The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Lila had never been one for lavish parties. She’d never needed the glitz or glamour of high society to feel secure. She was used to quiet nights, small gatherings, and staying out of the spotlight. But tonight was different. Tonight, she was expected to play the role of the dutiful wife at Damon Blackthorne’s nephew’s birthday party. She could already feel the weight of the evening bearing down on her.

The dress she wore was beautiful, but it felt like a costume. Damon’s black card had swiped through expensive boutiques for this-elegant, simple, but undeniably pricey. She had put it on, knowing it was what he expected. But as she looked at her reflection, she felt an overwhelming sense of disconnection. This life, this marriage-it had never truly been hers.

When Damon picked her up, his usual cold demeanor was even more distant than usual. The car ride to the Blackthorne estate was filled with silence, the hum of the engine the only sound between them. Lila sat with her hands folded in her lap, trying not to let the crushing weight of everything settle too deeply. She couldn’t afford to be weak tonight.

When they arrived at the estate, she felt herself swallow hard. The mansion loomed before them like a fortress-a symbol of everything that Damon was. And as they stepped out of the car, her eyes automatically found Maddy. It was impossible not to. Maddy, Damon’s ex-fiancée, was standing on the steps, greeting guests, her beauty effortless as always.

Lila’s stomach churned, but she didn’t let it show. She forced a smile as she linked her arm with Damon’s, her grip tight enough to feel the pulse of his indifference. They walked up to the door together, but once inside, it was like Damon was no longer hers.

From the moment they entered, the scene was set. Guests in expensive attire wandered around the grand hall, sipping champagne and talking animatedly. Lila felt like she was standing in the middle of a carefully curated performance. She was supposed to blend in, to smile, to be the perfect wife.

But all she could think about was Maddy.

Maddy stood across the room, laughing with Damon’s brother, a dazzling, effortless picture of elegance. Damon was already drifting toward her, his eyes fixed on Maddy with a kind of intensity Lila had seen all too many times. It was like they were in their own little world, completely shutting her out.

Lila didn’t have to be told; she knew what this meant. Maddy was back. And with her, all of Damon’s attention, all his warmth, would be hers. That was the way it had always been.

Lila wandered through the party, her eyes drifting over the sea of unfamiliar faces, none of them really noticing her. They were all too preoccupied with the spectacle that Damon and Maddy were creating. It was like she wasn’t even there-like she was just a placeholder in a world that didn’t belong to her.

She could see them across the room-Maddy was standing beside Damon, her hand lightly grazing his arm as she spoke. The way Damon looked at Maddy… it was a look Lila had seen a thousand times before. It was the same look he’d had before they signed their contract, when Maddy had left him without a second thought, and Damon had been left with nothing but a shattered heart. It was the same look that told Lila that she was nothing but a temporary solution.

As the evening stretched on, Lila tried to make herself busy. She spoke to a few of Damon’s relatives, politely nodding as they asked about her life. But all her attention kept drifting back to them-Damon and Maddy.

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Maddy’s laughter. Damon’s easy smile. Their easy camaraderie. It was a reminder that she was just playing a role. No matter how hard she tried, she didn’t belong here.

Then, Charlie, Damon’s young nephew, appeared beside her. He smiled brightly at her, his face full of innocence. He liked her. She could always count on Charlie to make her feel like she was at least a part of something.

“Hi, Lila! Want to see the cake? Uncle Damon promised it’s the biggest one ever!” Charlie pulled at her sleeve excitedly.

Lila smiled at the little boy, grateful for the distraction. “Sure, Charlie. Lead the way.”

But as they made their way toward the dessert table, Lila’s gaze once again fell on Damon and Maddy. This time, they were standing even closer-Maddy’s head tilted slightly as she whispered something in Damon’s ear. Damon’s eyes darkened with what looked like affection, and he smiled softly, leaning in just enough for their lips to brush. The way he looked at Maddy… it was like nothing had changed.

Lila turned away quickly, forcing a smile for Charlie as they arrived at the cake table. Charlie was eager to show her the intricate layers of frosting, all brightly colored and towering over them. But Lila’s mind was somewhere else, her heart sinking as the sight of Damon and Maddy continued to haunt her thoughts.

The night dragged on. Damon was busy with Maddy, as expected. He barely even looked her way. Not once did he check in to see how she was feeling, to ask if she was okay. He didn’t care. The only time he spoke to her was when he needed to remind her of some small detail about the party, or to direct her to another group of people to mingle with.

By the time the cake was served, Lila was exhausted—not from the festivities, but from the ever-growing feeling of isolation. Damon was absorbed in Maddy, and she was left to navigate the party like a ghost, invisible, unnoticed. It was becoming clearer by the second that the distance between them had become unbridgeable.

Around the time the birthday boy was finishing his cake, Lila excused herself from the party. She couldn’t stay any longer—not with Damon and Maddy so wrapped up in each other. She stepped out onto the balcony for a moment of quiet.

The cool air hit her skin like a slap, and she stood there, staring out at the city lights below. The truth was undeniable now. Maddy was back, and she could see it in Damon’s eyes-he was still in love with her. Damon had never loved her the way he had loved Maddy. And he never would.

The thought of staying married to him, of continuing to play this role for another year, seemed more unbearable than ever.

Her phone buzzed in her bag, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Simon, Damon’s lawyer.

“Lila, I need to speak with you. There’s something important regarding the divorce proceedings. Please contact me as soon as possible.”

The message hit her like a gut punch. Divorce. It had always seemed like a far-off concept, something that belonged to a future she never truly imagined. But now, with Maddy’s return, with Damon’s indifference, it was a reality she couldn’t avoid.

Lila stared at the message for a long moment, her finger hovering over the call button. The weight of

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everything she had been feeling, the isolation, the hurt, the distance—it all crushed in on her, making it impossible to breathe.

She didn’t want this life anymore. She didn’t want him.

AD

11:15 Mon, May 4