Chapter 48

"Mom, come home first! Then we can go together!" Sophia tugged at Isabella's sleeve. "The hot springs resort is so far away. It'll be boring going alone."

Isabella hesitated. Maybe she should accompany her daughter. "Alright."

Nathaniel Graves was currently developing a new app for their tech company. After dinner, he called to discuss some technical details.

While Alexander and Sophia chatted in the living room, Isabella stepped outside to take the call. The conversation lasted nearly forty minutes.

Sophia frowned when her mother returned. "Mom, you've been getting so many calls lately. And they're always so long. You never used to be like this."

Alexander's gaze lifted at their daughter's words.

Richard, the butler, noticed it too.

Isabella had never been one for lengthy phone conversations before.

An affair? Impossible.

Not when everyone knew how deeply she still cared for Alexander.

"It's just work," Isabella said briskly. "I need to finish something upstairs."

"Okay..."

Upstairs, Isabella booted up her laptop and began reviewing the files Nathaniel had sent.

Sophia returned to her room later. Seeing her mother absorbed in work, she didn't disturb her. After her bath, she peeked in again.

Over the years, Isabella had never completely abandoned her programming skills.

In her free time, she still coded. When Sophia was younger, she'd even tried teaching her basics.

Back then, Sophia would doze off during these lessons.

Now, watching silently from the doorway, Sophia realized—wasn't this similar to what Victoria Kensington did for work?

She observed for a while before finally going to bed.

Isabella worked until past 2 AM.

She'd spent the entire night in Sophia's room. Alexander hadn't come looking for her. Maybe he didn't care.

Or perhaps... this distance was exactly what he wanted.

The next morning, Isabella didn't prepare breakfast.

Sophia woke to find her mother still asleep beside her. Not wanting to wake her, the girl tiptoed out.

"Morning, Dad." She yawned when she saw Alexander in the kitchen.

He nodded silently.

"Mom's still sleeping."

"Hmm."

By the time Isabella came down, Alexander had nearly finished eating.

They exchanged no words. He left as soon as he was done.

Isabella headed to work shortly after.

That evening, she returned on time. Sophia was already waiting in the car, but Alexander hadn't returned yet.

After twenty minutes, Sophia huffed. "Dad's taking forever."

Isabella remained calm, flipping through a book patiently.

Then the house phone rang.

Richard informed them moments later, "Mr. Whitmore said he's detained with business. He asked that you and Miss Sophia proceed to the resort first—he'll join you later."

Isabella simply nodded. "Understood."

Alexander had promised to come later. But as night fell, he never appeared.