Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus) novel Chapter 416

Isadora was furious.

That little boy—they said he was cold and heartless, but that couldn't be further from the truth. He helped her care for her puppy, even brought her handfuls of treats to share. He wasn't the unfeeling person people made him out to be.

Isadora considered herself his friend now.

She found herself visiting him more and more often.

She started taking the initiative, smiling at him, trying to get closer.

He still kept a straight face most of the time, but his beautiful eyes would sometimes shimmer with a hidden warmth, and the corners of his mouth would lift in the faintest hint of a smile.

He seemed a little happier these days.

That made Isadora happy, too.

See? She thought to herself. He's not some emotionless, cold-hearted boy. Not at all.

But then, one day, Carla—Isadora's nurse—announced out of the blue that she was leaving the hospital. She packed up in a hurry, and by the next day, Isadora was being whisked away with her.

Isadora begged Carla to let her say goodbye to her friend at the hospital, but of course, Carla paid her no mind.

Later, Isadora would wonder if maybe the boy hadn't cared about her farewell, anyway.

After that, Isadora didn't keep pets anymore. There was no one left to help her look after them.

Thinking about it now, Isadora's throat tightened. "You… you were that boy, weren't you?"

"Mhm."

Isadora turned to Victor, her clear, luminous eyes searching his face. She studied his brows, his straight nose, the way a smile tugged at his lips.

Her voice was thick with emotion. "So you… you recognized me a long time ago, didn't you?"

Victor's elegant fingers curled lightly as he tapped her forehead. "Of course I did, you little rascal. How could I forget?"

Victor's smile grew, eyes lighting up with quiet amusement. His deep voice teased her warmly, "Sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Fitzgerald—I wasn't that precocious."

Her sadness eased a little, and she couldn't help but smile through her tears.

She gazed at Victor, her eyes shining and rimmed with red, simply looking at him in silence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered. "Why… didn't you tell me sooner?"

Victor's smile faltered for just a moment, a shadow passing through his eyes that he quickly hid. There was a subtle sorrow behind his calm expression. After a pause, he answered quietly, "You already belonged with someone else, back then."

A wave of guilt crashed over Isadora, so strong it nearly choked her. Her lashes trembled. When she finally spoke, her voice was hoarse. "I… I wasn't worth it."

Worth all the kindness he'd shown her.

Victor's dark eyes held hers, unwavering and gentle. His voice was low and reassuring, each word deliberate. "Whether you're worth it or not—that's for me to decide."