Chapter 45

Emily Donovan studied Isabella Sinclair's pale face with concern.

Isabella shook her head. "I'm fine."

The moment Reginald Kensington had divorced her mother Evelyn, he'd ceased being her father.

What truly hurt was how her existence had become a burden to her uncle Charles.

As for Alexander Whitmore's blatant favoritism...

The way he doted on Victoria Kensington while treating Nathaniel Graves and Benjamin Hayes with such cold calculation for Victoria's sake—never once considering her feelings—felt like a dagger twisting in her chest.

The pain was excruciating.

"Isabella..." Emily pulled her into a tight embrace, her own heart breaking for her best friend.

Isabella managed a weak smile but remained silent.

It would pass. She'd already resolved to move forward. She just needed time. She could do this.

"Want to get drinks?" Emily thought alcohol might help dull the pain.

Isabella declined. "No."

She'd rather return home and lose herself in data analysis. That was when she truly found peace—when numbers and patterns helped her reclaim her identity.

Emily didn't press further.

As they approached the parking lot, Isabella's phone rang. Sophia Whitmore's name flashed on the screen.

Isabella's faint smile vanished. She hesitated before answering. "Hello."

"Mommy, when are you coming home?" Sophia's whining voice carried through the speaker.

Isabella evaded the question. "What's wrong?"

"It's so boring here alone. Can you come keep me company?"

Alexander wasn't home and Victoria was busy. The mansion felt eerily quiet.

Sophia suddenly missed when Isabella would listen patiently as she rambled about cartoons and toys.

So she'd called, hoping to lure her mother back.

"I have work," Isabella replied coolly. "Another time."

While she had maternal responsibilities, she also had her own life to live.

Right now, she needed space to process everything.

"Fine..." Sophia's voice dripped with disappointment.

"I'll call you later if you need anything." Isabella ended the call.

Sophia flopped onto her bed, sulking.

Just then, Alexander returned. Noticing her mood, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I called Mommy to come home, but she said she's busy..." Sophia buried her face in a pillow. "She's always busy lately."

Alexander merely hummed in response, settling on the couch to handle business emails without offering comfort.

Yet he remained in the living room instead of retreating to his study as usual.

This small gesture lifted Sophia's spirits enough to resume her puzzle game.

Meanwhile, Beatrice Kensington arched an eyebrow as Reginald's group returned. "What took so long?"

Reginald hesitated. "We ran into Isabella."

"Oh? You saw her?"

Beatrice Kensington was a striking socialite who'd married well and wielded considerable influence in both her marital and birth families.

She showed little interest in her long-estranged niece, focusing instead on practical matters. "Did you discuss Victoria joining YodaVision?"

Reginald shook his head. "She refused to listen."

Beatrice set down her coffee cup with a frown. "Honestly, I understand her resentment about Alexander choosing Victoria, but we've all met him. A man like that would never stay with a woman who only offers beauty."

"Even if it weren't Victoria, he would've left her eventually."