The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

"Jasper, you're back," Justin greeted with a faint smile. Even so, his grip on Alyssa only tightened, showing no sign of letting her go. His eyes gleamed with an

intense possessiveness.

Alyssa's heart skipped a beat. As she looked into Jasper's deep, distant eyes, tears welled up quietly. At that moment, she felt her entanglement with Justin was nothing short of disgraceful.

Nevertheless, having come this far with her act, she knew all her efforts would be in vain if she gave up now. So, she had no choice but to keep playing her part.

Instead of pulling away from Justin, she even curved her lips slightly in a faint smile.

"Hi, Mr. Jasper."

Mr. Jasper?

Jasper's expression darkened. His fists clenched, his eyes unreadable.

"W-What are you two up to?" he asked hoarsely.

Justin's eyes twinkled slightly as he maintained his calm, elegant smile. "I hosted a guest at Seaview Manor tonight. We happened to discuss a business partnership, so I invited Lyse over for dinner as well.

"We just finished, and I was about to send her home. If I'd known you were coming tonight, I would've asked you to join us."

"Join us?" Jasper forced a cold smirk. "If I were around, you probably wouldn't have the appetite to eat. Besides, wouldn't I have ruined the mood for you and Ms. Alyssa?"

His icy, mocking words pierced Alyssa's heart. Her gaze faltered.

"Jasper, you're much more adorable now than before. At the very least, you've developed a sense of humor."

Justin brushed past Jasper casually, still holding Alyssa by the hand. "It's getting late. I'd better send Lyse home so she can rest. We'll chat another time."

As Alyssa passed Jasper, her silky dark hair brushed lightly against his shoulder, carrying a familiar scent that lingered in the air.

His heart thudded violently, and he parted his lips slightly. He couldn't help turning around, only to see the frail Justin, who was always afraid of the cold, removing his wool coat and draping it gently over Alyssa's shoulders by the door.

For some reason, Jasper's heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. He stared fixedly at Alyssa's back, waiting. Waiting for her-the woman who had always hated Justin-to refuse his kind gesture.

But instead, she lifted her alluring face toward Justin and smiled sweetly. "Thank you," she said.

"No worries. The night breeze is chilly. I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

Jasper watched helplessly as the two left together, Justin's arm casually resting around the small of Alyssa's back.

To Jasper, Justin's gentlemanly gestures were nothing but a blatant claim of ownership. He clenched his jaw so hard he could taste the tang of blood at the back of his throat as his chest rose and fell heavily.

Seaview Manor was cloaked in silence in the dead of night.

After everything that had happened, the place no longer felt like a home. It was more like an extravagant yet desolate palace—a stage for power struggles.

Xavier hurried through the dim, empty corridor, its creepy atmosphere resembling that of a horror movie set. No timid soul would dare linger here for long.

Fortunately, Xavier wasn't afraid of ghosts. He'd met people far more terrifying than any ghost.

"Mr. Beckett, are you in there? It's me!"

He knocked urgently. After a moment, a muffled voice came from within. "Come in..."

Xavier pushed the door open and froze in shock. Empty bottles of red

wine, whiskey, and other spirits

littered the coffee table or

One even

rolled to a stop at his feet.

The room was dimly lit by a single floor lamp. Jasper sat slumped on the floor,

leaning against the couch, chugging red wine straight from the bottle.

"Mr. Beckett, what are you doing? You shouldn't be drinking like this-not in your current condition!"

Frightened and frustrated, Xavier

ет

rushed over, snatching the empty bottle from Jasper's hand. With all his strength, he helped him sit upright on the couch.

"Dr. Lovelace warned you repeatedly. The medication he developed can keep your condition stable, but you must not overdrink or let your emotions spiral!

"If your central nervous system is thrown off again and the medicine loses its

effect, not even God can save you! Is this really what you want?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted a drink. My chest feels tight."

Jasper closed his eyes wearily, his breath heavy with alcohol.

