The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Sophia was still in a daze, her mind all over the place, when Brandon led her to stand under the roller coaster. She couldn't help

but glance at him.

Brandon was gazing at the line of people, his sharp profile outlined by the contrasting shadows and light, his handsface calm

and serious.

She couldn't resist looking down at their hands, firmly interlocked by his strong fingers. His hands were large, warm, and powerful,

gripping hers tightly.

The heat from their palms slowly spread, making her heart race a bit faster.

She tried to move her hand slightly. Brandon's grip tightened, and then he turned to look at her, "Up for it?"

Sophia looked up at the roller coaster that was already halfway to the sky, the pace quickening and the near-vertical drops making

the riders scream nonstop.

She had only been on something like this once during her first year of college with classmates at a thpark.

Back then, fresh out of high school and into college, she was in a bittersweet phase of missing Brandon, with couples seated all

around her.

At that time, the equipment got stuck mid-air, leaving everyone screaming in terror.

While waiting and fearing, Sophia watched a girl next to her dive into her boyfriend's embrace, held tightly; he reassured her,

"Don't be scared." That was when she truly thought of Brandon, wondering what it would be like if he were there with her.

Unfortunately, she never had the chance to hang out with Brandon like this over the years.

Maybe it was that little fixation from her younger days that made her nod lightly under Brandon's intense yet cool gaze, "Yeah, why

not?"

As soon as she spoke, the hand Brandon was holding tightened suddenly.

He took her over to the ticket booth, bought two tickets, and together they boarded the roller coaster, famed to be the most

thrilling ride in West district.

As the safety harness snapped into place, Sophia's mind, after the initial rush, cooled down a bit, and the memory of being stuck

mid-air years ago made her nervous, her hands gripping the metal bar in front of her abdomen tightly.

Brandon noticed her slightly pale face, "Scared?"

Sophia hesitated, and then nodded honestly, "A little."

He didn't say anything, just reached out and took her hand.

"Don't be scared," he said, his voice deep and slow, his grip firm.

Sophia felt a sudden pang of emotion and hesitantly looked at him. Brandon gave her a reassuring smile and gripped her hand

tighter. Sophia managed a weak smile back at him.

Almost instantly, the ride started.

Sophia, startled, instinctively clung to his hand. Brandon, too, held on tight.

All Sophia could remember afterward was the rush of adrenaline from the sudden acceleration and the firm grasp on her hand.

The wind whooshed by her ears, accompanied by screams, her body plunging and then shooting up with the ride, making her feel

like she was about to fly off, her heart in her throat with the thrill. Amidst the overwhelming fear, everything went dark, and

suddenly, Brandon turned and gently held her.

The screams and the wind seemed to fade away, leaving only his steady heartbeat, his strong arms, and chest.

All her fears seemed to vanish in that moment.

Sophia's eyes, tightly shut, slowly opened. Brandon's handsface was close, hair tousled by the wind, eyes squinting against

the force, but his expression was as calm as ever.

Perhaps comforted by being in his arms, Sophia's racing heart began to settle down.

When she got off the roller coaster, her legs weren't as shaky as before, and there was even a sense of relief after the indulgence.

A long-missed sense of emotional relaxation.

Under this long-missed relaxation, passing by the bungee jumping area, when Brandon asked her if she wanted to try, Sophia

nodded without hesitation.

She had never bungee jumped before.

The sudden drop from a height was somewhat beyond what her heart could handle. But maybe it was the steadiness of the hand

holding hers that made her want to let loose just this once.

Her let-it-all-go attitude cracked a bit when she put on the safety gear and stood on the bungee platform with Brandon.

She was still a bit nervous, her hand unconsciously tightening on Brandon's arm. He held her close.

"Don't be scared," he said.

Sophia hesitated and nodded. In the instant of falling from the heights, she instinctively held Brandon tightly, eyes closed, not

daring to look around.

The mountain wind howled past her ears, but the arms holding her stayed firm, never loosening.

As the bounce of the rope slowly eased, Sophia finally began to open her eyes. Brandon was quietly watching her, his deep eyes

magnetic, making it impossible for her to look away.

She remembered the night of her seventeenth birthday, how he had bought her a cake and celebrated with her on the small lawn

near the school, how he had said "Happy Birthday" with the sdepth in his eyes, a tenderness so thick it couldn't be dissolved.

A lump suddenly formed in Sophia's throat, tears threatening to fall.

She turned her head awkwardly, but he caught her by the back of her head, forcing her to face him.

He didn't speak, just leaned in and gently kissed her.

Sophia's nose tingled more sharply, and almost fiercely, she clung to him, kissing him back, reckless.

Her response made Brandon lose control too, the kiss deepening until the bungee rope cto a complete halt, and Brandon

finally let go of her lips.

He looked at her, his palm gently stroking her cheek, then opened his arms and softly embraced her.

Aaron and Barbara happened to be passing by the lake with their kids, and the sight of the two embracing caught his eye, making

him pause.

Barbara looked at him curiously, "What's up?"

"Is that Brandon?" Aaron pointed at Brandon, a bit too far to see clearly, but he recognized the clothes.