The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Chapter 126

The charity gala shimmered with wealth and power.

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Crystal chandeliers cast soft golden light across the vast ballroom, illuminating silk gowns, tailored suits, and faces that ruled industries from the shadows. Conversations flowed like expensive wine-polished, calculated,

never careless.

At the center of it all-

Lila stood.

Composed. Untouchable.

She carried herself with quiet authority, her gaze sweeping across the room, memorizing every face, every gesture, every alliance forming beneath the surface. This wasn’t just a gala.

It was a battlefield.

And she knew exactly how to play.

“It’s been a long time since we met, Ms. Lila.”

The voice came smoothly from beside her.

Lila didn’t turn immediately.

She already knew who it was.

Eric.

A ghost from a different life-college days, distant memories, a man who had always stood out, not because he tried… but because he didn’t have to.

Brilliant.

Dangerous in his own way.

Lila turned slowly, offering a small, controlled smile. “Eric.”

His eyes scanned the room even as he spoke, sharp and observant, missing nothing. But when they landed on

her-

They softened.

Not with kindness.

With interest.

“How’s Mark?” Eric asked casually. “I heard he was the creator of Underdog Integer Technology.”

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Chapter 126

Now his attention was fully on her.

Focused.

Admiring.

“Yes,” Lila replied smoothly. “But unfortunately, he sold it to Blackthorne.”

Her tone was polite.

Distant.

Measured.

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Eric’s lips curved. “Why so formal, my love?” he teased, reaching for her hand without hesitation. “As if we don’t share some history.”

He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss against it.

The gesture was elegant.

Refined.

And utterly unwelcome.

Lila’s smile didn’t falter-but her eyes cooled.

“Why do filthy dogs love wagging their tails at me?” she said lightly, her voice laced with quiet sarcasm.

Eric laughed.

Not offended.

If anything-amused.

Their exchange didn’t go unnoticed. Conversations nearby softened, attention drifting toward them. Two powerful figures, circling each other with words that sounded light… but carried weight beneath.

“So,” Lila continued, effortlessly reclaiming control of the moment, “how’s your wife?”

Eric shrugged slightly, as if the topic bored him. “She’s fine,” he said. “Has herself a young boyfriend now. Keeps him in our estate as her personal bodyguard.”

Lila’s brow lifted faintly.

Unimpressed.

Unsurprised.

“You know,” Eric went on, stepping just a little closer, his voice lowering, “if you weren’t so stubborn back then… you’d be my wife by now.”

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Chapter 126

There it was.

Not regret.

Not even nostalgia.

Just ego.

Lila rolled her eyes, a smirk playing at her lips. “I see you’re still a smooth talker.”

“Only when it matters,” Eric replied.

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Their eyes locked for a brief moment-his filled with amusement and something more dangerous… hers unreadable, untouchable as ever.

But beneath the surface-

Both of them were calculating.

Because this wasn’t just a reunion.

It was positioning.

And somewhere far from the glittering lights of the gala…

A pair of unseen eyes watched it all unfold.

Waiting.

Because every move made tonight-

Would echo far beyond this room.

“Well… I don’t blame you either,” Eric continued smoothly, swirling the drink in his glass. “Powerful families tend to come with… complicated stories.”

His gaze flicked back to Lila, sharp beneath the casual tone.

“I guess you know that by now,” he added, a faint smirk forming, “after marrying into Blackthorne.”

Lila didn’t react immediately.

But she was listening.

Closely.

Eric let out a soft breath, almost amused. “Still can’t believe he actually made you his wife,” he went on. “After years of circling around you like that.”

That-

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Chapter 126

Made her pause.

Her eyes shifted to him, something colder settling beneath her calm exterior.

“What do you mean?” Lila asked.

Eric tilted his head slightly, studying her face, searching for something-recognition, perhaps.

But found none.

“Oh…” he murmured, the amusement in his eyes deepening. “You don’t know.”

A flicker of silence passed between them.

Lila’s gaze sharpened, the faintest crack in her composure. “Know what?”

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Eric leaned in just slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing something intimate… something dangerous.

“Well,” he said softly, “since your late husband didn’t tell you… I suppose it was a secret he wanted to keep.”

His lips curved.

“Truly a wonderful dog you had.”

The insult was quiet.

But deliberate.

