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.

their one-night stand, which led to the

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

never showed up to these things, would be there

and Brandon lost all contact, didn’t join the class group chats or reunions. They were

had vanished even

done. Whenever Sophia casually prodded her high school friends,

nervous. The crush she never dared to voice was swirling in her chest, but she never

show, she hid behind eating and drinking, unwittingly

duty, volunteered to take her home after

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

had a boyfriend, but that night, she

and the man she’d fantasized about countless

to the fullest, both inexperienced but

to be as green as her in love

and looks, it was impossible he

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

strict upbringing also made him

night was probably the only slip-up in his

And for Sophia, too.

her life all mapped

design in college and had a decent amount of 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 Architecture of Apex Engineering University. But one unexpected night threw

it coming. She

hadn’t played it safe that night, and because they let loose a little

ng her fingers, hoping that she was in the clear since it was supposedly her safe period. But as fate would have it.

out she was pregnant, she was at

talking marriage, having the kid and all

hadn’t planned on telling Brandon in the first place, but

keep the test results under wraps,

was hiding behind

“Let me see

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

handed over

staring at the report for a bit,

shook her head, clueless. She hadn’t anticipated this baby, and its arrival had totally

having the baby, Brandon said. “But the ball’s in

“Getting married?”

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

a couple of days to mull

had been sweet on Brandon for years, but she never imagined that one day he’d pop the

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

day, they picked up their marriage

somehow it all fell into

that she and the kid

she expect her marriage to Brandon

whirlwind start

past two years felt

her house, Sophia felt

night she almost tripped over a shoe and he caught her, the intense look

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

had thought

feelings for many years, which led

it wasn’t the case. He was just a bit

heart ached with

father in the study a few days ago

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

my reasons.

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

his father Daniel Crawley, his tone icy. This is my fault,

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,

time Sophia had heard the name Yolanda, and she