Sheid out her case clearly and methodically:


    "First, she''s not my biological mother. In fact, she deliberately swapped me at birth -she''s the one responsible for it all."


    "Second, when she attacked me, she used me of stealing Pearl''s ce. I have every reason to suspect Pearl is her aplice."


    "And let''s not forget-she stabbed Magnus Wainwright, the CEO of Wainwright Holdings."


    The detective''s brow furrowed as he listened, and for the first time, he began to take the case seriously.


    "Alright, Miss Vaughan. Thank you for your cooperation today."


    Once out of the police station, Isadora buried herself in work-day and night, barely stopping to breathe.


    But the real problem wasn''t just her own relentless pace. The entire Vaughan Group was swept up in her frenzy, everyone workingte, drowning in endless meetings. The office was filled with quietints and mounting exhaustion.


    No one could figure out what had gotten into Isadora. She''d already made it through the transition period as the new head of thepany, but suddenly it felt like Vaughan Group was back in the trenches, fighting for survival like in the early


    days.


    One afternoon, in the middle of yet another drawn-out meeting, Isadora''s phone buzzed with a message from Genevieve.


    "My brother''s doing much better now. Would you be able toe see him?"


    Finally, as thest meeting of the day wrapped up, Isadora closed her folder and said, “Everyone, you can leave on time today."


    The words were met with collective relief-people practically melted into their seats, grateful for a single evening when they wouldn''t see the sunrise from their office windows.


    At the hospital, in Magnus''s private room, he looked over at Genevieve from his bed.


    "Did you ask her?"


    Genevieve gave a wry smile. If Magnus hadn''t been so badly injured, she wouldn''t have bothered helping him at all.


    "I did. But what do you want me to do if Isadora doesn''t reply? I can''t force her to visit you. You''re not exactly a diamond-women don''t just flock to you, you know." Magnus frowned. He''d been awake for a week, and Isadora hadn''t so much as poked her head in the door. She was really going to pretend he didn''t exist, even after he''d taken a knife for her.


    Genevieve shook her head. "You''re getting what you deserve. If you didn''t want this oue, maybe you should''ve made better choices."


    Magnus''s patience wore thin. "Enough."


    "Oh, believe me, I wouldn''t be here if I had any choice. With your attitude, I''m not surprised Isadora used to be the only one chasing after you," Genevieve shot back.


    "Genevieve!" Magnus warned, his tone icy.


    A knock at the door interrupted the bickering. Isadora heard someone call, "Come in," and stepped inside.


    The light in Magnus''s eyes flickered back to life the moment he saw her. Even Genevieve looked surprised. "Isadora, you actually came?"


    Magnus coughed and fixed Genevieve with a cold stare. "You can leave now." Genevieve rolled her eyes. Typical-abandon your sister the second a woman walks in. Just because she showed up doesn''t mean anything, she thought. "Well, Isadora, I just remembered I have something urgent to do," Genevieve said, and hurried out, shutting the door behind her.


    Magnus''s gaze swept over Isadora, hungry and vulnerable all at once.


    Isadora''s expression changed; her eyesnded on the thick white bandages wrapped around Magnus''s chest. Finally, she spoke.


    "Thank you... for taking that knife for me."


    Magnus''s voice softened. "Isadora, as long as you''re alright, that''s all that matters."


    "Please, have a seat," he gestured.


    But Isadora shook her head. "No, I can''t stay. I have somewhere to be."


    Magnus''s gaze was intense, unwavering. "Isadora, do you still hate me?"


    He took a breath. "Can''t this make up for some of the things I did wrong before? Just a little?"


    Isadora lowered her eyes.


    "I''d be grateful to anyone who saved me. That''s all it is."


    A sh of disappointment crossed Magnus''s face.


    "You should rest. I''ll be going now," Isadora said, turning to leave.


    She reached the door, hand on the handle, when Magnus couldn''t help but ask, "Isadora, will youe back tomorrow?"


    She paused, just for a moment, but didn''t answer. The door closed softly behind


    her.


    As Isadora walked down the hallway, a wave of dizziness crashed over her. The world blurred, and she leaned against the wall—and then everything went dark.


    When she opened her eyes, Isadora found herself lying in a hospital bed. A doctor stood by her side, clipboard in hand.


    "Miss, you''re five weeks pregnant. You fainted from exhaustion andck of nutrition. You really need to take better care of yourself."