Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus)

At those words, Isadora stopped struggling.

It was as if she'd only now truly absorbed the news-*Pudding is dead*.

But before she could react further, darkness overtook her, and she fainted.

***

Isadora woke slowly in her hospital bed.

Through the haze, she heard men talking outside her door.

Kemp's voice was respectful as he reported to Victor, "Mr. Fitzgerald, we've confirmed it-Rowena took one of Mrs. Fitzgerald's sweaters, laced it with poison, and used it to lure Pudding outside. When Pudding picked up the sweater and carried it back, that's when he was poisoned."

Victor's voice was icy, colder than she'd ever heard it. "Do whatever it takes. Find her."

Isadora sat up in bed, a chill settling deep in her bones.

Victor turned at the sound and saw her awake.

Kemp quietly slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Victor's gaze lingered on her pale face. He reached out and gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her temple, his voice rough and low. "Isadora, you're pregnant. You can't get agitated right now."

Isadora managed a bitter smile.

“So Pudding died because of me. Rowena was after me all along. Pudding only died because he loved me."

Victor's hands rested on her shoulders, his eyes dark and intense. His Adam's apple bobbed as he struggled to speak. "Isadora, it wasn't your fault. It was mine. I failed to protect Pudding."

Tears welled in Isadora's eyes.

Victor hated seeing her like this. He tried to comfort her, "You need to rest for the baby. Please don't overthink it. I'll take care of everything."

But Isadora suddenly shoved his hands away.

She glared at him, her voice trembling with anger. "Rest? How can you tell me to rest? Does Pudding's death mean nothing to you?"

She let out a shaky laugh, her words like icy blades. "Of course. You never really cared, did you? All you care about is your proposal."

The accusation struck Victor like a knife to the heart.

He stood frozen, as if all the blood in his body had turned to ice; pain flickered in his dark eyes, impossible to hide.

Isadora saw it, and a pang of guilt twisted inside her.

She hadn't meant to say that.

But she had nowhere else to put her grief.

She was terrified she'd say something even colder if she kept going.

Turning away, she lay down and pulled the blankets over her head, her voice dull

and muffled. “I just want to sleep for a while."

Out in the hallway, Finley listened to every word and felt his anger rising.

He reached for the doorknob, but Nanette caught his arm.

Finley shot her an annoyed glare. "What are you doing? Let go!"

Nanette blocked his way. "Where do you think you're going, charging in like that?"

Finley huffed, indignant. "Can you believe Isadora? She's gone too far!"

"Victor cared about Pudding more than anyone. He raised that dog for years. If anyone's hurting, it's

velbet

him and yet he's holding it together for Isadora's sake." fo

"You women are unbelievable. Always thinking of yourselves. I'm going in there to knock some sense into her!"

Nanette folded her arms. "Isadora's

being. She doesn't mean it. And

, this is between them. It'snoveldrama

not your place to interfere.

Finley looked ready to argue, but Nanette grabbed his arm and started pulling him away.

"I'm warning you," she said in a low voice, "if you try anything stupid, you'll answer to me first."

***

Rowena had never planned to target the dog.

It was almost an insult to her intelligence.

She'd always wanted to hurt Isadora, not the mutt.

But with Isadora always surrounded by bodyguards, and no one else left to manipulate, she had to get creative.

If she couldn't hurt Isadora physically, she'd make sure to leave a scar on her heart.

So Rowena formed a plan.

All she had to do was make sure the dog died, in public, during Victor's proposal. That would haunt Isadora for the rest of her life.

Dogs recognize their owners by scent.

After digging through boxes of old things, Rowena finally found one of Isadora's

ivory knit cardigans, left behind years ago.

She would use it to lure the dog-and poison it.

Rowena soaked the cardigan with a lethal toxin, then waited.

She hadn't expected the dog to be so much trouble—just like its owner, stubborn and infuriating.

Even though it came running when she waved the cardigan, the dog lunged at her, jaws snapping. She barely managed to dodge, her arm nearly bitten.

Rowena, wearing black gloves, flung the cardigan onto the ground.

As she'd hoped, the dog took the bait, grabbed the poisoned sweater, and ran off.

It never chased her again.

It just picked up the sweater and carried it home.

On the day Victor proposed to Isadora, Rowena mingled among the crowd,

watching.

When the dog collapsed, right there in front of everyone, she saw the horror and shock on Isadora's face.

That moment, Rowena's eyes sparkled with triumph, a cruel smile curling at her

lips.