The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 449

Sophia's steps instinctively faltered as she glanced over at Brandon.

Brandon's pace also hesitated slightly as he eyed the slightly ajar door of the private room across.

Don's voice continued to spill out from inside, "You guys keep flipping between fake and real, then back to fake. You're making my head spin. Give me the straight dope, will ya?"

"It's true." Martin's voice came through, sounding a bit indifferent, "She and I went to the hospital for a paternity test ourselves."

Don exclaimed, "Huh?"

Sophia couldn't help but look over at Brandon.

She saw the calm facade on Brandon's handsome face wash away for a moment, his expression dimmed, but it was just a flash. He caught Sophia's gaze, and for a split second, his face froze.

Sophia just politely pressed her lips into a shallow smile, not saying a word.

The waiter, seeing both of them stop in their tracks, turned back in confusion and called out, "Ma'am? Sir?"

Theresa, equally puzzled, looked at Brandon and Sophia, "Daddy? Mommy?"

The familiar voice at the door reached the two inside, and Don, recognizing Theresa's voice, paused in his tracks.

Martin looked at him, puzzled, "What's up?"

Don shook his head, his expression a bit more serious than before, but he didn't speak. He stood up, pulled open the room door, and saw Brandon and Sophia, along with Theresa, walking past.

He squeezed out a smile and greeted them, "Brandon, Sophia, you guys are here for a bite too?"

Sophia turned and nodded with a smile, "Yeah, the little one wanted some of the dishes here, so we thought we'd check it out."

Don gestured towards the private room behind him, "Well, come on in and join us. Let's eat together."

Brandon looked back at him and declined, "No, that's okay."

Once home, Sophia, as usual, took Theresa for a bath, while Brandon stepped out onto the balcony to handle some work calls on his phone.

Then it was baths and bed for everyone, without discussing the issue at hand.

Sophia, tired from a restless night before, fell asleep quickly.

Brandon, however, lay awake, staring at the dark ceiling, his mind void of sleepiness, replaying Martin's words, "It's true. We went to the hospital for a paternity test ourselves." His feelings were a jumble - flashes of Yolanda, who had been a quiet presence since his mother's death, the 17-year-old Sophia who was quietly mischievous, and the now ever-calm and reserved Sophia. For the first time, he had to forcibly separate Yolanda from Sophia in his mind.

The paternity test result from Martin and Marian shattered all his illusions, all the situations he didn't want to face, he had to confront.

They had both gone to the hospital themselves, and with the previous hair sample results, they would have had to get blood tests for confirmation.

This stark reality left Brandon feeling a bit hollow and tinged with faint regret.

His gaze involuntarily shifted to the now sleeping Sophia, as memories of the quiet and lovely girl were painfully pulled away from her, bit by bit.