The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 5

Sophia didn’t have some kind of super memory. It was just that Laura had always had it in for her since she was a kid. Laura’s favorite line was, “If your dad hadn’t picked you up, you’d have starved to death by now. We’ve fed you, housed you, sent you to school How have we ever wronged you? Is it too much to ask for a little help around the house?”

With that kind of nagging in her ear day in and day out, it would’ve been tough for her not to take notice.

She used to get really upset about it when she was little, not understanding why she wasn’t like everyone else, why she didn’t have parents who doted on her But now that she had grown up, she had come to terms with it. Maybe some folks were just dealt a thinner deck when it comes to kin-whether it was parents, kids, or even spouses. They were just not meant to stick around long, and it seemed she was fated to go it alone in this life

Lucky for her her dad, Haley Yearwood, had always been decent to her

He was the one who found her, and the first person she saw when she came to after passing out with a high fever.

Sophia couldn’t really remember what went down back then, but she had this fuzzy memory of being alone out in the middle of nowhere for a long time, freezing cold and starving, scared out of her wits every day So when she woke up to Haley holding and comforting her she felt this deep sense of kinship and a bit of fear. She clung to Haley and wouldn’t let go. When they couldn’t find her family. Haley felt sorry for her and decided to keep her and adopt her.

Truth be told, their family wasn’t in the best position to take in another mouth to feed, and Laura certainly wasn’t keen on looking after someone else. But she couldn’t win against Haley’s resolve and ended up having to keep Sophia.

Haley had been a pushover his whole life, except for the one time he put his foot down about keeping her. Even though he wasn’t able to provide the kind of care and protection a father should, given his constant work outside, Sophia still had a lot of respect and gratitude for Haley.

She had come back this time just to see Haley before she went abroad, knowing it wouldn’t be as easy to return once she left the country.

Laura, not getting a response from Sophia, had escalated to throwing a fit outside, banging pots and pans around.

What’s going on now? Haley’s voice came from outside the door.

Your precious daughter that we picked up! Do you have any idea how hard it’s been for us to raise her all these years? If not for us, who knows, she might be still grafting away on some assembly line. And would she have had the chance to marry into a family like Brandon’s? Look at her now, acting all high and mighty, too good for her own folks. What’s wrong with helping out the family now that she’s made something of herself?”

Haley’s voice perked up with surprise, “Sophia’s back?”

As his voice trailed off, there was a knock at the door.

Sophia went to open it and saw Haley standing there.

“Dad, she said softly

Haley stepped in, lowering his voice, “Don’t mind your mom. She’s all talk.”

Sophia nodded slightly, “Mhm.”

Haley asked, “What brings you back all of a sudden? Where’s Brandon?”

Sophia hesitated, then came clean, “We got divorced.”

Divorced? Haley’s expression turned serious, “Why?”

Sophia simply said, “We weren’t right for each other.”

Haley frowned, ‘Is it because of your mom and brother?”

Sopha shook her head, “Just tell them not to bother hirn anymore.”

Haley looked hesitant. It wasn’t that he wanted to go, but he couldn’t convince Laura and Aaron: Laura called the shots

Sophia understood his predicament and smiled, “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to them. I just came to see you today I’ve been accepted into a graduate program abroad and I’m leaving tomorrow. It’s a two-year program and I probably won’t be able to visit often, so take care of yourself’

She took out a bank card from her purse, There’s some money on this card. Keep it for now and let me know if you need more.”

Haley quickly tried to give it back, “You’ll need the money abroad. Keep it, I have enough”

“No, I’m good, Sophia insisted, pushing the card back into his hand.

she was leaving the next day, felt a sudden pang of sadness, “Why are you leaving so suddenly? Studying abroad is such a big step.

to see the world a bit. Don’t worry, two years will fly by. Sophia reassured him, and seeing Haley still looking worried, she added, Besides, the School of Architecture I got into is ranked fourth in the world. I’m

seemed to cheer Haley up, his pride mixed with relief, “That’s great.

Sophia smiled.

and as the words fell, a two-year-old girl had already wrapped herself around Sophia’s

scoop her up, “Betty, did you have

look at her mother, Barbara Yearwood, who had followed her into

wife, had been his high school sweetheart, and they got married a couple of years after graduating from college. They had this daughter two years

her way up to sales director, raking in a hefty annual salary. All her earnings, though, were poured into Aaron’s business ventures, which just seemed

Aaron wasn’t working or taking care of the kid, and she didn’t kick up

end. If she had to break it

caught Sophia’s

a “Mhm,” her attention returning to the little tyke snuggled against her

seeing the tenderness in Sophia’s eyes and couldn’t resist being snarky, “If you love kids so much, you better hurry up and have your own. Otherwise, when he finds someone else to have kids with,

clue what you were thinking back then. So young, yet couldn’t even keep a

looking up at her, she said, “Mom, I’ve already divorced Brandon.

and Aaron were both

needed to pack her bags. After bidding Barbara and Haley goodbye,

Aaron were still

real? How come they’re suddenly

“Yes, it’s true.

“Where

going back

However, he couldn’t keep things to himself and was worried, so he headed

went straight to the front desk girl.

smiled at him, “Hello,

Why would

he headed

to stop him. “Sir. I’m sorry, I need to confirm with Mr.

through, but security quickly stepped forward to stop him, Sir, I’m sorry, you need an appointment to

you he s my brother-in-law, just

the security couldn’t let him go. Just then, Kent returned from outside

here?” he asked as

guard greeted him respectfully. “This gentleman claims to be Mr. Crawley’s brother-in-law

to see him.”

over skeptically, not seeing any resemblance

tell what Kent was

you don’t believe me, go ask

a moment, then told the security,

Security let him through

himself, “I told you Mr. Crawley is my

followed Kent to the CEO’s office on the top

moment, I’ll

whispered instructions

in!” Brandon’s deep voice

Aaron pushed the door wider from behind him and stepped

have you

Kent was speechless.

Brandon glanced at him.

suddenly felt a chill down his spine, “Mr. Yearwood came in

has hand dismissively. “Yeah,

deal with you two? How come

Brandon’s hand pause on the

He looked