Scarred, Shot, Still Standing

Tessa’s POVAfter I was shot by Silas Vale’s rival gang, I dragged myself to his casino, desperate and half‑bleeding out, hoping he’d help me.Instead, I walked straight into Silas as he was hurrying out with his childhood sweetheart, Amy Calloway, in his arms. He barely looked at me, “Get this bloody mess out of my casino. Don’t let my Amy see her—she’s scared of blood.”So I was dumped in the back alley by his men like trash.The bullet, the blood loss—everything was pulling me under. “Help… me…” I whispered, knowing no one would hear me.Lucky for me, someone did show up. He got me to the hospital and saved my life.I spent nearly a week at hospital. Silas didn’t once call me.The day I was discharged, I returned to the home Silas and I shared.The second I opened the door, I spotted a coat and jacket tossed carelessly over the sofa. A pair of pants lay crumpled on the floor beside a dress.“Silas, I’m hungry,” Amy said as she padded out barefoot. She was wearing one of Silas’s shi

Tessa’s POVBefore long, a loud bang echoed from outside the bedroom door.I opened the door—there was no one in the Living room.Then another sharp crack came from Silas’s study.I approached quietly. The door wasn’t fully closed. Through the gap, I saw Amy rummaging through Silas’s desk, flipping frantically through drawers.My gut twisted. Silas’s study was forbidden territory for literally everyone—so why was Amy in here now?I reacted before I could think this through. I pushed the door open. “What the hell are you doing in here?”Amy’s face drained instantly. She froze, a document still clutched in her hand. She quickly hid it behind her back. “Silas… Silas asked me to find a file he needed for the casino.”I walked toward her, not buying a second of it. “Is that so?”In one swift motion, I grabbed the document from behind her back and tore it out of her hands. “Did Silas tell you? Or did you come in here to snoop?”I barely had time to glance at the paper before Silas’s voice th

Tessa’s POVSilas arrived just as I stepped out of the hospital.He parked, climbed out of the car, and frowned. “Hospital?” he asked, walking toward me. “Are you sick?”I handed him the discharge form. “Small surgery,” I said flatly.His brows pinched tighter. “Why didn’t you tell me?”There was a pause in his voice. Hesitation.I looked him calmly in the eyes. “What difference would it have made if I did?”“Let’s just go home,” I said, walking toward the car.I was halfway to the passenger door when it flew open from the inside.“Tessa!” a voice chirped.Of course. Amy.“Sorry,” she said sweetly. “I didn’t know you asked Silas to pick you up from hospital. I thought you guys were heading to lunch, and I haven’t eaten yet, so…”I didn’t respond. Didn’t have the energy to play along with her carefully crafted innocence.I just turned and slid into the backseat.“Tessa, Amy was—”“That’s fine,” I cut him off. “Let’s just go. I’m tired.”The walk had already drained me. My legs were shak

Tessa's POVI was unpacking my stuff when the front door rang. And it won’t stop ringing.I rushed out. “Coming!”I figured it was the grocery delivery guy. But when I opened the door, I froze.It wasn’t a delivery guy.It was Silas Vale.“When were you planning to tell me you left New York and ran off to damn Italy?” he growled.How the hell did Silas track me here—to Italy—and end up standing on my brother’s doorstep, demanding answers?“I left you a note,” I said quickly.“You left me a note?” Silas let out a dry laugh, gripping my wrist. “That’s it? You pack up your whole life, leave our house, and vanish into another country—and you think a note is enough?”“Silas, we broke up. Where I go, what I do—it’s none of your business anymore.” I yanked my wrist out of his grip. “Now get out of here before my brother sees you.”“Broke up?” He stepped in closer—so close I could smell the lingering scent of his cologne and cigars. “When did we break up, exactly?”Before I could answer, Tom s

Tessa’s POVJust as I said the words, the gate opened. Tom and Nick walked in—followed by several armed guards.“Tessa.” Nick stormed forward, placing himself between me and Silas. “What the hell are you doing here again?”Silas didn’t even glance at him. His eyes stayed on me. “Tessa, I—”“If you’re still planning on staying,” I said coolly, “I’ll just have to have my guards see you out.”Right on cue, a line of ten broad-shouldered men stepped forward from the gate.“Escort the guest,” I said.“Yes, Boss.”Silas Vale might’ve held power back in New York, but here in Italy? He had nothing. Not even the right to stand on my doorstep.In the end, he had no choice but to let himself be escorted out. The guards spotted him a few more times lingering around after that—watching, waiting.So I brought in full-time security. No more chances or surprise visits from Silas anymore. I was done listening to his apologies and excuses.All my energy was for business now. Nothing else.…One year la