The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Chapter 181

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Lila arrived at the hospital with a quiet urgency in her steps, only to be met with unexpected news-

Damian had already been transferred to a VIP room.

For a moment, she paused.

Something about it felt… deliberate.

Inside, Damian was in the middle of a session with a psychiatrist-his small figure seated across from a professional, answering questions no child should ever have to face. Mark sat nearby, silent but watchful, his presence steady as ever.

Lila didn’t interrupt.

She simply waited.

When the session ended, Damian was escorted back to his room.

And this time-

Lila was there.

The window was already open, letting in a soft breeze. The room felt lighter, warmer. On the table, she carefully arranged his food, making it look as comforting as possible… as if normalcy could be rebuilt piece by piece.

“Mom…”

Damian’s voice was soft-but it reached her instantly.

Lila turned, her face lighting up with a gentle smile.

In the next second, she crossed the distance and pulled him into her arms, holding him tightly-like she needed to feel him there, safe, real.

She buried her face against his neck, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay strong.

“I’m sorry, sweetie… I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

Damian hugged her back without hesitation.

“It’s okay, Mom,” he said softly. “Uncle Mark was with me the whole time.”

He pulled back slightly, looking at her with innocent sincerity.

“And I’ll be sad… if you’re sad.”

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Chapter 181

Lila’s heart ached.

But she smiled.

Because for him-she had to.

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Slowly, she let him go and guided him to sit. She picked up the food and began feeding him, her movements gentle, patient.

They talked.

About silly things.

Little stories.

Anything that could keep the shadows away, even just for a while.

And eventually…

Damian fell asleep.

The room grew quiet again.

Mark sat on the couch, watching the scene settle into stillness.

After a moment, he spoke.

“He was here.”

Lila didn’t turn.

Her hands stilled slightly.

“He arranged everything.” Mark continued. “The transfer. The VIP rooms-for both Damian and Marlou.”

A pause.

“I didn’t refuse.”

Lila slowly nodded.

She had already guessed.

Who else could move things this quickly… this effortlessly?

Silence lingered between them-but it wasn’t empty.

It was heavy.

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Chapter 181

Because he was here.

So close.

And yet…

He didn’t come to her.

He didn’t ask.

Didn’t look for her.

Didn’t even try to see if she-or Damian—were okay.

Lila lowered her gaze, her fingers gently brushing Damian’s hair as he slept peacefully.

Her expression didn’t break.

But something inside her did.

Because somehow…

His absence hurt more than his presence ever could.

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The room where Marlou lay felt untouched by time-cold, sterile, and painfully still.

Only the machines dared to make a sound.

Beep… beep… beep…

Each hollow echo sliced through the silence, a mechanical reminder that life still clung to him—fragile, uncertain, and painfully incomplete.

Inside, Marlou looked nothing like the man they once knew.

The strength that once defined him was gone, replaced by a stillness so unnatural it felt wrong to witness. His skin had lost its warmth, his color faded into a pale, almost lifeless hue. Tubes ran across his body like lifelines, each one doing what he no longer could on his own-helping him breathe, feeding him, keeping his heart from giving up.

He didn’t move.

Not even a flicker.

It was as if he existed somewhere far away… trapped between staying and leaving.

And outside that room—

Jenny was breaking.

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Chapter 181

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She sat just a few steps away from the glass window, but it might as well have been a world apart. Her hands trembled in her lap, fingers tightly gripping each other as if she could hold herself together by force alone.

But she couldn’t.

Tears streamed endlessly down her face, her vision blurring, yet she refused to look away.

Because that was Marlou.

And she was terrified that if she blinked… if she looked away even for a second… he might be gone when she looked back.

“I can’t…” her voice cracked, barely audible. “I can’t go in…”

Her body shook as another wave of sobs overtook her. The pain in her chest felt unbearable-tight, suffocating, like something was crushing her from the inside.

