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

The rain poured extremely heavily at midnight. Distant flashes of lightning highlighted an old warehouse on the margins of the city now covered in blood. An obvious stench of death, gunpowder's stinging odor blended with the metallic tang of blood permeated the air.

Standing wounded and bruised in the center of the damaged room Alina Devereaux, the dreaded mafia leader, Her breathing was erratic, her right hand still grasped a gun almost out of bullets, her left hand pressed against her wounded belly.

Marco, the man she had most trusted, stood opposite from her holding a smoking gun. His stare was arrogant, as if he were delighting in the sight of his leader teetering on the verge of death.

You betrayed me? Alina's voice was subdued, yet her eyes blazed with rage.

Marco laughed and approached. Behind him, their troops-now devoted to him-raised their guns ready to fire.

Alina, you have been at the pinnacle for too long. "Now it's my turn." He turned his pistol right at her heart. "I'm done living in your shadow."

Suppressing the intense pain, Alina bit her lip. Her keen eyes found the man she had formerly regarded as a brother.

"I trusted you ..."

"And that was your worst error."

Bang!

One bullet penetrated her chest. Her body stumbled backward before hitting the cold, blood-soaked floor, time appeared to slow down. Leaky ceiling rain splashed onto her wan face. Her body numbed, her voice caught in her throat, and her eyesight blurred.

One pledge blazed in her heart just before her awareness vanished entirely, though:

Should I have a second chance at life, I will never trust anybody once more. And within seconds, darkness engulfed her.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

A heart monitor's monotonous beeping echoed faintly. Sharp and clinical, antiseptics' cold scent filled the air. Alina gasped, then awoke with difficult breaths. Her vision clouded under the strong white overhead lights. Shocked, several persons in white and blue uniforms stared at her.

"The corpse is still alive!"

A terrified voice broke the calm. Others retreated, their faces pale as a nurse let the clipboard fall in her hands.

Frowning, Alina tried to understand the circumstances. She was no longer lying on a blood-soaked, filthy floor. Instead, she was in a immaculate space with bright floors and white walls. Her body was draped with a fresh white blanket, one that felt foreign; an IV was linked to her arm.

Her face still betraying traces of disbelief, a woman in medical scrubs hurried to her side. "Dr. Aileen, you're awake?" Her voice trembled somewhat, yet her eyes shined with relief. "Thank goodness, we thought you weren't going to make it."

Alina stopped cold. "Doctor?

The word felt unfamiliar on her tongue. She wasn't a mafia leader? Why were all the people calling her "doctor"?

As she checked her vitals, the nurse gave a little, shaky grin. "Temporary amnesia after a near-death experience is usual. Dr. Aileen, you need to rest.

Alina was quiet; her thoughts were turbulent. The nurse slowly sat up in bed and gazed at her own hands as she departed. No scars, no bullet wounds. Her skin was immaculate-totally unlike the battle-worn body she recalled.

A little ID card suddenly slid out of her hospital gown's pocket.

She grabbed it with shaking hands and read the name:

Dr. Aileen Monroe

Surgeon, Bungalow International Hospital.

Eyes locking onto the mirror across the room, her head snapped up. That was not her face.

"I am a physician?!

Alina froze staring at the reflection. Her chest thumped, and her breathing grew rapid. The woman in the mirror wasn't her.

She approached unevenly, as if wishing the mirror would alter. It fell, but not. The woman in the mirror was still the same: bright green eyes, perfect complexion, and long, flowing blonde hair.

"No way." Her tone barely whispered, brimming with astonishment.

Her hands trembled when she touched her own face. It felt actual. But this wasn't her face. Where were her battle wounds? Where were the traces of the life she had battled through?

Who is this...? Is this me?

Her brain sped. She recalled everything: the searing agony as the bullet tore across her chest, the warmth of her blood spilling, the chilly floor that had turned into her deathbed.

Marco also ....

She was enraged. Marco, the jerk. That traitor. Now, though, she was alive. In the body of someone else.

Knock! Knock!

A knock on the door jerked her back to reality.

"Dr. Monroe, are you okay?"

Doctor Monroe?

Her thoughts racing, Alina stopped her breath. Dr. Monroe? Was she today?

