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.

sudden pang of sadness, “Why are you leaving so suddenly? Studying abroad is such a big step.

will fly by. Sophia reassured him, and seeing Haley still looking worried, she added, Besides, the School of Architecture I got

Haley up, his pride mixed with relief, “That’s

Sophia smiled.

words fell, a two-year-old

down to scoop her up, “Betty, did you have

nodded vigorously, turning to look at her mother, Barbara Yearwood, who had followed her

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

a go-getter, starting from the bottom as a simple insurance sales rep and climbing her way up to sales director, raking in a hefty annual salary.

kid, and she didn’t kick up a fuss, just soldiered

spell her brother had cast on Barbara to make her so willing to support him for years on end.

caught Sophia’s gaze,

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

the room by then, 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, you’ll

So young, yet couldn’t even keep a baby. If you had that

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

and Aaron were both taken aback,

to pack

Aaron were still

How come

sighed. “Yes, it’s

frowned, “Where

she’s going back to

anything more. However, he couldn’t keep things to himself and was worried, so

arriving at the reception, he went straight to the front desk girl. “I’m here

at him, “Hello, do you have an

“He’s my brother-in-law Why would I

that he headed for the

receptionist quickly tried to stop him. “Sir. I’m sorry, I need to confirm with Mr. Crawley’s office

security quickly stepped forward to stop

s my brother-in-law, just let your

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

on here?” he asked as he

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

to see him.”

over skeptically, not seeing any

tell what Kent

really is my sister. If you don’t believe

Kent thought for a moment, then told the security,

Security let him through

mad at him, just pointed to himself, “I told you Mr. Crawley is my brother-in-law and you didn’t

that he followed Kent to the

a moment, I’ll

whispered instructions and then knocked on

Brandon’s deep voice came from

when Aaron

you divorced

Kent was speechless.

Brandon glanced at him.

chill down his spine, “Mr. Yearwood

has hand dismissively. “Yeah, I’m just

deal with you two? How come you’re suddenly divorced? Sophia’s

on the mouse, looking

expression remained calm. He looked at Amron.