"A drink? It looks like you've finished every drop in your wine cabinet! At this rate, you'll be reaching for the white wine next!"

Xavier hurried to pour a glass of warm water, then found two tablets and helped Jasper swallow them.

Julien's medication supply was

already running low. Xavier knew he had to contact him soon to replenish it before Jasper's conditiono

spiraled out of control.

Concerned, Xavier asked, "What happened, Mr. Beckett? Why are you drinking like this?"

"Xavier, my chest... feels tight."

Still tipsy, Jasper thumped his fist weakly against his chest.

Worried he might hurt himself, Xavier caught his hand. "What happened? Did that bastard Justin give you trouble again? Tell me!"

"Alyssa... do you really have to take your act this far?"

Jasper's bleary eyes half-closed as he muttered, "Are you really just pretending? Or... have you already fallen for him?"

Xavier was stunned. "Him" could only mean Justin.

"Mr. Beckett, to be honest, deep down, you've never moved on from Madam Alyssa... You still care about her, don't you? You still love her, right?"

As Xavier spoke, he discreetly took out his phone and turned on the recorder, hoping to capture Jasper's confession.

But in the end, all he recorded was Jasper's soft snores-he had already passed out drunk on the couch.

Chapter 700

Patricia watched Marian's silhouette fade away at the restaurant's entrance, her smile slowly vanishing with it. Once Marian was out of sight, Patricia's expression turned serious and anxious again.

She reached for her phone on the table, unlocked it, and was about to open an app when she hesitated, as if it were something dangerous. She tossed the phone back onto the table, taking deep breaths to calm herself. But after only a couple of seconds, her trembling hand reached for the phone again.

With a few more deep breaths, she nervously opened the search engine and typed in the phone number for YUCN University. Seeing the numbers pop up on the screen, she steadied herself and dialed.

"Hello, could you please tell me if there's still a teacher named Wendy Cooper at your university?"

Next door at another restaurant

Sophia and Brandon had just arrived in their reserved private room when they ran into President Poe.

President Poe seemed surprised to see Brandon there. He paused for a moment, then broke into a wide grin. "Brandon? What brings you here today?"

As he spoke, he walked over and gave Brandon a friendly pat on the shoulder before turning to Sophia with a smile. "You two have already met, I assume? No introductions needed?"

Sophia shook her head with a smile. "No need, we've met."

"Good to hear," President Poe said with a chuckle. "I was going to introduce you two earlier, but I know how busy Brandon is with work. I didn't want to impose."

Brandon chuckled, "You should have introduced us sooner, President."

President Poe looked at him in surprise, teasing, "Did I hear that right? Brandon, the guy who lives and breathes work, actually wanted to meet a girl? Just the other day, the former principal and your class advisor were chatting about you. They said you're one of the most outstanding students but also the one they worry about the most. Apparently, a few of you have been openly dating, including you and the top student, someone named Sophia, I think."

Brandon cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed.

Sophia looked at President Poe, puzzled. "What?"

Her surprised expression amused President Poe, who gestured for them to sit and continued, "You're surprised too, huh? You seemed like such a model student, but

it turns out you dared to have a high school romance."

"Are we even dating?" Sophia couldn't help but ask, glancing at Brandon, surprised by the revelation.

Brandon looked at her, then turned back to President Poe with a grin. "President, you're spreading rumors now."

President Poe laughed heartily. "Not dating? Really? Your advisor said he used to see you waiting at the school gate every day, walking home together, attending night classes together. He was so worried you two would get too involved and neglect your studies. But he didn't want to talk to you directly and risk upsetting you, so he lost sleep over it for days. In the end, he had no choice but to separate you two in class-one east, one west, one in front, one in back. That's how he nipped your little romance in the bud."

Sophia was speechless.

Brandon gave President Poe an amused look. "Make sure to thank him for me, will you?"

President Poe, missing the sarcasm, nodded cheerfully. "I'll be sure to pass that on."

Brandon smiled, then suddenly pulled Sophia closer, turning to President Poe. "Let me formally introduce you: my girlfriend, and wife, Sophia."

