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.

was in this tiny place where she and Brandon had their one-night stand, which

Susan Cooper’s begging and tagged along to

who never showed up to these things, would be

chats or reunions. They were like ships passing in the night, briefly crossing paths

vanished even

he’d gone or what he’d done. Whenever Sophia casually prodded her high school friends, there

all these years, Sophia was a mix 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 right next to

it’d show, she hid behind eating and drinking,

neighborly duty, volunteered

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

a boyfriend, but that night,

and the man she’d fantasized

they indulged to the

Brandon to be as green

it was

two years, Sophia understood why Brandon had been single a man wholly devoted

also made him a

the

And for Sophia, too.

life all mapped

already getting her ducks in a row to apply to the School of Architecture of Apex Engineering University. But

it coming. She was

it safe that night, and because they let loose

by the pharmacy 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

was pregnant, she was

Brandon was talking marriage, having

in the first place,

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

HCG report she was

“Let me see

simple, calm sentence, but it was

Sophia handed over the

report for a bit, Brandon asked her,

baby, and its arrival

said. “But the ball’s in your court. If you’re not up for

“Getting married?”

Brandon was pulling her leg, but then she saw him nod earnestly, “I’m

a couple of

on Brandon for years, but she never imagined

over and then told Brandon, “So, let’s tie the knot.” Just like

day, they

seemed absurd, yet somehow it all fell

never imagined that she and the kid weren’t meant

marriage to Brandon to fizzle out

start and a

years felt like a

house, Sophia

night she almost tripped over a shoe and he caught

still remember the focus and the emotional turmoil in his eyes,

had thought that

for many years, which led to

was just a bit too tipsy, that’s

heart ached with

remembered overhearing a tiff between Brandon and his father in the study

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.

my reasons.

not? They say liquor leads to trouble, and look at you. Because of Yolanda Frost, you wouldn’t date anyone, and then you

father Daniel Crawley, his tone icy. This is my

won’t talk about her. Every time she comes up, you jump to her defense I’m

“She’s never coming back”

moments she could detect a different emotion in his usually calm demeanor. Clearly, this “Yolanda girl held a special place

Sophia had heard the name Yolanda, and she felt a bit

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