[BL] The Mafia Boss Wants My Body

Chapter 292: Chapter 292: The Proposal I Should Have Made

Together, they followed the stone pathway leading to the entrance of the private villa.

Mark unlocked the door and gently pushed it open.

Charles stepped inside.

The elegant interior was warmly lit, but before he could take in much of it, Mark gently caught his hand.

"Not this way," Mark said with a soft smile.

Curiosity flickered across Charles’s face as Mark led him through the villa toward the glass doors at the back.

The moment Mark slid them open, a warm breeze drifted inside.

Charles stepped outside and stopped.

His breath caught in his throat.

The entire private pool villa had been transformed into a breathtaking sea of candlelight and roses.

Hundreds of flickering candles lined the stone pathway, their golden glow reflecting beautifully across the crystal-clear water. Rich red rose petals blanketed the ground, forming an elegant trail that wound around the pool and led toward a beautifully decorated canopy bed draped in flowing white curtains.

Thousands of tiny fairy lights shimmered overhead, wrapping around the pergola and surrounding trees like countless stars brought down from the night sky.

The gentle scent of fresh roses lingered in the cool evening air.

Beyond the pool, the city skyline sparkled in the distance, making the secluded villa feel like a world created just for the two of them.

Not another soul was there.

No staff.

No bodyguards.

Just Mark and Charles.

Charles slowly covered his mouth with one trembling hand.

"Honey..."

His voice barely came out.

His eyes wandered across every beautiful detail before settling on two glowing messages that immediately stole his heart.

Near the entrance of the candlelit pathway stood an elegant illuminated board.

I’M SORRY.

I LOVE YOU, CHARLES.

His gaze slowly lifted.

Across the romantic canopy, glowing in warm golden lights, were the words that made his heart skip a beat.

WILL YOU BE MY BOYFRIEND?

Charles stood frozen.

He couldn’t move.

He couldn’t speak.

He stared at everything before him, overwhelmed by the thought, the effort, and the love poured into every single detail.

Slowly...

He turned toward Mark. His eyes searched Mark’s face as if trying to convince himself this wasn’t a dream.

"Did..."

His voice trembled.

"Did you really do all of this... for me?"

Mark smiled softly. "Yes, baby."

Charles stood there in stunned silence, unable to look away from him.

He didn’t cry.

He didn’t speak.

He simply stared into Mark’s eyes, overwhelmed by everything in front of him. The flickering candlelight danced across the pool behind them as the gentle night breeze drifted between them, carrying the sweet fragrance of fresh roses.

After a long moment, Charles finally let out a shaky breath.

"But..." he whispered with a small, confused smile. "I thought we were already boyfriends."

He glanced toward the glowing words once more before looking back at Mark. "So... why are you asking me again?"

Mark’s expression softened even more. He stepped closer, gently sliding both hands around Charles’s waist before pulling him into his embrace.

"Because..." he said quietly, his eyes never leaving Charles’s, "when we first started dating, I wasn’t completely sure of myself."

His voice carried a quiet regret.

"I didn’t treat you the way you deserved to be treated. I never gave you a proper confession. I never bought you flowers. I never asked you to be mine the way you deserved."

A quiet sadness flickered across his face.

"And yet... You were still so happy just to be by my side."

He slowly rested his forehead against Charles’s. "But things are different now. I know exactly what I want. And what I want..."

His arms tightened slightly around Charles.

"...is you."

His gaze grew steadier. "I want to do this the right way."

He smiled softly. "So... Will you officially be my boyfriend, Charles?"

Charles’s lips parted, ready to answer.

But Mark gently lifted his hand, resting his thumb against Charles’s lips to stop him.

"Before you answer..." he said quietly, "I need you to know something."

He took a slow breath, a hint of nervousness crossing his face.

"I know you deserve something far more romantic than this. You deserve a grander surprise, something even more beautiful."

He glanced around the decorated villa before looking back into Charles’s eyes.

"I had all of this prepared in a very short time, so maybe it isn’t what you imagined your surprise would be like. But I’m still learning how to be romantic, and I’m willing to learn. I want to become better at it—for you."

