Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus) novel Chapter 473

The next morning, soft dawn light crept through the curtains, and the hush of daybreak was broken by a chorus of birdsong.

Isadora blinked awake, her mind still muddled with sleep. Instinctively, her hand reached across the bed, searching. No one was there.

She paused, confused for a moment, just as she was about to get up.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a man’s reflection in the full-length mirror across the room.

Propping herself up on one elbow, Isadora turned her head and watched him in silence.

He stood tall and lean in a crisp black shirt and tailored trousers, his posture effortlessly elegant. Long, deft fingers were paused at his collar, ready to knot his tie.

She vaguely remembered: Victor had gone to shower after their movie. She’d curled up with Pudding—their golden retriever—intending to finish the film. At some point she must have drifted off, though she couldn’t recall when. She had no memory of climbing into bed.

Victor heard her stir behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, lips curling into a subtle smile. “You’re awake?”

Isadora let out a lazy, sleepy hum, her voice still husky from sleep.

He gave a low chuckle. “Do you know how to tie a tie?”

“Huh?” She blinked. “Of course.”

With that, Victor dropped his hands and crossed the room to her side. Leaning down, he fixed her with those clear, magnetic eyes and spoke in his deep, smooth voice, “Help me, will you?”

Isadora slid out of bed, sitting up. The faint scent of cedar clung to his clothes, earthy and clean, drifting around her as she reached for his collar.

Her slender fingers gathered the black silk tie, looping it expertly around his neck, crossing it under the collar, and pulling it into a neat knot.

Victor stood still, head bowed, watching her intently. In the morning light, her skin looked almost translucent; the downy softness of her cheeks was visible up close. Her lashes curled over her focused eyes, and she worked with quiet concentration.

Sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, gilding the room in a gentle gold. Everything felt simple, warm, and precious—one of those rare, quiet mornings you wanted to hold onto forever.

Victor’s eyes darkened, his voice low and intimate. “Do you have plans today?”

She finished the knot and smoothed out his shirt front with both hands. “I have to head to the office for a few meetings.”

Originally, she’d planned to move to Europe and had appointed an interim CEO to manage the Vaughan Galleria. Though she’d changed her mind about relocating, she knew with the baby on the way and her shifting interests, she wanted to step back from daily operations.