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.

was in this tiny place where she and Brandon had their one-night stand, which led to the pregnancy that bound them together

couldn’t resist her buddy Susan Cooper’s begging

the guy who never showed up to these things, would be there

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

had vanished

he’d gone or what he’d done. Whenever Sophia casually

she never found the

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

volunteered to take her home after the

she was a bit drunk, she wasn’t out cold. Still, the alcohol did a number on her balance. In her tiny one-room house, she tripped over shoes left by the door as soon 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

never even had a boyfriend, but that night, she got lost in Brandon’s deep.

the gaze and the man she’d fantasized

indulged to the fullest, both inexperienced

be as green as her in love and other

background and looks, it was impossible he couldn’t have had a

had been single a man wholly devoted to his work didn’t have the

him a

probably the only slip-up in his

And for Sophia, too.

had her life all mapped

getting her ducks

it coming.

safe that night, and because they let loose a little too much, they both overslept the

was also kind of ng her fingers,

out she was pregnant, she

Brandon was talking marriage, having the kid and all that

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

the test results under wraps, but

she was hiding behind

“Let me see

calm sentence, but it was laced with

Sophia handed

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

baby, and its arrival had

towards us getting married and having the baby, Brandon said. “But the ball’s in your court. If you’re

“Getting married?”

thought Brandon was pulling her leg, but then she saw him nod

couple of days to mull

she never imagined

days to think it over and then told Brandon, “So, let’s tie the

day, they picked up

yet somehow

and the kid

her marriage to Brandon to fizzle out before their third

whirlwind start and

two years felt

her house, Sophia felt

almost tripped over a shoe and he caught her,

the emotional turmoil in his eyes,

thought that was

like her, had harbored feelings for many

the case. He was just a bit too

ached with this

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

gravely ill back then. He was 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 with. your child, so I didn’t

my reasons. Mind your

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

Crawley, his tone icy. This is my

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, you

“She’s never coming back”

faded a bit. It was one of the rare moments she could detect a different emotion in his usually calm demeanor. Clearly, this

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