“I don’t want to see him like that…” she whispered, her words breaking apart. “Not like that…”

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Beside her, Ina stayed close, steady and patient. She wrapped an arm around Jenny’s shoulders, gently pulling her in, letting her cry without interruption.

Ina didn’t rush her.

Didn’t force her.

Because she understood.

The kind of pain Jenny was feeling… it wasn’t something that could be fixed with words.

Still, she tried.

“Jenny…” Ina said softly, brushing her hand over Jenny’s arm in a soothing motion. “He’s still here.”

But Jenny shook her head, her sobs growing more desperate.

“That’s not him…” she cried. “That’s not the Marlou I know…”

Her gaze drifted back to the glass.

To the man lying motionless.

Helpless.

“I’ve never seen him like that,” she continued, her voice trembling uncontrollably. “He’s always been so strong… always the one protecting everyone else…”

Her lips quivered.

“And now… he can’t even open his eyes…”

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Chapter 181

Ina’s chest tightened at the words, but she kept her composure-for Jenny’s sake.

“He’s fighting.” Ina said gently, though her own voice wavered just slightly. “You just can’t see it.”

Jenny let out a broken laugh-soft, bitter, filled with pain.

“Fighting?” she repeated weakly. “It looks like he’s losing…”

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Unforgiving.

Jenny covered her mouth as another sob escaped, her shoulders shaking violently now.

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“I wasn’t there…” she whispered, her voice filled with guilt. “When he needed someone…. I wasn’t there…”

Ina immediately tightened her hold.

“Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true!” Jenny cried, her voice rising for the first time. “If I was there-maybe I could’ve done something! Maybe I could’ve-”

Her words cut off, replaced by raw, uncontrollable crying.

Ina pulled her closer, letting Jenny bury her face into her shoulder.

“This isn’t your fault,” Ina said firmly, though her tone remained gentle. “You can’t carry everything on your

own.”

But guilt doesn’t listen.

It doesn’t reason.

It doesn’t fade just because someone tells you to let it go.

Jenny clung to Ina like she was the only thing keeping her from completely falling apart.

“I’m scared…” she admitted again, her voice muffled but filled with raw emotion. “I’m so scared he won’t wake up…”

Ina closed her eyes briefly, steadying herself.

Because that fear-

It lived in her too.

But she couldn’t say it.

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Chapter 181

Not now.

“He will,” Ina whispered instead. “He has to.”

Because sometimes… hope wasn’t about certainty.

Sometimes… it was the only thing left to hold onto.

Jenny slowly lifted her head, her tear-filled eyes returning to the glass.

To Marlou.

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Her breathing hitched as she took in the sight again-the machines, the wires, the unnatural stillness.

Her heart shattered all over again.

“I don’t recognize him…” she said softly, her voice hollow. “It’s like he’s already gone… and his body just didn’t follow yet…”

Ina’s grip tightened slightly.

“Don’t say that,” she murmured, more firmly this time.

But Jenny didn’t respond.

Because deep down-

That was exactly what it felt like.

Time stretched painfully.

Minutes felt like hours.

And still… nothing changed.

The machines continued their relentless rhythm.

Beep… beep… beep…

Each sound echoing like a’countdown no one could see.

Jenny slowly slid her hand down to her chest, clutching it tightly as if trying to hold her heart together.

“It hurts….” she whispered.

Ina looked at her, concern deepening.

“Where?”

Jenny shook her head weakly.

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Chapter 181

“Here…” she said, pressing harder against her chest. “It hurts so much…”

Ina didn’t say anything this time.

She just held her.

Because there were no words strong enough for that kind of pain.

And inside the room-

Marlou remained still.

Unaware of the tears being shed for him.

Unaware of the fear, the guilt, the love waiting just beyond the glass.

Fighting a battle no one could see.

Alone.

And outside-

Jenny kept watching.

Even if it broke her.

Even if it destroyed her piece by piece.

Because walking away…

Would hurt even more.

So she stayed.

ค.

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Crying.

Waiting.

Hoping-

That somehow…

Somewhere inside that silent body…

Marlou was still fighting his way back to them.

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