President Poe was taken aback. "She's Sophia?"

Sophia shyly smiled and greeted him, "Hello, President Poe."

"Really, Sophia?" President Poe was still in shock.

He wasn't one to

to keep up with

not have recognized her from

Sophia and Brandon's achievements as students. Still, he hadn't personally taught them and was a bit face-blind; a change of hairstyle could completely throw him off. He just never connected the dots between the Sophia in front of him and the Sophia from the

looked at him with a smile. "President, shouldn't you have kept

photo, I wouldn't remember faces," President Poe admitted, still a bit

was mistaken and flipped open the folder he brought, revealing the science center design proposal. But

Poe frowned in

Arlene before," Sophia explained apologetically.

turning to Brandon. "If she's your wife, why did

"I'll explain it all to you another time. In any case, thank

if it hadn't been for the science center's design competition at the university, he might never have

of each other's existence,

Sophia. "It's all thanks to Sophia's talent that her work stood out and caught

eye."

that made it possible," Sophia politely

in a toast, while his other hand gently placed a freshly poured cup of warm tea into Sophia's hand. Smiling, he explained to President Poe, "Sophia's not feeling her best,

grinned, "Absolutely, I don't think young ladies should feel pressured to

glass, clinking it against Brandon's and Sophia's before taking

the conversation naturally drifted back to the design plans for the

Poe was absorbedChapter

"Hey, Auntie."

out of the private room, she answered

"Sophia, are you busy?"

voice came through the

work with a client," Sophia

working? What's up with that man? He brings you back without a word,

"He's been really good to me. It's my choice to work. It's not even that exhausting, just a bit of paperwork

Amanda said with a hint of displeasure. "A man who drags you away against your will, who knows what he's really like? Don't just believe

time Amanda had expressed her doubts about

strong-willed. Once she decided Brandon was a problem, no amount of explanation

understanding with Amanda, Sophia opted to change the subject. "So,

we were supposed to have lunch today, right? Harvey has something urgent, and I need to go over there, so I can't

worries, we can reschedule," Sophia replied, feeling a slight sense of relief. Hearing Amanda's concerned tone,

worry," Amanda said,

Sophia didn't press further. "If you need anything, just let me

hallway outside the private room, leaning on the railing. Initially, she positioned herself where Brandon could see her but the restaurant was busy and as she

did notice. His eyes followed Sophia from

felt a bit more at ease

President Poe, reviewing some

glanced up at Brandon, noting

Sophia. He couldn't resist teasing,

sucha

afraid she

off"

sŵnovels

IMS

with a chuckle, apologizing

check on

he got

the phone, Amanda continued to give Sophia some

her assistant

the call. After

hung

in relief, turning

s

hallway was narrow and bustling with people. As Sophia triChapter

up to her forehead, her brows knitting

pain.

chase them! They went that way,

the crunching footsteps and angry

clad in a

red coat was sobbing, saying she

the girl in the white parka kept dragging her along, desperate to keep

red coat tripped over something, pulling the girl in the

the red

covering her friend's mouth with her

knowing how to carry someone properly, she stumbled through the snow, only to have the red coat girl's foot catch on a dried-out tree branch, sending them both tumbling to

a small slope, finally coming to a halt when her knee slammed into a protruding rock. The pain made tears spring to her

coat scrambled to her feet, looking

the urge to cry, the girl in the white parka bit her lip to hold back her tears. She tried to stand, using the rock for support, but the pain was too much, and the tears flowed freely as she

of angry footsteps and shouts

coat was paralyzed with fear, ng

white parka struggled to get up, but it

lit up when she saw a small cabin

off a bracelet from her wrist-a string of emerald beads-and handed it to the girl in the red coat. She told her to run to the cabin, where her mom, dad, and big brother would be. They would recognize the bracelet. She promised

wouldn't draw attention in the snow, the girl in

the red coat hesitated, taking the bracelet and changing into the white parka but was

parka urged her to go, warning that the bad guys

coat nodded, summoning

parka watched her friend disappear into the

snow, until she

friend had gone, clutching the exchanged red coat tightly. She was cold, scared, hungry, and exhausted,

the sky turned from bright to dark, and then dark to light again, no

came.

