Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus)

"Oh? Is that so?" Penelope Dawson looked down her nose at Elise, her tone

dripping with disdain. "My offer stands until the end of the month. If the Harrisons manage to secure the deal on their own, you'll be out of the picture."

With that, Penelope strode toward the luxury sedan waiting at the door.

The chauffeur spotted her approaching and immediately sprang into action, bowing slightly as he opened the door.

A moment later, the car sped off, leaving nothing but a fading cloud of exhaust in its wake.

Elise remained standing there, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

***

Thirty minutes later, at the Wainwright family's private clinic.

Elise stood outside the VIP suite and pushed open the door.

Magnus sat on the hospital bed, dressed in a pale-blue patient's gown. A rolling tray held his laptop, and he was working, his complexion still a little ashen.

"Magnus, are you okay? Are you feeling any better? You really scared me, you know," Elise blurted, hurrying to the bedside. She set the insulated thermos she'd brought onto the table, her worried eyes searching his face.

Magnus glanced up. "What are you doing here?"

Tears glimmered in Elise's eyes as she gazed at him, her concern impossible to miss. “I heard from Gideon that you fainted and had to be hospitalized. Why didn't you tell me? I was terrified. If anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I'd do..."

"I'm fine. You just had surgery yourself you need to go home and rest," Magnus replied softly.

Ignoring his dismissal, Elise unscrewed the thermos and ladled out some homemade chicken soup, offering it to him. "I made this especially for you. The doctor said your stomach's still weak, so you should have something nourishing."

Magnus hesitated-he didn't want to brush off her kindness-so he accepted the bowl and took a sip. The broth was rich and savory, but somehow, the taste felt unfamiliar.

He remembered Isadora once making him chicken soup, too. Suddenly, the bowl in his hands seemed to lose all its appeal.

Magnus set the half-finished soup back on the table and smiled gently. "Elise, you should go home. Hospitals are full of germs, and you're still recovering. It's not safe for you here."

Hearing this, Elise's heart leapt Magnus was still worried about her. Maybe she still meant something to him after all.

She decided to play her cards carefully. "Magnus, about what I said before-I didn't mean any of it. I wasn't trying to compete with Isadora. I just... I really appreciate everything you've done for me. I guess I'm afraid that once I'm better, you'll want nothing to do with me."

Magnus lowered his eyes. "I'm not mad at you."

Seeing his reaction, Elise knew her words had struck a chord.

She pressed on. "Magnus, can I ask you for a favor?"

He arched an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"You know the owner of M Boutique, right? Would you be willing to help me get M Boutique into the Harrison family's luxury mall?”

Magnus didn't answer right away.

Tears welled in Elise's eyes again, her vulnerability on full display. Any ordinary man would have found it hard to refuse her in that moment.

"You know how much I've suffered because of the Harrisons all these years. But I'm still their daughter, and no matter how they treat me, I can't turn my back on them completely. M Boutique is expanding into Capitolion, and the Harrisons are desperate to win them over. I just want to do my part for the family."

In truth, Elise had no desire to help the Harrisons. She certainly didn't care about winning Jack Harrison's so-called fatherly affection.

What she wanted was the title that came with being the Harrison family's heiress. Without Magnus's protection or a proper name, she'd always be the illegitimate daughter-the subject of gossip and scorn in high society.

If Magnus helped her clinch this deal, she'd have leverage-and a seat at the table when negotiating with Penelope Dawson.

Magnus, meanwhile, had just wrapped up his work and was already aware of the situation. He glanced at the "100 Rules for Winning Her Heart" book Sammy had given him, recalling one particular rule: "When your girlfriend needs help, be proactive. She'll appreciate it."

Getting M Boutique to choose which mall to partner with was as simple as making a phone call. He also remembered that the Vaughan Group, Isadora's family,

owned luxury malls too-and they were in the running for this deal.noveldrama

Magnus thought back to the last investment meeting, the way he'd forced Isadora

to come to him for help. He realized now that he'd made a mistake.