The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 258

"For him, the last thing he needs is emotional baggage. He's not being himself right now, and he's definitely gonna force himself to pull away," Don said, glancing at Sophia, "You know, between the two of you, you’ve always been the one who could untie the bell. Are you sure you don’t wanna reconsider?"

"Sophia, even though we haven't known each other for that long, I really do want you to be happy."

"Thank you." Sophia sincerely expressed her gratitude, then looked at Don, "If I hadn't brought up divorce, we might have never split, but that’s not the life I wanted. My needs and his have always been different. We’re from two different worlds, so it was doomed from the start."

Don was at a loss for words for a moment.

"I asked for a divorce while I was still in love with him. I love him, but that doesn’t stop my determination to leave," Sophia said softly, her gaze steady, "Some things, you don't have to possess just because you like them, and getting them doesn’t guarantee happiness. Just enjoy the ride. Human nature and life are too complicated. Don’t chase after outcomes. If it’s not right, it’s just not right."

With that, Sophia didn’t say more. She nodded to Don as a goodbye, picked up the documents from the table, and walked away.

Her slender, poised silhouette soon appeared against the semi-transparent glass wall.

Don watched her calm and gentle profile, his expression complex.

He hadn't expected that convincing Sophia would be even tougher than persuading Brandon.

She lived her life transparently; loss hurt, but it didn't stop her from striding forward.

Even if Brandon really got married, she might feel pain and discomfort, but she would never interfere, nor would she wallow in self-pity.

As for Brandon, she was done – she didn’t want him anymore.

Suddenly, Don kind of got Brandon's fickleness.

With Sophia, who was impervious to persuasion, he felt a bit helpless too.

Back in her office, when the door closed, the calm on Sophia’s face slightly faded, and her brows furrowed due to a discomfort in her stomach.

She didn’t have a stomach disease.

But as an emotional organ, her stomach still responded honestly to her emotional ups and downs.

This wasn’t the first time she had felt this way.

It happened in her senior year of high school when she noticed Brandon distancing himself from her.

Back then, she realized that her stomach hurt when she was particularly upset.

Then, there was the time she proposed divorce and he agreed.

Now, compared to back then, the symptoms were much lighter.

Both emotions and bodily organs become more numb to pain over time.

Sophia took a deep breath, pushed down the discomfort in her stomach and the sourness in her eyes, and turned to get some hot water.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and as it opened, Ivan walked in with the revised proposal in hand.

Ivan spoke slowly, looking at her.

Sophia looked up at him straightforwardly, "I don't need to force myself to forget anything. It's part of my past, and I cherish it."

"I'm not stuck in the past. I'm single not because I'm waiting for someone, but simply because my current state of life is the most comfortable for me," Sophia explained, looking up at Ivan with a smile, "Thank you, Ivan, I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me."

Ivan also smiled, "With those words from you, I'm relieved."

Sophia just smiled back, not responding further.

Ivan changed the subject, "So about dinner tonight?"

He quickly added with a laugh, "I mean no hidden agenda, just a meal between friends, that's all."

Sophia hesitated.

Ivan reminded her, "You still owe me a meal from last time in Zion City."

Sophia felt a bit embarrassed.

"Well, how about I treat you to dinner tonight?" she awkwardly suggested.

Ivan smiled, "Sounds good to me."