The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 285

Chapter 285

Chapter 285

The collapse of the Blackthorne family became the biggest topic in both the business and political world.

For decades, the Blackthornes stood at the very top of society. Their empire stretched across industries powerful enough to influence markets, governments, and international corporations. Blackthorne Industries was not simply a company anymore-it was a dynasty built through blood, intelligence, and ruthless ambition.

But after the death of Margaret Blackthorne-

everything began falling apart.

The media attacked without mercy.

Every news channel spoke about the same thing.

“The Blackthorne Empire is Dying.”

“Damon Blackthorne Disappears After Family Tragedy.”

“Blackthorne Industries Faces Financial Collapse.”

Investors panicked immediately.

Major shareholders withdrew support.

Several suppliers secretly negotiated with rival companies.

Stock prices crashed continuously for weeks.

And as the empire bled from every direction-

Damon Blackthorne completely vanished from the corporate world.

The board called endlessly.

Executives begged for meetings.

Investors demanded answers.

But Damon refused every single one.

Because while the world worried about the collapse of a company-

Damon was watching the collapse of the woman he loved.

Inside the guest house of the Blackthorne Estate, power and money no longer mattered.

Only Lila mattered.

Only her breathing.

Only the fragile warmth in her body whenever Damon held her close.

Everything else became meaningless.

Meanwhile, inside the towering headquarters of Blackthorne Industries, fear consumed the executives.

Emergency meetings happened almost daily.

The boardroom became a battlefield filled with anxiety and desperation.

“We cannot continue without leadership.”

“The shareholders are preparing lawsuits.”

“The media keeps fueling panic.”

“If this continues, Blackthorne Industries will lose international confidence.”

“We need Damon back.”

But Damon never returned.

Then one rainy morning-

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the boardroom doors opened.

Silence immediately swallowed the room.

A tall man entered calmly wearing a perfectly tailored black suit.

Sharp features.

Composed eyes.

Elegant posture.

Simon Lee.

Damon Blackthorne’s cousin.

And more importantly-

his personal lawyer.

The moment he entered, every executive straightened instinctively.

Because Simon Lee was not an ordinary lawyer.

He belonged to the Lee family-

a family that dominated the academic and legal world for generations.

The Lees were considered monsters within the field of law.

Professors.

Judges.

Legal scholars.

Corporate attorneys.

Entire law schools taught using books written by the Lee family.

Politicians feared facing them in court.

Corporations collapsed after legal wars against them.

And Simon Lee-

was considered the most dangerous among his generation.

Unlike Damon, who ruled through fear and overwhelming force-

Simon destroyed people legally.

Quietly.

Perfectly.

Behind him stood Bryan.

Loyal as ever.

Silent as ever.

For years Bryan had served Damon faithfully like a shadow.

Now he stood beside Simon without hesitation.

That alone sent a clear message to the board.

Simon walked directly toward the head chair.

Damon’s chair.

The chair no one dared touch since his disappearance.

The room watched carefully.

Then Simon sat down calmly.

A simple act-

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yet it immediately changed the atmosphere.

Bryan activated the digital presentation behind them.

Financial reports instantly filled the massive screen.

Stock decline.

Investor withdrawals.

Media attacks.

Contract losses.

Supplier instability.

The company stood dangerously close to collapse.

One board member spoke nervously.

“Attorney Lee… where is Damon?”

Simon folded his hands neatly.

“Damon Blackthorne refuses to return as CEO.”

The room fell silent.

Several executives looked horrified.

One elderly director immediately protested.

“If Damon abandons the company now, we are finished.”

Simon’s eyes slowly lifted toward him.

Cold.

Sharp.

Unmoving.

“No,” Simon answered calmly.

“You were finished the moment you panicked.”

The director immediately lowered his gaze.

Simon continued speaking.

“Blackthorne Industries is not collapsing because Margaret Blackthorne died.”

His voice remained calm yet terrifying.

“It is collapsing because weak people abandoned it during its darkest hour.”

No one dared respond.

Bryan changed the presentation again.

A list of names appeared on the screen.

Investors.

Partners.

Executives.

Companies.

Every individual and corporation that withdrew support after Margaret’s death.

Simon stared at the list silently.

Then finally spoke.

“Good.”

Confusion spread immediately.

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One executive frowned carefully.

“Good?”

Simon nodded once.

“Yes.”

He leaned back slightly.

“Now we know exactly who lacks loyalty.”

The room suddenly understood.

This meeting was not simply about saving the company.

