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

Susan Cooper’s begging

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

high school, 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 into their

Brandon had vanished even more

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

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

she hid behind

duty, volunteered to take her home

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

a boyfriend, but

and the man she’d

night, they indulged to the fullest, both inexperienced but

as green as her in

it was impossible

why Brandon had been single a man wholly

made him a stickler

was probably the only slip-up

And for Sophia, too.

had her life all

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

it coming.

safe that night, and because they let loose

to rush to, she didn’t have time to swing 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 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

the test results under wraps,

she was hiding behind her back, and reached out

“Let me see

but it was laced with

Sophia handed

staring at the report for a bit,

She hadn’t anticipated this baby, and its arrival had

Brandon said. “But the ball’s in your court. If you’re

“Getting married?”

thought Brandon was pulling her leg, but then she saw

of days to

sweet on Brandon for years, but 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 in agreement,

the third day, they picked up their marriage

yet somehow it all

Sophia never imagined that she and the kid

expect her marriage to Brandon to fizzle out before

start

two years

familiar things in her house, Sophia felt an aching

shoe and he caught her, the intense look in his eyes

the focus and the emotional turmoil in his eyes, and even now,

thought

for many years,

it wasn’t the case. He was just a bit

heart ached with

Brandon and his father in the study a few days ago when

grandpa was 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 say

my reasons. Mind your own

liquor leads to trouble, and look at you. Because of Yolanda Frost, you wouldn’t date anyone, and then you go to some damn reunion, and next thing you know, that woman

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

she comes up, you jump to her defense I’m just asking, what if Yolanda comes back? Don’t forget, you were engaged to

“She’s never coming back”

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

had heard the