The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 70

He saw Sophia turn to Marian with a blank look, shaking her head cluelessly. "I don't know, I was just curious to take a peek."

Her eyes were filled with pure bewilderment and confusion. Her slender fingers, which were resting on the bracelet, unconsciously stroked it back and forth, carrying a hint of inexplicable longing and nostalgia.

Brandon's gaze slowly fell on her fair fingers lingering over the initials "SY," his starry eyes partially closed, not moving for a long time.

Marian was already smiling at Sophia. "Could this be what they call fate? Sophia, your name initials are also SY. No wonder you spotted the engraving so quickly."

Sophia hesitated for a second before giving Marian a forced smile. "Yeah, what a coincidence."

Her fingers paused slightly over the "SY" letters, unconsciously tracing the lines, and she sank back into a familiar daze. It was like something flickered through her mind, but it was obscured by layers of fog. She was lost in that dense mist, unable to see or touch anything clearly.

Brandon stood at the back door of the classroom, silently watching her, frozen in place.

Eventually, Marian noticed something off about Sophia and looked at her worriedly. "What's going on?"

Her eyes already filled with concern for the bracelet in Sophia's hand, her hand twitched as if she feared Sophia would take it, reaching out halfway then hesitating, worried that it might be improper to do so.

Sophia caught the hesitant gesture, snapping back to reality. She awkwardly looked down at the bracelet in her hand and handed it back.

"Sorry about that, this bracelet is just so unique, it kinda zoned me out."

She apologized awkwardly, her movement halting briefly as she placed the bracelet in Marian's palm, her eyes involuntarily drawn to it again, revealing an unfamiliar sense of reluctance.

Brandon's attention had been on Sophia the whole time. He didn't miss the slight pause in her motion as she set down the bracelet, nor the reluctance that flickered in her eyes.

He had seen that look on Yolanda's face before, when he angrily thought she didn't cherish the bracelet he gave her and assumed she had given it away on her own accord. When he gestured to take back the bracelet he'd given her, she pouted, teary-eyed, slowly removing the bracelet and placing it in his hand with the same careful reluctance. The hesitation of her fingers in that moment and the look in her eyes were identical.

Brandon slightly turned his head, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

He didn't approach her but silently stepped out and made a phone call to Kent in the hallway.

"What's the situation with Marian and Dennis, the ones I asked you to check on the other day?"

Kent, who was about to turn off the lights and sleep, suddenly lost all sleepiness upon hearing the question. "Why the sudden interest?"

He quickly responded. "Still looking into it."

Brandon said, "How many days has it been?"

His voice was quiet and calm, not angry, but Kent still broke out in a cold sweat, not daring to remind Brandon it hadn't been many days, and besides, he had tasked him with looking into several people and matters—Ivan, Sophia, Dennis, and Marian—on top of handling work, his connections were extensive and his information sorting skills were strong, but his day job was still just a secretary.

Kent held back his complaints and carefully replied. "You haven't been at the company lately, and there's been quite a bit going on."

Before he could finish, fearing a misunderstanding, he hurriedly added. "But I have dug up some stuff, I thought it wasn't urgent so I haven't organized and reported back to you yet."