It was about rebuilding it entirely.

Stronger.

More ruthless.

Impossible to destroy again.

Simon opened a thick folder before him.

“Every investor who abandoned Blackthorne Industries during this crisis will permanently lose executive privileges and priority dividends.”

Gasps spread across the room.

One director immediately protested.

“But they’re already trying to return!”

Simon looked directly at him.

“They may return.”

His voice softened dangerously.

“But they will never receive the same treatment again.”

Bryan continued the presentation.

New companies appeared across the screen.

New suppliers.

International investors.

Technology corporations.

Shipping collaborations.

Foreign manufacturers.

Simon had already begun rebuilding the empire from the ground up.

Carefully.

Strategically.

Without emotional attachment.

“The old structure relied too heavily on inherited loyalty,” Simon explained calmly.

“This time we build a foundation capable of surviving betrayal.”

Another executive asked nervously,

“And what about those who stayed loyal?”

For the first time during the meeting-

Simon smiled faintly.

“They’ll receive more than they ever expected.”

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That promise changed everything inside Blackthorne Industries.

Employees who remained loyal received promotions and financial rewards.

Departments previously ignored suddenly gained funding.

Executives who defended the company earned greater authority.

Simon remembered every person who stood beside the Blackthornes while the empire burned.

And he intended to reward them properly.

Slowly-

the company stabilized.

Then recovered.

Then climbed.

Week after week, Blackthorne Industries rose again.

The stock market responded positively.

Investors regained confidence.

International companies reopened negotiations.

Media headlines slowly changed.

From:

**”The Fall of the Blackthornes.”**

To:

**”The Resurrection of Blackthorne Industries.”**

But Simon remained merciless toward those who betrayed them.

One powerful investor personally visited headquarters hoping to regain his previous partnership.

The man smiled confidently while entering Simon’s office.

“Attorney Lee,” he greeted warmly. “I believe it’s time we restore our partnership.”

Simon calmly reviewed the documents before him.

Then without emotion-

he slid a contract across the table.

The investor’s face immediately darkened.

“These dividend rates are significantly lower.”

“Yes,” Simon answered calmly.

“This is unacceptable.”

Simon closed the folder slowly.

“Then leave.”

The investor froze.

“You need our support.”

“No,” Simon corrected softly.

“You need access to Blackthorne Industries.”

Silence filled the office.

Simon’s eyes became colder.

“You abandoned us once.”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

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“You should be grateful we’re allowing you back at all.”

The investor left humiliated.

And word spread quickly throughout the corporate world.

Simon Lee was becoming just as terrifying as Damon Blackthorne.

Perhaps even worse.

Because Damon destroyed enemies openly.

Simon buried them beneath contracts, lawsuits, and legal executions they could never escape from.

Soon after-

Margaret Blackthorne’s prestigious law firm officially merged completely with Blackthorne Industries.

The entire business world reacted immediately.

The combination created a terrifying powerhouse.

Money.

Influence.

Corporate dominance.

And now-

legal supremacy.

Competitors became cautious overnight.

Hostile acquisitions mysteriously failed.

Several lawsuits vanished before reaching court.

Business enemies quietly withdrew attacks.

Blackthorne Industries became nearly untouchable.

And Simon promised everyone one thing:

“This empire will never collapse so easily again.”

But while the company recovered-

the family itself remained broken beyond repair.

Far away from the corporate towers and financial meetings, silence continued consuming the Blackthorne

Estate.

Inside the guest house surrounded by cold gardens and endless rain, Damon Blackthorne remained beside Lila every single moment.

He barely slept anymore.

Barely ate.

Barely spoke.

His entire world revolved around one terrifying fear:

If he let go of Lila-

even for a second-

she might disappear forever.

So he held her constantly.

Every morning, he carried her gently from bed.

Every night, he wrapped his arms around her while she slept.

Every moment in between-

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he watched her carefully.

Because Lila was no longer the same woman.

The deaths of Damian and Margaret shattered her mind completely.

Reality slowly slipped away from her.

Now she wandered endlessly across the estate carrying Damian’s old teddy bear tightly against her chest.

The small brown bear looked worn from years of love.

One button eye hung loosely.

The stitching along its arm had faded.

Damian once carried it everywhere as a child.

Now Lila treated it as though it were still her son.

She whispered to it constantly.

Soft conversations no one else could understand.

Sometimes she smiled faintly while cradling it.

Sometimes she apologized repeatedly while crying.

