The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

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Lila rubbed her eyes and swung her legs off the bed, only to pause when she saw him.

Damon was sitting casually on the couch, his gaze resting on her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked softly, a mixture of surprise and caution in her tone.

“Good morning, Mrs. Blackthorne,” he replied smoothly, his voice calm, almost teasing.

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Her eyes drifted over him, and for a moment, the world felt quieter. The thin fabric of her nightgown had slipped slightly, revealing a hint of skin along her shoulder and collarbone. She shifted instinctively, aware of him noticing.

Damon’s eyes lingered for a heartbeat longer than comfortable. Then, quietly, he moved and the door clicked softly behind him.

“I will shout if you touch me,” Lila warned, her voice steady but careful.

“Go ahead,” Damon replied, low and calm.

Before she could say another word, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips briefly to hers.

“You’re the one inviting me,” he whispered, his voice just above a breath.

“Damon… not here… not Ina’s place,” she murmured, her heart racing.

“I missed you,” he said simply. “And I want you…”

The moment stretched, suspended in quiet tension, leaving the rest unspoken, soft, and left to linger in the space between them.

Ina leaned against the wall outside the room earlier, arms crossed, unable to hide the grin tugging at her lips. Lila… such a liar, she thought to herself, shaking her head.

Later, she took a quick shower, changed into her office attire, and left her apartment, trying to focus on the workday ahead.

By lunchtime, she had been summoned to Damon’s office. When she arrived, Bryan, Damon’s assistant, greeted her and led her inside.

The office was quiet, sleek, and impeccably organized. Damon sat casually in his chair, pen in hand, signing documents with an air of effortless control. On the couch nearby, Lila sat silently, legs crossed, eyes flicking briefly to the papers on Damon’s desk.

Ina walked over and sat beside Lila, trying to appear nonchalant.

Her phone buzzed. She glanced at it and smiled faintly.

What did I do this time? she texted.

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Lila’s reply came almost immediately: Sorry for the mess this morning.

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Ina blinked, her cheeks warming. She glanced at Lila, who avoided her gaze, pretending to focus on the documents in front of her.

“Don’t tell me you two wrecked my bed,” Ina whispered teasingly, trying to keep her tone light.

Before Lila could answer, Damon’s voice cut through the room. “Ina,” he called smoothly, making her freeze mid-thought.

Her heartbeat quickened as she turned toward him, wondering what he wanted-and silently realizing that the playful morning had left a lingering, quiet tension in the office.

Damon leaned back casually in his chair, sliding a folder across the desk toward Ina.

“From now on,” he said smoothly, “you’ll be leading your team, handling internal audit and controls work. Since you’ve had plenty of time… observing my performance,” he added with a faint smirk, “you’ll be in charge of your team.”

Ina blinked, trying to process the sudden responsibility.

“As for my performance,” Damon continued, his voice calm but teasing, “I can assure you… Mrs. Blackthorne is very satisfied.”

Ina opened her mouth to respond, but Damon wasn’t finished. He leaned forward slightly, voice lowering just enough to carry amusement.

“And regarding the compensation for the… mess we created this morning,” he said, tapping the folder lightly, “I’ve already transferred it to your account. Don’t worry-I’ll replace your bed. A sturdy one. You know… we’re still a young and wild couple.”

Ina’s eyes widened as a notification popped up on her phone. She froze, staring at the screen.

Her jaw dropped. The amount displayed-it was her entire one-year salary.

She looked up at Damon, incredulous. He gave her a small, satisfied smile, calm and composed, as if transferring a fortune was just another casual task.

Ina couldn’t help but gasp softly, a mix of disbelief and awe bubbling up. One year’s salary-just like that. And all because of… a morning’s chaos.

Damon leaned back again, returning to his documents, leaving Ina staring at the screen, stunned, laughing quietly to herself despite the shock.

Ina took a steadying breath and said politely, “Thank you, sir. I’ll return to you after I decide whether I’ll accept the position.”

Damon’s gaze was sharp and unwavering. “I’m not asking if you’re willing or not,” he replied smoothly. “I’m informing you-this is your new role.”

He looked toward Bryan. “Ask Denver from HR to immediately assist Ina in her new position, according to

11:47 Mon, May 4

Chapter 37

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company rules,” he added, his tone crisp and authoritative.

Ina nodded, still a little stunned, and followed Bryan out of the office.

“Come here,” Damon called to Lila, who was still sitting silently on the couch.

“Oh-right,”Damon chuckled and walked toward her with that familiar, teasing confidence.

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He stopped in front of her, crouched slightly, and took her wrist gently. From his pocket, he pulled a small box and opened it to reveal a limited-edition diamond bracelet. Carefully, he slid it onto her wrist.

Before she could react, he leaned in and playfully bit her hand.

“Ouch! Damon, what are you doing?” Lila frowned, trying to pull her hand away.

Damon’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Just making sure you remember this… and me,” he murmured, holding her wrist lightly.

Lila huffed, cheeks warming, but didn’t fully pull away. There was something impossible about the calm, teasing way he looked at her.

“Limited edition,” Damon added with a grin. “It suits you.”

Lila glanced down at the bracelet, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips despite the small bite mark forming on her hand.

Lila glanced down at the bracelet, and her eyes widened as recognition hit her.

This… this is the same one Maddy posted on her social media.

Damon’s brow quirked. “What, you don’t like it?” he asked, his tone smooth but amused.

“Yeah,” Lila said, her voice calm but firm. “I don’t like bracelets that have the same style as someone I know.” With that, she carefully slipped it off her wrist.

For a brief moment, Damon simply stared at her, then his expression shifted-sharp, decisive. He took the bracelet from her hand and, with a swift motion, tossed it into the trash can nearby.

“There,” he said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Problem solved.”

Lila blinked, half-surprised and half-amused, as she watched the diamond bracelet disappear into the trash. She couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.

Only Damon… she thought.

He leaned back slightly, watching her with that same teasing calm, leaving her to adjust her thoughts-and her wrist-to the sudden emptiness where the bracelet had been.

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