[BL] The Mafia Boss Wants My Body

Chapter 169: When Darkness Finally Ended

Snapping her phone open again, she skipped Tony’s contact and dialed a dangerous underground number.

The line was connected, with silence on the other end.

"I need your help," Iris said, her voice dropping into a dark tone. "I need you to kidnap two people for me. I want it done immediately, and I don’t care what it costs."

She spoke to the contact for several minutes, mapping out the targets and detailing the locations in a frenzied, reckless rush. After the call finally ended, Iris tossed the phone aside and rested her head against the seat, letting out a slow breath as her anger continued to simmer beneath the surface.

She whispered to herself, "Maya... I’m going to make you pay for this."

Back in the quiet comfort of the hospital room, the afternoon gradually slipped into evening. Later that day, the doctor came in to check the pressure behind Adrian’s eyes again. After carefully reviewing the charts and test results, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

"Everything looks excellent," he said. "His recovery is progressing exactly as expected. We’ll remove the bandages tomorrow. By then, it will have been a full forty-eight hours since the surgery."

A collective wave of excitement swept through the room, and everyone nodded frantically. Matteo, most especially, let out a long breath, a rare, radiant smile breaking across his usually guarded face.

The sheer happiness radiating from him was palpable. They all spent the rest of the day gathered around Adrian’s bed, laughing, talking, and filling the room with the kind of lighthearted warmth Adrian had desperately needed.

When night fell and visiting hours came to an end, the group reluctantly prepared to leave. Earlier in the day, Mark had brought Matteo a fresh set of clothes, and he had taken a quick shower in the hospital’s private bathroom. He never left the hospital, not even for a moment.

After everyone finally left, Matteo remained at the hospital alone with Adrian.

Throughout the quiet night, Matteo became Adrian’s hands and eyes. He gently fed him spoonfuls of warm soup, held a straw to his lips so he could drink water, and adjusted his pillows the moment Adrian showed even a hint of discomfort. Just like the night before, he stayed by the bedside, his fingers locked with Adrian’s, guarding his sleep until morning light slowly returned.

The next morning, the atmosphere in the room was tense with anticipation. Maya, Mark, Charles, and Frank arrived early, their faces filled with quiet hope as they waited.

The doctor only came much later in the afternoon, stepping into the room with a tray of clean medical supplies.

"Alright, Adrian," he said gently, preparing the sterile scissors and solution. "It’s time to see the results of our work. Are you ready?"

Adrian swallowed hard, a nervous tension tightening through his chest. He tightened his grip on the hand holding his. "Wait, doctor," Adrian whispered, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Before you take it off... I want to make sure of one thing. Matteo?"

"I’m right here, baby," Matteo answered instantly, leaning over the bed so his voice was right next to him.

"When these bandages come off and I open my eyes..." Adrian murmured, his throat tight. "...you’re the first person I want to see."

Matteo smiled at Adrian. "Alright, baby. I’ll be right in front of you. I won’t move an inch."

The doctor smiled warmly at the devotion between them and began his work. With careful, practiced movements, he snipped the secure tape and slowly started to unwind the layers of white gauze. Layer after layer fell away into the tray, until finally, the cool air of the room hit Adrian’s bare face.

"Keep them closed for just a moment, Adrian," the doctor instructed softly, dimming the harsh overhead lights. "Let your eyes adjust to the light behind your lids first. Now... slowly open them."

Adrian’s eyelashes fluttered. He blinked once, twice, his vision swimming in a blurry sea of pale light and shadows. Everyone in the room held their breath, the silence so profound you could hear the steady beep of the heart monitor.

Then, the blurriness rapidly cleared away, and the sharp, stunning lines of a familiar, breathtaking face came into perfect focus.

It was Matteo. His dark eyes were wide, filled with a mixture of raw hope and overwhelming love, staring down at him.

The doctor asked, "Can you see clearly? How are your eyes?"

But Adrian wasn’t listening, his focus was on Matteo.

A tearful gasp broke from Adrian’s lips as he realized he could see every single detail perfectly. Without a single word, Adrian leaned up from the pillows, threw his arms around Matteo’s neck, and pulled him down into a deep, passionate kiss. He kissed him with everything he had, pouring all his gratitude and relief into the touch.

