The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 130

Chapter 130

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Chapter 130

The conference room buzzed softly with quiet conversations as executives gathered around the long glass table. When the doors opened, Eric Bjorn stepped in, his presence immediately commanding attention.

His eyes found hers.

“Lila… it’s nice to see you again,” Eric said, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he extended his hand.

“Mr. Bjorn,” Lila replied politely, meeting his gaze. She took his hand in a firm, professional handshake. “Nice to see you again as well.”

Eric chuckled under his breath. “Come on, it’s Eric. No need to be so formal with me.”

Lila allowed a small, restrained smile, though her posture remained composed. “Old habits.”

The meeting proceeded smoothly-numbers aligned, proposals approved, and agreements settled with little resistance. Eric spoke with effortless confidence, while Lila countered with sharp precision. It was a negotiation that felt more like a quiet duel, each aware of the other’s strength.

By the time evening fell, the formalities had given way to a private dinner.

As the last plates were cleared, Eric leaned back slightly in his chair, studying Lila.

“I’d like you to come with me,” he said casually. “There’s something we need to discuss. In private.”

Lila’s eyes narrowed just a fraction. “And this couldn’t wait?”

“It could,” Eric admitted, his grin returning. “But it shouldn’t.”

He glanced briefly at the man standing a few steps behind her. “You can bring your assistant. I don’t mind.”

Bryan straightened instinctively, unsure whether to feel reassured or more concerned.

The city looked different at night-darker, sharper, less forgiving.

By the time they arrived, Bryan was already questioning every life choice that had led him here.

The place Eric brought them to was far from the polished world of corporate towers. Neon lights flickered overhead, casting uneven shadows across narrow alleys. Whispers moved faster than footsteps. Deals were made without paper, and trust was a currency few could afford.

Eric led them inside like he owned the place.

Which, Bryan quickly realized… he probably did.

They stopped in front of a discreet storefront. From the outside, it looked ordinary-almost forgettable. But the moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted.

Lila’s voice cut through the silence.

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Chapter 130

“Eric… what the hell is this?”

Her composure cracked just enough to reveal the tension underneath.

Eric raised his hands slightly, calm and unbothered. “Relax, Lila. I don’t have bad intentions.”

He gestured for them to follow as he moved toward a door at the back. “I’m trying to help you.”

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Lila didn’t move immediately. Her eyes scanned the room, calculating, weighing risks. Then, without a word. she followed.

Bryan hesitated for half a second before trailing behind them.

His breathing grew uneven as he took in every detail-the guarded corners, the silent watchers, the unspoken rules hanging thick in the air.

Yeah… he thought grimly. Maybe I should start thinking about a career change.

Office work. A nice desk. Clock out at five.

That sounds really good right about now.

He exhaled slowly, steadying himself as he stepped into the private room behind them-whatever came next, he had a feeling there was no turning back.

Eric stopped in front of a heavy, unmarked door and pushed it open.

The moment it swung wide, noise spilled out-music pounding, laughter slurred, glasses clinking. Heat and the scent of alcohol wrapped around them like a wave.

Inside, a party was in full swing.

Bodies moved under dim, colored lights. Some danced, some stumbled, others watched from shadowed corners with unreadable expressions. It wasn’t celebration-it was excess. Uncontrolled, desperate excess.

Eric didn’t slow down.

“Come,” he said, already moving forward.

He led them through the chaos, past strangers who barely spared them a glance, and toward a staircase tucked along the side. The noise dulled slightly as they climbed, replaced by a quieter, more suffocating tension.

At the top, Eric opened another door-this one leading into a private room overlooking the floor below.

The music was still audible, but distant now.

Lila stepped closer to the glass panel overlooking the main hall.

Then Eric spoke.

“Lila… the woman on the center stage,” he said, pointing downward. “That’s Mike Foster’s wife.”

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Chapter 130

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Lila’s gaze snapped to where he pointed.

