The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 216

The girl barely reached up to Brandon's shoulders, looking up at him with an expression that was a mix of feeling wronged and pitifully adorable. But the slight bite on her lower lip and the tears whirling in her youthful, vibrant eyes couldn't hide her spunk and vitality.

Clearly, she was a lively, gutsy beauty who had no qualms about chasing love.

Sophia suddenly found herself green with envy over the girl's fearless audacity. She had dreamed of such scenes countless times in her youth but never had the guts to act on them.

Back then, Sophia was acutely aware of the gulf between her and Brandon. He was the golden boy, and she, just a nondescript transfer student. The stark reality of their differences kept her from uttering even a word of her affection for him.

She clung to the warmth he brought her, afraid that if she punctured that delicate bubble, Brandon might recoil, leaving her without even that last bit of comfort. So, she tiptoed around her feelings, too scared to let Brandon catch even a hint.

When Brandon started to pull away, it broke her heart for the longest time. She even spent ages reflecting if she had accidentally let her feelings slip, causing him to keep his distance.

She was racked with guilt over such thoughts. He didn't seek her out, and she dared even less to disturb him.

So, after the tests, she chose to completely leave the class she had joined halfway through.

Even if she could turn back time to the year she met Brandon, Sophia knew she still wouldn't have the guts to pursue love as fiercely and boldly as the girl before her.

She was different from the girl in front of her. For the girl, Brandon might just be a passing fancy, her crush perhaps just a result of his good looks or a fleeting moment that made her heart race. If she managed to win him over, she'd hit the jackpot, but if not, she wouldn't lose anything.

But for Sophia, it was different.

Her feelings for Brandon had grown from spending days together, a slow-burning affection kindled by every little bit of warmth he offered.

Her fondness was a tapestry woven from over two hundred days and nights spent together, each moment precious to her.

She treasured the days with him, as well as the friendship they shared. Winning the gamble meant everything, but losing meant losing the only person in the world who could give her warmth.

That was why she couldn't gamble, the stakes were too high.

The girl was oblivious to the onlookers, but as she saw Brandon frowning, eyes reddened and teary, she choked out,

"Brandon, I have feelings for you; I really do. It's okay if you don't feel the same right now, I can wait for you to fall for me."

Her bold confession sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd - some envious, some admiring, others dismissive.

Brandon was tall and well-built, with a handsome face and a commanding presence, a graduate from a prestigious school, decisive in action, and the big boss of a company.

Naturally, there were quite a few girls at the company secretly crushing on him, but most were sober enough to acknowledge the gap between them, and only a few had the courage to pursue him.

And none had ever dared to stop him in public to confess their feelings - until this girl.

The onlookers were filled with a mix of emotions, their eyes inevitably drawn to Brandon as he stood there, his handsome face expressionless, unflinching in the face of the declaration.

Instead of looking at Tia, his gaze wandered to the security room, but as he looked up, he caught sight of Sophia, who had been pushed to the front row by the crowd.

She was staring blankly at Tia, lost in a daze. In her eyes, Brandon saw envy and a thick, almost tangible nostalgia. It was a deep longing and envy that made him think of Sophia at seventeen.