The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 81

Brandon didn’t respond. He lingered at the door for a moment, then strode away.

Sophia watched his retreating figure, sitting on the bed motionless, not even realizing when her fingers had hit the answer button on the phone until Susan’s voice, laced with concem, broke through, “Sophia? What’s up?”

Sophia snapped back to reality, peering at her phone screen through a blurry gaze, she saw Susan’s worried face.

“What’s wrong? Susan’s voice softened, tinged with caution.

Sophia shook her head slightly. “It’s nothing.”

Susan asked, “Did Brandon come over?”

Sophia nodded gently, “Yeah.”

“So, did you guys?” She hesitated, glancing at Sophia, wanting to ask if Brandon had managed to stop her, but seeing Sophia clad in the hospital gown with puffy eyes, the words got stuck in her throat. Instead, she shifted to a gentle reassurance, “It’s alright, there’s no hurdle we can’t get over”

Sophia managed a weak smile, “Yeah.”

paid for the delivery service and got a waiter to take it up to her. He didn’t leave, just stood at the restaurant entrance, watching the hustle and bustle on the street, feeling a hollow ache

imagined countless times what their child might look like, whether like him or Sophia, or a mix of both. He had fantasized about every

his stomach churning with familiar spasms as his emotions rolled, filled with the scene of Sophia with tear–filled eyes begging him to let her go. The stomach cramps worsened, but then his thoughts drifted back to that summer years ago when she stood on the stage

look in her eyes, which were

the DNA report from his pocket, crisply tore it

two halves into a ball, ready to throw it away, but then his hands paused mid–air, frozen. After a long silence, he withdrew his hands, pocketing the crumpled DNA report once more, looked towards the hospital, and then turned to

didn’t step into the patient’s room.

just stood outside the ward, a short distance away, peering through

had been delivered and Sophia took a few bites before setting

inside the room as she lay down and drifted into a shallow sleep. Only then did he

eyes met silently, then both looked

finished tucking her in, “Take

“Mhm,

a while, then his phone

the call, and when he returned, the room was empty, the hospital gown and blanket neatly folded on the bed. Brandon chuckled and shook his head, not bothering to investigate

and third day, Brandon didn’t seek out Sophia, just busied himself with work at the hotel,

the fourth day, Brandon waited Sophia’s school, but didn’t find