Lila’s expression didn’t change.

Not outwardly.

But something in her eyes shifted-darkened, sharpened into something far more dangerous than offense.

Because Eric wasn’t just provoking her.

He was testing her.

Probing for weakness.

For doubt.

And then-

He stepped back.

Just enough to change the tone completely.

“Oh, by the way,” he added casually.

Lila didn’t miss the shift.

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Chapter 126

Didn’t miss the way his eyes cooled.

“I got a new pet.”

A pause.

Just long enough to matter.

“I named it… Maddy.”

The name hung in the air.

Heavy.

Deliberate.

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Eric’s gaze locked onto hers, watching closely-measuring every flicker, every breath, every reaction.

Because that wasn’t just a name.

It was a message.

A warning.

Or perhaps-

An invitation.

The noise of the gala faded into the background as tension coiled tightly between them, invisible but suffocating.

Lila tilted her head slightly, her expression returning to calm… controlled… unreadable.

But her voice-

When she spoke-

Was colder than his.

“How interesting,” she said softly.

A faint smile touched her lips.

“But you should be careful, Eric.”

Her eyes held his.

Unblinking.

“Some pets…” she continued, her tone almost thoughtful, “have a habit of biting back.”

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Chapter 126

For a moment-

Neither of them moved.

Two predators.

Standing in plain sight.

Smiling for the world to see.

While somewhere far away-

The name Maddy had already begun to echo.

And the game-

Had just become something far more dangerous.

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Eric’s eyes sparkled with mischief, leaning just slightly closer, his tone shifting into something dangerously playful.

“Are you worried about me now?” he asked, letting the words hang between them, a teasing challenge.

Then, with a sly grin, he added, “Or… how about you marry me and tame me?”

The flirtation was obvious, deliberate-a test, a provocation, a reminder of familiarity long buried under power and ambition.

Lila’s lips curved into a soft laugh, light but edged with steel. The sound drew the attention of a few nearby socialites, but she didn’t care. She let it linger.

“No,” she said, her voice calm, smooth, unshakable. “I’m okay. I’m not looking for a pet.”

Her eyes locked with his, cool and unyielding, a silent message wrapped inside the words: charm alone won’t trap her, and no amount of history or flattery would bend her to him.

Eric laughed softly, not offended, but intrigued, sensing the challenge only made her more… interesting.

The two stood there, a subtle storm beneath the polished surface of the gala-flirtation, power, and tension intertwined, each measuring the other, each silently aware that the game had just begun.

Around them, the elite continued their conversations, oblivious. But Lila and Eric didn’t need an audience.

Because in this room, in this moment, it wasn’t about wealth or status-it was about strategy, patience, and the unspoken war of wills between two people who knew each other far too well.

Before the tension could thicken further, a new presence shifted into their space.

“Lila,” Simon greeted politely, stepping forward, a calm authority in his posture. At his side, Jade, now his wife, gave a warm, measured smile.

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Chapter 126

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“Hello, Simon. Hello, Jade,” Lila replied, her tone smooth, welcoming but distant enough to maintain her control of the interaction.

She turned slightly, raising a hand gracefully to introduce Eric. “By the way, this is-”

“Mr. Eric Bjorn,” Simon interjected smoothly, his gaze steady and unflinching as it landed on Eric. “I know him.”

Eric met the stare evenly, unflinching, a hint of amusement flickering across his features. Lila simply smiled politely, keeping the social veneer intact.

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Eric inclined his head slightly, the smile playful, almost teasing. “Mr. Lee… why still so aggressive toward me?” he asked softly, his eyes scanning Simon with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. “You see, I don’t have bad intentions toward Lila.”

Simon’s jaw tightened just slightly, his expression calm but unreadable, measuring the man before him.

Lila, meanwhile, kept her own smile steady, neutral. Polite. Controlled. She knew the undercurrent in Eric’s words-charm and provocation, layered with challenge. But she had learned long ago not to respond to the bait immediately.

Instead, she observed, the faintest hint of amusement lingering in her eyes, letting the tension linger like a delicate game of chess.

Around them, the gala carried on, oblivious to the silent duel unfolding at its center. But Lila, Eric, and Simon-each aware of the stakes, each holding their pieces close-knew the night was only just beginning.

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15:05 Mon, May 4