Chapter 490

Isabella left the courthouse and returned to NovaTech.

She made it just in time for the morning meeting.

As she took her seat, Nathaniel leaned over and whispered. "All finished? That was quick."

Isabella nodded. There had never been much conflict between her and Alexander.

Both approached the divorce with surprising positivity, so the paperwork processed smoothly.

Nathaniel added, "If not for the mandatory waiting period, you'd be officially divorced today. Now you still have to wait thirty days."

"Once this waiting period ends, get that certificate immediately. Don't delay again. Otherwise, just like last time, you'll miss the deadline and have to restart everything. It's such a hassle."

"I know."

Last time the waiting period ended, she and Alexander had agreed to get the divorce certificate the very next day.

But unexpected matters arose for both of them.

They completely missed the deadline.

Wednesday marked the anniversary of her maternal grandfather Lorenzo Rodriguez's death.

Though he passed away in Fairview, he was buried in Geneva.

On Tuesday at noon, Isabella and Margaret headed to the airport, preparing to return to Geneva for the memorial.

Sophia accompanied them.

Isabella hadn't originally booked Sophia's ticket.

But since Sophia was staying at the Sinclair residence and expressed a desire to go, she brought her along.

The family rarely returned to Geneva after leaving.

They only went back for Lorenzo's memorial days.

The old residence in Geneva had already stood for decades when they left.

Now, nearly twenty years later, it had been almost forty years since it was first inhabited.

Despite regular cleaning, it had fallen into disrepair and became uninhabitable.

So in recent years, whenever they returned, they stayed at a hotel.

Both Isabella and Charles had work commitments, requiring them to return to Fairview by Wednesday night.

As for the others...

Geneva was a city of sorrow for Margaret.

She never intended to stay long.

Edward and William were both born and raised in Fairview, feeling little attachment to Geneva.

None of them planned to linger.

Though Geneva no longer held much sentiment for the Sinclair family, they always visited the old residence during returns.

That evening after dinner, Isabella, Margaret, and the rest went to the old family home.

They were accustomed to the home's dilapidated state.

But seeing it again still weighed heavily on Isabella and Charles.

They had considered tearing it down and rebuilding.

But the house held too many important memories for Margaret and Charles.

Especially Evelyn's room—perhaps due to its location, it remained in relatively good condition.

Sophia had been in good spirits initially.

But seeing the grief affecting Isabella and Margaret dimmed her mood.

She quietly held Isabella's hand, following closely behind.

Before going abroad with Alexander, Sophia had visited Geneva every year with Isabella for Lorenzo's memorial.

She was young then, but retained vague impressions of the place.

Her memories were faint, but she remembered Celeste and the others always seemed sorrowful during visits.

Seeing Isabella's sadness now, she hugged her at Evelyn's room doorway to comfort her.

Feeling the girl's embrace, Isabella paused.

She lowered her head and met Sophia's worried gaze.

A complex look flashed in her eyes, but she ultimately said nothing.

She only reached out and gently stroked the girl's cheek.