Chapter 1


    Sophia Yearwood made her way to Brandon Crawley’s office, guided by his secretary.


    Two years into their marriage, this was her first time stepping foot in hispany.


    “Mr. Crawley is still in a meeting. Please take a seat for a moment.”


    The secretary offered a warm cup of coffee with a thoughtful exnation.


    “Thanks.” Sophia took the coffee politely and settled herself on the sofa, scanning the spick-and-span


    reception room with its minimalist gray and white decor-totally Brandon’s style


    The secretary sneakily sized up Sophia too. She looked young, her wavy hair cascading over her


    shoulders, and bangs naturally framing her face, giving off a fresh and soft vibe. She wasn’t much of a


    talker.


    The secretary was still reeling from the fact that thedy in front of her was Brandon’s wife.


    More shocking was the idea that Brandon, who always kept his cool and stayed away from thedies,


    was actually hitched.


    She couldn’t picture Brandon being all lovey-dovey with a woman.


    The noisy chatter from outside snapped her out of her thoughts.


    The meeting might be over, the secretary said quickly, “Sit tight, I’ll go check.”


    Sophia instinctively nced towards the door.


    A tall person appeared, his head slightly tilted, deep in conversation with someone next to him. The


    sharp profile cut through the light and shadow, his expression serious and intense.


    The person next to him…


    Sophia froze when she caught sight of the girl’s beaming smile and stood up without thinking.


    Brandon looked up and saw her standing in front of the sofa, hesitating for a moment before frowning.


    “What are you doing here?”


    The girl discussing ns with him looked up at the sound of his voice and was visibly taken aback to


    see Sophia.


    Sophia shed a polite smile at her before turning to Brandon and handing him the file she was


    holding. “Your,” she started to say “Your mom,” but switched to “Mom asked me to bring this over to


    you.”


    Brandon’s mom wasn’t thrilled about herzing around the house, and since Sophia didn’t fancy


    hanging around his mom either, she took the chance to drop it off.


    Brandon took the file. “Have you eaten?”


    Sophia shook her head “Not yet.”


    Brandon closed the file and turned to his entourage. “We’ll continue the meeting this afternoon.


    Everyone go have lunch.”


    The girl by his side seemed to want to say something but bit her tongue, nodded obediently, and then


    led the curious crowd away, all of them sneaking nces at Sophia.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Brandon took Sophia down to thepany’s cafeteria for lunch.


    While waiting for their food, Brandon was still glued to hisptop, fingers flying over the keyboard, his


    usual cold focus on disy.


    Sophia propped her cheek with one hand, quietly watching him.


    He was good looking, with sharp features and a stern brow, his noble nose casting a shadow as he


    looked down, radiating a cool authority.


    He always looked this unppable and aloof, even in their most intimate moments.


    She had secretly crushed on him for eight years, from sixteen to twenty-four, but now, she didn’t want


    him anymore.


    Tucked in her bag resting on her thigh was the freshly drafted divorce agreement.


    Her palm rested on the papers as she hesitated.


    Strictly speaking, Brandon hadn’t done anything wrong. He just didn’t love her, that’s all.


    Their marriage hadn’t been for love, so maybe not loving her wasn’t really a fault.


    “What are you looking at?” His deep voice interrupted her thoughts.


    She shifted her gaze to Brandon.


    He didn’t even look up, still busy and fixated on hisputer screen


    Sophia always thought watching Brandon work was a treat.


    “Hmm?” Brandon finally looked up when he didn’t get a response, his gazending on her face


    Sophia smiled. “Nothing.”


    She casually asked, “When did Hannah start working at yourpany?”


    Hannah was the girl who had been standing next to him. Sophia had shared a ss with them for a


    year. She was a transfer student, while Brandon and Hannah had been ssmates since their first year


    of high school, both the ss’s heartthrobs and top students, always the go-to for school events.


    Rumors had swirled about them being into each other, but for some reason, they never got together,


    and Sophia, the underdog, ended up with the prize.


    Not that she was a slouch during her school days-she had aced her way through to university-but when


    she arrived, Brandon and Hannah were the center of attention, and she was the new kid. By the time


    she started making waves, school was over, and they all went their separate ways.


    “Since the start of the year, Brandon’s attention had already returned to hisputer, “I don’t really


    remember. She got in through HR


    Sophia nodded and didn’t pry further.


    Their meals arrived quickly and what followed was a quiet, drawn-out lunch.


    For two people who liked their peace, it wasn’t a big deal, but.


    Her eyes wandered to a couple at the next table, yfully feeding each other.


    Sophia felt a pang of envy.


    That kind of intimacy was something she and Brandon would never have


    The man only had eyes for work and efficiency.


    His life was like a well-wound clock, precise and cold.


    He had his schedule down to a science, knowing exactly what to do and when.


    Such a man wasn’t cut out for marriage.


    Neither was she.


    “Something on your mind?” Brandon looked up, noticing her distraction.


    Sophia pursed her lips slightly, meeting his eyes with a smile and a nod, “Yeah, kinda.”


    An email notification drew Brandon’s attention back to hisptop.


    Sophia chuckled, “Go ahead with your work. We can talkter.”


    “Alright.”


    It was an hourter when Brandon finally wrapped up.


    “Got any nster he asked as he packed away hisputer.


    Sophia paused, realizing he was asking her, and then replied.


    “I was thinking of checking out the bookstore, not heading back just yet.”


    Brandon nodded. “I’ll have Kent take you there. Don’t stay out toote”


    Kent was Brandon’s assistant, someone Sophia had met a few times.


    She nodded. “Okay.”


    Lunch ended ndly, just like their two years of marriage.


