Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus) novel Chapter 40

Victor curled his lips in a dismissive smirk. “You know, there are enough people lining up to have dinner with me to wrap around the Capitol and stretch all the way to the Eiffel Tower. Where exactly do you think you rank on that list?”

Just then, Jasmine dashed into the office, immediately grabbing Pearl by the arm.

She shot her a meaningful look. “You should head back first.”

Pearl lingered, her eyes trailing after Victor’s tall figure as he turned away. She pouted, clearly reluctant, but finally left.

A moment later, Victor pulled a cigarette from the pack on his desk and held it between his lips. The lighter slipped under his thumb a few times before he finally got it to spark.

He took a deep drag; the harsh nicotine burned his lungs, but did nothing to chase away the restless frustration simmering in his chest.

After a few more puffs, he crushed the barely smoked cigarette into the silver ashtray, got up, grabbed his jacket, and strode out of the office.

He ran straight into Jasmine, who had just seen Pearl out.

Jasmine stood to the side, careful and deferential, her head ever so slightly bowed. “Mr. Fitzgerald.”

Victor paused, his tone light but edged with coldness. “This is the Miss Vaughan you told me about?”

Huh?

Jasmine blinked in confusion. Was there another Miss Vaughan she didn’t know about?

“Yes, sir. Pearl is indeed the Vaughan family’s daughter.”

“I don’t like people who can’t keep up. Ada, have Jasmine go through training with you again before she returns to work.”

With that, Victor strode off toward the executive elevator.

Ada stepped out of the executive assistant’s office and answered crisply, “Understood.”

Jasmine looked like she was about to burst into tears.

Ada thought to herself, Mr. Fitzgerald really can’t stand the Vaughan family. He doesn’t like their daughter one bit.

She picked up the phone and dialed the front desk, issuing a new directive.

“From now on, if Miss Vaughan from the Vaughan Group comes looking for Mr. Fitzgerald, please politely turn her away—no exceptions.”

—

Every now and then, she glanced up at him and gave his hand a quick, comforting lick.

Victor ran the brush through her fur. “Pudding, your mom’s got no heart.”

“She broke her childhood promise and moved on to someone else. I wonder if she’d even recognize you now. Maybe you should show up and jog her memory.”

He gave a dry, self-deprecating laugh. “Who am I kidding? She doesn’t even recognize me—why would she recognize you?”

Victor looked Pudding over, inspecting her from head to tail, shaking his head in mock dismay.

“How did you get so pudgy? There’s barely a trace of the scrappy little pup you used to be.”

“Back then you were a grubby, scrawny thing. Now you’re built like a lion. Honestly, I was hoping you’d help Isadora remember the past, but I’m starting to think it’s a long shot.”

Pudding clearly understood she was being insulted and barked in protest.

Meanwhile, somewhere else, Isadora sneezed out of the blue.

Who was talking about her behind her back?