Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus)

"I won't do it!" Elise's eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light, her voice as icy as

winter

frost.

"I'm not giving up on Magnus. Not like this."

Back when her body was frail, Elise had always carried a sense of inferiority deep inside. Next to someone as perfect as Magnus, she'd felt unworthy-like the only thing binding them was his pity.

But things had changed. She was healthy now, just as much a woman as Isadora. She wasn't any less attractive, either. In some ways, she was even more considerate, more gentle. Magnus was only infatuated with Isadora for the moment. If Elise put herself back in his life, reminded him of what they had, he would realize that she-Elise-was the one who truly belonged by his side.

*

Isadora returned to the office and pushed open the door to her workspace. To her surprise, she found Richard sitting comfortably on the sofa, reading the morning paper.noveldrama

"Dad, what brings you here?" she asked, setting her bag down.

Richard looked up, studying his daughter as she entered. He hadn't expected the last forty million of the investment from The Fitzgerald Group to come through so quickly after Isadora's visit. In truth, Richard had never been much of a sentimental father. Gaining or losing a daughter had always seemed inconsequential to him. What mattered was having people around who could help him and help The Vaughan Group.

Still, he managed a warm, fatherly smile. "Isadora, you handled this beautifully."

Isadora knew better than to take his praise at face value. Richard Vaughan wasn't the type to go out of his way just to hand out compliments. "Whatever it is, just say it," she replied coolly. "I hold shares in the company now. It's my job to make things happen."

Richard's smile widened. That's the daughter he recognized-sharp, decisive, focused on results.

"Tell me, what exactly is going on between you and Victor?" he asked. Richard was a seasoned player in the business world, after all. First, The Fitzgerald Group insisted Isadora herself sign the contract in person. Then, after her visit, the funds were transferred without a hitch. When had Isadora gotten so close to Victor? And just how close were they?

For a moment, Isadora was at a loss for words. She wasn't ready for her father to know about her connection to Victor-not yet. She remembered all the times Richard had used her to get Magnus to pull strings for the company. She still didn't understand how Magnus had tolerated Richard's endless requests for favors.

She lifted her eyes, her tone unreadable. "What kind of relationship could there be?"

Seeing her evasiveness, Richard didn't press the issue. All he cared about were the results.

He stood up, finally revealing his real reason for coming. "Northmarch's luxury brand, M Boutique, is about to enter the domestic market. If we can bring them into one of our Vaughan Group malls, it would take our company to an entirely new level." Richard fixed his gaze on Isadora. "I want you to handle the negotiations."

M Boutique was Northmarch's flagship luxury brand, notorious for being exclusive. In the past, they hadn't even considered the domestic market, and when they did,

it was only in the most elite shopping districts or high-end specialty boutiques. The chances of them choosing a Vaughan Group mall were slim, which made the challenge even greater.

Clearly, the eighty million in new investment had only fueled Richard's ambition.

As Isadora considered the proposal, Richard dangled an enticing offer. "If you pull this off, the Director's position at Vaughan Group is yours."