The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 664

The moment Sophia's hand was grasped, her body stiffened involuntarily, her palm twitched slightly, unused to the contact and itching to pull away. But when she caught the look of delighted surprise in Theresa's eyes, she hesitated and stayed still.

It seemed like Theresa thought Brandon holding her hand was a rare and exciting treat. Even as she lay on Brandon's shoulder, she propped herself up on her little elbows, craning her neck like a curious meerkat, her round eyes glued to the sight of Brandon holding her hand, a look of amazement mixed with a healthy dose of nosiness.

Sophia thought back to this morning when Theresa heard Brandon say, "Daddy is kissing Mommy," and the sudden sparkle that filled her eyes, followed by her careful, almost fearful question, "So... does that mean my mommy and daddy are like... other mommies and daddies now?" Her moving hand gradually came to a rest.

The memory of Theresa's tear-streaked face, gasping for air in distress that day, kept replaying in Sophia's mind, and the guilt and sympathy she felt deep inside made it hard to let her down again.

She mustered a smile for Theresa, fighting the urge to pull her hand away, and let Brandon lead them toward the elevator.

Brandon hadn't missed her subtle shift.

He knew that everything she had yielded to him, both now and before the incident, was all for Theresa's sake.

Often, she was just suppressing her own true desires to make Theresa happy.

In the past, he might have thought this was just another way to keep her around.

As long as she stayed, it didn't matter to him why she did.

But after the scare of nearly losing her these past months, and having read that long letter she wrote and then deleted, Brandon realized he wanted her to be happy and content, to live as she truly wished.

As he held her hand, there was a fleeting moment when he thought of letting go, of not forcing her to stay. But it was just a fleeting thought before he tightened his grip once more.

He told himself that Sophia, without her past memories, couldn't fully represent her true feelings.

She was like a newborn baby, still reconstructing her understanding of their little trio's world, and he couldn't just go by her wishes at this time.

If one day, the old Sophia came back, and if she still wanted a life without him, then he'd respect her wishes, let her go, as she wanted.

His grip on her hand unconsciously tightened with his thoughts.

the elevator doors opened, he led Sophia and Theresa inside, pressing the button for

turn to Sophia and share, "Mommy,

smiled back, "Is that so?" though her gaze had already shifted to

of him, she could

the slight tightness in Brandon's profile, a tension that synchronized with his grip on her

the hand, the more taut

her lips, feeling the grip on her hand, and tried

look at Sophia and

she gave

slightly apologetic one, the stiffness

reciprocated with another polite smile, but asked no

I was just pondering some stuff, got a bit distracted,"

time, just drift off into thoughts. Sometimes when I snap out of it, I can't even remember what I was

on her,

for a moment, a bit awkwardly, and she didn't press him on

already speaking again, "I was just thinking, since you're not used to me holding

want any

off

at their

Why not let go?

to," Brandon answered her unasked question, "We're too alike, you and I. Between us, someone has to take the

firmly on her as he

always struggled to withstand Brandon's gaze, especially when he looked at her with such

was

other was still at an early

She couldn't easily

him or, like

or joke to smoothly transition out of the

couldn't outright deny what