Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus) novel Chapter 173

Magnus’s dark, sharp eyes locked onto Elise, as if searching for the truth behind her words.

His last clear memory was vivid: the woman in his arms had been Isadora. The lips he’d kissed belonged to Isadora.

Yet somehow, he had woken up to find Elise beside him.

Under the intensity of his gaze, Elise felt her scalp prickle and her heart race, terrified he’d see right through her.

Magnus finally looked away, quickly regaining his composure.

“Get dressed. We’ll talk when you come out.”

With that, Magnus left the bedroom and settled on the sofa in the suite’s living room.

A restless frustration coiled in his chest, tightening around his throat until he could barely breathe.

He grabbed a cigarette, clamped it between his teeth, and lit up. He took a few deep, hard drags, then exhaled slowly, the smoke blurring his vision. If anyone looked closely, they might have noticed the faint redness in his eyes.

Elise slipped into her dress and emerged from the bedroom, moving slowly.

Her face was a careful mask of obedience, tinged with a quiet hurt.

Magnus heard the door open and looked up. His gaze flicked over Elise in her blue dress, and his frown deepened.

Had he really mistaken Elise for Isadora?

His head throbbed, his stomach twisted in knots, and his whole body ached as if he’d been stabbed, but he forced himself to stay upright.

“Elise, let’s just pretend none of this ever happened.”

Elise’s eyes widened, tears instantly welling up.

She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

She’d thought that waking up together would change everything between them. Instead, he was drawing a cold, clear line.

She wasn’t Magnus’s first, but she was still a woman with dignity. How could he treat her like this?

“Magnus, what did you just say? Did I… did I hear you wrong?”

Magnus leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his forehead resting in his hands, eyes cast down. “I’m sorry.”

Elise shook her head, voice breaking as she cried out.

*

After some time off, Isadora finally felt ready to return to work—the constant stream of emails and messages on her phone was reaching a breaking point.

Before leaving, she passed through the living room and stopped by the desk.

She pulled out the document granting her thirty percent equity in The Vaughan Group, glanced at it, then stuffed it into her bag.

Just as she opened the front door, Laura—the Vaughan family’s housekeeper—stood waiting with an insulated bag.

“Miss, Mrs. Vaughan asked me to bring you some breakfast—she made you a bowl of nourishing soup and a plate of scrambled eggs.”

“I don’t need it,” Isadora replied coolly.

Laura tried again, “Miss, Mrs. Vaughan made it herself. You know she’s never cooked before, but she’s been learning for your sake. She’s even cut her fingers a few times.”

When Isadora didn’t respond, Laura pressed on, “Pearl moved out recently too, and Mrs. Vaughan has tidied up your old room. She genuinely wants to make things right.”

“Is that so?” Isadora finally said, reaching out to take the insulated bag, a small smile flickering on Laura’s face.