too late for a second chance novel (Lila and Dorian) novel Chapter 456

A smile, soft as blooming flowers.

The warmth of her lips faded slowly, and Kieran thought—this time, Lila had slipped away too fast.

Next time, he'd hold her tight and kiss her deep.

Until her eyes turned misty, until she saw no one but him.

…

When Lila finally arrived in Mapleford, it was well past lunchtime. Louise and Ash were happy to see her and even cooked a meal just for her.

Right on cue, Kieran sent a message.

"Did you get there safely?"

"Make sure you eat well."

Lila lowered her gaze, a soft smile tugging at her lips, and instantly replied with a "Got it" sticker.

She was halfway through her meal when Matthew arrived. For some reason, he looked a little worn out.

Was he just tired?

He sat across from her without saying a word. Even quieter than Jamie usually was.

Lila set down her spoon. "Something wrong?"

A flicker of something unreadable crossed Matthew's eyes before vanishing.

"No, I just came to check on you. Jamie mentioned you've had a rough time with everything at home. She thought you might be feeling down and asked me to keep you company."

Lila nodded, touched by the thoughtfulness.

No wonder people always said daughters were more considerate, Jamie was proving that sentiment true.

But having Matthew just sit there silently, keeping her company, was honestly a little awkward.

"Go back to the program crew. I'll come find you after I finish eating."

Matthew hesitated for a moment. "No need. I heard the elementary school is going to be built on the east side of the village. You should go check it out instead.

"I'm doing fine on set. Just take care of the school project and head back when you're done."

With that, he stood up. "I'll get going."

Lila nodded, watching his retreating figure. Something feels off.

After finishing her meal, she and Ash met with the village chief to get an update on the school's progress. Once the timeline was confirmed, she headed over to the program crew.

From a distance, she spotted someone speaking with Matthew. Before she could get close enough to hear, the person turned and walked away.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, noticing the tension in Matthew's expression.

"It's nothing, they were just assigning work. The director's calling me now, I have to go," he replied evenly.

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