His fingers gently caressed Charles’s cheek. "So... please don’t reject me because you think this isn’t enough."

Charles let out a shaky breath, his hand resting over Mark’s chest, where he could feel the frantic pounding of his heart. "Are you done? Can I speak now, honey?"

"Not yet, baby," Mark whispered, his voice cracking with a vulnerability Charles had never heard before. "There’s something else I need to say."

Charles blinked, his eyes glistening beneath the fairy lights. "What is it?"

Mark drew in a slow breath. His hands tightened around Charles’s waist as though he were afraid Charles might disappear if he let go.

"I want to sincerely apologize to you," he said quietly. "And I want to confess everything I’ve been carrying in my heart. I just need you to listen to every single word before you give me your answer. Please... let me say it all."

Charles stared into his eyes, his own heart pounding just as hard. He slowly nodded, his throat tight. "Alright. I’m listening."

Mark closed his eyes for a brief moment, gathering the courage to strip away every last piece of his pride.

When he opened them again, they were glassy with unshed tears.

He looked directly into Charles’s eyes and finally began to speak.

"Charles..." He said quietly. "I know how much you love me. I know how deeply you care about me... and how much you’ve sacrificed just to stay by my side."

A tear slipped down his cheek. " I’m sorry I repaid all of your love by being a complete jerk."

His voice trembled as he continued. "I’m sorry for every time I ignored your pain. I’m sorry for every time I neglected your feelings. I’m sorry for every cold, hurtful word I used to keep you at a distance."

Charles’s breath caught, a soft gasp escaping his lips.

"I’m sorry for making you believe you were always the problem," Mark said, his arms trembling around Charles’s waist. "For making you question your worth... making you wonder if you were ever enough for me. I’m sorry for every night you lay awake wondering what you had done wrong, trying so hard to make me happy while I kept pushing you away."

Tears streamed silently down Charles’s face. Memories of those lonely, heartbreaking nights came rushing back, but this time, Mark was holding him instead of turning away.

Mark murmured. "I let my own broken past control the way I treated you. I hurt you because I was afraid... and that will always be my greatest regret."

He lowered his head for a moment before forcing himself to continue.

"From the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry for taking advantage of your silence. I knew you were hurting, Charles. I knew you were breaking inside, but I still kept pretending everything was fine."

His tears fell freely.

"I’m sorry for every time I hurt you and still slept with you without fixing what I had broken between us. I’m sorry for the times I heard you crying in the middle of the night... trying so hard not to wake me. And I pretended to be asleep because I was too much of a coward to face what I had done to you. I let you cry yourself back to sleep... while I lay right beside you."

The words shattered the last of Charles’s restraint.

A broken sob tore from his chest.

He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably as all the silent pain, loneliness, and heartbreak he had been carrying finally came crashing down.

Mark immediately pulled him into his arms, burying his face in Charles’s hair as tears streamed freely down his own cheeks.

"I’m sorry, Charles," he whispered brokenly. "I’m so sorry for everything. I’m sorry for making you feel like you were nothing more than someone I only wanted in bed. I hate myself for making you believe you had to change to earn my love... that you had to become someone else just to be enough for me. I even compared you to your friends." His voice cracked. "I was so stupid... so unbelievably stupid and confused."

Mark slowly pulled back just enough to cup Charles’s tear-streaked face with trembling hands.

"I was in love with you from the very beginning, Charles," he confessed, his tears falling without restraint. "The very first time I saw you with Adrian, my heart chose you. But after we started dating, someone I trusted said something that got into my head. They told me I only chose a man because Matteo did... that I was only following my brother’s path."

He lowered his head in shame.

"I let those stupid words get into my head. I let them make me question myself... question my masculinity... and even question my love for you. Instead of facing my own fears, I took all of my confusion and insecurities out on you. I punished the person I loved most... for my own weakness."

Charles sobbed harder, clutching the front of Mark’s jacket as he listened to the painful truth.

"Please, Charles," Mark pleaded, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face. "Please forgive me...