Crown Prince of the Underworld

1
I am the heir to the Blackwood crime family. To protect me, my mother adopted and trained ten orphan girls from childhood to be my personal bodyguards.
When I came of age, my mother told me to choose one of them as my wife.
Without hesitation, I chose Sera, the leader of the ten, the woman I had secretly loved for years.
After we were married, I was kidnapped by a rival family. They strung me up in a flooding cell, iron chains biting through my collarbones.
With my last ounce of strength, I managed to call Sera for help.
All I heard was her cold, mocking laugh. "Stop playing games, Damian. Your tracker clearly shows you're still at the villa!"
"You'd sink to such a pathetic trick just to keep me from spending time with Leo?"
Despair washed over me as I listened to her heartless voice. The water rose, covering my mouth, my nose. Then, everything went black.
I woke with a gasp.
I was back on the day my mother told me to choose a wife.
…
Staring at the ten photographs spread before me, I knew. I had been reborn.
This time, my finger didn't hesitate. It landed on the very last photo, the one that was always overlooked.
Phoebe.
My mother raised an eyebrow. "I thought you've always favored Sera. Why choose the tenth?"
I just shook my head, saying nothing. In my mind, I could still see Phoebe's frantic expression as she rushed to my side in my past life, could still hear her final, desperate scream.
Thankfully, my mother didn't press the issue. She simply nodded in agreement.
Leaving her study, I walked out into the villa's courtyard. Suddenly, Leo appeared and dropped to his knees before me.
"Sir, I'm begging you, please, let me have Sera," he pleaded. "You have everything in the world. All I have is her. Please, I'm begging you, let her go."
I stared at him, stunned. This was different from my past life. Could it be that Leo had been reborn, too?
Just then, Sera rushed out. The sight of Leo kneeling made her eyes blaze with fury. She hauled him to his feet and glared at me, her voice dripping with venom.
"Damian! How long are you going to keep tormenting him?"
"Just because he's the housekeeper's son, you think you can treat him like this?"
A sharp, familiar pain lanced through my chest. It was always like this, in both lifetimes. Sera never, ever believed me.
She shot daggers at me. "I'm telling you, even if you choose me as your wife, I will never submit. You won't have me!"
An icy chill seeped into my bones, as if I'd been plunged into a frozen lake. The memories of my death swirled in my head. I had let them be together in my past life precisely because I knew she would never choose me. And still, the dull ache in my heart persisted.
Before I could speak, a van screeched to a halt outside the courtyard gates.
Men with guns jumped out and opened fire.
Sera's training kicked in instantly. She moved like lightning, sprinting toward me.
But then, Leo let out a pained groan and collapsed, a crimson stain spreading across his pant leg.
A flicker of conflict crossed Sera's face, but it was gone in an instant. Without a second thought, she changed direction, throwing herself over Leo to shield him with her own body.
I watched them, and the blood in my veins turned to ice.
As one of the gunmen leveled his weapon at me, a figure blurred past, tackling me to the ground.
The sound of gunshots echoed around us. When I opened my eyes, I saw who was shielding me.
It was Phoebe.
Seeing their chance was lost, the assassins retreated.
Phoebe got to her feet, an aura of cold fury surrounding her. She glared at Sera. "Did you forget your mission?"
"What would have happened if the Young Master had been hurt?"
Sera looked away for a second, a hint of guilt in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by defiance. "Leo was shot! Who else was going to help him?"
"Besides, Damian's fine, isn't he? What's the big deal?"
Phoebe scoffed. "So you can just abandon your duty to the Young Master? It seems your obsession with that man has made you forget why Mother took us in in the first place!"
Sera flinched, clearly aware she had crossed a line.
Just then, Leo moaned from her arms. "Sera... it hurts..."
Her resolve hardened. "He's not hurt, so it doesn't matter. I need to get Leo to a doctor. We can talk about this later."
She lifted Leo into her arms and stormed off.
Phoebe's expression was glacial. She turned to me, her eyes burning with frustration and anger. "This is the woman you choose? The one who abandons you at the first sign of trouble?"
