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

Lila declined the offer, noticing Cole let out a small sigh.

She thought for a moment, then repeated what she had told Michael earlier. Finally, she added, "Let's wait until tomorrow afternoon. If Rowan hasn't done anything by then, we'll reach out to his team ourselves."

Cole nodded as they pulled up in front of Morgan Group Headquarters.

Lila glanced up and immediately spotted Kieran. Though he was still a good distance away, she could clearly see him check his watch. His lashes fluttered slightly, giving him an aloof, frosty look.

As the car stopped beside him, Kieran opened the door and met her gaze. Her calm, confident eyes told him she already had a plan for dealing with the situation online.

Lila fished around in her pocket for a moment before pulling out a small box.

"Even though you were already over there, it doesn't mean I can't bring you a gift."

Inside the box was a small bear figurine for a desk. It wasn't expensive, but it was detailed and adorable.

Cole noticed a slight change in Kieran's expression through the rearview mirror. His stern demeanor softened, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

He'd also brought Lila a gift. It was a pair of delicate and charming Van Cleef three-petal floral earrings.

Lila blinked in surprise. Even though she was aware the Morgan family doted on her, seeing their affection so openly still warmed her heart.

As busy as he was, Kieran often skipped meals, yet he always made time to wait for her at the airport, take her out to eat, and even pick out gifts for her.

Holding the small box in her hands, Lila felt its significance far outweighed its size. She cradled it carefully, only tucking it into her bag once they arrived at the Morgan residence.

Since Lila had just returned from abroad, Amelie didn't insist they stay long after dinner, letting them leave early to rest.

Back in the familiar environment of her room, Lila had one of the best nights of sleep she'd had in a while.

The next morning, Kieran had already left for work by the time she woke up, but the kitchen had saved her breakfast-oatmeal and famous scones from a well- loved spot on South Street.

Lila couldn't help but sigh. There was nothing quite like a good home-cooked meal.

After taking her time to eat, she drove to the office. No sooner had she stepped into her office than Michael arrived right behind her, looking excited, like a puppy who'd just found a bone.

"You're not going to believe this! You totally called it," Michael said, grinning ear to ear. "Rowan responded to the rumors this morning about rigging the audition."

"Oh? What did he say?"

"Simple and brutal-he released the full audition tapes. Now everyone knows just how bad Dorian's acting was." Michael couldn't hide his glee. "This is what you call karma. He basically set himself up to fail."

"Fans who were defending him are deleting their comments left and right. The smart ones are even switching sides, calling him out for embarrassing them."

Lila took the phone Michael handed her and scrolled through the trending topic. The buzz was off the charts.noveldrama

"Seriously? What is this? Was Dorian possessed or something? How could his acting be this bad?"

"Guess he figured that winning an award meant he didn't need to try anymore." "The real question is, how did Ryan dare to accuse the audition process of being unfair? It's like begging to get slapped in the face."

"I've been a fan for five years, and I'm just done. Scandals back to back and no explanations. It's exhausting."

"With this performance? Even I could do better!"

Michael's fans also jumped in after the audition tapes were released Though most of them didn't directly argue with Dorian's fans, their posts praised Michael while slyly

slamming Dorian.

"Dorian's just not good enough. Maybe it's time for him to step aside and let the newcomers have their shot."

"Do you think Dorian's seeing all this and losing his mind right now?" Michael pocketed his phone, clearly in a great mood.

After all, Dorian's fans had dragged his name through the mud plenty of times before.