Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus) novel Chapter 161

Isadora held the file folder in her hands but didn’t open it right away.

Deanna took a sip of her tea, watching her. “Go ahead. Take a look.”

After a long pause, Isadora finally opened the folder and pulled out a document and a small recording device.

Deanna’s voice reached her ears:

“This document gives you thirty percent of The Vaughan Group’s shares. From this moment on, you’re the largest shareholder.”

“And this recording—well, it’s a conversation between your dear friend Nanette’s cheating boyfriend and another woman. If this gets out, I’m sure Nanette’s name will be cleared, and she’ll get her life back.”

Isadora’s fingers were icy and stiff as she gripped the papers, though deep down, she almost wanted to laugh.

The Fitzgerald family matriarch was every bit as formidable as the rumors suggested.

She’d dug into Isadora’s background with surgical precision—right down to knowing exactly what Isadora wanted most.

Without a second thought, Isadora stuffed everything back into the folder.

She leveled her gaze at Deanna, whose smile remained warm and grandmotherly. Isadora’s own voice was clear but edged with coldness. “Mrs. Fitzgerald, are you giving me these so I’ll leave Victor?”

Deanna set her teacup on the table, moving unhurriedly, and smiled again.

“It’s hardly scandalous for a man to have a few women in his life—especially a man like my grandson Victor.”

“But love is one thing and marriage is another. I don’t mind if you stay by his side, but let me remind you: The Fitzgerald Group has a long-standing alliance with LS Capital Holdings. If you’re dreaming of becoming Mrs. Fitzgerald, I’d advise you to let that idea go.”

“I hope you understand your place, Miss Vaughan.”

A chill swept through Isadora, bone-deep.

She understood exactly what Deanna meant.

If she was willing to settle for being the woman in the shadows, the mistress who never made it into the spotlight, she could stay with Victor.

—

After Isadora left, the housekeeper, Pattie, gently massaged Deanna’s shoulders.

“Why not just tell Isadora to leave the young master? Wouldn’t that be simpler?”

“Don’t worry about it. As long as the recording helps you, that’s all that matters.”

She hung up.

Isadora shoved the blue tie she’d bought—still in its packaging—into the bottom of her closet.

She ran a bath, sinking into the water until her mind was swirling with everything that had happened. Her thoughts finally landed on Deanna’s words: The Fitzgerald Group has a long-standing alliance with LS Capital Holdings. If you’re dreaming of becoming Mrs. Fitzgerald, I’d advise you to let that idea go.

She shot upright in the tub, pushing the wet hair from her face, her eyes hollow.

She’d known this all along.

So why did it still hurt so much?

After her bath, Isadora dried off and wrapped herself in a white towel before heading out to the living room.

Suddenly, she saw him.

Victor was lounging lazily on the sofa, bent forward slightly, absorbed in the design book she’d left on the table. His head was bowed, completely lost in the pages.