The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 458

Theresa was stoked too.

She was totally on board with this surprise dad popping up out of the blue.

Honestly, just moseying along in this lukewarm relationship with Brandon might just be the ticket for Theresa's growth.

As long as she didn't bail on herself, that is.

But then, Sophia felt kinda blue about it all.

She grew up clueless about what family love is, what romance feels like, what home means, or how it feels to be cherished. Life's handed her lemons and vinegar, with hardly any sugar to call her own.

She wondered if this choice meant she'd signed up for this life for good.

She'd spent two years proving that she and Brandon were like oil and water, and these past few months, she'd tried to give it another whirl. But every time she spotted the slightest hiccup, it was like being tossed back two years in time.

With a future stretching out so far ahead, hanging with Brandon still didn't shine a light on any new possibilities.

Being with him meant never shaking off his parents' disdain and hassle, along with Brandon's mood swings and Yolanda's clinginess.

When things were good, Brandon was dreamy, making her feel like she was floating in a fantasy, totally surreal.

But when things went south, it was like winding the clock back to zero. Brandon could flip-flop between sweet and decisive like it was nothing.

no pesky people. She had no expectations from anyone—just her and her kiddo, full of hope for

off, Sophia let out a

all there, laid

on the

having fun with

one hand, lost in the city's night lights, her profile bathed in moonlight, serene as ever, but also seeming like it could

Sophia. They were always straight shooters, ready to talk things through. It's

a middle ground anymore, and talking it out was just a tug-of- war

got where each other was coming from, but making concessions was like a bitter

right or wrong anymore; they just wanted a

comfort zone was away from him and his fam, and his was with her and their kid by

should let go. After all, he knew he

seemed like the best play

Brandon did the usual-bathed Theresa,

she was busy on her computer in the living

Theresa to bed, Brandon hit the sack in the next room,

like before, didn't ask him to

the same roof-no

and during those two years of marriage, she'd never

whenever Brandon got mad and clammed up, she'd go straight to him and ask, "Are you mad?" After finding out why,

figured he realized she wasn't Yolanda and decided to keep his distance. With the stark reality between them, she thought maybe he saw they were worlds apart, so she didn't

either, knowing the ball was in her