She took a deep breath and pushed herself to remain cool. Panic would not solve anything if she actually was in another person's body. Turning the doorknob, her hand crept sluggishly toward it. A young nurse stood in the threshold, her brow furrowed with worry.

"You have been inside for quite some time. We were concerned you hadn't totally healed from the incident."

"Accident?"

Alina swallowed hard, trying to process the information.

"I... I'm fine," she said, adjusting her tone to avoid suspicion.

The nurse smiled relieved. "That's good, Doctor. But you should get some rest. Dr. Adams would like to check on your condition."

"Doctor?!"

The word was still foreign to her. From being a feared Mafia leader... she was now Aileen Monroe - a surgeon?

She almost laughed at the absurdity of it all, but held herself back. This was irony at its best.

"All right," she replied briefly.

As she returned to her bed, a middle-aged man with graying hair entered the room. His piercing gaze seemed to cut right through her. The ID on his chest read Dr. Adams - Neurology Specialist.

"Good to see you awake, Aileen. We were worried about possible brain damage after the accident. How are you feeling?"

Alina thought quickly. If she asked too many questions, she might arouse suspicion.

"A little dizzy... but I'm fine."

Dr. Adams nodded. "That's normal. The accident was quite serious. I wouldn't be surprised if you had some memory loss. But don't worry, we're going to help you recover."

"Memory loss?"

A faint smile almost formed on Alina's lips. This could be the perfect excuse if she acted strangely. After finishing his examination, the doctor left and silence filled the room.

Alina lay back on the hospital bed and stared at the white ceiling. Reality sank in.

"I, Alina Devereaux, the Mafia leader who was supposed to be dead... am now alive as Aileen Monroe, a doctor."

Her hands clenched into fists. This wasn't just a second chance. This was a gift... and an opportunity for revenge.

"Marco..."

Her eyes darkened and a cold smile curled her lips. "Just wait. I'll make you suffer more than you ever made me suffer."

Elsewhere .... A shadowy figure spoke in a hushed tone.

"She's still alive."

The person in front of them stiffened, his expression becoming sharp.

"What?! How is that possible? You made sure she was dead at the scene!"

"We don't understand either. When we started to disconnect her life support... she suddenly came back."

The seated man stood abruptly, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"No matter what, she must be eliminated. She knows too much about us."

Alina leaned against the hospital bed, her eyes scanning every inch of the unfamiliar room. It was too clean, too quiet - so different from the world she once knew.

"Normally, after being injured, I would run and hide from my enemies," she murmured. "But now I can rest in a comfortable bed."

Her fingers gripped the blanket as she tried to process everything.

"Who was that woman, really?"

The hospital door swung open and a nurse entered, carrying a glass of water and some papers.

"Dr. Monroe, this is your medical report. You may want to read it to understand your condition after the accident," she said with a friendly smile.

Alina accepted the documents with a brief nod. The nurse didn't seem suspicious at all. Good. As long as she played the role of Aileen, no one would know the truth.

As soon as the nurse left, she opened the report and scanned the details.

Name: Dr. Aileen Monroe Age: 29 Occupation: General Surgeon at Bungalow International Hospital Condition upon arrival: Mild head trauma, minor fractures to the left arm, multiple contusions from a car accident.

Medical status: Stable "Car accident?" Alina narrowed her eyes.

She looked at her left arm, now wrapped in bandages. Something wasn't right.

"I don't think it was just an accident."

Her survival instincts screamed that something bigger was at play. But for now, she had to adapt. Taking a deep breath, she closed the report and set it aside.

"If I'm Aileen Monroe now, then I have to act like Aileen Monroe," she muttered and lay back down. "But there's a big problem... I'm not a doctor."

How could she pretend to be a surgeon without arousing suspicion? But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that the medical world and the mafia weren't so different.

As a mafia leader, she had stitched up gunshot wounds, stabilized dying men, and even performed emergency surgery with nothing but a knife and alcohol. The only difference now was that she had proper equipment, a sterile environment, and no need to run from the police.

"If it's just cutting people open, I can do that. But more importantly, I need to find out the truth behind Aileen's death."

Her eyes shone with determination. For the woman whose body she now inhabited, for the second chance she had been given - she would find justice and punish those responsible.

