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.

tiny place where she and Brandon had their one-night stand, which led

her buddy Susan Cooper’s begging and tagged along to the high school

thought Brandon, the guy who never showed

all contact, didn’t join the class group chats or reunions. They were like ships passing

Brandon had vanished

Whenever Sophia casually prodded her high school

her chest, but she never found the courage to spill it, even talking to him was stiff and formal, especially with him

she hid

neighborly duty, volunteered to take her home after the

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

never even had a boyfriend, but that night,

gaze and the man she’d fantasized about countless

night, they indulged to the fullest, both inexperienced but

expected Brandon to be as green

looks, it was

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

also made him a stickler for clean

probably the only slip-up in

And for Sophia, too.

life all

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. She was

because they let loose a little too much, they both overslept 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 would have

was pregnant,

was talking marriage, having the kid

since. Sophia hadn’t planned on telling Brandon in the first place, but as luck would have it, she bumped into him at the hospital where he was

and wanted to keep the test results under wraps, but it

she was

“Let me see

a simple, calm sentence, but it was laced with an aura that brooked no

Sophia handed over

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

She hadn’t anticipated this baby, and

us getting married and having the baby, Brandon said. “But the ball’s in your

“Getting married?”

was pulling her leg, but

of days to mull it

years, but she never imagined that one

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

the third day, they picked up

absurd, yet somehow it

and the kid weren’t

her marriage to Brandon to

was a whirlwind start and a

two years

house, Sophia felt an aching emptiness

over a shoe and he

focus and the emotional turmoil in his eyes, and even

had thought that was

he, like her, had harbored feelings for many years, which led

was just

heart ached

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

so happened that she was pregnant with. your child, so I didn’t say much. It gave your grandpa peace, but it’s been two years, and that child wasn’t meant to be with you guys You’re not planning to drag this out

my reasons. Mind your

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

off his father Daniel Crawley, his tone

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, you were engaged

“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 in

heard the name