The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 247

Chapter 247

Chapter 247

Damian stood in front of Simon’s desk, his small frame steady, his presence far heavier than it had any right to be. Across from him, Simon was buried in documents-page after page of legal complaints filed against Blackthorne Industries. His brow was tightly knitted, the strain evident despite years of practiced composure. As the company’s legal advisor-and Damon’s closest friend-Simon had taken on more than just a professional burden. He carried loyalty like armor. He worked around the clock, defending, countering, anticipating every move from those trying to dismantle the empire piece by piece.

He barely slept.

Barely rested.

And yet, the real disruption didn’t come from the lawsuits.

It came from a child’s voice.

“Uncle… is it true?”

Simon didn’t immediately look up. His pen paused mid-note, hovering above the paper. Slowly, he lifted his

gaze.

Damian stood there, eyes locked on him-sharp, unwavering, almost unsettling in their focus.

Behind him, Ethan lingered quietly, hands clasped together, as if unsure whether he should even be there.

Simon leaned back slightly in his chair, studying them both.

Is this an interrogation? he wondered.

“Is what true?” Simon asked calmly.

“That he was that woman’s former lover,” Damian said, his voice even, controlled.

Simon’s eyes narrowed just slightly.

“Who’s ‘he’?” he asked, though a suspicion had already begun forming.

Damian didn’t hesitate.

“Him,” he said. “And that woman.”

Simon exhaled slowly. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

Damian stepped forward.

“The bastard who donated Mom’s sperm.”

Simon almost choked.

The sheer bluntness of it caught him completely off guard. He coughed lightly, staring at Damian as if trying

to confirm he had heard correctly.

That was how the boy referred to his own father?

Simon pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a brief second.

*Did I mishear him?*

When he looked up again, his expression had hardened slightly.

“You mean your father,” Simon said carefully, “and Miss Maddy?”

Silence followed.

Damian didn’t nod.

Didn’t blink.

He simply stood there-watching.

Like a cub learning how to stalk.

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“Maddy,” Damian said after a moment, as if tasting the name.

And that was when it clicked.

Simon felt it instantly.

The shift.

The realization.

The boy hadn’t been asking.

He had been confirming.

Simon leaned back slowly.

He led me into that.

A faint thought crossed his mind, sharp and undeniable.

This kid is going to be a very good lawyer.

“Where did you hear that?” Simon asked, his tone measured now.

Damian shrugged.

“Getting information isn’t that hard.”

The casual delivery made it worse. He sounded like he was talking about something trivial-like how good his

mother’s carrot cake was.

Ethan shifted behind him, clearly uncomfortable.

Simon studied Damian for a long moment.

“Damian,” he said calmly, “he is still your father. You should address him with respect.”

Damian tilted his head.

“Father?” he repeated.

The word sounded almost foreign.

“Fathers are supposed to be around, right?”

The question was quiet.

But it landed with weight.

Simon’s jaw tightened.

This is Damon’s fault, he thought. Leaving things like this. Leaving questions unanswered.

Did Damon truly believe he could just explain everything later?

Simon exhaled slowly, steadying himself.

“Your father is out there working on something dangerous,” he said.

It was the closest thing to truth he could offer.

Damian’s lips curved slightly.

“So dangerous,” he said, “that he’s playing house now? Impressive.”

Simon’s eyes sharpened.

“What do you mean by that?”

But Damian ‘didn’t answer.

Instead, he turned.

Ethan hesitated for a second, then quickly followed. As they reached the door, Damian paused and glanced back-just briefly.

There was a smile on his face.

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Not childish.

Not innocent.

Something sharper.

Then they were gone.

The door clicked softly behind them.

And silence flooded the room.

Simon didn’t move.

He sat there, frozen, Damian’s words replaying in his mind over and over again.

Playing house.

Damon… playing house… with Maddy?

“That’s not possible,” Simon muttered under his breath.

But doubt had already taken root.

Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. His fingers moved quickly, dialing Damon’s number from memory.

The line rang.

Once.

Twice.

Then-

nothing.

The call didn’t go through.

Simon frowned, trying again.

Still nothing.

His jaw tightened.

*Damon was supposed to be on the island,* he thought. *Tracking the head of the organization. That was the plan.*

So why-

why would Damian say something like that?

