His initial disdain turned into curiosity. "You're that orphan? You're brave. I'll give you that. You even managed to tame Shado. How did you do it?"

Pardo, Alano's spoiled only son, had a straightforward yet ruthless personality.

In my last life, under peer pressure, he agreed to race in the mountains and ended up in a car accident that cost him both legs. Confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, he grew even more ruthless, earning the nickname "Grim Reaper" within the mafia.

Not hearing a response from me, he scoffed and said, "Shado, let's go."

In just a few days, school would start again. Before that, Sabele took me on a tour of the estate to familiarize me with every corner of the mansion.

During these days, I didn't see Pardo or Shado. I also didn't encounter Alano or Imelda. They seemed to be busy with their own affairs.

Soon after returning to my room, there was another knock on the door. Sabele entered and handed me a digital tablet with various schedules on it.

"Ms. Vicino, these are the training plans arranged by Donna Vicino for you. She hopes you'll grow quickly during this time. Please take a look and determine if it's achievable."

"I can do it," I replied without hesitation.

Looking at the packed schedule on the tablet, I felt excitement bubbling inside me. In my last life, though I had climbed to the ranks of the nouveau riche, the mafia family's training was a world completely closed off to outsiders.

Now, I had direct access to it without having to work for it. How could I not be thrilled?

Sabele shot me a meaningful look, then continued with some additional instructions.

The next few days were hectic. I was like a circus performer, juggling countless tasks. I absorbed knowledge as if I were a sponge.

I woke up every morning to run drills and spent my days in school. After classes, the driver, Gildo Labate, took me to the shooting range and boxing ring. Even after returning home, there were tutors to teach me about the family history and how to better assist Pardo.

While I was learning, I also resumed my efforts online. In my last life, I was known as a rising star in the AI industry, but secretly, I was the world's top hacker.

I finally saw Alano and Imelda again a month later when my test results came in.

Imelda smiled and waved when she saw me. "Livia, come sit."

I walked over and sat on the nearby couch.

She asked gently, "How's the studying going?"

I handed her the various test results I had from my bag.

Imelda looked through the perfect scores and gave me a satisfied smile. "Very good. I knew I made the right choice with you. Pardo has been thoroughly spoiled by his papa and me. He's quite naive, so I'll need you to guide him whenever necessary."

She was well aware of Pardo's clueless nature and hoped I could help manage him.

"Once he becomes the Don, you'll be the Underboss. What do you think?"

With a composed smile, Imelda laid her demands and her bargaining chips flat on the table.

Without a moment of hesitation, I immediately responded, "Sure, Mamma."

She smiled again and nodded in approval.

Chapter 3

Imelda handed me a card, granting me a day off. Gildo drove me to the city center.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I spotted a familiar face—Regina.

She was wearing a red-and-white mascot costume. When I saw her, she was holding the oversized mascot head with one hand while using a flyer to wipe the sweat off her forehead with the other. Her pale face had turned bright red from the heat.

Just as I was about to turn and leave, I noticed a young man rushing toward her. It was Dario.

He, too, was holding a thick stack of flyers. He hurried over to Regina and used the flyers to fan her.

"Regina, are you okay? Can you hold on a bit longer? If you're too tired, we can go home."

Hearing the concern in his voice, Regina weakly smiled. "I'm fine, Dario. I can continue. Isn't it almost time for your tutoring session? Go ahead and get to class. I'll be fine alone."

In my last life, I did the same thing—working multiple jobs every day. I had no time for breakfast in the mornings and would rush off to do odd jobs after school. On weekends, I'd be out handing out flyers in the busiest part of town, braving the heat and cold.

Only by doing all this could I earn the chance to attend school at my adoptive parents' family.

To pay for college tuition, I even worked as a waitress at a bar after graduating from high school. I endured all kinds of harassment, just so I could make a few extra bucks.

I turned to walk toward the building when suddenly, Regina, still in her mascot costume, blocked my path.

"Livia?"

When she saw the Hermès bag in my hand, a flash of jealousy crossed her eyes.

"You sure seem to be living the good life. But don't forget, the mafia devours people whole. You might end up dead in the streets one day."

I looked at her without responding.

Unable to hold back any longer, she started bragging about her adoptive parents.

"My parents treat me so well. Dario even more so. He tutors me after school and brings me all sorts of snacks."

"Oh," I replied, my voice cold and indifferent.

My reaction seemed to finally irritate her. Her face flushed as she was about to say something, but Dario walked over just in time.

"What did you do to my sister?" he asked, his gaze sharp as he stood protectively in front of Regina.

Ignoring him, I bypassed them and walked into the mall.

Behind me, I heard Regina's voice full of schadenfreude. "Dario, why were you so harsh with her? She's my sister…"

I used Imelda's bank card to purchase many luxury goods—too many to carry by myself —so I called Gildo to pick me up.

Just as I was about to get in the car, Regina's mocking voice reached my ears. "Hmph! What's the point of buying all this stuff? You're going to die anyway."

I raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Chapter 4

Gildo helped me carry the mountain of shopping bags into the living room.

As soon as I stepped inside, I heard a sharp voice cutting through the air. "You really went all out, huh? Do you really think you're the Principessa of the Vicino family now?"

I ignored his mocking tone and sweetly greeted him, "Pardo, long time no see. I got you a gift. Wait right here. I'll grab it for you."

