The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 158

Sophia took forever to find her voice again, her eyes, widened with embarrassment, seemed to be searching for a place to hide. When her gaze crashed into Brandon's, it brought back flashes of the fiery tangle from last night.

She might've been tipsy, but her memory had no blackouts.

She vividly remembered blurting out "friends with benefits" in a moment of desperation, and she also recalled the near-defeatist thought when Brandon leaned in for a kiss, coupled with her fierce determination to wrestle back control by clasping her hands around his neck without a care in the world.

In their two years of marriage, she had never been so fierce.

Although, ultimately, due to her natural disadvantage in size and strength, the upper hand remained firmly in Brandon's grasp.

But her initiative had certainly fired Brandon up.

The fiercer she got last night, the more ruthless Brandon became.

Brandon, the businessman, was never one to pull punches, and he certainly wasn't about to start then.

The soreness all over her body, like she'd been run over by a truck, reminded Sophia of the intensity and wildness of last night.

Her fingers tightened awkwardly around the blanket, and Sophia silently turned her back.

"I was drunk last night." she murmured, her voice so weak and soft it was almost a whisper.

"Blackout?"ostrich-like back and asked.

Sophia didn't want to answer that question.

"Sometimes when you're drunk, certain actions and words can bypass your brain's control," she said softly.

"I noticed."

Brandon said and slipped out of bed.

Sophia could feel the mattress suddenly lighten behind her, followed by the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing, then the running water.

Brandon had showered last night, even given Sophia a rinse.

She was dead tired in the wee hours, but she vaguely remembered Brandon carrying her into the bathroom for a wash.

And then in the bathroom...

Sophia touched her forehead and stopped herself from recalling any further.

Brandon came back from his shower in no time, toweling his damp hair with one hand while walking towards the blow dryer on the balcony.

He had only a white towel wrapped around his waist.

Sophia looked up and saw his toned chest, muscles well-defined, with a pair of beautifully curved Adonis belts diving beneath the towel.

Noticing Sophia looking, Brandon gave her a glance. His expression didn't show any discomfort.

"Do you want to take another shower?" he asked. "I had clothes sent over. They're on the table."

Sophia glanced at the table instinctively and indeed saw two sets of new clothes.

"I guess not right now," she said in a low voice, still clutching the blanket.

Under the blanket, she wore nothing that could cover her, and she couldn't muster Brandon's composure.

"My head's still a bit achy, I'll sleep a bit more. You go ahead to work when you're done," she said softly, her back still to Brandon, not quite knowing how to deal with the awkwardness of having slept with her ex-husband.

Brandon looked back at her and read her ostrich-like avoidance in a glance.

"Get some more rest, then."

He said, gave his hair a quick blow to half-dry, and shut off the dryer.

Sophia didn't really fall asleep; after the dryer stopped, she faintly heard the rustling of packaging being opened.

She expected Brandon to leave first after getting ready, but he didn't.

Brandon, now in a white shirt, looked back at her while tying his tie. "I had breakfast sent up from the hotel. Eat something first. If you're really feeling unwell, just rest at the hotel today, I'll cover for you at work."

"No need," Sophia had to sit up, still wrapped in the blanket, "I can go to work."

Her pale, delicate shoulders became exposed as she sat up.

Bite marks could be seen on them.

Brandon's gaze lingered on her bare shoulders for a moment before he coughed lightly and looked away.

Sophia then belatedly noticed her exposed shoulders and awkwardly pulled the blanket up a bit, barely daring to meet Brandon's eyes.

The doorbell rang from outside at that moment; it must've been the breakfast delivery.

"I'll get the breakfast. Start getting ready."

Brandon said and turned to answer the door.

He was being considerate of her feelings, giving her some space.

After Sophia got ready, Brandon had already laid out the breakfast on the table.

"Is your head still hurting?"