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

Lila was completely drained, but when it came to taking a shower, she insisted on pushing Kieran out of the bathroom. After a quick rinse, she stepped out.

The moment she opened the door, she was met with Kieran's amused gaze. Even in loose sleepwear, he exuded an effortless elegance, like a quiet light in the darkness-cool and composed, yet inexplicably reassuring.

Lila looked at him, her lips curving into a soft smile, warm like the first breath of spring. Wrapped in his arms, she drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep and didn't wake up until the alarm rang the next morning.

Lila stirred slightly, feeling the weight of his arm around her waist. "It's time to get up," she said, her voice heavy with sleep.

Kieran reached over to silence the alarm and, instinctively, patted her back. "Why don't you sleep a little more?"

"I can't. I've got work at the company today, and I'm heading to the set soon." Lila wriggled out from under the covers, laughing as she patted him. "If you're tired, you can sleep in a bit more."

However, Kieran had already opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, his gaze lingering on her for a long moment.

Lila noticed and frowned slightly. "What's wrong?" Then, she glanced down and immediately realized her skin was covered in faint marks from the night before.

Her breath hitched as she grabbed the blanket and threw it over him. "Stay under there! I need to change."

A deep, muffled chuckle came from beneath the covers. "It's a little stuffy in here. Can I come out?"

"No, you can't! Give me two minutes!" Lila shot back without hesitation. She got dressed as fast as she could, then pulled Kieran out from under the blanket.

Kieran smirked and pulled her into his arms. "Mrs. Morgan, are you planning to trap me under the covers every time you change? Wouldn't that be a little unfair to me?"

Lila's mind instantly flashed back to

last night-how she had been coaxed into "making it up to him" and had ended up tangled with him all night. If he used that excuse again, she didn't even want to think about how many more nights she'd be stuck with him.

Before he could say anything, she cut in, "If you think this is unfair to you, I can always sleep in the guest room."noveldrama

Kieran looked at her with an amused expression—like he could see right through her. He pinched her cheek with a resigned smile. "I suppose I can endure this much for now."

Lila wriggled out of his hold, grinning. "I'm off to freshen up. You should hurry too.

If we finish work early, we won't have to work overtime tonight."

She was aware that Morgan Group's crisis wasn't truly over yet. The workload ahead was just as heavy-if not heavier-than when the company was first founded. Even though she hadn't seen firsthand how busy Kieran had been back then, she could piece together a lot from the little things Nicole had said.

Kieran watched as she darted off to the bathroom, chuckling under his breath. Just last night, she had been begging him to let her rest, and now she was bursting with energy. He couldn't tell if it was because she had a fast recovery time or if he hadn't tried hard enough

Meanwhile, Lila was busy brushing her teeth, completely unaware of the new "plans" forming in Kieran's mind. She lifted her gaze, looking at herself in the mirror. Slowly, her expression grew more determined.

"Lila, you have to work harder," she thought to herself. She had always said that she and Kieran were a team and that they would face everything together.

But when the crisis hit Morgan Group, she realized just how powerless she was. She hadn't been able to help at all-not even to stand firmly by his side without hesitation.

That had to change. From now on, she needed to work harder. Lila wanted to stand at the top with him, to be someone who could protect their family, to be his equal.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the bathroom, only to see that Kieran was already dressed. He was fastening his watch, his tailored suit fitting him perfectly, exuding an air of authority. As soon as he lifted his gaze, their eyes met.