The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Chapter 145

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Back at the secluded island, the morning began with soft noises in the kitchen and the gentle crashing of waves against the shore.

“MARLOU, I’M READY! LET’S GO!” Lila called to Marlou.

Marlou just nodded, stepping outside and starting the car.

“Ina, we’re going to the city for a while,” Lila said, smiling.

“Take care,” Ina replied, watching the car move along the sandy path before turning back to her own chores.

In the city, Lila busied herself preparing the documents to register her new coffee and flower shop under Jenny’s name. She carefully selected supplies, tasting coffee beans here, arranging flower samples there.

As they walked past a small pottery workshop, Marlou stopped, his eyes fixed on the old man molding clay with practiced hands.

“You want to try it?” Lila asked, watching him intently.

Marlou smiled, a little proud. “I’m confident my hands can do many things… not just dirty things, you know,” he said with a hint of humor.

“Oh, I see,” Lila said, smiling back, then stepped into the shop.

“Hi! Can you help me set up my own pottery studio?” Lila asked cheerfully.

The old lady looked at them, pleasantly surprised. “Oh my! It’s rare to see someone so young interested in this craft.” She glanced at Marlou. “Your husband must be very competent.”

“Oh no, he is my brother,” Lila said quickly.

“Oh, my bad! I’m sorry,” the lady smiled warmly.

“No worries,” Lila replied. “We just moved here, so most of his tools were left behind.” She nodded toward

Marlou.

“Where are you from?” the lady asked curiously.

“We came from the northern part of the city, but our house caught fire,” Lila explained, glancing at Marlou, who simply nodded in agreement.

“Oh… so you’re one of those families, huh?” the lady said, handing them the supplies they needed to set up their pottery station.

On the drive back to the house, Lila couldn’t help but ask Marlou about the craft. “So… how did you learn pottery?”

“Oh, I come from a large family. Pottery and stained glass-it’s been our family business for generations,”

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15:21 Mon, May 4

Chapter 145

Marlou said calmly.

Lila tilted her head, curious. “Then why did you become a driver?”

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Marlou paused, searching for the right words. “There… there was a woman. She swore she loved me, didn’t care about my family background, and convinced me to follow her. I became her personal driver. At first, I thought she wanted her family to accept me, but I spent years in her mansion, not realizing she was already married. She told me her marriage was arranged, that her husband didn’t care about her… and I believed her. I thought I was helping, maybe even doing the right thing. But it was a lie. Her husband did love her-I saw it in my own eyes, how careful he was with her.”

He paused, looking at Lila, his tone calm but heavy with memory.

“Yeah… I’m stupid, right?” Marlou let out a soft, humorous laugh, trying to ease the weight of the confession.

Lila reached out, lightly touching his shoulder. “Not stupid. Just… human. And I think you’ve learned more than most about loyalty and honesty. That’s what makes you… you.”

Marlou’s lips curved in a small, grateful smile as the car drove on, the sun climbing higher, promising another busy but hopeful day in their new life.

They arrived back at the house just as the sun reached its peak, casting a warm glow over the white sand and sparkling water. Marlou immediately busied himself, carrying the items they had purchased at the market into the garage and unpacking them with meticulous care.

Lila followed, helping him arrange the tools and equipment for his small pottery studio. She watched as his eyes lit up with excitement, hands moving deftly to organize the space. Seeing him so absorbed and passionate brought a genuine smile to her face.

“In that case,” Lila said, stepping back to admire the setup, “we don’t need to buy cups. Marlou can create them himself, right?”

Marlou chuckled, the sound warm and teasing. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll take care of it,” he said confidently.

As he turned to inspect a freshly unpacked set of clay blocks, Lila noticed a subtle glance he exchanged with Jenny, who was quietly arranging flowers nearby. It was quick, almost imperceptible, but there was a softness in his eyes, a quiet admiration that went unnoticed by most.

Lila felt a small, satisfied smile tug at her lips. She had caught the unspoken understanding between them, and it warmed her heart to see their small family building connections in their new life.

