Chapter 676 Isadora: Maggie is Avery's Daughter 2
A week later, Maggie was brought back to Evergreen City.
Serafina had wanted to take her in, but after some thought, Isadora decided to keep Maggie with her.
She told Serafina, "I can't let Maggie live under someone else's roof forever."
On the private jet, Maggie leaned softly against Isadora's shoulder. Serafina reached over and smoothed the little girl's hair.
When the plane landed, Isadora drove her straight to the place she was staying.
Maggie stepped out of the car in her pale yellow down jacket, her cheeks flushed from the cold. She stared at the neat green lawn in front of the villa, still lush even in winter.
Her eyes lit up. "Mommy, does this mean I get to live here now?"
Isadora's voice caught slightly. "Yes. From now on, you and I will live here together."
The nanny, carrying a small suitcase, glanced at the grand villa and couldn't help but whistle. "Ms. Penrose, this place must have cost a fortune. In Vesper City, it would easily be forty or fifty million dollars."
Isadora smiled faintly. "It costs about the same here in Evergreen City. But this is only temporary. I'll have my secretary look for something bigger, and we'll hire a few more nannies to help with Maggie. By autumn, she can start school."
The nanny was quietly impressed.
If it hadn't been so cold, Maggie might have rolled across the grass out of pure joy.
Serafina, sensing her excitement, took her upstairs to see the temporary children's room. Isadora had hired a top designer and used the best eco-friendly materials to create a warm, cream-and-coffee-toned space.
Maggie loved cartoons, so the furniture was decorated with her favorite characters. Beside the soft little bed sat a pink cat bed, and inside it, a tiny white kitten no more than three months old.
Maggie gasped and scooped it up, holding it close.
From the doorway, Isadora watched her with quiet satisfaction.
She turned to Serafina and said sincerely, "Thank you. If it weren't for you, I don't think I'd ever see her this happy."
Serafina just smiled and gently patted Maggie's head.
By evening, Serafina left.
Isadora's secretary, Anne, arrived soon after. As she climbed the stairs, she heard the sound of a ball bouncing. She pushed open the study door and saw a beautiful little girl playing with a rubber ball, while Isadora—normally quick-tempered—sat calmly at her desk, flipping through documents without the slightest sign of irritation.
Anne understood instantly. This had to be her own child.
Looking closer, she noticed the girl's features bore a striking resemblance to Avery.
How long had those two been keeping their relationship under wraps? Long enough for their child to be school-aged.
Isadora looked up at the sound of the door. "How's the house search going? It needs to meet all the style and size requirements, and it has to be convenient for Maggie's schooling."
Anne placed a folder on the desk and smiled. "You can count on me, Ms. Penrose. I've shortlisted three properties that fit perfectly. Here are the details for you to review."
Isadora flipped through the pages, then called Maggie over and lifted her onto her lap. "Which one do you like?"
Maggie studied the pictures seriously before pointing to a villa with a lot size of about twenty thousand square feet and a living space of twelve thousand.
The price tag was one hundred and eighty million dollars, excluding fees. Normally, Isadora would have hesitated—she had little interest in material indulgence—but for Maggie, no price was too high.
"We'll take this one," she told Anne. "And when it's renovated, put her room right next to mine."
Anne nodded. "Consider it done."
She crouched down, pulled a box of luxury chocolates from her bag, and handed it to Maggie with a smile.
'Some people,' she thought, 'are born with a silver spoon in their mouth.'
Just then, Isadora's phone rang on the desk. The caller ID flashed: Avery. Maggie's father.
Anne, quick on her feet, knew that whenever those two spoke, it ended in an argument. For Maggie's sake, she scooped the girl up and took her downstairs.
When their footsteps faded, Isadora answered the call.
She didn't expect Avery's voice to be so cold. "Isadora, are you really that desperate for money? You'd cozy up to a man like Samuel just for a little gain?"
Desperate for money. Cozying up.
The words were sharp and ugly. Isadora didn't even understand what he was talking about, but she was used to his cutting tone. He never listened to her explanations—only accused, only mocked. Over time, she had stopped caring.
She let out a low, humorless laugh. "You're right, Mr. Montague. I'm exactly the kind of woman you think I am. I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want. Sleep with whoever I have to. Does that make you feel better?"
At the Montague Mansion, a gossip tabloid lay on a gilded table. The front page featured a photo of Samuel and Isadora at a riverside pier in Vesper City, the angle making them look almost intimate.
Avery stood at the window, jaw tight, a vein pulsing at his temple. "Isadora."
She suddenly felt tired. "Who I sleep with is no longer your concern, is it? Avery, let's just stop doing this to each other."
There was a long silence before he spoke again, his voice lower now, "You're not going to ask why I called? Why I said what I did?"
She didn't ask.
Instead, she said quietly, "Avery… you still love me, don't you?"