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

Teddy was startled, his posture shifting from casual to upright the moment he heard Jamie's voice. "I..." He parted his lips, searching for the right response but stumbling over his words.

Lila's voice sounded soft but clear, smoothing the moment over. "There aren't any roles in this project that suit him well. It'll be better to find something that fits him. Both of you should focus on finding something that fits you."

Jamie glanced at Teddy, saw him nod, and then smiled lightly. "You're probably right."

Teddy rose from his seat. "I'll let you guys talk. I'll take these scripts with me and go through them on my own. If anything catches my eye, I'll let you know, Lila."

The door closed behind him, and Jamie's eyes lingered on the spot he had stood until he was long gone. When she turned around and met Lila's eyes, she faltered. "My bad, I got distracted for a second."

Lila didn't call her out on it, choosing instead to smile and gesture for her to sit. "So, what brings you here? Is something on your mind?"

Jamie hesitated, her fingers brushing the edge of the table. ""Not really. I just thought I'd see if you needed a hand with anything. My schedule clears up starting tomorrow."

"There's nothing I really need help with, but I'm planning to hire an acting coach for Teddy. Would you like to join the lessons with him?"

The suggestion hung in the air, but Jamie kept her gaze down, her emotions guarded. Lila watched her carefully before breaking into a soft chuckle. "Forget it. You should focus on your script. The shoot will probably start pretty soon."

After saying that, she noticed Jamie's gaze shift a little, but she couldn't figure out what it meant. With a small smile, she picked up the script and started walking Jamie through it. Before they knew it, the clock had ticked into dinnertime.

Lila was about to ask if Jamie wanted to grab a meal together when, unexpectedly, Jamie spoke up first. "Lila, could you join us for dinner tonight?"

Lila arched her brow, wondering if there was someone else. Jamie continued, "Soren's coming, but I don't feel like having dinner with him alone tonight."

Lila met her gaze calmly, as if she was just asking a casual question. It didn't matter whether she said yes or no, but that moment's silence had Jamie biting her lip ever so slightly.

Before she could say anything more, Lila smiled and said, "Sure, I'll crash your dinner. Who would say no to free food?"

"Free food? Count me in!" a playful voice chimed from the doorway.

Amelia walked in wearing a long dress, looking effortlessly glamorous.

"Soren's coming. I figured we'd all just eat together," Jamie explained.

Amelia cocked her brow before nodding. The three of them headed downstairs together.

Soren was already there, waiting

with a bouquet of flowers in hand. His eyes flicked up at their approach, and for the briefest second, surprise flashed across his face. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by his signature easy, polite smile. "It's been a while."

Lila and Amelia nodded in agreement. Jamie explained, "It's been ages since we had a meal together. Hope you don't mind the company."

Soren handed her the flowers. "They're your friends. We'll be seeing them often. There's no need to be so polite." He then opened the car door for them with a smile.

Not far away, another familiar figure stepped out of the building. Michael spotted the car and nudged Teddy beside him. "What's wrong? Do you want to eat with them? I can tail them if you want."

"No." Teddy shook his head. "We've got our own plans. Matthew's already at the restaurant waiting for us. Let's go."

Meanwhile, Amelia caught the scent of the flowers in the car and asked, "Lila, did Uncle Kieran like the flowers you gave him yesterday?"noveldrama

Lila's thoughts drifted back to that morning-the sight of the bouquet in the trash. She gave a small smile. "He was too drunk last night. I forgot to give them to him and forgot to put them in a vase too. Tulips are fragile. By this morning, they were already done for, so into the trash they went."