The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Brandon watched with regret, his voice softening involuntarily, "I'm sorry. It's my bad. How about | make it up to you with a new

one?"

The little girl, pouting, hesitated as she looked at Brandon, wanting to nod but too cautious to do so. She glanced back toward

where she cfrom, as if looking for someone.

Instinctively, Brandon followed her gaze.

A tall and plump woman was hurrying toward them, the sone he had seen before in Wye City with the girl.

Brandon gave her a once-over.

The woman clearly recognized him too, offered an awkward smile at him, and moved forward to pick up Theresa.

Theresa, feeling wronged, pointed to the broken balloon on the ground, "Balloon's busted."

Brandon looked at the tall, plump woman, "Sorry about that, | wasn't paying attention and accidentally stepped on the little one's

balloon."

The woman smiled, "It's no big deal, just a balloon."

"I just promised her a new balloon," Brandon said, glancing outside, "I remember there's a mall right by the entrance, would it be

alright if | take her to pick one out?"

The woman quickly waved her hands, "No need, children forget fast, she'll forget about it soon enough. It's just a balloon, after all."

"To us adults, it's just a balloon, but to a kid, it might be more," Brandon said. "I already made a promise to her."

Brandon then looked at Theresa, the little girl gazing at him with big, hopeful eyes.

"Just a few minutes," Brandon said to the woman, "It won't take long."

"Or if you're worried, feel free to wait here for me, and I'll go get it," Brandon added.

The woman looked at him with a touch of surprise, perhaps unsure why someone as well-dressed as he would go out of their way

to buy a balloon for a kid, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded, "We'll wait here then."

"Alright."

Brandon responded lightly, looking at Theresa, "Theresa, can you wait here for a sec? | will go and get you a balloon, okay?"

He remembered that her nwas "Theresa" from asking last time.

Just as Brandon was about to get up, the little girl suddenly grabbed his pant leg in quickly.

Brandon turned back to look at her.

"l... wanna... go... too."

The little girl's voice cout in short bursts, milky and eager, her big watery eyes filled with longing.

Brandon paused, looking at her.

The woman, not knowing Brandon, hurried to pick up Theresa when she saw the child wanted to go with him.

"We've got balloons at home; we can get one from there. Let him go about his business, okay?"

To her surprise, the usually compliant little girl shook her head stubbornly, tears welling up her eyes again, looking pitifully at

Brandon.

Brandon gave her a comforting look, then tentatively reached out his hand.

The little girl immediately climbed onto him, as if afraid being taken away. Once securely in Brandon's arms, she clung tightly to his

neck, nestling her face affectionately in the crook of his neck.

Brandon couldn't help but hug her a little closer, then looked up at the tall, plump woman, but his attention was captured as he

saw Sophia and Ivan turning the corner not far behind her.

Sophia instinctively looked up and paused when she saw Brandon.

Her gaze slowly moved to Theresa, who was snugged against his neck, and then back to Brandon.

Brandon's expression had already turned cold.

He glanced at her, then at Ivan beside her, and without another word, turned away.

Seeing Theresa being carried off, the plump woman gave an anxious look back toward Sophia.

Sophia, after a moment's hesitation, gestured for her to follow them.

The woman hurried to catch up.

Soon, they were far away.

Sophia stood there, staring at the backs of Brandon and Theresa.

The little girl was still affectionately perched on his shoulder, her small arms tightly wrapped around, without even looking up.

Ivan looked at Sophia with a complex of emotions.

"You alright?"

Sophia snapped back to the present, shook her head slightly, and then took out her phone to send a message to Grace: [No need

to disturb them, just follow.]

After sending it, she turned to Ivan, somewhat apologetically, "Ivan, sorry, but | won't able to keep you for dinner."

Ivan just smiled, "That's fine."

His purpose was to see her today, to apologize for last night's incident and to further confirm her intentions.

He had arrived just a short while ago and had cupon Sophia and Grace playing with Theresa downstairs. Not wanting the little

ones to hear their conversation, Sophia had asked Grace to watch the kid while she talked with him in one of the complex’s

pavilions.

She had firmly rejected him.

An expected response.

"I'll be off then."

Ivan spoke without further insistence.

He wasn't one to persist unwelcomingly, and Sophia appreciated that.

Sophia nodded, "Alright, get hsafe."

She didn't walk him out. They said goodbye and went their separate ways.

Brandon took Theresa to buy a balloon.