When they finally pulled back just a fraction, Adrian kept his hands cupped around Matteo’s face, tears of pure joy streaming down his cheeks. "Thank you," Adrian sobbed, his forehead resting against Matteo’s. "Thank you for taking such good care of me... and thank you for never giving up on us. I love you so much, baby."

Matteo kissed the tears from Adrian’s cheeks, his voice thick with emotion. "I could never give up on you. I love you with everything in me, Rian."

Slowly, Adrian turned his head to look at the rest of the room. His eyes landed on his sister, who was already crying tears of happiness. Adrian offered her a beautiful, deeply emotional smile. He bowed his head toward her in a gesture of profound gratitude. "Thank you, sis. Thank you for standing up for me, and for being my rock."

Maya wiped her eyes and rushed forward, squeezing his shoulder tightly. "Always, Adrian. Always."

Adrian then looked over at his friends, his gaze bright as he smiled at Charles and Frank. "Charles, Frank... thank you both so much for being here through all of this. It means the world to me." They both nodded, their faces splitting into relieved grins.

Finally, Adrian’s eyes landed on Mark. He let out a soft laugh and looked at him with sincere affection. "And Mark... thank you for keeping this guy sane while I couldn’t see him. I know he’s a handful."

Mark chuckled, winking at him as he patted Matteo’s back. "Hey, it was a tough job, but somebody had to do it. Welcome back, Adrian."

With the darkness completely behind them, the room filled with the sound of genuine laughter and shared relief, celebrating a brand new beginning for Adrian and Matteo.

Finally, Matteo gently rubbed the back of Adrian’s neck, his voice softening. "Alright, baby. Let the doctor finish up his job."

Adrian nodded, reluctantly letting go of Matteo’s shirt so the doctor could step back to the bedside.

The doctor smiled, pulling out his penlight to check Adrian’s pupillary response. "Alright, I’m going to test your reaction to the light. Look straight ahead for me." He shone the light briefly into each eye, watching closely. "Excellent. The pupils are perfectly responsive. Now, tell me, are you experiencing any double vision, extreme blurriness, or any sharp pains?"

"No, not at all," Adrian answered, his voice growing stronger by the minute. "Everything is clear. My eyes just feel a little sensitive to the light, but that’s it."

"That is completely expected and entirely normal," the doctor reassured him, turning to write the final notes on his chart. "Since you are feeling fine and your vitals are stable, here is the plan: we’ll keep you under observation until tomorrow morning. If you pass the night without any issues or changes in pressure, you’ll be discharged before tomorrow night."

The room seemed to collectively exhale in relief.

The doctor then looked at Adrian and Matteo, his expression turning firm but instructive. "Until then, I want you to rest as much as possible. No straining your eyes, and definitely no rubbing them."

"Thank you so much, doctor. For everything," Adrian said sincerely.

Matteo stepped forward and extended his hand. The doctor hesitated for a moment, a flicker of old fear crossing his face as he remembered Matteo’s reputation. But after witnessing the way he had cared for Adrian, that fear slowly faded. He accepted the handshake.

Matteo gave a small smile. "Thank you, doctor. I appreciate everything you’ve done for him."

The doctor shook Matteo’s hand with a respectful nod. "It was my absolute pleasure. Take good care of him." With a final polite greeting to the rest of the room, the doctor gathered his tray and stepped out, closing the door softly behind him.

The moment the door clicked shut, the heavy hospital atmosphere lifted completely. Relief washed over everyone, and they gathered around the bed again, genuinely happy as they celebrated the good news.

Matteo sat back down, ignoring the noise in the room as he slipped his fingers back into Adrian’s hand. He looked into Adrian’s clear eyes, his voice soft and intimate, meant only for him.

"Baby," Matteo murmured, squeezing his hand. "Now that the surgery is over, tell me, what’s your biggest wish? Once your eyes are fully healed and the doctor clears you, what do you want most? Name anything in the world, and I’ll make it happen."

Adrian’s lips curved into a playful, teasing smile. He tilted his head against the pillow, eyes locked on Matteo’s. "Anything? You’ll really do anything, right?"

Matteo didn’t hesitate for a second. He nodded firmly, his dark eyes full of devotion. "Yes. Anything."

"Alright," Adrian said, his smile widening into something nostalgic and bright. "What I want most is...