I shook my head. She didn't know yet.
"I didn't choose her."
Phoebe looked at me, disbelief written all over her face. "Who else would you choose?"
For once, she lost her temper with me. "Fine. Choose whoever you want. Just don't come crying to me when you regret it."
I watched her storm away, a small smile playing on my lips.
I wondered what her face would look like when she found out the person I chose was her.
A few days later, a haggard-looking Sera appeared in my room.
Before I could speak, she fell to her knees. "Please, give me the life-saving serum. Leo... he's not doing well."
I stared at her, incredulous. She knew what that serum meant to me.
My father was from a long line of brilliant biochemists. When he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, fearing I'd be targeted by our enemies, he used his final days, enduring immense pain, to create a single dose of a miracle antidote. It was my last line of defense, a final gift to keep me alive.
Sera bit her lip, her voice trembling. "I'll marry you. Just give the serum to Leo."
"This is all your fault anyway! If it weren't for you, none of this would have happened to him!"
A wave of weariness washed over me. She was a stranger to me now, so quick to cast all the blame on my shoulders.
She remained on her knees. "If you give me the serum, I'll obey Mother's command and marry you. I'll send Leo somewhere safe and never see him again."
I let out a hollow laugh. "There's no need. I never chose you."
Sera froze, her eyes flickering with disbelief. "Damian, stop lying. I've already accepted my fate. Just give the serum to Leo!"
I turned, opened the safe, and took out the vial I had treasured for so long. I tossed it to her. "Get out. And from this day forward, we have nothing to do with each other."
Not in this life, not in the last.
Sera looked at me, a flash of surprise in her eyes, but she said nothing more. She clutched the serum and rushed out, desperate to save her precious Leo.
I leaned against the wall, my heart a block of ice. I couldn't believe how blind I had been in my past life, dying without ever seeing her true colors.
For the next few days, Sera stayed by Leo’s side, nursing him back to health.
Then, one evening at dinner, my mother made an announcement. "In a few days, we will celebrate Damian's eighteenth birthday. At the party, I will officially announce his future wife."
The ten girls at the table reacted in their own ways. Phoebe just kept refilling her wine glass, drinking silently. Sera looked miserable, her gaze darting between me and the direction of Leo's room.
The other eight, however, smiled and congratulated Sera. "Congratulations, leader. You'll officially be part of the family."
"Take good care of Damian for us."
My mother listened to their chatter with a serene smile, saying nothing. Her silence was taken as confirmation. Everyone assumed Sera was to be my bride.
That night, Leo mysteriously vanished.
Sera burst into my room in a frenzy, her eyes wild as she grabbed me by the throat. "Where is he? What have you done with Leo?"
"I already agreed to marry you! Why can't you just leave him alone?"
"He's afraid of the dark! What will he do all by himself without me?"
I was shocked, but quickly recovered. "Are you insane? What does Leo's disappearance have to do with me?"
Her face was ashen, her eyes bloodshot. "Who else could it be? You're jealous that he and I are close! You're afraid I'll back out, so you had him kidnapped, didn't you?"
"I'm begging you, bring him back. His wound hasn't even fully healed. After we're married, I'll send him away, I promise!"
I shoved her away. "Sera, I didn't choose you! I don't care who you're with! Leo's disappearance has nothing to do with me, whether you believe it or not! If you cause another scene in my room, I'm telling Mother!"
That threat stopped her. She turned and fled, desperate to find Leo.
The next morning, she returned with him in tow. He looked weak and disheveled, collapsing into her arms as if he'd been through hell.
Sera marched right up to me, her face a thunderous mask. "Damian, if you have a problem, take it out on me! Why do you always have to involve Leo?"
"If you keep this up, I will never marry you!"
With that, she turned and left with Leo. I watched her go, a cold smile on my face. To think I died in my past life for someone so utterly blind.
That evening, Leo came to my room.
He glared at me, his face twisted with resentment. "You were reborn too, weren't you?"
In the dim light, his features were distorted by jealousy, his eyes burning with venom. His voice rose to a shrill peak. "Why do all the good things happen to you?"
