Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus) novel Chapter 39

Victor kept his head down, scrawling his signature in an elegant flourish at the bottom of the document.

At the sound of footsteps, he looked up, half-expecting Isadora. But the woman standing in front of him was someone else entirely.

His brow furrowed, a shadow of annoyance crossing his face.

With a cool, measured voice, he asked, “Who are you?”

Pearl was momentarily stunned the instant Victor glanced her way—his striking good looks were almost disarming. He had fair, cool-toned skin, deep-set eyes, a sharp nose, and chiseled features. The corners of his eyes were long and narrow, and his lips—full and sensual—hinted at a quiet intensity.

Today, he wore a simple gray dress shirt, the top two buttons undone, sleeves rolled up to reveal strong, sculpted forearms. Even as he wrote, veins traced faint lines beneath his skin, giving him an air of restrained power.

Pearl’s thoughts ran wild before she could stop herself.

What would it feel like to have those perfect hands wrapped around her waist? Or to be kissed by those devastating lips?

The idea sent a rush of heat through her body, making her blood hum.

“I—I’m Pearl, the daughter of the Vaughan family. From The Vaughan Group,” she stammered.

Victor’s expression turned impatient as he cast a brief, dismissive glance at her.

Superficial. Ordinary.

Utterly forgettable.

Pearl gave a small nod. “Yes, that’s me. The Vaughan family only has one daughter, after all.”

Victor let out a cold, derisive laugh. “Imitations get copied so often that even the fake ones start believing they’re real.”

Pearl’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she hurried to defend herself.

“Mr. Fitzgerald, it’s not what you think. I may not share their bloodline, but the Vaughan family raised me, shaped my character, my manners—everything about me for the past twenty years. So I am, in every way that matters, their daughter.”

Victor couldn’t have cared less about her explanation.

He had little patience for people or things that didn’t interest him. If he’d known it was this counterfeit who wanted to see him, he never would have let her through the door.

Victor took the investment proposal, flipping through a few pages with only mild interest.

The report was clear, detailed, and genuinely promising—there was no denying the project’s potential for profit.

Still, his thoughts wandered to Isadora. If The Vaughan Group needed money, why hadn’t she come to him? Was she already talking to Magnus?

The idea left a sour taste in his mouth.

Victor’s expression darkened. He tossed the report carelessly onto his desk.

His voice was cold. “So, just because The Fitzgerald Group invests in good projects, I should throw money at anything with high returns? Miss Vaughan, that’s a foolish assumption. Ever consider that sometimes I invest based on my mood?”

Pearl was left speechless, unsure how to respond.

Victor continued, “I have a meeting to get to. Someone, show our guest out.”

Pearl, desperate not to let their meeting end so abruptly, blurted out, “Mr. Fitzgerald—wait! If you’re not interested in business, can we forget about the investment for now? I’ve admired you for a long time. Would you have dinner with me?”