Chapter 690 Avery Concedes 1
Tobias didn't waste time. "The last time we met, I found myself drawn to you, Ms. Penrose. I'd like to take things further. If we were to marry, with my wealth backing your company and your status as a married woman, winning custody of your daughter would be far easier."
Isadora felt a flicker of temptation.
She didn't like Tobias. In fact, they had been rivals in business not long ago.
But after the crushing defeat with Avery, she had no cards left to play. If she wanted to keep Maggie, Tobias was a strategic choice.
Still, she had her reservations. She had no intention of giving him her heart — maybe not even her body. If this marriage happened, it would be a transaction, nothing more.
The sunset bled gold across the horizon.
Sitting in her car, Isadora spoke quietly, "Tobias, whatever else we discuss, there's one thing you need to know — I will not have more children."
To her surprise, Tobias agreed without hesitation. "I already have a child. You have Maggie. If you don't want more, I'll respect that."
She was silent for a moment. "Then let's meet tomorrow and talk in detail."
"Gladly," Tobias replied.
When the call ended, Isadora felt the strength drain from her body. She slumped against the leather seat, staring at the fading gold in the sky. A dull ache pressed behind her ribs, sharp enough to steal her breath.
She knew the truth — this wasn't just about Maggie's custody. This was about cutting Avery out of her life entirely.
Tobias could be the wall that separated them for good.
She sat there for a long time before starting the engine.
That was when a tall figure passed by her car. Avery. Her window was open, and their eyes met without warning.
His face was unreadable. Her eyes were rimmed red — fragile, almost breakable.
For a fleeting second, Avery remembered the good days. The nights tangled in each other's arms. The way she'd cling to him, whispering his name like a prayer, "Avery… Avery…"
The dusk wrapped around them, and in that moment, the world seemed to hold still.
But all moments end.
Avery turned and walked away. The sunset stretched his shadow long across the pavement. Isadora stayed where she was, watching him go, pulling him out of her heart by the roots.
It hurt. God, it hurt. But she had to.
Back home, her phone rang. It was Maggie — or rather, the housekeeper calling on her behalf.
Maggie's small voice was sweet, spoiled in the way only a loved child could be. It made Isadora's throat tighten.
She wasn't naive. The Montague family treated Maggie well, but the Montague Group needed an heir. Maggie would never be Avery's only child. Isadora had to bring her back.
At the Montague Mansion, Avery walked in just as Maggie was on the phone.
The staff didn't know the depth of the rift between him and Isadora; they thought it was a minor spat.
Avery's irritation softened when he heard Maggie's little voice say, "Mommy, I miss you."
He sat on the sofa, waiting patiently until she finished.
"Maggie," he called.
She loved him. At the sound of his voice, she ran to him, throwing herself into his arms.
He held her small frame, his emotions tangled.
The housekeeper smiled as she took the phone away. "She was missing her mother. Wanted to call right away. Maggie's going to be a loving daughter when she grows up."
Avery gave a faint smile.
Maggie snuggled deeper into his chest, half play-acting, half sincere. "I miss Mommy."
He soothed her until she calmed.
But that night, she woke crying. Milk didn't help. She wanted Isadora. Avery, for all his power, couldn't replace the warmth of a mother's arms.
At three in the morning, he was pacing the bedroom with her in his arms, whispering to calm her.
Lightning split the sky, followed by a crack of thunder, and rain poured down in sheets.
Maggie startled awake again.
She liked Avery, and the Montague Mansion was grand, but it wasn't home. On nights like this, she missed her old nanny. She missed her mother.
She cried hard, calling for Isadora.
Avery's chest tightened, but he didn't give in. She cried herself to sleep, only to wake again with each rumble of thunder. The noise drew Henry and Amelia from their rooms.
Henry's face was thunderous. "Are you out of your mind? You're really going to let your pride keep Maggie from talking to her mother? What kind of father does that?"
Avery had no answer.
Amelia's voice was sharp. "She'll make herself sick crying like this. Call Isadora. In the morning, take her back for a few days. She's too young to be without her mother."
Maggie had finally drifted into an exhausted sleep on Avery's shoulder.
With no way to hide it, Avery told them about the custody fight — though he left out the reasons.
Henry and Amelia were stunned. They'd guessed there was trouble, but not this. And to bring in a legal team against the mother of his child?
Henry's hands curled into fists. "So this is what you've learned in business — how to crush your own woman? She's the mother of your child, and you want to rip Maggie away from her? What's wrong with you?"
Amelia agreed. Maggie should live with Isadora, with the Montague family's support.
That night, Henry and Amelia took Maggie into their own room, promising her she'd see her mother in the morning. Only then did she sleep soundly.
By midnight, the rain had eased.
Water clung to the bare branches outside, dripping in slow, steady beats. Avery stood on the balcony, a heavy coat thrown over his robe, cigarette smoke curling into the night.
With Henry and Amelia involved, winning custody outright would be difficult.
Avery considered a compromise. He wouldn't let Maggie leave Evergreen City — which left only one option.
He would marry Isadora.
It wasn't love. It was a solution. And there would be a prenup, with clauses to control her personal life.
The first light of dawn crept into the sky.
Avery pulled out his phone and called her.
His voice was rough from a sleepless night, "I'll bring Maggie back to you this morning. If you're free, we should talk."
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