The Mafia Boss Begs for My Heart on His Knees

My father wanted my sister and me to enter arranged marriages with the heirs of two powerful mafia families. From the moment the sole heir of the Harrington family stepped into the Vance estate, his eyes were glued to my sister. As for me, I was assigned to Killian Hayes—a man rumored to have been crippled in a brutal family power struggle and discarded as a useless pawn. In my past life, seeing Killian covered in bullet scars and burns, I felt a deep, foolish pity for him and decided to love him with all my heart. After our wedding, I risked everything scouring the black market for top doctors to treat him, even using the secret resources my late mother left me to help him rise back to power. Even though he treated me with nothing but cold indifference, I stupidly believed that if I was just patient enough, I could melt his frozen heart. That was until a rival mafia stormed our estate, guns blazing, and the man who had supposedly been paralyzed for years suddenly vaulted out of his wheelchair. Without a single shred of hesitation, he threw me right into the enemy's hands to shield my sister. I was knocked out, dragged away, and subjected to three days and nights of brutal torture. Countless times, I waited for him to rescue me. In the end, the only news I got was that he had pulled every string he could to find doctors around the world for my sister. At that moment, the truth hit me: he was never paralyzed, and he was never an outcast. He had only married me because my sister had chosen someone else. By marrying me, he could continue to watch over her under the guise of being "family." Before I died, the last phone call he ever made to me contained only two freezing, pathetic sentences: "I'm sorry, Elena. I lied to you. But I couldn't just stand by and watch Vivian die." "I'll make it up to you in the next life." When I opened my eyes again, I was right back to the day my father forced us to choose our husbands. This time, I refuse to make the same mistake. …… "Let Elena choose first. She’s younger, and I don't mind letting her have her pick," Vivian said, putting on her usual act of the sweet, selfless older sister, just like in my previous life. But the lingering, loaded glances between her and Cole Harrington gave everything away. Everyone in our circle knew they had been secretly sleeping together for months. Today, our father was inevitably going to arrange for Cole to marry her. In my past life, completely blind to their affair and wanting to be a good sister, I had stepped forward and volunteered to marry Killian Hayes. Back then, I thought I was doing a selfless deed. I had no idea I was choosing a direct ticket to hell. Before I died, I was tortured for three excruciating days, every bone in my body shattered. Yet Killian didn't waste a single second trying to save me. His entire universe revolved around Vivian, who only had a tiny scratch on her arm. She had clung to Killian, sobbing delicately: "Killian! It hurts so much! Please, you have to save Elena!" "It's all my fault... I shouldn't have been so clumsy..." The onlookers sighed, whispering about how incredibly pure and kind she was, worrying about her sister even at a time like this. It wasn't until my broken corpse was dumped in a trash heap that she wailed dramatically in front of the press: "No! This can't be! How could Elena be dead?" "I don't believe it! Please, someone save her!" Recalling her tear-stained face, I suddenly wanted to laugh. She always did this. She played the fragile victim, successfully stealing my father's affection, driving me into an abusive marriage, and ultimately getting me killed. A cold smirk played on my lips. "Since you're being so incredibly generous, Vivian, I won't stand on ceremony." "I choose Cole Harrington." Vivian stared at me in absolute shock, her eyes instantly welling with tears. "Elena... you know Cole and I..." Killian shot a look at me, a flicker of surprise crossing his cold eyes. My father, instantly enraged, slapped me across the face so hard my head spun. "Who do you think you are? Cole Harrington is the sole heir to the Harrington Syndicate! You think a worthless bastard like you deserves him?" "You know damn well he loves your sister, yet you try to steal him? What kind of twisted game are you playing?" Nursing the burning pain on my cheek, I let out a sharp laugh. "Since you've already mapped out our lives, why didn't you just force me to marry the cripple in the first place? Were you afraid people would call you a biased hypocrite?" Vivian’s eyes turned red instantly. "Elena, you've got it all wrong. Dad and I have always loved you." As our shouting escalated, the paralyzed Killian Hayes suddenly pushed back his wheelchair and stood up on his own two feet. "Mr. Vance, let’s make a deal." "I know you've been eyeing the southern territory. I can secure it for you. In exchange, I want Vivian." I hadn't expected him to drop his paralyzed act so early this time. I glared at him. For a split second, those cold, detached eyes softened with a complex, guilt-ridden gaze as he looked at me. A sudden realization washed over me, and I wanted to laugh. He had regressed too. So, even after watching me die in his past life... Faced with a second chance, he still couldn't bear to see my sister marry another man. To prevent it, he was willing to expose his greatest secret—that he was never crippled, and never a weak outcast. Yet, in my past life, he had sat by and watched me bleed my mother's estate dry to pay for his medical treatments. To heal his supposedly shattered legs, I had even gone down on my knees to beg my father for resources. And Killian had never said a single word to stop me. Hearing that Killian could hand him the southern territory, a look of pure greed flashed