The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

It was the lunch rush hour, and the elevators were packed with people.

Brandon didn't intentionally hop on the executive lift, and when it halted on the seventeenth floor, Kent caught Brandon taking a

peek as the doors slid open.

It could be habit, or maybe something else. Kent figured it was probably a good idea to give Brandon a heads up that Sophia was

still at the office.

"Mr. Crawley."

He called out to Brandon and was about to continue when Brandon's phone buzzed with a call.

He shot Kent a glance, but didn't start a conversation; instead, he picked up the call, shifting his focus back to the conversation at

hand.

Somehow Kent suddenly understood Sophia's feelings. Every tshe mustered the courage to talk with him, his phone would

ring.

Knowing Brandon's ways, Kent reckoned Brandon treated Sophia no different than him; between listening to her and answering a

call, Brandon always chose the latter.

Oblivious to Kent's mental gymnastics, Brandon calmly listened to the report on the other end of the line.

As the elevator doors opened, he moved with the crowd, walking and talking, his handsface serene as ever.

The staff cafeteria was at peak chaos. Thick curtains hung at the entrance.

Brandon pushed through the curtains and stepped inside. Sophia was queuing up for food, the line stretching out the door, with

Sophia at the very end, near the curtains.

When the curtains flapped open, Sophia instinctively looked back. Their eyes met just as Brandon glanced her way.

Sophia saw Brandon's gaze and movements freeze, his eyes fixated on her with an intensity she couldn't decipher, a mix of sudden

delight and chill that left her confused.

Caught off guard by his reaction, Sophia felt an all-too-familiar restraint and unease around Brandon, making even a casual hello

seem like a Herculean task.

She managed a half-hearted smile as a greeting and quietly shifted to the side, not wanting to block Brandon's path.

Sophia's sudden silence made Ivan, who was ahead of her in line, instinctively glance back. He noticed Brandon staring at Sophia,

gave him a look, then turned to the now visibly uncomfortable Sophia.

Not being chummy with Brandon and lacking the awe due to his CEO status, Ivan didn't bother with pleasantries.

Kent, catching up, saw Brandon still holding the curtain open, motionless at the cafeteria entrance, and approached in confusion.

Spotting Sophia at the end of the line and Brandon's intense gaze, he chuckled awkwardly and greeted Sophia, "Ms. Yearwood,

here for lunch too, huh?"

Sophia nodded lightly, "Mm-hmm." And she politely reciprocated, "You guys haven't eaten yet?"

"Yep, totally slipped my mind."

Kent chuckled in reply, sneaking a peek at Brandon and explaining, "There were sdetails in the project that needed discussing

and sorting out, so Ms. Yearwood didn't head to the airport, and she cback to the office instead."

Brandon gave him a look, said nothing, but calmly let the curtain fall and lined up behind Sophia.

Sophia and Cindy, along with Ivan and others, were casually chatting in the queue. Once Brandon joined, the chatter died down

instantly.

Cindy, who was usually quite chatty, clammed up, standing stiffly.

Don, at the front of the line, engrossed in his handheld game, didn't notice the sudden hush until he finished a round and looked

up, curious, to find Brandon at the back of the line. Don cracked a smile, "Hey Brandon, just in tfor lunch?"

Brandon gave him a look and simply grunted an acknowledgment, without further conversation.

Marian, ahead of Don, turned around curiously when she heard the voice and waved a friendly hello to Brandon, "Hey, Mr. Crawley,

good to see you."

Maybe it was the office vibes, but she managed to formally address him as "Mr. Crawley" for once.

Brandon's brows furrowed slightly, his gaze briefly flicking from Marian to Ivan beside Sophia, then to Don.

Don chuckled, explaining, "You know, the design department is short-staffed, and since they all graduated from the sschool

and are talented and capable, we just brought them all on board in one go."

Brandon gave Don a look, his expression unreadable, showing no displeasure at the decision. His gaze shifted back to Sophia.

Sophia didn't join the conversation, standing properly and quietly in line, her hands clasped in front, moving slightly with the

queue.

Ivan, too, didn’t pay attention to their conversation; he turned to Sophia, discussing with her about their job.

He was the new deputy director and still unfamiliar with the design department, so he took the opportunity to ask Sophia about the

workflows and project details over lunch.

Once the topic turned to work, Sophia's focus returned to business matters, patiently clarifying his doubts with her signature soft,

unhurried voice, a faint smile on her lips providing a comforting presence.

Their earnest work discussion stood out against the surrounding noise, and the attractive pair drew curious and envious glances.

All the while, Brandon silently gazed at Sophia, not interrupting.

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