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 to the pregnancy

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

thought Brandon, the guy who never showed up

the class group chats or reunions. They were like

vanished even

or what he’d done. Whenever Sophia casually prodded

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

afraid it’d show, she hid behind

volunteered

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

had a boyfriend, but that

was the gaze and the man she’d

they indulged to the fullest, both inexperienced but

be as green as her in love and

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

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

him a

was probably the only

And for Sophia, too.

her life

getting her ducks in a row to

it

because they let loose a little too much, they both overslept the next day.

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 was

pregnant, she was at

having

Sophia hadn’t planned on telling Brandon in the

wanted to keep the

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

“Let me see

sentence, but it was laced with an

handed over the

bit, Brandon

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

the ball’s in your court. If you’re not up for it, I

“Getting married?”

leg,

gave her a couple of days to mull

for years, but she never imagined that one day he’d pop

between confusion and longing, she took two days to think it over and then told Brandon, “So, let’s tie the knot.” Just like

they picked up their

somehow

and the kid weren’t meant

marriage to Brandon to fizzle out

start and a

past two years felt

familiar things in her house, Sophia felt an aching emptiness

and

the emotional turmoil in his eyes, and even now, her heart

had thought that

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

the case. He was just a

ached with

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

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 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

got my reasons.

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

his father Daniel Crawley, his tone icy. This is my fault, not

jump to her defense I’m just

“She’s never coming back”

could detect a

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

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