too late for a second chance novel (Lila and Dorian)

Dorian's already restless mind spiraled further into chaos after running into Lila at the airport.

This collaboration was crucial for him-it was a chance to prove his worth and show the industry his commercial value. But the more significant the project, the harder it was for him to focus.

In the past, when he was overwhelmed, Lila would always be there. She would calm him down, highlight key points in the script, and patiently explain things to him as if he were a child.

Sometimes, to help him fully understand a character, she would stay up all night crafting detailed backstories and annotating his script with notes about what actions to pair with specific lines.

But now, all of that was gone.

What stung the most was that he had tried to build a bridge for her, offering her an

olive branch to make amends. Yet, she refused to come down from her high ground. Instead, she had gone abroad to compete for the same project- alongside Michael, his rival.

She knew how much he disliked Michael, and yet here she was.

For days, Dorian couldn't focus on the script. He couldn't sleep, haunted by memories of Lila-her past devotion, her current indifference, and the way she now laughed and chatted with another man.

She ignored his messages and calls, and he realized with a pang that he no longer even knew her whereabouts.

All of these pent-up emotions, days in the making, came crashing down when Michael made his mocking remark.

Oblivious to the growing tension, Michael grinned provocatively. "What a terrifying expression you have. What are you going to do? Hit me?"

As Dorian stepped forward, Ryan panicked while holding him back. "Mr. Blake, calm down! This is a screen test location-this collaboration is too important for us to jeopardize!"

However, Ryan's words of reason were drowned by Dorian's anger.

Dorian's dark gaze landed on Lila as he demanded, "You. Come here. Now," he demanded.

Once a soft and cheerful presence, she looked at him with an expression devoid of warmth or hatred. She merely had an indifferent expression.

"Mr. Blake, I am now an employee of Magi Pictures. I no longer have any ties to Nexus Entertainment, and you have no authority to interfere with my decisions."

Her calm, cutting words left Dorian breathless, as though the air had been sucked out of his lungs.

It was his own decision to force Lila out of Nexus Entertainment. He had though

it was for the best, a rational it choice-but now, that decision had become a knife twisting in his chest.

Dorian's face twisted with frustration and rage, his emotions unraveling before everyone.

Michael, feigning ignorance of the suffocating tension, stepped in front of Lila with a smug grin.

"Let me reintroduce her. She's Lila Hart, my agent!"

To emphasize the point, he even omitted the word "temporary".

The phrase "my agent" made Dorian's eyes burn with such fury that his eyes reddened. "You don't deserve her!"

Michael ignored him, turning to Llla with a grin that was childlike in its satisfaction. "Maybe not, but one thing's for sure-neither do you."

He lightly nudged Lila's shoulder. "Let's go. They're waiting for us inside."noveldrama

Lila didn't look back until Dorian called her name, his voice taut with barely contained anger. "Lila Hart!"

She turned to glance at him but said nothing. Without a word, she resumed walking toward the entrance.

Once they were out of earshot,

Michael rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I

deliberately provoked him. I just net"

can't stand people who play both sides like that. Didn't think he'd snap so easily-pretty disappointing."

He gestured to a spot and invited Lila to sit with him. As he settled into his seat, he glanced at her, curious about her reaction. Her face was calm, almost too calm, and he frowned thoughtfully.

Was she really indifferent, or had she been hurt so deeply that she no longer cared?

Michael couldn't shake the image of her as a stray cat he often saw outside the company building, one that carried a quiet resilience despite everything.

The thought brightened his eyes, and he suddenly jumped to his feet. "Wait here for a second."

Before Lila could respond, he was already several steps away.

She sighed, pressing her fingers for her temple. For someone older than her, he acted far less mature than Teddy.