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

Lila turned to glance at Michael, who was already seated in the car. His usual relaxed posture was replaced by a rigid, upright position as if the were a soldier sitting next to his commanding officer. He looked more tense than someone who had been dead for a while.

Lila sighed softly. She could already imagine Michael's back cramping by the time they arrived at their destination.

"Let's grab a bite first," Cole said, driving straight to a restaurant.

Once they arrived, he stepped out to open the door for Kieran. Just as he turned to help Lila, she had already opened the door and stepped out on her own.

Michael, exiting from the same side as Lila, stretched and rubbed his back, grumbling under his breath. "The boss doesn't have to treat me so kindly. I'd rather not suffer like this."

Lila covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. Quietly, she offered, "How about I sit next to Mr. Morgan on the way back?"

Michael shot her a skeptical look. "Why would you want to trade places and suffer?"

"Don't underestimate a manager's mental fortitude. It's no worse than yours."

He clicked his tongue in disbelief, recalling how she had managed to take over a collaboration he had been eyeing. "You're definitely not ordinary. Almost fell for that sweet and innocent act of yours."

"Deal, then," he muttered, relieved to avoid another round of tense silence beside Kieran. He couldn't shake the feeling that sitting too close to the boss for too long might give him frostbite—or nightmares.

Despite there being four people at the table, the atmosphere during the meal was eerily quiet, as though they were sitting in pairs rather than a group.

Michael tried to focus on eating but couldn't stop glancing at Kieran out of the corner of his eye. His gaze froze when he saw Kieran calmly placing a shrimp onto Lila's plate.noveldrama

What was that?

Michael stared in disbelief. Mr. Morgan was renowned for his aloof

professionalism. Sure, he might care about his employees, but not to the extent of personally serving them food. Did this mean he might get some shrimp too? Hesitantly, Michael lifted his plate.

Cole was stunned by this move.

Kieran paused momentarily, his expression unreadable. For the first time, Lila saw

a flicker of confusion in his usually composed demeanor.

She fought the urge to laugh, finding the entire exchange hilarious.

To ease the tension, she picked up a shrimp and placed it on Michael's plate. "Eat more. Boost your brainpower and secure that collaboration."

Michael pressed his lips together, stunned, as he watched her immediately pick up another shrimp and place it on Kieran's place.

"Mr. Morgan, you should eat more too. You've been working hard."

Michael braced himself for an icy response, but to his shock, Kieran picked up the shrimp with his usual refined movements and ate it without complaint.

The whole thing felt off-very off, but Michael couldn't pinpoint why.

After dinner, they headed to the hotel. While helping Lila with her luggage,

Michael finally had a moment alone with her.

"Next time, don't serve Mr. Morgan food. Watching that today gave me a heart attack-he doesn't like that kind of thing."

Lila raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Michael sighed. "I need to rest for a bit. I'll come by this afternoon to rehearse lines. Let me know if there's anything in the script I'm misinterpreting."

Over the next few days, Kieran didn't approach them again. Michael immersed himself in studying his role while Lila helped him break down the script and deepen his understanding of the character.

Dorian, on the other hand, tried to contact Lila multiple times, but she ignored him every time.

Finally, on the day of the audition, they crossed paths outside the set.

Dorian still looked like himself, yet there was something about him that seemed... worn down.

"Well, if it isn't the great actor Dorian

Blake," Michael said with a mocking laugh, his tone dripping with hist

sarcasm. "How come you look so...." He left the sentence but his tone made his disdain crystal clear.

He waved his script in the air. "Your former manager is incredible. Her ability to analyze a script is better than mine. I wasn't feeling confident before, but after working with her these past few days, I feel like I can take on the world!"

Lila watched the scene unfold, amused. Michael's taunt was almost childlike in its

simplicity, yet it had the desired effect-Dorian was exasperated.

Michael, without even trying, had managed to push all the right buttons.