Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus) novel Chapter 30

“If you really want to be my girl, Isadora, say it again when you're sober.”

His warm breath, tinged with the night air, slipped into Isadora’s ears, gentle as moonlight shimmering across a lake, sending ripples through the dark and warming her heart.

For a split second, Isadora’s heart seemed to stop.

--

The Ace’s Den.

When Scales and Sammy arrived at the private lounge, they found Magnus already halfway through a bottle, knocking back drink after drink.

The two exchanged a knowing glance.

What’s gotten into Mr. Wainwright this time?

Scales ambled over, grinning. “Magnus, you’re hitting the booze pretty hard tonight.”

Magnus ignored him.

His mind kept replaying Isadora’s final words—“We’re even now”—and the breakup message on his phone. No engagement. It was over.

He’d never been good at making amends—honestly, he’d never even tried. Every argument, it was always Isadora reaching out first, always the one to cave, flooding his phone with messages. Sometimes she’d send dozens; he’d maybe send one back after a meeting, if he remembered. If not? Well, she’d come around eventually.

But tonight, Isadora’s icy indifference was something new. It felt like things were slipping out of his control.

He’d actually planned to swallow his pride and take the first step for once tonight. But then Isadora pulled that stunt with Elise at the pool.

That set him off all over again.

It was just a fake wedding, for crying out loud! Yet Isadora threw a fit about a kidnapping, staged a cold war, and got someone to jump in the pool. She was never like this before—she used to be understanding, gentle, sweet.

Magnus missed the old Isadora, the one who went out of her way for him.

The thought left him even more on edge.

He muttered, “It was just a fake wedding. Isadora’s blowing this way out of proportion. I even told her I’d give her a real wedding, something big. She still won’t accept it—what else does she want from me?”

Sammy sat down beside him and grabbed his hand before he could pour another drink. “Magnus, we heard what happened tonight. Maybe Isadora went too far, but you shouldn’t have agreed to Elise’s fake wedding in the first place. And then, in front of everyone, you picked Elise up again. Of course people are going to talk. You should text Isadora—try to smooth things over.”

Magnus leaned back on the couch, staring at the ceiling, his face cold and unreadable.

Fine.

Sammy smacked the back of Scales’s head. “Don’t be an idiot. What if one day she doesn’t come back?”

Scales gave a mocking grin. “Please. Isadora’s been head over heels for Magnus for five years. You think she’d really leave? And her uncle Richard—does he ever let her do anything that isn’t in his best interest?”

“Besides, girls like Isadora—Magnus could have dozens if he wanted. If she were smart, she’d just play nice and not make trouble.”

Magnus’s eyes were bloodshot from the alcohol.

Yeah, no way Isadora would really leave him.

Truth was, Magnus wasn’t exactly tied to her, either. But every time he pictured turning around and not seeing that familiar, adoring face, he felt a strange emptiness settle over his life.

Especially when he remembered the way she looked at him tonight at the party—cold, distant, unrecognizable.

It left him feeling suffocated.

Sammy rolled his eyes at Scales. One day, this kid would fall for someone and eat his words.

Sammy turned to Magnus. “Want me to give Isadora a call?”