The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 188

Chapter 188

Chapter 188

Mark didn’t respond to Simon’s warning.

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He simply stood there for a second longer, his hand still resting on the doorknob, his thoughts moving faster than he could control. Every instinct in him screamed to push forward-to ignore the warning, to force his way through every locked door in this building until he found Damon.

But instinct alone wouldn’t get him answers.

It would only get him thrown out.

Or worse.

Slowly, Mark opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. The quiet hum of the building returned, but everything felt different now-heavier, charged with something unspoken.

Simon’s words echoed in his mind.

*Keep your sister and nephew safe.*

Not *take care of them.*

Not be there for them.*

Safe.

From what?

Mark walked down the corridor, his pace steady but his thoughts unraveling. Employees passed by without a second glance, unaware of the tension building just beneath the surface.

Damon wasn’t just avoiding him.

He was hiding.

And if Simon was to be believed-he wasn’t just hiding from Mark.

He was hiding from everyone.

Even his own family.

Mark reached the elevator again, pressing the button with more force than necessary. His reflection stared back at him from the metal doors-tired, frustrated, and now… suspicious.

The doors opened.

He stepped inside.

This time, he was alone.

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Chapter 188

Not for himself.

For them.

Without wasting another second, Mark pulled out his phone and dialed Bryan again.

This time, it rang longer.

Once.

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Twice.

Three times-

Then finally-

“Mark?” Bryan’s voice came through, slightly breathless, like he had just rushed to answer.

“Bryan,” Mark said immediately. “What’s going on?”

There was a pause.

Too long.

“What do you mean?” Bryan replied, but there was something off in his tone-something guarded.

“Don’t do that,” Mark snapped, his patience already gone. “I just came from Blackthorne Industries. Damon won’t see anyone. Not even his wife.”

Silence.

Then-

“You went there?” Bryan asked quietly.

“Yes, I went there,” Mark said. “And Simon basically told me to keep my sister and nephew safe.”

Another pause.

Heavier this time.

“Mark…” Bryan started.

“No,” Mark cut in. “You don’t get to hesitate right now. If you know something, you tell me.”

Bryan exhaled on the other end, the sound rough, conflicted.

“I don’t know everything,” he admitted. “But… something’s not right.”.

“That’s obvious,” Mark said sharply. “What aren’t you telling me?”

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15:41 Mon, May 4

Chapter 188

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“I heard things,” Bryan continued. “Business deals. Conflicts. Damon’s been involved in something bigger than usual. Something… dangerous.”

Mark’s grip on the phone tightened.

“How dangerous?”

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“I don’t know exactly,” Bryan said. “But people have been asking questions. The kind of people you don’t want noticing you.”

That was enough.

More than enough.

Mark looked back at the towering building behind him, his jaw setting as realization sank in.

Damon wasn’t just avoiding them.

He was protecting them.

By staying away.

“Mark,” Bryan said cautiously, “if Simon told you to keep them safe… you should listen.”

Mark didn’t answer right away.

Because for the first time since arriving in Belair—

He understood.

This wasn’t about getting answers anymore.

This was about survival.

“I’m going back,” Mark said finally.

“To the hostel?” Bryan asked.

“No,” Mark replied, his eyes still fixed on Blackthorne Industries. “To my sister.”

A pause.

“That’s a good idea,” Bryan said.

Mark ended the call without another word.

For a moment, he just stood there, letting everything settle.

Then he turned-

And walked away from the building.

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Chapter 188

But not from the truth.

Because now, more than ever-

He knew something was coming.

And whatever it was-

Damon had already seen it first.

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Mark returned to the hostel with Bryan’s words still echoing in his mind.

The hallway was dim, lit only by a flickering overhead light that buzzed faintly as he passed beneath it. Each step felt heavier than the last, not from exhaustion-but from the weight of realization slowly settling in.

He entered his room and closed the door behind him with a soft click.

Silence.

For a moment, he just stood there.

Then it hit him.

Mark froze.

His eyes narrowed slightly as Bryan’s voice replayed in his head.

*”If Simon told you to keep them safe… you should listen.”*

*”You should go back.”*

“To the hostel?”*

Mark’s breath slowed.

