The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 190

Brandon stared blankly at the flight information for quite a while before finally looking up at the spick-and-span bedroom.

The empty vanity was wiped to perfection, not a speck of dust in sight.

The whole house only felt lived-in by the black suitcase in the corner and the bed with its sheets spread out.

His gaze aimlessly swept from the bedroom across the empty living room, the balcony, and finally paused in the kitchen.

The newly bought stuff was still piled up on the countertop, untouched and not yet put away.

The somewhat haphazard stacking and the sterile vibe of the house seemed out of place.

Suddenly, Brandon felt a wave of the blues wash over him.

He let out a long sigh and put Sophia’s phone back where it was.

After a deep, drugged sleep, Sophia woke up feeling a bit out of sorts, like she didn't know where she was.

Blearily sitting up, she spotted Brandon on the balcony.

He had moved a chair out there at some point, sitting sideways to the sofa, gazing out, with his eyelids half-closed, lost in thought.

His handsome profile bathed in the afternoon light had a distant, detached aura, shrouded in mist, hard to read.

"Don't you need to get back to the office?"

Seeing him still there, Sophia asked softly, glancing at her phone to check the time – work hours were well underway.

Brandon turned to look at her. "Awake?"

Sophia nodded. "Yeah."

Brandon got up and walked over. "Feeling any better?"

"Yeah, much," Sophia replied lightly, her eyes falling on the now-cold pasta on the table, feeling a bit guilty, "Sorry, I must've been really beat earlier. I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep."

She genuinely hadn't expected to doze off.

The dizziness was overpowering, and all she could do was close her eyes to fight it, never thinking she'd actually drift off.

"It's cool," said Brandon, heading to the kitchen, "I'll whip up another bowl for you."

With that, he was already in the kitchen, getting two more bowls of pasta ready.

Sophia watched his busy silhouette in the kitchen, her heart filled with an indescribable feeling.

She remembered how he pushed her away last night when he was drunk, telling her coldly, "Sophia, I'm letting you go too. Don't give me any hope."

But now, here he was in her kitchen, making food for her while she was sick.

When Brandon brought over the freshly made pasta, Sophia was still zoning out, staring at him.

"Eat up," Brandon called out, already neatly setting the tableware in place.

Sophia nodded gently and walked over to sit across from Brandon.

The pasta Brandon made were delicious, the rich broth mixed with the scent of beef was tantalizing, especially since she had barely eaten all day.

The effects of the medicine and the rest had done her good. The dizziness was gone, and her appetite was back.

"Why did you come over?"

Sophia asked quietly, watching Brandon across the table as he silently ate his pasta.

Brandon paused mid-bite.

He looked at her. "You got sick partly because of me. It's my responsibility to take care of you."

Sophia chuckled, "It's not on you. I just wasn't careful."

Brandon smiled too, but quickly his expression turned serious. "Let's eat before it gets cold."

"Yeah."

Sophia nodded and started eating.

Brandon didn't say more.

Neither did Sophia.

It was like the old times between them, yet not quite the same.

Though they barely spoke, the atmosphere was much calmer, almost like old friends reuniting after many years.

After finishing the food, Sophia couldn't help but look up at Brandon.

He was done with his pasta, just quietly watching her, his dark eyes deep and serene.

"Planning to rest at home for the next few days?"

He asked, then noticed the hesitation in Sophia's eyes.

She nodded lightly. "Yeah, I'm thinking of taking a few days off."

Brandon nodded, his gaze drifting past her to the empty living room, then to the suitcase in the bedroom.

Sophia followed his gaze, puzzled about why Brandon was staring at the suitcase.