Her friend didn't return.

big brother

the emerald bracelet on Marian's wrist, tears streaming down her cheeks

flashed through her mind like

completely, making her

Sophia with growing alarm. She knew it was the bracelet that triggered

classmates for two years and

while she often seemed momentarily lost when spotting it,

staring at the

a nearby room, catching

sharp and loud, immediately drawing everyone's

her expression showing a hint of bewilderment, but she didn't loosen her grip

was still choked, "I wanted you to take it to my

eyes suddenly turned razor-sharp,

widening in alarm, staring at Sophia,

other for so long, and Sophia clearly didn't remember. She couldn't even recognize the

long ago that Sophia had amnesia? How could she remember

had this bracelet for as long as I can remember. How could

confused, a certainty that slowly pulled Sophia's rationality

on Marian's wrist and

so she knew her,

were so close, and if those chaotic images in her mind were real, why

of the girl

loosened her grip on Marian's hand. But in the next second, the arm she had released was suddenly gripped by

Brandon's voice came softly to

had come to her side. One hand was gripping Marian's arm through her clothes, and the other had already pulled the bracelet off her

turned pale

previous threats to her life loomed over her

at her coolly. "What

wasn't loud, yet it brought that suffocating feeling

her head frantically, her face pale. "I don't know. I've had the bracelet for as long as

had been with her since she could remember. After all, so many years had passed. If Sophia could

at her coldly. "You're

down as she shook her head desperately. "It's been with me since I can remember. I always thought it

attracted more

who had

seen her return and grew worried. She came out to look for her

hysterically in the crowd. She quickly approached but stopped abruptly when she saw Brandon opposite her. Her hand, which was about

crowd growing, with some even pulling out their phones to record making it look as if she and Brandon were bullying Marian. Worried about the impact of

explain, reaching for the bracelet in Brandon's hand

"You didn't remember wrong,"

I personally designed and commissioned that bracelet. I have the receipts, and your name engraved on the inside. There are old photos as proof."

speaking, the onlookers who had been pointing fingers at the two of them suddenly grew quiet, turning their

wore that pitiful look, crying with tears like raindrops on flowers, shaking her head desperately. "I really don't know. It's been with me since I can remember. I truly thought it was mine." Brandon's lips curled with a cold indifference, long accustomed to her easily

Kris's background like

was adopted just like Marian. He grew up overseas and was always a bit of a wild child, leveraging family connections to get into college. It wasn't until after graduation that he decided to buckle down

he used his connections with the underground scene to run the company successfully in the

extraordinary affection for

best to stop him from coming over, once he learned she was stuck dealing with legal issues and couldn't leave the country, he

Kris's unwillingness to abandon Marian to draw him to the

clearly, he bet

intense, hawk-like gaze, Brandon's lips curled into a cold

Kris was doing the same to him. Compared to Kris's composure, Marian, standing just behind him, felt her heart race

look of a predator who

put her finger on why she

was Kris's first time in the country, so in theory,

But Brandon's eyes...

on Kris's shirt loosened instinctively, as if

cast a dismissive glance at her before

"Kris?"

his name with a question, yet his tone

up Brandon, glanced at the woman behind him, Sophia, and began to piece

on a young lady

was icy as he stood protectively in

laugh escaping him. "Picking

shifted past

and

Marian. "Ms. Barlow care to step forward and clear it up? Are we

avoiding Brandon's

back her up, she couldn't muster the courage to boldly claim

receipts for the bracelet's origin kept her from making any

softly, her head bowed. "Sophia and I are classmates and colleagues.

a surprised glance, taken aback by

with a friendly smile. "Sophia, don't you remember? We were in grad school together, and we work at the same architectural firmChapter