Tears Behind Smiles

Tears Behind Smiles

Lila exhaled a stuttered breath before raising a question.

“May I know why she did that to my phone?” she asked Silvano directly.

Silvano was rendered speechless for a heartbeat, only staring at Lila. He let out a soft sigh before he finally answered.

“Well, she has a little crush on Wolfe, and that was how she found herself doing those silly things. She said she wanted to know the amount of time both you and he spend together,” he confessed.

Lila let out an incredulous scoff, shaking her head in pure disbelief. Even Blade did not look pleased with what he just heard, although a small part of him was still relieved. If Grace had not done what she did, Silvano would not have stepped in to help them and everything would have gone terribly wrong by now.

“I apologize on her behalf. I hope you can make Wolfe see her intentions when he wakes up,” Silvano said, his voice soft with regret.

He turned to Blade. “Giovanni is the only reason Wolfe is still alive. He wants to be the one to kill him.”

Lila gasped. Fear tightened her chest as her eyes flew to Blade who dragged his tongue across his lower lip and stepped closer to Silvano, as if he wanted to keep his words far from Lila.

“Can we step out and talk, sir?” Blade asked quietly.
Silvano understood immediately. He gave Lila a reassuring smile before walking out with Blade.

The moment they were gone, Lila rushed to Damien’s side, tears spilling down her cheeks in hot, shaking streams.

“You need to wake up, Wolfe,” she said, her voice breaking. She pulled the blanket from his body and grabbed his hand with both of hers, clinging to him as if he were slipping away. “I do not understand what they are talking about, but just like that evil man said that someone else ordered him not to kill you. That someone else would do that,”

Another sob tore free.

“Please,” she whispered, leaning over him as if he could hear her heart pounding. “I cannot take this anymore. Wake up. Please wake up,” she cried, her tears falling onto his still hand as she wept uncontrollably.

Blade led Silvano down a quiet hallway. Their footsteps echoed softly before Blade stopped and turned to him, worry written across his face.

“You have nothing to worry about. I will take care of him,” Silvano said, his tone steady and reassuring.

“But do you also think Damien did the right thing by pointing a gun at his daughter in his presence?” he asked, his brows drawing together. Blade immediately shook his head.

“No, sir. He was furious. He could not hold himself back. He is the kind of man who loses control, no matter who is in front of him.” 

Blade sighed and ran a hand over his jaw. “He would never have done that if Giovanni Terranova’s daughter had not provoked him by trying to hurt Lila.”

Silvano exhaled heavily, the weight of everything pressing down on him as Blade stood quietly beside him.

Later, Blade returned after walking Silvano out. He stepped into the ward just as Lila was heading toward the door.

“Are you going to get something?” Blade asked.

Lila nodded as she walked past him, but then she stopped. She turned slightly, her voice soft.

“Blade?”

“Yes?” he replied, turning back to her.

“Tell him I am sorry when he wakes up and does not find me beside him,” Lila said with a small, sad smile. Her eyes glistened, but she tried to hide it.

Blade let out a low chuckle, almost amused by her worry. “What do you mean, Lila? You will always be by his side. He will open his eyes and the first person he sees will be you.”

Lila’s lips curved into a proud, trembling smile. She nodded, holding on to his reassurance.

“Be right back,” she whispered before walking away, not knowing that her absence would be the first thing Damien noticed.

Lila stepped out of the hospital and paused at the edge of the pavement. She turned back to look at the building one last time, her eyes filling with tears.

Her chest tightened until it hurt to breathe.

Earlier, she had overheard Blade and Silvano talking in the hallway. She had not meant to listen, but once she heard her name, she could not walk away. They said everything happening to Damien was because of her.

They said this chaos had started the moment she entered his life.

The words kept replaying, relentless and punishing.

A soft cry escaped her as she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. She had come into his life with the intention of destroying him. 

She had promised herself she would make him pay for every piece of pain she carried yet somewhere along the way everything had changed. 

Now seeing him broken, seeing others coming for him, and knowing she might be the reason, tore her apart.

She could not stand the thought of anyone hurting him. Not even she could bring herself to hurt him now.

Lila wiped her face with the sleeve of her sweater, trying to steady her breath. Her heart begged her to run back inside, to sit beside him until he woke up, to hold his hand like she had done before.

But the fear of being the reason he got hurt again pushed her forward.

She stepped out of the hospital floors and raised her hand to stop a taxi. When the car pulled up, she climbed inside. The door closed with a dull thud that felt too final.

As the taxi drove off, Lila leaned her head against the window, tears slipping down silently while the building grew smaller in the distance. It felt like she was leaving her heart behind with him.


When she stepped out of the taxi and handed the driver his fare, Lila paused for a moment. She ran a hand over her face, making sure not a single tear remained before walking toward the gate. It slid open automatically and closed behind her as she stepped through.

She entered the house, relieved that it seemed empty. Quietly, she made her way toward the stairs, hoping for a few moments of solitude.

Then, out of nowhere, Rex and Graves appeared.

“Lila?” Rex called, his voice a mix of surprise and concern.

Lila froze for a heartbeat, her stomach tightening. She swallowed hard, then forced her lips into the brightest smile she could muster.

“You guys are still here?” she asked, trying to sound cheerful.

Graves stepped closer, worry etched across his face. “What’s going on? Why did you come back without telling us so we could come pick you up?”

“Because I was too happy to even remember to call you. Wolfe is awake,” she said, her voice light, and their eyes instantly lit up. Broad smiles spread across their faces.

“Really?” they asked in unison.

“Of course, I’m serious. You guys should head out already. I just came to get something,” Lila added, keeping her tone cheerful.

Rex and Graves hurried toward the entrance, but Graves paused and turned back, suspicion in his eyes. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Where is Thorne? I’ll come back with him,” Lila replied warmly, her smile steady.

“He stepped out to get something. I’ll call him and let him know to meet us at the hospital,” Graves said. Lila nodded in agreement, and soon the door closed behind them.

As soon as the door clicked shut, the cheerful mask Lila had worn cracked. She pressed her back against the wall, letting out a quiet, shuddering breath. A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye, followed quickly by another, tracing a path she did not bother to wipe away.