The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 268

"Sophia, I've tried over and over to resist your hold on me, to let go just like you wanted, but I've been slapped in the face every single time. I even thought about just settling for someone else, shoving all my hang-ups about you onto them, using that as an excuse to completely forget you and shake you off."

He paused, his voice barely faltering, his eyes still coolly fixed on her. "But when I actually sat down at that blind date table, when I thought about how there'd be no more 'us' from that point on, I just couldn't spit out the 'let's be together' that I was supposed to say to someone else. I'd rather deal with this on-again, off-again torture, rather keep getting pushed to the brink of hating that I ever met you, than kill any chance with you."

Sophia was frozen, staring at him.

In Brandon's cool eyes, she saw the faintest redness and a kind of despair that came from painting oneself into a corner but having to accept it.

He didn't look away, just calmly met her stunned gaze.

As the focus of her vision slowly settled into his eyes, he finally spoke. "Sophia, come back."

"Let's give it another shot, okay?" His deep voice was gentle and slow.

Tears suddenly spilled down Sophia's cheeks, and she didn't even know why she was crying. In that moment, she just felt overwhelming sadness.

She didn't even know what she was sad about, but the tears were like a faucet that couldn't be turned off, unstoppable.

Brandon stood up, planting himself in front of her, arms open wide, wanting to embrace her.

Sophia slightly raised her hand, blocking his outstretched arm.

Brandon's heart sank, his eyes complex as he looked at her.

"I'm sorry," Sophia choked out, opening the door. "I feel like I should accept it. There's nothing fundamentally wrong between us. I even still like you, but I'm not excited, or looking forward to it. I just suddenly feel so sad. I don't know why, but it shouldn't be like this."

Her sobs made her voice falter.

Sometimes she wished she hated Brandon. At least then, when he said "let's give it another shot, okay?" she could struggle and weigh her options.

But no, she was moved because he was willing to reach out to her, yet she didn't have the courage to move towards him, not even a bit of hope or the thought of being with him.

Brandon had never fundamentally wronged her, she always knew that.

She didn't know what went wrong; she still felt something for him, even physically attracted to him, but she felt repelled by his plea to "give it another shot, okay?"

She had found a path more fitting for herself, a path that never included Brandon.

Watching the sadness in her eyes, Brandon's hand, poised to wipe her tears, stiffened mid-air, his gaze exceptionally complex.