"I will make them pay."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

That afternoon, Alina was startled by a knock at the door. A tall man in a doctor's coat entered, his face vaguely familiar in Aileen's hazy memories.

"Dr. Monroe," his deep voice was firm. "You're awake at last. I'm Dr. Nathan Carter, chief of surgery here."

Alina studied him calmly.

"Dr. Carter," she murmured, making sure she remembered the name.

Dr. Carter watched her closely. "Do you remember me?" There was a hint of doubt in his tone.

Alina knew that this was a test. If she claimed complete amnesia, it might arouse suspicion. But if she acted too confident, it would be even more suspicious.

So she chose the middle way.

"I'm... a little confused after the accident," she said, furrowing her brow slightly. "But I do remember some things."

Dr. Carter nodded, apparently satisfied with her answer. "That's normal. You suffered a minor head injury, so it's understandable if some memories are still foggy. But don't worry, you'll get better."

Alina gave a small, unreadable smile. "We'll see."

Dr. Carter handed her a pill.

"There's a lot of work waiting for you, but for now, focus on your recovery. I want you to start reviewing these medical reports before you return to duty."

Alina took the tablet without hesitation. If this was part of the role she had to play as Aileen Monroe, then she would do it.

When Dr. Carter left, she stared at the screen. Various patient reports, anatomical diagrams and surgical notes were displayed in detail.

A small grin formed on her lips. "Detailed medical reports. I may not understand all the terminology... but at least I know how to perform emergency surgery."

She caught her reflection on the screen - those green eyes staring back at her, filled with secrets. "Don't worry, Aileen... I won't let you down."

Tonight was Alina's official return as Dr. Aileen Monroe. Her first day back wasn't as difficult as she had expected. She was so busy that she hardly noticed the time passing.

When she looked at the clock in her office, it was 2 a.m. The hospital was much quieter now-most of the staff had either gone home or were resting in the break room. Only a few doctors remained in the emergency room.

Dressed in Aileen's slightly loose white coat, Alina walked through the quiet hospital corridors. For the past few days, she had been discreetly investigating various areas.

Tonight, she had a clear target - the hospital's administrative office.

"If there's a place that holds information about Aileen's accident, it's here."

She stopped at a door marked "MEDICAL RECORDS & ARCHIVES.

This room was far from the busy hospital wards, in a secluded area. Conveniently, Aileen's office was nearby.

She tried the locked door handle. Of course, no one wanted to sit around and guard a file room all night. But for someone who had once been a Mafia leader, this was nothing. In a matter of seconds, she picked the lock and slipped inside.

The faint glow of the computer screen lit up the room. She quickly began to search for the files she needed. Her fingers moved quickly over the keyboard as she typed:

"Aileen Monroe" But what appeared on the screen was not what she expected. "File not found."

Alina's eyes narrowed. "Impossible. Every medical file has a backup. No file should just disappear without a trace."

Something was wrong. Before she could think further, something even more shocking happened.

Beep- The screen flickered. A message appeared. "You shouldn't search for this."

Alina's breath caught in her throat. This wasn't a coincidence. Someone was watching her.

Her pulse quickened. Instinct kicked in - she immediately shut down the computer and slipped out of the room before anyone could catch her.

But as she stepped into the hallway, she ran into a nurse.

"Dr. Monroe?" The nurse looked at her suspiciously. "What are you doing here so late?"

For a split second, Alina was taken by surprise.

But she quickly collected herself. She couldn't make excuses - there were no other rooms in this corridor.

"I was looking for a patient's file," she said calmly. "But it turns out the records room is already closed."

It was a weak excuse, but fortunately the nurse didn't seem too suspicious. "Oh, you must have forgotten," the nurse said kindly. "This room is always locked at 4 p.m. and will not be opened until 8 a.m. tomorrow."

Alina's mind was already forming backup plans in case the nurse became more suspicious. But after hearing the explanation, she decided to hold back.

She gave a small smile. "Is that so? Well, I'll come back tomorrow. Thanks for letting me know."

"I hope this helps, Doctor." The nurse smiled before leaving.

Back in her room, Alina took a deep breath. Her heart was still racing after everything that had happened.

"Good thing she believed me... But... who sent this message?"