Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus)

Chapter 369

Isadora returned to the house that evening to find the dining table set with a comforting spread: a pot of homemade chicken soup, sautéed shrimp with broccoli, perfectly seared salmon, and salad.

The fragrance filled the air, warm and inviting.

Eleanor emerged from the kitchen, removing her apron and handing it off to the waiting housekeeper.

"Come on. Dinner's ready," she called.

Mother and daughter sat together in the dining room, sharing the meal in companionable silence.

Eleanor ladled a generous portion of soup into a bowl and set it in front of Isadora. Throughout dinner, she would glance over at her daughter with an unreadable expression, as if there was something she wanted to say.

Even someone less perceptive than Isadora would have picked up on it. "Mom, is there something you want to talk about?" Isadora finally asked. Eleanor set down her fork, thinking for a moment about how to begin. "Last night, a friend of mine saw Nanette at the Grand Regent Hotel."

Isadora's mind jumped to the excuse she'd given Eleanor the night before-that she was going to Nanette's to avoid the thunderstorm. Apparently, that little white lie hadn't gone unnoticed.

Eleanor's worried eyes met her daughter's. "Isadora, where were you last night?"

Isadora pressed her lips together. "I..."

Eleanor frowned. "You were with Mr. Fitzgerald, weren't you?"

Realizing there was no way to hide it, Isadora nodded sheepishly.

"I knew it. You've been acting strange lately. Why are you getting mixed up with him again?"

"Isadora, you promised we'd leave Capitolion together."

Isadora answered quietly, "We are leaving."

"Then why are you seeing him now? Are you having second thoughts?"

Isadora shook her head softly.

Eleanor sighed, her tone growing more earnest. "If you really want to leave this

city, you have to be decisive. Cut things off with him cleanly."

Isadora tightened her grip on her fork, knuckles turning white.

if you don't want to go, and he keeps stringing you along, and you're pregnant..." Eleanor's voice trembled slightly,

may not be much, but we're not nobody. We can't

spoke, the more upset she became, remembering how she'd once gone to

fork, her voice barely above a whisper. "He said he'd marry

allow it. Even if you marry in, who

looking at her mother. "I trust Victor.

silent, searching her daughter's

she gently placed a

to believe him one more time," she said

believe in Victor's promises. To trust the tenderness buried deep in his

on Isadora. Her voice, unusually gentle, broke the silence.

"sure" hovered on Isadora's lips, but

yet. Take this month to think it through. If you truly want to be with him, I'm not some old prude. I only

that, Eleanor stood and left the

in her

up on

In

hour passed, and she hadn't

Her thoughts kept circling.

recent passing, she knew they'd have to wait at least three months. She understood what her

Suddenly, her phone rang.

the screen

husky voice came through, casual

house. Will you

surprise. "What are you doing here? I told you I was staying

"Mm."

up at the pale light shining from an upstairs window. "Are you coming out?"

"No," Isadora replied firmly.

to sneak out to see Victor-that would only confirm her mother's worst

came again, lazy yet strangely

"Sick? What's wrong?"

"Dunno. Fever, maybe."

there was an unmistakable note

"How high?"

"102."

could hear the rasp in his voice, and at that number, she couldn't help

the hospital? Why come to me? I'm not