The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 1

Sophia Yearwood made her way to Brandon Crawley's office, guided by his secretary.

Two years into their marriage, this was her first time stepping foot in his company.

"Mr. Crawley is still in a meeting. Please take a seat for a moment."

The secretary offered a warm cup of coffee with a thoughtful explanation.

"Thanks." Sophia took the coffee politely and settled herself on the sofa, scanning the spick-and-span reception room with its minimalist gray and white decor—totally Brandon's style.

The secretary sneakily sized up Sophia too. She looked young, her wavy hair cascading over her shoulders, and bangs naturally framing her face, giving off a fresh and soft vibe. She wasn't much of a talker.

The secretary was still reeling from the fact that the lady in front of her was Brandon's wife.

More shocking was the idea that Brandon, who always kept his cool and stayed away from the ladies, was actually hitched.

She couldn't picture Brandon being all lovey-dovey with a woman.

The noisy chatter from outside snapped her out of her thoughts.

"The meeting might be over," the secretary said quickly, "Sit tight, I'll go check."

Sophia instinctively glanced towards the door.

A tall person appeared, his head slightly tilted, deep in conversation with someone next to him. The sharp profile cut through the light and shadow, his expression serious and intense.

The person next to him...

Sophia froze when she caught sight of the girl's beaming smile and stood up without thinking.

Brandon looked up and saw her standing in front of the sofa, hesitating for a moment before frowning.

"What are you doing here?"

The girl discussing plans with him looked up at the sound of his voice and was visibly taken aback to see Sophia.

Sophia flashed a polite smile at her before turning to Brandon and handing him the file she was holding. "Your," she started to say "Your mom," but switched to "Mom asked me to bring this over to you."

Brandon's mom wasn't thrilled about her lazing around the house, and since Sophia didn't fancy hanging around his mom either, she took the chance to drop it off.

Brandon took the file. "Have you eaten?"

Sophia shook her head. "Not yet."

Brandon closed the file and turned to his entourage. "We'll continue the meeting this afternoon. Everyone go have lunch."

The girl by his side seemed to want to say something but bit her tongue, nodded obediently, and then led the curious crowd away, all of them sneaking glances at Sophia.

Brandon took Sophia down to the company's cafeteria for lunch.

While waiting for their food, Brandon was still glued to his laptop, fingers flying over the keyboard, his usual cold focus on display.

Sophia propped her cheek with one hand, quietly watching him.

He was good-looking, with sharp features and a stern brow, his noble nose casting a shadow as he looked down, radiating a cool authority.

He always looked this unflappable and aloof, even in their most intimate moments.

She had secretly crushed on him for eight years, from sixteen to twenty-four, but now, she didn't want him anymore.

Tucked in her bag resting on her thigh was the freshly drafted divorce agreement.

Her palm rested on the papers as she hesitated.

Strictly speaking, Brandon hadn't done anything wrong. He just didn't love her, that's all.

Their marriage hadn't been for love, so maybe not loving her wasn't really a fault.

"What are you looking at?" His deep voice interrupted her thoughts.

She shifted her gaze to Brandon.

He didn't even look up, still busy and fixated on his computer screen.

Sophia always thought watching Brandon work was a treat.

"Hmm?" Brandon finally looked up when he didn't get a response, his gaze landing on her face.

Sophia smiled. "Nothing."

She casually asked, "When did Hannah start working at your company?"

Hannah was the girl who had been standing next to him. Sophia had shared a class with them for a year. She was a transfer student, while Brandon and Hannah had been classmates since their first year of high school, both the class's heartthrobs and top students, always the go-to for school events. Rumors had swirled about them being into each other, but for some reason, they never got together, and Sophia, the underdog, ended up with the prize.

Not that she was a slouch during her school days—she had aced her way through to university—but when she arrived, Brandon and Hannah were the center of attention, and she was the new kid. By the time she started making waves, school was over, and they all went their separate ways.

"Since the start of the year," Brandon's attention had already returned to his computer, "I don't really remember. She got in through HR."

Sophia nodded and didn't pry further.

Their meals arrived quickly and what followed was a quiet, drawn-out lunch.

For two people who liked their peace, it wasn't a big deal, but.

Her eyes wandered to a couple at the next table, playfully feeding each other.

Sophia felt a pang of envy.

That kind of intimacy was something she and Brandon would never have.

The man only had eyes for work and efficiency.

His life was like a well-wound clock, precise and cold.

He had his schedule down to a science, knowing exactly what to do and when.

Such a man wasn't cut out for marriage.

Neither was she.

"Something on your mind?" Brandon looked up, noticing her distraction.

Sophia pursed her lips slightly, meeting his eyes with a smile and a nod, "Yeah, kinda."

An email notification drew Brandon's attention back to his laptop.

Sophia chuckled, "Go ahead with your work. We can talk later."

In matters of sex, they were almost perfectly in sync.

After a while, when the heavy breathing and moans had quieted in the night, Sophia was still held gently in Brandon's arms.

Their sweat-soaked bodies stuck together slightly, but Sophia didn't push him away. Instead, she gently hugged him back, burying her face in his equally damp chest.

"Brandon," she whispered, her voice still breathy.

"Hmm?" His voice, laden with lust, was fatally sexy in the dark.

"Let's get a divorce."

She spoke softly, feeling his body tense as she did.

Brandon looked down at her, his piercing gaze in the dark like a bottomless abyss of calm.

"Why?" His voice remained as calm as ever.

"We were only brought together because of a child, a child we were never destined to have. Maybe it was fate," she replied, meeting his gaze with equal serenity. "I think I prefer being single. Life doesn't feel much different with or without you. But without you, I can have fewer expectations, fewer complications. I guess you feel the same."

It was like, post-divorce, she wouldn't have to deal with his mom or his relatives, and he wouldn't have to deal with her family.

Brandon didn't respond, just lay there silently, a storm brewing in his eyes. Just when Sophia thought he wasn't going to speak, he nodded calmly.

"Okay."

No explanations, no further questions, just a crisp "okay," the Brandon she knew so well.

Sophia smiled at him through the sting of tears she fought back, feeling a bitter mix of emotions even though she got what she wanted. When everything ended cleanly, as she had hoped, the sourness still tangled in her chest.

She gently unburied her head and released her hold on him.

"I'm going to freshen up."

She whispered and was about to get out of bed when her arm was suddenly grabbed. She was yanked back onto the soft mattress, a stormy kiss descended but paused at the shock in her eyes.

Brandon's eyes were a stormy sea, dark and pressing, but eventually, they calmed to an unfathomable still.

He rolled over beside her and lay flat.

"Sleep," he said, closing his eyes.

The next day, Sophia woke up to find Brandon gone and the house unchanged as if the night's episode had been just a dream. But Sophia knew things were different now.

She packed her bags quickly. She didn't have much.

Before leaving, she took one last look around the apartment she'd lived in for two years, left the keys and the signed divorce papers on the coffee table, and sent Brandon a message. [I've signed the divorce papers on the coffee table. The divorce is fully entrusted to the lawyer. Let me know when you're ready to finalize it. I'm leaving. Take care.]

Brandon was in a meeting when he received the message. He paused, looking off into space.

The rest of the room, who had never seen him so out of it, especially Hannah, who'd known him for years and never seen him like this, exchanged puzzled looks.

"Mr. Crawley?" Hannah called softly, reminding him of the ongoing meeting.

He glanced at her, calmly put down his phone, and continued his previous speech. Just when everyone thought he was back to normal, he abruptly said, "Meeting's over," grabbed his phone, and rushed out of the conference room, leaving everyone else in bewilderment.

"Mr. Crawley, what's wrong?"