Reborn as a Surgeon: The Mafia Queen's Second Life

Lana stared at Alina with empty eyes.

"They?" Her voice trembled. "Who are you talking about?"

Alina bit her lip, her eyes glinting. "We're not sure. But the people who took him... they weren't ordinary officers. They disappeared without a trace afterward."

Lana's chest tightened. This wasn't a coincidence. Someone wanted to erase the evidence. To silence the truth.

"What was the cause of death?" Alina asked.

Lana shook her head. "The medical report is gone. As if he was never admitted to that hospital."

From the corner of the room, Leo—who had been silent all this time—finally spoke. "Who are you two talking about?"

Alina froze, her mind racing. If that patient had been killed, that meant Aileen was in danger too.

Lana took a deep breath. "And one more thing… his body was found with a symbol carved into his chest."

Alina tensed. "What symbol?"

Lana whispered, "A snake coiled around a dagger."

Alina's blood ran cold. It was the mark of an organization that had once been hers—now taken over by Marco.

Without hesitation, she grabbed Lana's wrist. "Come with me!"

Lana gasped. "Where?"

Alina didn't answer. She was certain Lana knew something about Aileen.

---

Somewhere else in the city…

Marco sat in his office, staring at a photo on his phone—a woman running through a storage facility, a cooler box in her hands.

"You're playing with fire, Doctor…" he murmured.

His gaze shifted to the window. His reflection barely visible against the glass.

Two possibilities ran through his mind. If it really was Alina, he had to kill her immediately. But if it wasn't… then someone was deliberately provoking him.

He reached into his desk drawer, pulling out a pistol, his fingers tapping lightly on the grip.

"Tonight, I'll find out the truth myself."

---

Back at the camp…

Alina locked eyes with Lana. "Listen, I was in an accident. But it wasn't just an accident. Someone tried to kill me."

Lana's eyes widened. "What?! But… why?"

Alina shook her head, feigning confusion. "I don't remember anything before the accident. Do you know something?"

Lana bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "Before the accident, you told me you found evidence of a crime at the hospital."

Alina's eyes sparkled. She was one step closer to the truth. "Then… do you know who 'they' are?"

Lana shook her head.

Alina clenched her fists. 'So close. The truth is right there, but still out of reach.'

Then, suddenly, Lana spoke. "As far as I remember, you always kept important information on your laptop and hid files in a secret compartment in your backpack. Have you checked it?"

Alina's heartbeat quickened. Without wasting time, she grabbed her backpack, searching for anything—any clue that could help her. But nothing.

Lana left for her shift, leaving Alina alone.

"Why can't I find anything?" she muttered in frustration.

Outside the camp, a doctor was speaking on the phone.

"She just brought in medical supplies and blood… no idea where she got them," he reported to someone on the other end.

That report led to trouble.

That night, Alina was summoned for interrogation. But she remained calm, her face betraying no fear.

Meanwhile, outside the interrogation room, Leo received a phone call.

"Yesterday, a woman showed up at the black market," said the voice on the line. "She met Vasko. Bought medical supplies and blood."

Leo narrowed his eyes. "Who is she?"

"No name. But she was extremely careful."

Leo frowned, his thoughts drifting to one person. Aileen.

Who was she really? How did she even know about the black market?

From behind the glass window, Leo watched the interrogation room. Alina sat there, looking far too calm. Too composed for someone under suspicion.

A slow smirk crossed Leo's lips.

"You're hiding something, Aileen."

---

As soon as the interrogation ended, Leo wasted no time approaching Alina.

"Doctor Aileen, can we talk?"

His tone was casual, but there was something laced within it—something that made Alina wary.

"Of course, Doctor," she replied smoothly.

Leo led her to a private place. A separate building from the main camp—a modest house with a lit fireplace, creating a warm yet suffocating atmosphere. Wooden furniture decorated the space, a reflection of its owner's classic taste.

Leo walked over to a cabinet, opening a drawer filled with expensive wine bottles. He poured a glass of deep red liquid and handed it to Alina.

"Drink?" he asked nonchalantly.

Alina politely declined. "I have a night shift."

But Leo smirked. "A little won't make you drunk."

In the end, Alina took a small sip out of courtesy. But just as she set the glass down, Leo spoke in a deeper, more deliberate tone.

"Aileen, I know what you're hiding."

Thump.

Alina's heart nearly stopped. She swallowed hard, trying to gauge Leo's expression.

'What does he mean? Does he know about my backpack? About the hospital?'

But she kept her composure. "What secret, Doctor?" she asked, feigning innocence.

Leo's sharp gaze didn't waver. "Be honest. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Alina's mind raced. She bit her lip.

Did he know she had been investigating him?

Her cheeks heated slightly.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Are you drunk?"

Alina quickly shook her head, but she was at a loss for words.

Without meaning to, her thoughts had betrayed her.

'I… admire him…?'

Leo, noticing her unusual reaction, sighed. "Aileen, I'm waiting for an answer."

Alina inhaled deeply. She had to redirect the conversation.

"Fine, I admit it… I do admire you."

Damn it!

The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

Leo froze, clearly taken aback. That was not the answer he had been expecting.

Alina immediately covered her mouth, her face turning red. She had just confessed something she shouldn't have.

Leo, still processing, let out a slow exhale. "That's not what I meant, Doctor."

His voice was more serious now. His gaze sharpened, piercing straight into her.

"I'm talking about your transaction at the black market."

Alina froze.

Her blood ran cold.

Her grip on the glass tightened.

For a moment, she forgot to breathe.

"What… do you mean?" Her voice was smaller than she intended.

Leo didn't answer immediately. He simply watched her, reading every micro-expression on her face.

Alina forced herself to stay calm. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but her fingers trembled slightly on the table, betraying her nerves.

"You met Vasko at the black market," Leo finally said, his voice eerily calm yet pressing. "You bought medical supplies and blood. I want to know… how did you even know about that place?"

Alina felt a chill crawl up her spine.

She had to answer. But how?

Denying too strongly would make her suspicious. But admitting it outright was also dangerous.

A slow, careful smile formed on her lips.

"Doctors like me need many things for our patients," she said softly. "Sometimes, the official channels aren't fast enough."

Leo remained unreadable.

Seconds stretched into eternity.

Her stomach churned—not from the wine, but from the suffocating tension. If she wasn't careful, everything could end tonight.

Then suddenly, Leo leaned back, his gaze unreadable.

And in a low, razor-sharp voice, he asked—

"Who are you really, Aileen?"