across my father's face. He was desperate to marry us off anyway, solely to cement alliances with the two biggest syndicates. Besides, the Hayes family’s power far exceeded the Harringtons'. He let out a cold snort. "Since Mr. Hayes wants Vivian, then Elena, you will marry Cole." Cole’s face turned livid, clearly enraged by this sudden turn of events. He glared at me, his eyes dripping with venom. "Elena Vance, you highly overestimate yourself!" "You’re just an illegitimate nobody. You aren’t even worth a single hair on Vivian’s head!" "You think I'd marry you? In your dreams!"My father's expression darkened. "Cole, what is the meaning of this? Is a daughter of the Vance family not good enough for you? Are you trying to back out of our alliance?" Cole’s handsome eyes curled into a mocking sneer as he looked at me. "Mr. Vance, with all due respect, Vivian is the only woman I will ever marry. Marrying Elena? Absolutely out of the question." Vivian bit her lower lip, playing the saint. "Cole! Elena saved your life once. Even if you don't love her, please, marry her for my sake." If Vivian hadn't brought it up, I would have forgotten. When we were ten, Cole and I were childhood sweethearts. We were kidnapped by a rival gang abroad. While escaping, he broke his leg and begged me not to leave him. Without a second thought, I carried him on my back the entire way, ruining my own health in the process and becoming chronically ill. Cole looked at Vivian with puppy-dog eyes. "Vivian, stop always thinking of others. If you hadn't called the rescue team, I would have died out there. You are my real savior." He then cast a look of pure disgust at me. "If you hadn't used that 'favor' to cling to me like a leech, Vivian and I would have been married years ago." Vivian couldn't hide the smug triumph on her face, burying her head against his chest. I could barely keep myself from rolling my eyes. Coldly, I spoke up: "Since Vivian is so deeply in love with both of them, why doesn't she just marry them both?" Vivian's face flushed red with mock embarrassment. "Elena, what are you talking about? They both want me, who would even want you?" I slowly stood up. "I don't choose either of them." Two sharp glares immediately locked onto me. Cole’s eyes were filled with smug contempt, as if saying *'as if you even have a choice.'* Killian’s gaze, however, turned incredibly dark, tracking my every movement as if trying to dissect my soul. I had no interest in deciphering his thoughts and looked away. My father slammed his glass onto the table, shattering it. "Insolent girl!" "You’re a woman! If you don't marry, what the hell are you going to do?" I looked my father dead in the eye, my voice firm and unwavering. "I know our syndicate has been facing a lot of trouble in the outer territories. I'm willing to go to the frontlines to manage the branch and help the family resolve the crisis."In my past life, our syndicate had run into a massive turf war. My father had drained more than half of my mother's inheritance to bribe officials and secure alliances, but it was all in vain. Before the Vance family completely lost power, he transferred all the remaining offshore assets and resources to Vivian. Those massive funds ensured Vivian would never have to work a day in her life. Meanwhile, I lived in a drafty, rundown apartment, working myself to the bone day and night just to save money for Killian's surgeries. At my absolute lowest point, I knelt before Vivian, begging her to lend me a fraction of those resources. She had her guards throw me out like trash. The doctors had warned me that Killian’s operation required a rare, highly controlled drug, and any further delay would leave him permanently paralyzed. Desperate, I threw away my dignity and sold out my own boundaries to secure those meds for him. And yet, it was all a joke. Whatever. There was no point dwelling on the past. With a mocking smile, I blocked Killian's number, packed my bags, and headed straight for the dangerous outer branch. The men at the branch didn't respect me at first, viewing me as nothing more than a shadow of my glamorous sister, Vivian. I didn't care. I wanted to prove myself with raw results. In my past life, my entire world had revolved around Killian. Now that I threw myself entirely into tactical training and combat, I discovered my own innate talent for strategy. Even the hardened veterans of the syndicate began to respect me. After single-handedly executing a high-risk purge mission that had been stalled for three years, my name spread like wildfire, and I successfully took full control of the branch. My reputation in the underworld quickly eclipsed Vivian's. My father, who had seemingly forgotten I existed, finally called me. The moment I picked up, his furious voice roared through the receiver. "Elena Vance! Have you completely lost your mind? Your mother's death anniversary is coming up, and you can't even bother to show your face at home!" My mother was the only soft spot left in my heart. I wrapped up my work and headed back to the estate. But after paying my respects at her grave, I was blocked on my way out. Vivian stood there, a hypocritical, sweet smile plastered on her face, though her eyes burned with barely concealed jealousy. "Elena, you've really been working hard lately." "I’m not trying to hold you back, but a woman spending every single day surrounded by rough men? You're dragging Dad's reputation through the mud!" "Do you have any idea what people are saying about you? They say you slept your way to the top!" "I know you're only pushing yourself this hard to get some attention from men." Her eyes flickered to Killian, who was standing right beside me, and she let out a mocking chuckle. "So, Dad wanted me to let you know that he's already found a fiancé for