Unless-

Simon stood abruptly, the chair scraping lightly against the floor. He moved quickly toward the door, urgency replacing his usual composure.

By the time he stepped outside-

the car was already gone.

He stopped.

Barefoot on the cool ground, he stood there, staring at the empty driveway as if willing the vehicle to reappear.

Too late.

The quiet stretched around him.

“What are you doing?” a voice cut in.

Simon turned.

Jade stood a few steps away, arms crossed, one brow raised in mild amusement.

“Trying to feel the grass?” she added sarcastically, glancing at his bare feet.

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Simon exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

Normally, he would deflect.

Dismiss.

But this time, he hesitated.

Because what Damian had said-

it wasn’t something he could easily ignore.

Jade watched him carefully now, her expression shifting.

“What happened?”

Simon looked at her, uncertainty flickering briefly.

He didn’t know if he should say anything.

Didn’t know if involving her would complicate things further.

But Jade wasn’t just anyone.

She understood more than most.

And right now-

he needed that.

“Damian was here,” Simon said finally.

Jade nodded. “I figured. I saw the car leave.”

Simon hesitated, then continued.

“He asked me about Damon.”

That got her attention.

“And?”

Simon exhaled slowly.

“He asked if Damon was… Maddy’s former lover.”

Jade’s expression didn’t change-but her eyes sharpened slightly.

“And what did you say?”

“I tried to deflect,” Simon admitted. “Didn’t work.”

Jade huffed softly. “Of course it didn’t.”

Simon looked at her.

“He tricked me into confirming it.”

That made her pause.

Then, slowly, a faint smile appeared.

“That kid is smart,” she said.

Simon didn’t argue.

Because it was true.

“He also said…” Simon hesitated.

Jade’s gaze narrowed. “Said what?”

Simon met her eyes.

“He said Damon is playing house.”

Silence.

For a moment, Jade didn’t react.

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Then her expression shifted-subtle, but unmistakable.

Interest.

“That’s… specific,” she said.

Simon nodded.

“Too specific.”

Jade uncrossed her arms, her posture straightening slightly as she processed it.

“If Damian said that,” she said slowly, “then he didn’t just guess.”

Simon’s jaw tightened.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Jade began pacing lightly, her thoughts clearly turning.

“That means he’s seen something… or found something,” she continued. “And if he did…”

She stopped, looking at Simon directly.

“He might have uncovered what Damon is actually doing on that island.”

Simon’s stomach tightened.

“That’s not supposed to be possible.”

Jade gave him a look.

“It’s not supposed to be,” she agreed. “But Damian isn’t exactly… typical.” –

That was an understatement.

Simon exhaled, tension building again.

“Damon isn’t answering his phone,” he added.

Jade’s expression darkened slightly.

“That’s not good.”

“No,” Simon agreed. “It’s not.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The weight of it settled between them.

Then Jade sighed softly, shaking her head.

“You know,” she said, “I usually stay out of other people’s affairs.”

Simon glanced at her.

“Usually?”

Jade gave a faint, knowing smile.

“Lila is my friend,” she said. “If she asked for help, I’d be there. No questions.”

Simon nodded.

He knew that.

“But right now?” Jade continued. “No one’s asking.”

Her gaze shifted slightly, distant for a moment.

“And if what Damian said is true…”

She let the sentence hang.

Simon frowned. “What?”

Jade looked back at him.

“I smell divorce,” she said bluntly.

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The words landed harder than expected.

Simon stared at her.

“That’s a leap.”

“Is it?” Jade countered. “A man disappears, claims he’s working on something dangerous, and suddenly there’s

another woman involved?”

Simon didn’t respond.

Because when she put it like that-

it didn’t sound like a leap at all.

Jade crossed her arms again.

“Either Damian is very wrong,” she said, “or he’s very right.”

Simon exhaled slowly.

“And if he’s right?”

Jade held his gaze.

“Then you’ve got more than legal cases to worry about.”

The silence that followed was heavier than anything before.

Because this-

this wasn’t just about business anymore.

It wasn’t just about loyalty.

It was about truth.

And a child-

standing quietly at the edge of an adult world-

had just pulled at a thread that might unravel everything.

Simon looked back toward the empty driveway.

And for the first time in a long time-

he wasn’t sure what came next.

Because Damian wasn’t just asking questions anymore.

He was playing the game.

And he was learning-

fast.

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食

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