Wendy stood there, frozen, her expression shadowed and unreadable.


    By all ounts, she was the first employee Rowena had ever hired.


    They''d worked side by side for nearly a year.


    Logically—and emotionally-she should have been on Rowena''s side.


    But she just couldn''t do it.


    Wendy bit her lip. "Rowena, I''m sorry. I can''t keep working for you. I''m quitting." Rowena spun around at the sound of her voice, her face etched with disbelief.


    "Wendy, we''ve been at Seafarer Designs together for a year. You''re really quitting over Isadora?"


    Wendy''s dark eyes met Rowena''s, steady and serious.


    "It''s not about Isadora. I know I''m young, but I have my own sense of right and wrong. I can''t work for someone like you."


    With that, Wendy turned and walked out.


    Almost immediately, the sound of Rowena hurling things around the office- objects shattering, drawers mming-echoed through the building.


    *


    Down in the parking garage, Isadora slumped into the driver''s seat of her car. She barely had the strength to sit upright, her gaze empty and her face drained of emotion.


    Just then, the passenger door swung open.


    Nte slipped inside without a word.


    She nced at Isadora, noticing the pale, numb look on her friend''s face.


    "Isadora, I never wanted you to know about all this ugliness. But maybe it''s better


    this way-people like that don''t deserve to be our friends."


    Isadora just nodded faintly, not trusting herself to speak.


    The car filled with a heavy silence.


    Nte understood-Isadora needed time to process everything.


    So she stayed quiet too, simply sitting beside her as the seconds ticked by.


    After a while, Isadora''s voice came out hoarse and soft. "Nte... am I stupid?"


    Hearing her finally break the silence, Nte felt relief. She grinned teasingly, "Well... maybe just a little."


    Isadora''s tightly heldposure cracked; she frowned.


    "I''m miserable, and you''re still making fun of me."


    Isadora let out a long, shaky sigh. "I never thought Rowena could turn out like this. I tried so hard to look out for her, and now I just feel like an idiot."


    Nte reached across the console and squeezed Isadora''s hand, meeting her eyes.


    "You''re not an idiot-you''re just kind. It''s not your fault she took advantage of that. Rowena never deserved your loyalty."


    Isadora''s eyes turned ssy as she looked at Nte. "Thank you," she whispered.


    At least I still have you.


    "Oh, don''t get all sentimental! You know there''s no one in the world I care about more than you. I just want you to be happy."


    Nte paused, her tone turning serious. "And, Isadora, I''m even more certain now-Victor really does care about you."


    *


    Isadora suddenly remembered what Victor had said yesterday.


    He''d promised to tell her about his first love if she went to his office.


    Nte''s words stirred something in her a restless, urgent need for answers.


    Why had Victor kept quiet when Rowena tried to seduce him? Was he afraid she''d get hurt?


    And why was he so worried about her feelings?


    Isadora''s heart raced, as if something inside her was about to burst free.


    She bit her lip. "Nte, I want to go see Victor."


    After saying goodbye, she started the car and sped out of the garage, heading straight for the Fitzgerald Group''s offices.


    Her mind felt like it was floating in the clouds, gripped by the same anxious anticipation as waiting for exam results-eyes squeezed shut, peeking through her fingers, desperate to know the truth.


    She needed an answer-for her heart, and for her future.


    Just before she reached the turn for the Fitzgerald Group, her car''s phone


    suddenly rang.


    Isadora nced at the caller ID. It was the Vaughan family.


    She hesitated, then picked up.


    On the other end, Laura''s voice was frantic. "Miss Isadora, pleasee quickly—


    your mother has tried to take her own life."