The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 2

Brandon bee-lined home.

It was his first time ducking out of work to head back

His pad, spick and span, no longer had any traces of Sophia, except for that divorce agreement on the coffee table, all mussed up by the breeze.

Brandon reached for it

The agreement was straightforward. Sophia didn’t want a thing. What was hers before the marriage stayed hers after

Her signature was already on the dotted line

Her handwriting was gorgeous, all flowy and elegant.

Brandon zoned out staring at the signature on the divorce papers.

No clue how much time had passed when the rustling sound of the door opening snapped him back to reality

Brandon whipped his head toward the entrance.

Patricia had just stepped in, and his sudden glance startled her big time

“What’s up?” she asked, puzzled, clearly noticing the flicker of hope on Brandon’s face slowly fade into dead calm.

“Nothing much, he replied coolly. “What brings you here?”

“I was worried Sophia might be bored stiff at home alone, just dropped by to keep her company, Patricia said with a smile, moving towards him, “What’s with the sudden home run today? Something up with Sophia?”

As she spoke, her brows furrowed with concern, her head turning towards the room.

“She’s fine, Brandon said, looking at her, “Do you drop by often?”

“Not really, just now and then.”

Patricia’s face was painted with awkward embarrassment, and upon finishing her sentence, she saw Brandon’s brow furrow

She quickly changed the subject to the papers in Brandon’s hand “What’s that?”

Reaching to grab them, but before her fingertips could touch the documents, Brandon pressed them down first.

“It’s nothing. Brandon said, looking at Patricia, “No need for you to come over if there’s no issue. Sophia’s got her work. cut out for her. We’ll come visit you when we get the chance.”

“She, Patricia began, almost blurting out “What work could she possibly have?” but quickly bit her tongue, “Alright then.

She couldn’t help but remind Brandon, Sophia’s been recuperating for over a year and still no baby bump. I hope she hasn’t got some lingering issues. Have her get checked at the hospital when she can. I wouldn’t want troubles with having kids later.

Brandon said. “It’s the kid I didn’t want.”

Patricia looked at him, baffled

Brandon issued the boot. “You better head back, and don’t come around unless it’s necessary.”

Patricia’s mouth hung open, wanting to protest, but ultimately, she shut it under Brandon’s icy stare, and turned to leave.

Brandon watched the door close, glanced around the house now devoid of Suphia’s presence, heaved a long sigh, picked up his phone, and dialed his assistant Kent. “Kent, set up a meeting with the lawyer, gotta sort out this divorce

Huh? Kent was taken aback. Wasn’t it just yesterday he’d sent Sophia over? They didn’t seem to be at odds.

Brandon hall aiready hung up, tossing the divorce papers on the coffee table and stepping out the door

Sophia moved back to her smell suburban house.

Chapter

She’d bought it before getting hitched, just the right size for her solo living.

Brandon had their one-night

resist her buddy Susan Cooper’s begging and

would’ve thought Brandon, the guy who never showed up

she and Brandon lost all contact, didn’t join the class group chats or reunions. They were like ships passing in the night, briefly crossing paths before vanishing

had vanished even

he’d done. Whenever Sophia casually prodded her high school

of thrilled and nervous. The crush she never dared to voice was swirling in her chest, but she never found the courage to spill it, even talking to him was stiff and formal, especially with him sitting

hid behind eating and drinking, unwittingly getting

neighborly duty, volunteered to take

as she entered. Brandon, quick on the uptake, caught her and in the inertia of the moment, she ended up in his arms. The lights were off, Brandon had had a few himself, and whether it was the booze or the night’s spell, when their gazes met, the chemistry was undeniable. Alone, tipsy, and with the man she’d pined over for years, their locked eyes became impossible to break away from, and as their

casual hook-ups. She’d never even had a boyfriend, but that night, she got lost in Brandon’s deep. soft, yet

was the gaze and the man she’d fantasized about

night, they indulged to the fullest, both inexperienced

green as

was

single a man wholly devoted to his work

him

probably the only

And for Sophia, too.

her life

college and had a decent amount of talent and skills. She was looking to get some advanced training and was already getting her ducks in a row to apply to the School of Architecture of Apex Engineering University. But one unexpected night threw a wrench into

never saw it coming.

that night, and because they let loose a little too much, they

for the morning-after pill. She was also kind of ng her fingers, hoping that she was in the clear since it was supposedly her safe period. But as fate

she was pregnant, she

was talking marriage, having the kid

since that night, and they hadn’t been in touch since. Sophia hadn’t planned on telling Brandon in the first place, but as luck would have it, she bumped into

and wanted to keep the test results under wraps, but

was hiding behind her back, and reached out for

“Let me see

but it was laced with an

Sophia handed

for a bit, Brandon asked her, “What’s your game

hadn’t anticipated this baby, and its arrival had totally scrambled

married and having the baby, Brandon said. “But the

“Getting married?”

pulling her leg, but then she saw him nod earnestly,

couple of days

she never imagined that one day he’d pop the

took two days to think it over and then told Brandon, “So, let’s tie the knot.” Just like during a divorce, he

third day, they picked up their marriage

absurd, yet somehow

Sophia never imagined that she and the kid weren’t meant

marriage to Brandon

whirlwind start and a whirlwind

two years felt

familiar things in her house, Sophia felt

shoe and he caught her, the

the focus and the emotional turmoil in his eyes, and even now, her heart skipped a beat at the

had thought that was

her, had harbored feelings for

it wasn’t the case. He was just a bit too tipsy, that’s

ached with this

his father in the study a few days ago when

wanted to see you married before he passed. You didn’t want him to leave with regrets, so you rushed things with Sophia. It just so happened that she was pregnant with. your child, so I

got my reasons. Mind

Frost, you wouldn’t date anyone, and then you go to some damn reunion, and next thing you

Brandon abruptly cut off his father Daniel Crawley, his tone icy. This is my fault,

her defense I’m just asking, what if Yolanda comes

“She’s never coming back”

could tell that Brandon’s voice faded a bit. It was one of the rare moments she could detect a different emotion in his usually calm

had heard the name