    Sophia didn’t head home from the bookstore until nearly five


    Brandon’s mom, his mother-inw Patricia Crawley, was still at home, fussing over the cat. When she


    saw Sophia walk in, she teased the cat with a chuckle. Look at you, totally pampered with food, litter,


    the whole nine yards. Can’t make a dime, but you are so extravagant! Neither being considerate nor


    being lucky to get pregnant. You are not a princess but sure have a princess’s attitude What’s the point


    of you. huh?”


    Her voice was pleasant to the ear, with a hint of yful jest.


    Sophia pretended not to catch the subtext in her words and gave a casual hello before heading back to


    her room. And sure enough, a symphony of ttering and Patricia’s unguarded ranting soon followed


    from outside.


    She could just picture Patricia’s sourpuss face, which made her miss the freedom she had before


    getting hitched even more Back then, she only had to fend for herself, with no expectations from


    anyone, no need to y nice for the sake of it, and certainly no need to walk on eggshells around


    anyone.


    Sophia was well aware that Patricia had never been her biggest fan.


    And she could get why. After all, she and Brandon were from different worlds, as different as chalk and


    cheese


    It was just a twist of fate that they ended up together.


    When she married him, she had no clue about his illustrious status. She thought he was just like her, a


    regr Joe grinding away for his daily bread.


    Had she known about the worlds between them, she never would have agreed to marry Brandon. It


    was a shotgun wedding with no love to speak of


    At first, Sophia held onto some fairy-tale hopes for the future, which made putting up with Patricia’s


    two-faced antics behind Brandon’s back somewhat bearable.


    But now, with different ns in mind for her future, she couldn’t care less about Patricia’s attitude


    In the end, Patricia stormed out of the house in a huff, frustrated by Sophia’s quiet nonchnce and


    disregard.


    Sophia wasn’t in the mood to cook and just ordered some takeout to get by.


    Brandon had messaged earlier about workingte. Hispany was still expanding; long hours were


    the norm.


    Sophia had grown ustomed to his busy schedule.


    Late into the night, around eleven, Brandon finally got home, while Sophia was still busy in the study.


    He had grown used to her being busy too. He showered first, and by the time he came back, Sophia


    had finished up in the bathroom and was propped up in bed reading. She put her book down and


    turned off her bedsidemp as he approached.


    Brandon climbed into bed and flicked off the light. As soon as hey down, he rolled over her, his body


    enveloping her, and his fresh masculine scent drew closer as he kissed her.


    Brandon was gentle yet forceful in the dark.


    He shed the aloofness of daytime, and Sophia found it hard to reconcile this passionate and wild side


    with the man who seemed so indifferent by day, almost devoid of desire.


    In matters of sex, they were almost perfectly in sync


    After a while, when the heavy breathing and moans had quieted in the night, Sophia was still held


    gently in Brandon’s


    arms.


    Their sweat-soaked bodies stuck together slightly, but Sophia didn’t push him away. Instead, she gently


    hugged him back, burying her face in his equally damp chest.


    “Brandon, she whispered, her voice still breathy.


    “Hmm?” His voice,den with lust, was fatally sexy in the dark.


    “Let’s get a divorce.”


    She spoke softly, feeling his body tense as she did.


    Brandon looked down at her, his piercing gaze in the dark like a bottomless abyss of calm.


    “Why?” His voice remained as calm as ever


    “We were only brought together because of a child, a child we were never destined to have. Maybe it


    was fate,” she replied, meeting his gaze with equal serenity I think I prefer being single. Life doesn’t


    feel much different with or without you. But without you, I can have fewer expectations, fewer


    complications. I guess you feel the same.”


    It was like, post-divorce, she wouldn’t have to deal with his mom or his rtives, and he wouldn’t have


    to deal with her family.


    Brandon didn’t respond, justy there silently, a storm brewing in his eyes. Just when Sophia thought


    he wasn’t going to speak, he nodded calmly.


    “Okay.


    No exnations, no further questions, just a crisp “okay,” the Brandon she knew so well.


    Sophia smiled at him through the sting of tears she fought back, feeling a bitter mix of emotions even


    though she got what she wanted. When everything ended cleanly, as she had hoped, the sourness still


    tangled in her chest.


    She gently unburied her head and released her hold on him.


    “I’m going to freshen up.”


    She whispered and was about to get out of bed when her arm was suddenly grabbed. She was yanked


    back onto the soft mattress, a stormy kiss descended but paused at the shock in her eyes.


    Brandon’s eyes were a stormy sea, dark and pressing, but eventually, they calmed to an unfathomable


    still.


    He rolled over beside her andy t.


    “Sleep, he said, closing his eyes.


    The next day, Sophia woke up to find Brandon gone and the house unchanged as if the night’s episode


    had been just a dream. But Sophia knew things were different now.


    She packed her bags quickly. She didn’t have much


    Before leaving, she took onest look around the apartment she’d lived in for two years, left the keys


    and the signed divorce papers on the coffee table, and sent Brandon a message. [I’ve signed the


    divorce papers on the coffee table. The divorce is fully entrusted to thewyer. Let me know when


    you’re ready to finalize it. I’m leaving. Take care.]


    Brandon was in a meeting when he received the message. He paused, looking off into space


    The rest of the room, who had never seen him so out of it, especially Hannah, who’d known him for


    years and never seen him like this, exchanged puzzled looks.


    “Mr. Crawley? Hannah called softly, reminding him of the ongoing meeting.


    He nced at her, calmly put down his phone, and continued his previous speech. Just when everyone


    thought he was back to normal, he abruptly said, “Meeting’s over, grabbed his phone, and rushed out


    of the conference room, leaving everyone else in bewilderment.


    ‘Mr. Crawley, what’s wrong?