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.

in this tiny place where she and Brandon had their

she couldn’t resist her buddy Susan Cooper’s begging and

guy who never showed up to

group chats or reunions. They were like ships passing in the

Brandon had vanished even

Sophia casually prodded her high school friends, there wasn’t a

she never found the

hid behind eating and

of neighborly duty, volunteered to take her home

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

even had a boyfriend, but that night, she got lost in

was the gaze and the man she’d fantasized about countless

they indulged to the fullest, both inexperienced but incredibly

green as her in love and other

was impossible

understood why Brandon had been single a man wholly devoted to his work didn’t

him

the

And for Sophia, too.

life all mapped

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

it coming.

loose a little

was also kind of ng her fingers, hoping that she was in the clear since it was supposedly her safe period. But as fate would have it. she

found out she was pregnant, she was at

Brandon was talking marriage, having the kid and all

in touch since. Sophia hadn’t planned on telling Brandon in the first place,

a bit red-faced and wanted to keep the test results under wraps, but

a glimpse of the HCG report she was hiding behind her back, and

“Let me see

calm sentence, but it was

Sophia handed over

staring at the report for a bit, Brandon asked her, “What’s your game

head, clueless. She hadn’t anticipated this baby, and its arrival

married and having the baby, Brandon said. “But the ball’s in your court. If you’re not up for it, I won’t

“Getting married?”

thought Brandon was pulling her leg, but then she saw

of days to

but she never imagined that one day he’d pop the

Brandon, “So, let’s tie the knot.” Just like during a divorce,

they

seemed absurd, yet somehow

never imagined that she and

she expect her marriage to Brandon to fizzle out before their

start and a whirlwind

two years felt like a

her house, Sophia felt

replayed the night she almost tripped over a shoe and he caught her, the intense

emotional turmoil in his eyes, and even

had thought

had harbored feelings for many years, which

was just

heart ached

overhearing a tiff between Brandon and his father in the study a few days ago

fond of you and 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

got my reasons. Mind your own

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

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

alright, I won’t talk about her. Every time she comes up, you jump to her defense I’m just asking, what if Yolanda comes back? Don’t forget,

“She’s never coming back”

bit. It was one of the rare moments she could detect a different emotion in his usually calm demeanor. Clearly, this “Yolanda girl held a special place

the first time Sophia had heard the