The little one was thrilled, lacking much of a notion of “strangers” or “acquaintances,” clinging to Brandon the whole way. Yet she

was a child with a very sensitive mind; she could clearly sense the somber mood settling over Brandon.

She didn't show much excitement when she got the balloon, just gazed up with her big eyes, and asked Brandon with confusion,

"Unkie, aren't you not happy?"

Brandon gave her a warm smile, "No, I'm very happy."

But Theresa remained unconvinced, and her lips puckered slightly before she leaned in and embraced Brandon's shoulder tightly,

whispering into his ear with her soft voice, "Mommy says a hug makes one happy."

Brandon felt a tug at his heartstrings from her fervent embrace and couldn't help but hold her closer.

"I'm fine."

He reassured her in a whisper, the tenderness in his voice filling the little girl with delight, though she did not know exactly how to

show her happiness. She simply clung to Brandon, gently rubbing her little cheek against his neck.

Brandon's hand caressed the back of her head, not stopping her—letting her snuggle as a slight relief washed over him, though not

significantly. His thoughts were overwhelmed by images of waiting in vain outside Sophia's door and the sight of her arriving with

Ivan, each recollection pressing down on his chest with a growing heaviness.

Grace, who could detect the icy expression on Brandon's face, worried that Theresa's disregard of boundaries might have annoyed

him, and swiftly moved to intercept.

But Brandon stopped her, "It's okay."

Reassured by Brandon, Theresa held on to him even tighter until they walked past the claw machine area on the first floor where

her grip on his shirt gradually loosened.

Brandon looked at her and asked, "Want to give it a go?"

Theresa's big, round eyes hesitated, then she gave a slow, emphatic nod, "Mhm."

"Then let's try to get one," suggested Brandon.

Theresa's eyes sparkled with eagerness, and she began squirming to descend from Brandon's arms.

In front of the claw machine, Brandon stocked up on tokens and encourage Theresa to go first.

With her still-developing motor skills, the joystick proved tricky for the little one. After several futile attempts, her demeanor visibly

fell into one of disappointment.

Brandon crouched behind her, carefully guiding her hands with gentle patience. In a moment of triumph, they captured a stuffed

toy at their first cooperative attempt.

Theresa was a mix of surprise and excitement. Right after securing the first prize, she eagerly pulled on Brandon's hand for his

assistance in claiming another, completely forgetting the fact that he had been a stranger mere moments ago.

Grace had cared for Theresa since birth, and seldom had she seen the child so overcwith elation. Captivated by the moment,

Grace slipped out her phone, switched to video mode, and commenced recording.

Yvonne, at the mall with her daughter Anna, noted someone filming and conscientiously stepped aside with her child. Her gaze

lifted unconsciously to the claw machine, and she stunned.

"Brother?"

Yvonne called out uncertainly.

At the voice, Brandon turned to see Yvonne, her eyes wide with surprise. His brows knitted together in a slight furrow, "What are

you doing here?"

As Theresa reveled in her moment of fun, she too glanced over, a look of bewilderment on her face as she took in Yvonne and

Anna.

Perhaps provoked by the unfamiliar faces or by sother instinct, she suddenly tightened her hold on Brandon's hand, as if

fearing he might disappear.

Yvonne found herself intrigued by the sight of the little angel, her gaze shifted suspiciously back to him, "Brother, when did you...

How cwith a child?"

"Merely an acquaintance."

Brandon abruptly cut her off.

Yvonne stood in silence.

Her eyes were flitting toward Brandon. Well-remembering Brandon as a man consumed by work, that he wouldn't even spare time

for his family, she couldn't help but wonder at his unexpected companionship with a child that was not his own.

Her skepticism returned to Theresa, then pivoted to Grace, who still clasped her phone.

Yvonne found it hard to gauge Brandon's reasons for such unlikely company.

With just a single look, Brandon could discern her thoughts. But he chose not to elaborate, stood up and casually asked her, "What

brings you out here?"

"Just browsing around."

Yvonne replied, giving a little shake to Anna's hand, "Anna, say hi to Uncle."

Anna, already four and a total cutie like her mom and lively to boot, cheerily called out "Uncle," releasing Yvonne's hand. She then

bounded eagerly toward Brandon, wrapping her tiny arms around his legs affectionately.

Theresa had been standing close to Brandon's leg, nudging over instinctively as Anna approached, then simply gazed at Anna,

then back at Brandon.

As Brandon lowered his gaze to meet hers, their eyes met. And in that fleeting instant, Theresa's eyes brimmed with tears, her

little mouth turned down in a pout, as if she had just watched her cherished toy being taken away.

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