Isadora found herself seriously considering whether she and Eleanor ought to leave Capitolion behind and start over somewhere new.


    On the day of her three-month prenatal checkup, Nte apanied her to the hospital.


    Isadora sat in the waiting room, filling out a mountain of paperwork. When she reached the line asking for the father''s name, her pen hovered for a moment before she simply skipped it and moved on.


    Nte, sitting beside her, noticed but asked casually, "So, Isadora, that night Victor took you away... did anything happen between you two?"


    Without looking up, Isadora kept writing. "No. Nothing happened."


    Nte rolled her eyes dramatically. "Nothing? Then why did he just whisk you away right in the middle of my birthday? That was the first time you didn''t even blow out the candles at my party!"


    Isadora handed her forms to the nurse, grinning. "Oh please, with Scales and Finley practically fighting over who got to stand next to you while you made your wish, I''d say you had plenty of attention. You really are irresistible."


    Nte snorted. "Sure, let''s see if that charm works on the olddy selling veggies on the corner."


    Isadoraughed. "Scales is a total yboy, but Finley seems like a decent guy."


    Nte considered that for a moment. "Honestly, Finley does have a better body than Scales. But right now, I''m just not in the mood for romance. I want to focus on my career before I hit thirty. You know, actresses don''t get a long window for these things."


    Soon, the nurse called Isadora in for a round of tests-bloodwork, an ultrasound, an EKG, and more.


    About half an hourter, after everything was done, the doctor assured her the baby was healthy. Isadora walked out of the exam room, clutching the ck-and- white ultrasound printout.


    Nte hurried over, and the two of them stared at the blurry image in awe, halfughing, half crying.


    "Oh my God, look at my little godchild! That''s the cutest damn thing I''ve ever seen!"


    Isadora rolled her eyes. "It''s just a blob. What''s cute about it?"


    Nte nudged her. "You''re gorgeous, and let''s be honest, Victor is hotter than half the male models in Hollywood. There''s no way your kid isn''t going to be adorable."


    Thement caught Isadora off guard. She hesitated, unsure how to respond.


    Nte stuck out her tongue, realizing she''d touched a nerve. "I mean, your genes are great, that''s all I''m saying."


    Just then, Nte''s phone rang. She answered, frowning. "What do you mean


    the shoot isn''t untilter? I told you, I''m busy right now!"


    After she hung up, Isadora said, “Go ahead. I''m done here anyway, and I need to stop by the officeter."


    Nte nodded. "Alright, I''ll call you tonight."


    With that, Nte hurried off.


    Isadora made her way to anothe department to pick up some blood pressure medication for Eleanor. pressure


    She was just about to leave when


    she heard someone call out.


    "Isadora."


    She stopped and looked up. Rowena was waving at her from down the hall, her parents in tow.


    Isadora considered ignoring her and turned to leave, but Rowena hurried over and blocked her path.


    "Isadora."


    "What do you want?" Isadora''s tone was icy.


    Rowena smiled awkwardly. "What brings you to the hospital?"


    Isadora''s face was unreadable. "We''re not friends anymore, Rowena. If there''s nothing else, I''d like to go."


    Seeing that Isadora was about to walk away, Rowena blurted out,


    "Isadora, please-could you


    investing in Seafarer Designs? Thepany''s about to go under!"