you. It's the comatose heir of the Sinclair family." "Starting tomorrow, you don't need to go back to the branch. I will be taking over your position. We can't have you showing your face in public and embarrassing us anymore." I let out a cold laugh. "What's wrong? Is it eating you alive to realize the little sister you spent your whole life stepping on is actually better than you?" She gasped, stumbling back half a step, staring at me in utter shock. I kept my expression deadpan, venting the rage I had suppressed for two lifetimes. "I bled and fought to build my territory. What right do you have to take it? Because your mother was a home-wrecker mistress? Or because you crawled to Daddy?" "A parasite like you actually has the nerve to order me around? Who gave you the confidence?" Vivian’s face contorted, and she burst into tears almost instantly. "Elena, I was only looking out for you! How could you accuse me of such horrible things?" I scoffed. "Looking out for me? Sure. Vivian, let me give you some advice: Dad has already given you more than enough. Keep your greedy hands off the resources my mother left me." Vivian looked at me with a wounded expression, sobbing dramatically. "I know you've hated me since we were kids, but I really just didn't want to see you struggle so hard..." Unwilling to waste another second on her drama, I turned to leave, but my wrist was suddenly grabbed in a vice grip and I was slammed against the wall. It was Killian. His eyes were dark and stormy, his voice raspy. "You've gone too far." Looking at his protective stance over her, I found it hilarious. Killian's gaze grew colder. "Apologize to Vivian." I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. The sharp crack echoed through the hallway. I said coldly, "My sister's precious fiancé, are you done throwing your tantrum? If you want to fight, take it outside. Don't disgust me." My slap forced Killian's head to the side. A few stray locks of hair fell over his forehead, making him look strangely shattered. "You..." He had clearly never expected me to lay a hand on him. I shoved him away, went upstairs to pack my things, and left the estate that very night. But right before I could board my private flight, I was intercepted. Cole grabbed me by the collar, his teeth clenched in raw fury. "This is all your fault! Vivian ran out last night because of you and got shot by a rival gang!" "She's in critical condition right now. You're coming with me to save her!"Fortunately, my bodyguards quickly tackled him to the ground. I looked down at him like he was a raving lunatic and said coldly, "She got shot? Go to a hospital. What the hell does that have to do with me? Did I pull the trigger?" Cole glared up at me, looking like he wanted to rip my throat out. "If you hadn't humiliated her yesterday, calling her mother a home-wrecker, she wouldn't have run out in tears! She wouldn't have crossed paths with those thugs! You wanted her dead all along, didn't you?" "I'm telling you, if anything happens to Vivian, I will make you pay with your life!" A mocking smile played on my lips. "With what army? You think you can take on my men alone?" Suddenly, a cold, imposing figure stepped into the hangar, backed by a massive horde of armed mafia soldiers. It was Killian. "What if he has me?" Cole spat in disgust, "Don't waste your breath on her. Vivian is bleeding out, we can't delay. Drag her to the hospital for a transfusion!" "You're the one who caused this, Elena. Now you're going to pay your debt!" I had only traveled with a small security detail for this low-profile flight. My men were quickly outnumbered and disarmed. Cole grabbed me roughly by the neck, shoving me face-first onto the cold concrete. The rough ground scraped my cheek raw. Tears of pain welled in my eyes, but I kept my gaze locked on Killian. "Killian Hayes. I'm only going to ask you one thing." "Are you seriously telling me you can't see through her pathetic act?" Killian closed his eyes. When he opened them, the last shred of hesitation had vanished. "I know." It was laughably pathetic. They both knew she was playing them like violins, yet they were entirely willing accomplices. But why did they have to drag me down to hell with them? On the way to the hospital, Killian let out a soft sigh. "You regressed too, didn't you?" I let out a dry, mocking chuckle. "Whether I did or didn't, what difference does it make? You never choose me anyway." "I'm sorry." I turned to look at him, finding the entire situation absurd. "Is your 'sorry' going to mend my broken bones, Killian?" He suddenly leaned in and kissed me forcefully, murmuring against my lips, "Elena, just bear with it one last time." "It's just a blood transfusion. You won't die." "After this is over, I'll marry you. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you." I curled my lips into a cold smile and said nothing. Once we arrived at the hospital, I was dragged straight into the transfusion room. As my blood drained through the tubes into the sterile bags, I felt the strength slowly leaving my body. Meanwhile, Killian and Cole had already rushed to the operating theater door, frantically pacing. "How is Vivian?" No one cared if I was dizzy. No one cared how dangerously pale my face had become. By the time the nurse started on the second bag, my vision began to blur. The nurse looked at me with deep concern. "Sir, this lady has severe anemia. If we draw any more, her life will be in critical danger." Hearing this, Killian frowned. He walked over and grabbed my hand, trying to offer some empty comfort. "Vivian’s surgery isn't over yet. Just hold on a little longer, Elena." I stared up at the harsh fluorescent lights of the ceiling, feeling an overwhelming wave of exhaustion. "Killian. After today, let's just let each other go."