The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate



"No can do," Sophia gently turned her down. "I'm heading to work, not to play. I can't look after you. Dad's got work too." Theresa looked a bit down in the dumps, her eyes pleading as she turned to Brandon. "Daddy."

Brandon glanced at Sophia. "Why not let her tag along? She hasn't had a chance to go out and have fun for a while now."

"She can go out and play some other time. Don't just give in to everything she wants," Sophia said. "I'm heading to a construction site, it's no place for children."

"Then I'll take her over the day after tomorrow," Brandon suggested. "You should be done by then, and I can juggle my work around tomorrow and the morning after. We can take a few days off as a family after that. Come to think of it, we haven't had a proper family vacation together."

Sophia hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, that works."

Brandon turned to Theresa. "Theresa, Mommy's going on a business trip tomorrow, and I need to wrap up some work. How about I bring you over to join Mommy the day after, okay?"

But Theresa shook her head. "But I want to go with you. It's been so long since we all went out together."

"Weren't we just at the park with you the other day?" Sophia said softly, looking at her. "I have to work first, and then we can all play together, okay?"

"No way,"

," Theresa pouted, unexpectedly stubborn. "I want to go with both Mommy and Daddy."

Sophia rarely saw Theresa so disobedient and wondered if Brandon's support was making her more rebellious and assertive. She couldn't help but look at Brandon.

Theresa, still with hopeful eyes, waited for his unconditional support.

But this time, Brandon chose to stand with Sophia.

His expression turned a bit stern. "Theresa, didn't we agree that you wouldn't disturb Mommy when she's working?"

Theresa, usually intimidated by Brandon's sternness, burst into tears, sobbing heartbreakingly as if she'd been scolded.

Sophia and Brandon's hearts melted instantly.

Brandon scooped her up, soothing her and apologizing, promising to bring her over after Mommy was done with work. It took a lot of coaxing to calm Theresa down, but she was stubborn and didn't agree as sweetly as usual, falling asleep without giving them a "yes."

"Guess she's growing up and starting to have her own will," Sophia whispered, watching the sleeping Theresa. "She'll probably forget all about it by tomorrow."

Brandon nodded in agreement.

The next day, Sophia packed her suitcase and took it to work, planning to head straight to the train station from there in the afternoon.

When Theresa woke up and didn't see Sophia, she didn't forget like Sophia had thought she would. Instead, she threw a fit about finding Mommy, and Grace couldn't calm her down no matter what, eventually resorting to a video call with Sophia.

Sophia was already on the high-speed train when she got the video call, with the train about to depart.

She asked Grace to hand the phone to Theresa, trying to soothe her.

But the usually obedient little girl wouldn't calm down and started crying her heart out for "Mommy" as she tried to wriggle free from Grace's grasp. Sophia had never seen Theresa so unwilling to let go before. She was always sweet and sensible, waving goodbye and patiently waiting for her return, never crying so desperately.

Sophia's tears started to flow, wanting to drop everything and get off the train to hug her, but her rational mind held her back as she was about to turn around.

As Theresa grew older, she was beginning to understand the taste of parting and disliked it more and more.

Sophia couldn't always drop her work and rush back every time her child cried.noveldrama

During her moment of hesitation, the train began to move.

The slowly departing train also took away her chance to get off.

In the end, Sophia had no choice but to ask Grace to call Brandon, hoping he could console Theresa.