Other times she simply stared into empty space while rocking the bear gently in her arms.

Damon followed her everywhere.

Always close behind.

Watching.

Protecting.

Terrified.

One afternoon, Lila wandered toward the rose garden beneath the pale sunlight.

The remaining staff silently watched from nearby windows.

She walked slowly through the pathways while humming softly to the teddy bear.

“Damian likes the flowers,” she whispered gently.

Damon’s chest tightened painfully.

Behind them, several maids quietly wiped tears from their eyes.

The sight destroyed everyone emotionally.

The once terrifying Damon Blackthorne now looked completely hollow.

His expensive suits disappeared.

Dark circles surrounded his exhausted eyes.

His hair remained messy from sleepless nights.

Yet despite his broken state-

he never abandoned Lila.

Not once.

One evening, heavy rain poured across the estate while thunder echoed violently outside.

Lila sat near the fireplace clutching the teddy bear.

Damon carefully wrapped a blanket around her shoulders before kneeling beside her.

For several moments, silence filled the room.

Then softly-

Lila looked at him.

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“Have you seen Damian?”

The question shattered Damon instantly.

Pain flashed across his face.

But he forced himself to remain calm.

“He’s resting now.”

Lila frowned slightly.

“Why hasn’t he come home?”

Damon swallowed painfully.

“He’s somewhere peaceful.”

Lila stared at the teddy bear quietly.

Then tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

“I miss him.”

Damon immediately pulled her tightly into his arms.

“So do I.”

For the first time in weeks-

he cried openly beside her.

Not as the feared Damon Blackthorne.

Not as the heir of a powerful empire.

But simply as a grieving father who lost his child.

Outside the room, several servants silently cried after hearing them.

The old butler lowered his head heavily.

“They’re barely surviving,” one maid whispered.

The butler nodded sadly.

“Yes.”

“But they’re surviving together.”

The remaining loyal staff quietly prepared for what they believed was coming.

Weapons hidden beneath the estate resurfaced quietly.

Security routes were strengthened.

Emergency escape plans were reviewed repeatedly.

Everyone understood enemies still circled the Blackthornes.

Especially now that Blackthorne Industries was recovering once again.

Late at night, the former mercenary turned gardener personally trained several male staff members.

Most had never touched weapons before.

But they learned quickly.

Because protecting the Blackthornes was no longer merely employment.

It was loyalty.

Family.

One young servant nervously asked the gardener one night,

“Do you think Master Damon can still fight?”

The gardener became silent for several moments.

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Then finally answered honestly.

“Yes.”

His eyes darkened heavily.

“And that’s exactly what terrifies me.”

Because Damon Blackthorne now had nothing left to lose.

And men with nothing left to lose often became the most dangerous monsters of all

Weeks later, Simon visited the estate personally.

Bryan followed quietly behind him.

Inside the guest house, Simon found Damon seated beside the fireplace while Lila slept against his chest clutching the teddy bear tightly.

For several moments-

Simon simply stared silently.

The mighty Damon Blackthorne-

reduced to this broken shell of a man.

Damon slowly lifted his eyes.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

Simon remained calm.

“The company stabilized.”

Damon showed no reaction.

Bryan quietly placed financial reports nearby.

“Stocks recovered twenty-two percent this quarter,” Bryan informed respectfully.

Still-

Damon did not care.

Simon stepped closer.

“The board wants you back eventually.”

Damon’s expression immediately darkened.

“No.”

“Damon-”

“I said no.”

The fire crackled loudly between them.

Simon studied him carefully.

“You’re abandoning everything your family built.”

Damon’s eyes turned cold instantly.

“My son is dead.”

Silence filled the room.

“My mother is dead.”

His voice cracked painfully.

“And she’s all I have left.”

He looked down at Lila sleeping weakly against him.

Simon finally understood completely.

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Damon no longer cared about power.

Or money.

Or legacy.

Only Lila.

Simon exhaled quietly before nodding once.

“Fine.”

He turned toward the door.

“But I’ll keep the empire standing until you’re ready.”

Before leaving, Simon paused briefly.

“The people who betrayed us…”

His eyes darkened dangerously.

“They’re beginning to regret it.”

Then he walked away into the rain.

Bryan followed silently behind him.

Inside the guest house, Damon tightened his arms around Lila slightly, still terrified she might disappear if he loosened his hold.

And somewhere deep within the silent Blackthorne Estate-

everyone understood one painful truth.

The empire may have survived.

But the family itself was still drowning in grief.

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