With that, I took the box from Sabele's hands and placed it on the coffee table in front of Pardo. "Pardo, here's a gift for you. Open it and let me know if you like it."

He sneered as he opened the box. "You're from the slums. What kind of gift are you going to pick out? Don't tell me you brought back some junk."

But as soon as he saw what was inside, his tone shifted dramatically. "The latest gaming laptop!"

I couldn't help but smile when I saw Pardo's surprised expression. It seemed like I made the right choice with this gift.

Although a laptop like this wasn't much to the Vicino family, Pardo had been denied his allowance because of his lack of ambition, and he couldn't afford the latest version himself.

When he noticed my smile, his expression immediately hardened, and he tried to act indifferent as he grabbed the box. "You really know how to win people over. I guess you're quite a good person."

With that, he hurried off, clutching the box.

Sabele shot me a look filled with approval.

"Sabele, can you gather everyone? I got gifts for everyone."

After a brief moment of surprise, Sabele turned to call the others.

I handed out the gifts one by one. Everyone seemed genuinely touched. They expressed their gratitude with heartfelt thanks.

As the group was about to leave, Alano and Imelda returned.

Seeing everyone smiling and clutching gifts of various sizes, they turned toward Sabele.

"Why is everyone gathered here?" Alano asked.

"Don Vicino, Ms. Vicino gave everyone gifts. Everyone's really moved."

I picked up two boxes and approached them. "Papa, Mamma, these are gifts for you. I hope you like them."

Alano opened the gift to reveal a pair of exquisite cufflinks. His eyes lit up with a smile. "Grazie. I really like them."

Imelda took the rose-shaped brooch I handed her and smiled warmly as she gazed at me. "Livia, I love it. Grazie."

With that, she pulled my hands into hers and lightly patted the back of my hand. "You know how to show gratitude. That's a good trait."

Everything seemed to be falling into place. I was growing quickly under the guidance of various tutors.

After the graduation ceremony, the teachers swarmed Imelda, raving about how I grasped everything with incredible speed, precision, and ease.

At dinner, I stepped into the dining room to find both Imelda and Pardo already seated.

When Imelda saw me, she waved me over. "Livia, come sit by me. Your teachers are all full of praise for you. They say you've already finished all your high school courses. Do you want to join the family business now and start learning about family affairs with Pardo?

"I originally planned to let you finish high school first, but you're so impressive. You've already completed your high school courses."

"Sounds good to me. What's the point of finishing high school anyway?" Pardo immediately chimed in.

Noticing his excitement, I smiled and turned to Imelda. "Mamma, if it's possible, I'd still like to finish high school with Pardo before joining the family business. Would that be okay?"

Chapter 5

On the first day of school, Pardo sat in the car, looking thoroughly impatient.

I didn't expect him to wait for me, so I ran toward him, shouting, "Pardo, are you waiting for me?"

He snorted and responded, "Stop shouting. Get in, or I won't forgive you if we're late."

Just before getting out of the car, he finally turned and glared at me. "Listen up, don't tell anyone at school you're my sister. If you do, don't blame me for what comes next."

Upon hearing that, Gildo immediately turned around to comfort me. "Don't be upset, Ms. Vicino. Mr. Vicino just talks tough, but he's actually soft-hearted."

Smiling, I nodded at Gildo, then quickly walked toward the school.

At the school gates, I saw Regina and Dario surrounded by a crowd.

"Are you Dario Bivona? The one who took the top spot in the entrance exams?"

"They're wearing cheap clothes. If they didn't have good grades, how would they have gotten into this prestigious school?"

The onlookers pressed in, hurling malicious questions at them. Dario shielded Regina in front of her.

"Class is about to start. Get inside now."

The crowd broke apart as a teacher approached. Just as I was about to follow Pardo out, I heard Regina's voice call out. "Livia?"

She blocked my path.

"Livia, it's really you? Did you get into this school too? What's your rank? I didn't see your name on the list."

Dario grabbed Regina and shouted at me, "Stay away from my sister!"

I didn't bother to engage with them and simply walked around them and headed into the school. But I couldn't miss the flash of jealousy in Regina's eyes.

With my memories from my last life, all the courses felt effortless.

Pardo, however, still spent his days immersed in the digital world, routinely sleeping in class or playing games.

We had agreed to meet in the car every night to head home together.

Even though he still wore a grumpy expression whenever we met, he always stood up for me whenever the other rich heiresses picked on me.

A month had passed, and our relationship had gradually softened. We could even exchange a few words in the car now.

Then, one night, after a month had gone by, I waited in the car for an hour, but Pardo never showed up. His phone was unreachable.

It suddenly hit me. Earlier that day, some classmates had mentioned a race.

The location of the race was the mountain area where Pardo had crashed and lost his legs in my last life.

No! I couldn't let him get into another accident!

I started frantically banging on the seat, urging Gildo to take me to the northern mountain range.

By the time we arrived, the race had already started. Several sports cars zoomed past me, and I spotted Pardo's red car, swerving out of control as it crashed into the mountainside.

"Pardo!"

sauce for 1 & 2 = I'm Stuck on a Remote Island With the Male Leads

sauce for 3 & 4 = Trapped at Home With the Male Leads

Saw someone say it wasn’t rigged so far and everyone dissing them can’t find the post but tbh I’m having the same luck too. Haven’t even gotten one dupe for the stupid mariachi dragon.