Ever since Eleanor had humbled herself to beg the Fitzgerald family matriarch- only to be met with humiliation—she''d seen the old woman''s true colors: domineering, stubborn, and hopelessly closed-minded. Eleanor knew, even if Isadora one day actually married into that family, her life wouldn''t be any better for


    it.


    So, Eleanor had stopped hoping.


    She lowered her eyes and said quietly, "From what I know about men, he just cares about the child."


    "Isadora, listen. I''ve been there. Men always talk sweet before marriage, but once the vows are said, things change. Look at Richard-prime example, isn''t he?"


    Isadora murmured an agreement.


    "Since you''ve made up your mind, finish handling everything with The Vaughan Group as soon as possible."


    Isadora pressed her lips together and nodded. "Alright."


    *


    Aurora Bar.


    Victor strode straight to the VIP booth, tossing his coat onto the sofa without a nce. He sank into the seat with careless ease, his handsome face unreadable, long legs crossed. The expensive fabric of his dress pants was smooth and immacte.


    Finley nursed his drink, watching the stage lights flicker and sway. "What''s with thest-minute invite?"


    Victor shot him a sidelong look. "Not like you toe out without a woman on your arm."


    Finley grinned. "Found someone worth waiting for. Until I win her over, I''m turning over a new leaf."


    Victor grabbed a ss of whiskey from the table, downed it in one go, and offered a rarepliment. "Didn''t expect that from you."


    Finley raised an eyebrow. "Aren''t you curious who she is?"


    Victor barely lifted his gaze. "Not really."


    Finley rolled his eyes. "...It''s Isadora''s-"


    He didn''t finish; Victor''s cold, sharp stare cut him off mid-sentence.


    Finleyughed awkwardly. "Easy, man. I wasn''t going to say Isadora—I''m talking about her friend, Nte."


    "The actress?"


    "She''s not just some actress," Finley protested. "She''s a star. A gorgeous one, too."


    Victor seemed uninterested, reaching for another drink. Suddenly, his hand paused. “You should let this one go."


    "Why?" Finley frowned. Since when did Victor care about the women he dated?


    Victor narrowed his eyes and spoke seriously, "If you chase her, win her over, and


    then dump her—what am I supposed to say to Isadora?"


    Finley gaped. "Come on, man. A little biased, aren''t you?"


    "Can''t I be serious for once?" Finley pressed, only to get a skeptical look.


    Victor shot him a nce. "Are you even capable of that?"


    Okay, Finley admitted, he''d had a few girlfriends before, but he''d always meant it at the time. Who


    said you had to stick with one


    person forever for your feelings to


    be real?


    But Victor would never get it, so Finley decided to change the subject. "Alright,


    spill it. Why did you want to talk tonight?"


    Victor swirled the whiskey in his


    ss, his deep voice tinged with el


    frustration. "I told Isadora how felt. Proposed marriage and everything. Why won''t she say yes?"


    Finley gave him a look. "Last I checked, you two broke up a while ago."


    Victor nodded, expression unreadable.


    "So you''re not even back together, and you''re jumping straight to marriage? Most women wouldn''t go for that, you know."


    He hesitated, then pressed, "Can I ask how you and Isadora even started dating?" Victor tapped the table thoughtfully. "Started?"


    "I remember it," Finley said, almostughing. "I flew you out there with medicine, waited five hours for you."


    He recalled the memory with a groan. "Tell me did you force Isadora into being with you after that?"


    Victor shot him a cold look that made Finley''s neck prickle. He hurried to backtrack. “Alright, alright-I get it. Here''s the real issue: trust."


    Victor fixed him with a thoughtful stare, waiting.


    Finley shrugged. "You and Isadora got off on the wrong foot. Now, after the breakup and with a kid in the picture, you show up professing fove and asking her to marry you. She''d be crazy to believe you actually mean it."