Ina, standing nearby and observing, gave a knowing nod. She didn’t say anything, but her gaze lingered on the two, a quiet approval in her expression. Lila caught the moment too and just shook her head lightly. smiling to herself.

“Looks like everyone’s finding their place,” Lila murmured, more to herself than anyone else.

The sound of clay being shaped on the wheel, the gentle rustle of flowers, and the soft chatter between them filled the house. For the first time in a long while, the chaos and tension of the outside world seemed far away, replaced by the simple rhythm of work, creativity, and family.

And for Lila, that small studio, those shared smiles, and the quiet exchanges were proof that they could build

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Chapter 145

something lasting, even after everything they had survived.

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Lila led Jenny and Marlou to the small stall in the nearby town, their temporary home for the new shop. The air was filled with the smell of fresh wood and clay, mingling with the faint floral scent of the flowers Jenny had brought along.

“Marlou, your task is the stained-glass installation,” Lila said, pointing toward the large floor-to-ceiling windows. “Make it something that feels… ours.”

Marlou nodded, already unrolling the glass sheets he had designed. “Consider it done,” he said, his hands steady as he began fitting the colorful panes into the frame.

Jenny busied herself arranging the cups on the wall. Lila watched her for a moment, smiling.

“Jenny, go assist Marlou. He might need an extra hand,” Lila said, a soft laugh in her voice.

“Okay!” Jenny replied, moving to help Marlou. The two of them worked efficiently together, the subtle glances and quiet smiles passing between them unnoticed by anyone else but not by Lila, who felt a warmth bloom in her chest as she watched them collaborate.

Far away, back at Damon’s study room, Simon had already plotted the connections of the underground auction network across the wall, strings linking faces, addresses, and transactions.

“First strike,” Damon said, pointing to the photos of two military officers connected to the network.

“Okay,” Simon replied, preparing the evidence they had gathered meticulously. Each file, each report, a small thread in the web they hoped would lead them closer to Lila.

Suddenly, Mark called out. “Damon… you need to see this.”

Damon walked over to the screen. The footage showed a car-a model identical to the one Jenny had saved on her phone-abandoned at the outskirts of BelAir City, hidden among tall, thick grass.

“Let’s check it personally,” Damon said, his jaw tight with determination. Without waiting for a response, he left the room.

Simon stayed behind, staring at the screen long after Damon had gone. “I just hope this leads us to another clue… to find your sister,” he murmured, tapping Mark’s shoulder gently.

Mark didn’t respond at first. His eyes were fixed on the car, frustration and helplessness etched deeply across his face. Ever since Lila had gone missing, not a single clue had surfaced. The last anyone had seen her was at the auction, supposedly “bought” by Daven Foster-but even Daven’s trail had gone cold.

Simon noticed the shadow of grief in Mark’s eyes, the way he shed tears silently for his sister every night, and the heavy weight of not knowing where she was now. Simon’s gaze softened; he knew that helplessness all too

well.

Meanwhile, Damon drove in silence, each mile closing in on the outskirts of BelAir, his mind spinning through possibilities. Somewhere in that abandoned car-or the clues it might hold-was the thread that would lead him closer to the woman and child he refused to lose.”

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Chapter 145

neck. “But we didn’t steal it.”

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Damon shook his head. “No… I just wanted to know where you got it,” he said gently. “Come, let’s talk over there.” He gestured toward a small stall with tables and chairs.

Once seated, Damon ordered sweets for the little girl, who eyed him with cautious curiosity. The couple sat stiffly, nervous under his unwavering gaze.

“It was given to me, sir… as payment,” the man finally admitted, head bowed.

“Payment for what?” Damon asked, leaning forward slightly.

“For transportation. They had no money left, so they offered the necklace instead,” he said quietly.

“Who’s ‘they’?” Damon pressed.

“I don’t know her name, sir,” the man confessed.

Damon’s eyes narrowed. “Her…Is she alone?”

The man shook his head. “No, sir. She’s with a boy-around my daughter’s age-and another young lady.”

Damon’s jaw tightened. He leaned back, eyes cold yet calculating, already piecing together the next move.

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15:22 Mon, May 4