Too late for a second chance (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?"

watched her carefully before breaking into a soft chuckle. "Forget it. You should focus on your script. The

little, but she couldn't figure out what it meant. With a small smile, she picked up the

a meal together when, unexpectedly, Jamie spoke up first. "Lila, could you join us for dinner

else. Jamie continued, "Soren's coming, but I

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

could say anything more, Lila smiled and said, "Sure, I'll

food? Count me in!" a playful

wearing a

we'd all

before nodding. The three of them headed

already

second, surprise flashed across

"It's been ages since we