His chest heaved. "You're the golden boy, the Blackwood heir! You were born with everything!"
"And me? I'm just the housekeeper's son, living on scraps, always watching my back. The only thing I've ever had is Sera's love!"
His voice broke. "Why do you have to take that from me too? You already have so much, Damian. Why are you so greedy?"
"If it weren't for you, Sera would never have changed her mind! Just now, she told me she's sending me abroad!"
He grabbed my arms, a strange fire in his eyes. "I won't give up!"
Then, he lunged, dragging me with him as he threw himself over the second-floor balcony railing.
We crashed to the ground. Pain exploded through me, feeling like my organs had been rearranged. Leo let out an agonized scream.
Within moments, the other girls rushed out. When Sera saw the scene, she flew into a rage and slapped me across the face.
The next second, she was being restrained, still screaming at me with bloodshot eyes. "Damian, what is wrong with you? What did Leo ever do to deserve this? When will you stop tormenting him?"
I held my cheek, saying nothing.
The others covered her mouth. "Leader, be quiet! If Mother sees you like this, you're done for!"
"Go, hide somewhere until after the coming-of-age party! You need to cool down!"
They bundled Sera and Leo into a car and drove them away.
On the day of my party, my mother threw a lavish celebration. The grand ballroom was filled with her associates, all there to celebrate my eighteenth birthday.
I scanned the room but didn't see Phoebe. She had to be here today. I pulled out my phone and called her.
She answered quickly, her distinct, cool voice on the line.
"Where are you?"
She gave a small laugh. "What? You want me to stand there and watch Mother announce you're marrying Sera?" There was a pause, then her voice grew hoarse. "Damian, that's just cruel."
The emotion in her words was too tangled for me to decipher.
I gripped the phone tighter, my tone leaving no room for argument. "Yes. I want you here."
"Are you coming or not?"
The line went silent for a moment. Finally, she spoke. "Fine. I'll be there."
Just then, a stir at the entrance drew everyone's attention.
Sera walked in, clinging intimately to Leo.
The guests began to whisper, their eyes darting between the three of us, filled with speculation and amusement. I could feel several pairs of pitying eyes on me, as if I were the poor fool about to be publicly jilted.
The second-in-command, Maya, was the first to react. She hurried over, her brow furrowed. "Leader, what are you doing?" she whispered, her voice a sharp warning. "This is Damian's party. Mother is about to announce your engagement. You need to put some distance between you and Leo!"
Sera just smirked. Instead of letting go of Leo, she pulled him even closer, a clear declaration to the entire room.
"Engagement?" she scoffed, just loud enough for the eavesdropping guests to hear. "I came today to tell Mother one thing: I am not in love with Damian Blackwood!"
Her gaze, sharp as a dagger, shot toward me, filled with disgust and finality. "And I will never marry him!"
The room erupted in a stunned silence. My mother's smile froze on her face, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she looked at Sera.
Sera added, her voice ringing with conviction, "After Mother makes her announcement, I am cutting all ties with the Blackwood family!"
Her sisters gasped, rushing to her side, pleading with her not to be rash.
But she was resolute. "Don't try to stop me. I will not betray my heart and marry a man I don't love. I would rather die!"
Leo stood beside her, a triumphant glint in his eye as he glanced at me. His look said it all: See? I won. In the end, she chose me.
I laughed coldly.
Sera. You never fail to disappoint. You truly would do anything for him.
The ceremony was about to begin when Phoebe finally arrived. She reeked of alcohol, but her eyes were startlingly clear.
The lights dimmed. My mother took the stage.
"Thank you all for coming to celebrate my son's eighteenth birthday. I also have an important announcement to make regarding my son's future."
"I hereby declare that when I step down, the Blackwood family will be jointly managed by my son, Damian, and my tenth daughter, Phoebe. She will also be my son Damian's wife!"
The entire hall fell silent. Everyone was stunned. No one had expected this.
After a long, breathless moment, a single, sharp voice cut through the silence.
"What?"
It was Sera.

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "263528" to read the entire book.