At the center of the room below, under harsh, shifting lights, a woman danced-if it could even be called that. Her movements were unsteady, uncoordinated. She laughed too loudly, swayed too much, her expression lost somewhere between euphoria and emptiness.

Lila’s breath caught.

“…No,” she whispered.

But the more she looked, the clearer it became.

It was her.

“What happened to her?” Lila asked, her voice tightening.

Her eyes didn’t leave the woman.

“And Mike…?” she pressed. “Where is he?”

Eric didn’t answer immediately.

For the first time that night, his expression lost its usual ease. His jaw tightened slightly as he leaned against the railing.

“They were brought here two weeks ago,” he said finally. “She was already an addict by then… ever since Jasper came into their lives.”

Lila’s hands clenched at her sides.

“And Mike?” she demanded again.

Eric exhaled quietly.

“As for Mike…” he said, his voice lower now, stripped of any humor. “He was put in the ring.”

A brief pause.

“Underground MMA.”

The words hung heavy in the air.

“…What?” Lila turned to him, disbelief written across her face.

Eric met her gaze, unflinching.

“He didn’t make it out.”

Silence followed.

Below them, the music kept pounding. The crowd kept moving. The woman kept dancing-oblivious,

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Chapter 130

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broken, lost in a world that had already swallowed everything she once had.

But inside the room, everything felt still.

Bryan swallowed hard, his throat dry.

That quiet office job he had imagined earlier?

It felt farther away than ever.

And whatever this place was-

It wasn’t just dangerous.

It was merciless.

After a final glance at the chaos below, Eric stepped back.

“This way,” he said.

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He led them out through a back door, away from the noise and lights. The door shut behind them with a dull thud, sealing off the music as they entered a narrow, dimly lit corridor.

For a few seconds, only the sound of their footsteps filled the space.

Then Eric spoke.

“Lila… do you remember what you learned when Jasper brought you to Wago City?”

Lila’s brows knitted together, her expression tightening slightly as if reaching for something just out of grasp.

Before she could respond, she felt Bryan’s hand gently close around her arm.

She looked up.

Bryan met her gaze, his eyes steady. A subtle shake of his head.

Not here.

Not him.

Lila understood immediately.

She turned her attention forward again, her expression smoothing over.

“No,” she said calmly. “I still don’t recall. What was it?”

Eric slowed, then stopped.

“It’s important that you remember,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Because if you don’t… it could mean you’re their target.”

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Chapter 130

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Lila’s eyes sharpened. “Target? Why?”

Eric turned to face her fully.

“Because you might be holding something they can’t afford to let surface,” he said. “Something solid. Evidence that could put them behind bars.”

A brief silence followed.

“Whose ‘they’?” Lila asked.

Eric’s jaw tightened slightly.

“These are powerful people, Lila,” he said. “Not just in business-but in politics too. The kind of people who don’t leave loose ends.”

A flicker of tension passed through the air.

“You need to be careful.”

He paused, then added-

“Especially since Damon… your husband… died in the crossfire.”

The words settled between them.

Lila didn’t flinch.

Didn’t gasp.

Didn’t question.

Instead, her expression shifted into something composed-controlled, distant.

A widow’s face.

“I know,” she said simply.

Bryan glanced at Eric, watching him closely, trying to catch even the smallest crack in his expression.

But Eric gave him nothing.

Whatever he was thinking-he buried it well.

“I’ll have my men keep an eye on you,” Eric said after a moment. “Make sure you’re safe.”

He turned and led them the rest of the way out.

Outside, the night air felt sharper. A black SUV was already waiting, engine running.

Bryan opened the door for Lila, and they both got in without another word.

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Chapter 130

The vehicle pulled away smoothly, disappearing into the dark streets.

Eric remained where he stood.

Watching.

His eyes followed the SUV until it vanished completely from sight.

And then-

The last trace of warmth in his expression disappeared.

What remained was cold.

Sharp.

Deadly.

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15:07 Mon, May 4