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.

had their one-night stand, which led to the pregnancy

Susan Cooper’s begging and tagged along

showed up to these things, would be there

and Brandon lost all contact, didn’t join the class group chats or reunions. They were like ships passing in the night, briefly

had vanished even more

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

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

hid behind

volunteered to take her home after

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

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

the gaze and the man she’d

they indulged to the

Brandon to be as green as her in

background and looks, it was impossible he couldn’t

man wholly devoted to his work didn’t have the spare effort or time for

him a stickler for

probably the only slip-up in

And for Sophia, too.

her life all mapped

of talent and skills. She was looking to get some advanced training and was already getting her ducks in a row to apply to

never saw it coming. She

let loose a little too much, they both overslept

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, she was at sixes

talking marriage, having the kid and all that

since. Sophia hadn’t planned on telling Brandon in the

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

was hiding behind

“Let me see

but it was laced with an aura that brooked no

handed

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

She hadn’t anticipated this baby, and its arrival

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

“Getting married?”

was pulling her leg,

of days to mull

sweet on Brandon for years, but she never imagined that

and then told Brandon, “So, let’s tie the knot.” Just like during a divorce, he simply

third day, they picked

seemed absurd, yet somehow it all

never imagined that she and the

did she expect her marriage to Brandon to fizzle out before

start and a

past two years felt like a

house, Sophia felt an

tripped over a shoe and

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

had thought

harbored feelings for many years, which

out, it wasn’t the case. He was just a bit

heart ached with

his father in the

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

reasons. Mind

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 sneaks into

Daniel Crawley, his tone icy. This is my

her defense I’m just asking, what if Yolanda comes back? Don’t forget,

“She’s never coming back”

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

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