The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 272

Susan chuckled and gave her shoulder a pat, "Chill out, don't overthink it. Trust that everything happens for a reason."

Sophia cracked a smile and nodded gently, "Yeah."

She carried Theresa back upstairs, tucked her in, took a shower, and then hit the sack.

When lights out came, Sophia habitually glanced at her phone and noticed a message from Brandon.

Puzzled, she picked it up.

His message was short and sweet. [Got home.]

Sophia stared at that message, kinda lost in thought.

Back when she and Brandon weren't divorced, their exchanges were pretty much limited to this sorta stuff.

[Working late, hit the hay without me.]

[Got a client dinner, don't wait up.]

And it would always end with her replying, [Okay.]

Seeing a message like that now, Sophia still felt a twinge of that old resistance.

But she replied anyway with one word. [Okay.]

She was about to set the phone down when it buzzed again with a new message. [Still up?] It was Brandon again.

That kind of small talk was something he would never have wasted time on in the past.

Their interactions were all about keeping each other posted.

Sophia's gaze lingered on the phone, slightly torn, but she eventually responded. [About to sleep.]

She thought about texting back, [How come you're not asleep yet?] After typing it out, Sophia deleted the message, not really wanting to drag out the conversation.

In the past, she tried following up with messages, cautiously asking things like, [Working late again?] But she'd just get his cool, reasoned explanations in return, making her queries seem a bit childish by comparison.

Back then, she was still head over heels for Brandon, easily fretting over every little thing. A simple inquiry could make her anxious, afraid of coming off as too inconsiderate, worried that it might turn him off. So eventually, she stopped asking.

Now, there wasn't that same sense of anxiety, just a feeling that there was no need to prolong the discussion.

She muted her phone and put it down without giving it another thought.

That night she didn't sleep well - her dreams were full of the polite distance of those two years of marriage and Daniel and Patricia's sharp tongues.

In the wee hours, she woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare, startling Theresa, who was sleeping next to her.

Theresa peered at her with bleary eyes, uncertain, "Mommy?"

Sophia held her tight and whispered soothingly, "It's okay."

Theresa quickly fell back asleep with her mom's reassurance.

But Sophia couldn't catch any more Z's.

It had been almost two years since she last had a nightmare, especially one about that marriage.

before dawn and was rudely awakened by

off the alarm and decided to

clothes, grabbed her phone and bag, and dashed out the door, making sure to hail a cab. Standing

looked over and caught sight of

She was taken aback.

had already stepped out of the car and was looking at her, "Hop

hesitated, then looked at him, "What are you

by," he said, already opening

hesitated, eyeing his

gaze was firm, "Sophia, we can't cut ties that cleanly. You said before, let's be friends, so let's be friends," he

didn't know

to force you. Or we can just stand here and wait,

Sophia looked at him.

were calm, but there was an

lips

passenger door and got

and the car pulled away, a warm breakfast was

to

His voice was steady.

was focused on driving, his handsome face

assertiveness from

"Thanks."

murmured her thanks

sleep well last night?" Brandon glanced at her tired face and

"No, just went to bed

in acknowledgment and

opened the breakfast bag

skipped breakfast,

munching, she finally had a chance

Brandon's reply from the night

[Okay, sleep early.]

you up in

felt a mix of emotions and

went to bed after replying last night, didn't

it."

at her tackling breakfast,

embarrassed and nodded,

hesitated,

got here a little

of a breakfast spot near a mall, and turned to ask her, "Is that enough for you? Want to

slightly, "No need,

him the bag, "I can't

in her hand, nodded,

knew Sophia wasn't a big eater, especially for breakfast - an egg, a glass of milk, and a sandwich were usually enough for

was mostly taken care of by Sophia. Nothing fancy, but

the office on my own. No need

Sophia softly said

a waste of your

not

about it

Sophia nodded gently. "Mhm."

the car arrived at the underground parking of the