The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Sophia didn't make a peep.

Don couldn't help but shoot Brandon a glance, giving his shoulder a comforting pat.

Brandon gave him a side-eye, "You're an accomplice, you know."

It was him, after all, who had specifically dragged Sophia into this mess to back up her story, which made Brandon drop his

suspicions way too quickly.

"Who knew you guys were such fun?" Don said, and couldn't help but throw a pitiful look at Sophia.

Sophia pretended not to notice, and thankfully, the elevator had reached the basement level; with a ding, the doors opened.

Sophia was the first to step out. Don and Brandon followed.

Seeing Theresa still wide-eyed with curiosity while she was appraising him, Don couldn't resist the urge to tease her. He reached

out to pinch her chubby little cheeks, but before his fingers could make contact, Brandon swatted his hand away.

"Germs!"

"Small-minded!" Don muttered under his breath, and then couldn't resist glancing at Brandon's composed, handsface, "So,

what's it like having a daughter? Must be a pretty awesfeeling, huh?"

Brandon glanced at him coolly, "Yeah. Why don't you hurry up and have one?"

Don shot back, "Show-off!"

Brandon ignored him, just carrying Theresa and following Sophia into the cafeteria.

It was lunchtime, and the place was pretty crowded.

Everyone had just cdown from their offices, with the newly distributed pastries still lying on their desks, and the news of 'the

CEO just had a baby girl’ was spreading like wildfire all over the company.

Since they were all long-temployees, nobody had ever heard a whiff of gossip about Brandon before. Suddenly, there was this

blockbuster news of him having a daughter, and everyone was struggling to catch up, discussing and inquiring even while they

ate.

Sophia, walking ahead, overheard the buzz about who the CEO's wife could be, and shad even started to fantasize a fairy-tale

love story about the CEO and his lady. Their tones were filled with both envy and longing.

Sophia was mortified. She glanced back at Brandon, thinking about ducking out for a bite somewhere else.

But it was too late; Brandon had already entered with Theresa in his arms.

Most people recognized Brandon, and when the main subject of their gossip suddenly walked in with a pretty little girl, everyone's

antennas perked up like reporters sniffing a story. Eyes were shining bright; they were one step away from whipping out their

phones to snap and share the juicy headline moment.

Sophia, seeing everyone's star-struck, gossip-hungry fervor, felt all the more awkward about staying or leaving.

She had never been the center of attention in her life, wasn't used to it, and didn't particularly like it.

The office incident was an accident - Theresa had shown up unexpectedly, and the impact among colleagues wasn't too severe.

Work would go on as usual. But now, with this kind of publicity in the cafeteria, she felt as though the title of CEO's wife was being

firmly fixed onto her and wouldn't coff easily. She feared being greeted with too much respect as “Mrs. Crawley” even just

walking down the street, leaving her in a bind whether to clarify or not.

Brandon noticed Sophia's discomfort.

When deciding to announce Theresa's identity, he hadn't thought too much about it, and just wanted to cut off any ideas from the

likes of Tia.

But he hadn't considered the troubles it might bring to Sophia's side.

After a moment's thought, he looked down at Theresa and said, "Theresa, shall we go eat outside instead?"

Theresa nodded, "Okay."

As he lifted his head to call Sophia, Brandon stopped her, whispering in her ear, "Let's call Mommy once we're outside."

Theresa looked at him, puzzled, but nodded anyway.

Brandon told Don, "Let's head out."

With that, he carried Theresa out, and then pulled out his phone to call Sophia.

"Let's eat outside," he said.

Sophia nodded, "Alright."

She watched them move away before she herself walked out.

Brandon had booked a private room at a restaurant near the company. By the tSophia arrived, Brandon and Theresa were

already there, seated at the dining table.

But Don was nowhere to be seen.

Sophia instinctively looked around, "Mr. Dempsey didn't come?"

"He's outside on the phone." Brandon said, "Something about being a bachelor who gets jealous seeing our family of three, and

wanting to drag Kent over for company."

“Mommy, this one for you.” Theresa delivered the cup to Sophia.

That's when Brandon took it and said, “It’s hot, I'll take it.”

“Thanks,” Sophia said softly.

Theresa looked at Sophia, confusedly, “Mommy, normally, you would say ‘thanks, sweetheart’ to me, but why are you just say

‘thanks’ to daddy.”

Sophia was at loss for a second.

Then, Theresa pondered, “Mommy, how did you call my dad?”

“Your daddy's nis Brandon Crawley. So, | will just call him Brandon. And you too should remember his name, okay?”

Theresa nodded, “okay.” and then asked, “Mommy, my classmate tolethat mommy's husband is daddy, what does ‘husband’

mean?”

Sophia didn’t know how to explain that question to Theresa, and looked at Brandon, who then explained, “It's the one who got

married with mommy.”

Theresa seemed surprised, turned to look at Brandon, “then are you the one who got married with my mommy?”

Brandon smiled, “Of course.”

“So you are my mommy's husband?”

Looked at Sophia, Brandon then nodded, “Yeah.”

It seemed that Theresa had learned a secret, smiling happily and repeatedly saying, “so daddy's wife is my mom.”

The more Theresa repeated, the happier she was, she couldn't help but look at Sophia, asked, “mommy, are you daddy's wife?”

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