How did Bryan know?

He hadn’t told him where he was staying.

Not once.

A chill crept up his spine.

*Is he being monitored?*

The thought came uninvited-but it stayed.

Mark glanced around the small room instinctively, his gaze moving from the corners of the ceiling to the old desk near the window, to the mirror on the wall.

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Chapter 188

Nothing seemed out of place.

But that didn’t mean anything.

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If Damon was involved-if Blackthorne Industries was involved-then whatever they were doing wouldn’t be

obvious.

Mark ran a hand through his hair, letting out a quiet breath.

But then-

He stopped.

Another thought surfaced.

If Damon was watching…

. If he knew where Mark was…

Then-

That meant something else.

Mark’s shoulders eased slightly.

Maybe Damon was alright.

Maybe this-whatever this was-was his way of keeping control. Of making sure everyone stayed where they were supposed to be.

Safe.

Mark let out a low exhale, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Yeah…” he muttered under his breath. “That sounds like you.”

Calculated.

Careful.

Always ten steps ahead.

If Damon was watching, then at least he wasn’t gone.

Not completely.

That thought, small as it was, gave Mark just enough peace to close his eyes that night.

The next morning came with a quiet sense of resolve.

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Chapter 188

Mark didn’t return to Blackthorne Industries.

He didn’t call Bryan again.

Instead, he prepared to leave Belair.

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Before heading back to the island, he spent the day walking through the city-this time not as someone chasing answers, but as someone holding onto something more important.

Family.

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He stopped by small shops and local markets, picking up specialties-things his nephew would like, treats Lila used to enjoy, little reminders that despite everything, he was still there for them.

It wasn’t much.

But it mattered.

By the time he finished, his hands were full, and for the first time since arriving, his chest didn’t feel as heavy.

As evening fell, Mark made his way out of the city.

Back to where he belonged.

The journey to the secluded island was long and quiet.

By the time he reached the small coastal town nearest to it, the clock had already passed midnight.

The streets were nearly empty.

Shops were closed, their lights dimmed. A soft breeze carried the scent of the sea, mixing with the stillness of the night.

Mark walked alone.

But this time, the silence didn’t feel suffocating.

It felt… peaceful.

His footsteps echoed faintly against the pavement as his thoughts began to drift-not toward Damon, not toward Blackthorne Industries, but toward something he hadn’t allowed himself to think about in a long time.

His future.

Maybe… ‘life here wouldn’t be so bad.

The idea came slowly, but it stayed.

A quieter life.

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Chapter 188

A simpler one.

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He thought about Lila and her coffee shop-the warmth of it, the familiarity, the way it brought people together.

Maybe he could help her.

Or-

He could start something of his own.

A small business, maybe. Something steady. Something real.

Or perhaps―

He could return to the city one day, but not like before. Not chasing ambition blindly, not getting lost in the corporate world.

Just… working. Living.

Normal.

Mark let out a small breath, almost amused at himself.

Or maybe he’d finally finish what he started.

His master’s degree.

The thought lingered longer than the others.

A quiet goal. Something unfinished.

Something his old self would have insisted on completing.

Mark slowed his steps slightly.

There were so many paths ahead of him.

For the first time in a long while-

They didn’t feel closed off.

They felt possible.

His hand slipped into his pocket absentmindedly.

And that’s when his fingers brushed against something familiar.

Mark paused.

Slowly, he pulled it out.

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Chapter 188

The ring.

He stared at it under the dim glow of a nearby streetlight, a small smile forming on his lips.

Ina.

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The thought of her softened something in him instantly.

Maybe…

Maybe it was time.

After everything-after the chaos, the uncertainty, the unanswered questions-

Maybe he didn’t need to have everything figured out.

Maybe he just needed to choose what mattered.

Mark let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

“Yeah…” he murmured.

Maybe he would ask her.

Not someday.

Not eventually.

Soon.

Very soon.

He slipped the ring back into his pocket, his grip lingering there for just a second longer.

Then he continued walking through the quiet streets, the sound of the ocean growing closer with every step.

Behind him, the city-and all its secrets-faded into the distance.

Ahead of him-

Was something simpler.

Something real.

And maybe…

Something worth holding on to.

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