Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus)

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?

another Miss Vaughan she

Pearl is indeed the Vaughan

have Jasmine go through training with you again before

Victor strode off

stepped out of the executive assistant's office

she was

the Vaughan family. He

the phone and dialed the

from the Vaughan Group comes looking for

drove back to Stratus

just stepped into the garden when a fluffy white Samoyed bounded across the lawn straight

the big furball in his arms, grumbling, "You think you're

in protest, clearly offended at the suggestion she wasn't young

held her close.

the dog's caretaker, and began grooming

a wave, he dismissed Beatty, who

on this Samoyed more than anything. Despite her official title as a dog nanny, Beatty's responsibility for Pudding made her the queen bee among the manor's

grass. A winding cobblestone path led from

light, stood a strikingly handsome man and his fluffy white dog