Chapter 36


    Sophia just gave a slight nod.


    “If I’m not around here, I’ll make sure someone else takes care of you, so don’t sweat it, Brandon said,


    as he helped her lug her bags into the master bedroom. ncing at his watch, he added, “It’s getting


    late, you should hit the sack.”


    Sophia nodded silently again.


    “You too get some shut-eye.”


    Brandon let out a soft “Hmm” and on his way out, he kindly closed the door behind him.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Sophia had already freshened up back at home, so she turned off the lights and got into bed.


    The mattress in this five-star hotel wasfy and plush, but sleep just wasn’ting to Sophia.


    In just half a day, it seemed like everything had looped back to square one.


    Not a great feeling, to say the least.


    Her hand instinctively rested on her t belly, knowing full well that the heart of the matter was the child


    inside her, just like it was two years ago.


    The thought of retracing her past life steps was something she instinctively pushed against.


    In the dead of night, amidst this resistance, she drifted into a fitful sleep, caught between dreams and


    reality. Every time she closed her eyes, she was besieged by dreams. In the bizarre dreamscapes,


    Sophia felt like she was back in Brandon’s West district house, living there alone year-round, a ce


    vast and empty, devoid of life and, contrary to her expectations, free will. Patricia, with her graceful and


    proper demeanor, appeared in her dreams, her wordsced with hidden barbs, waking Sophia in a cold


    sweat. When she looked out the window, the sky was already bright.


    Sophia ran her palm from her forehead through her hair to the back of her head, feeling the dampness


    at the roots.


    She sat in silence for a while, taking in the empty beauty of the room. Just one night, and she was


    already missing her cozy, albeit cramped, little studio.


    The room came with an en-suite bathroom stocked with everything one could need.


    Sophia went through the motions of washing up and getting dressed with a wooden expression. Only


    then did she open


    the door to leave her room.


    The door to the adjacent bedroom was already ajar.


    Her gaze shifted from the open room to the living room, where, in the open-n kitchen, Brandon was


    fixing breakfast.


    His tall, upright figure was dressed in casual home wear,cking the usual sharp aura he had in a suit,


    reced instead by a more down-to-earth vibe.


    Brandon could cook, and he was pretty darn good at it, something Sophia had always known.


    But rarely did she get to taste his cooking or see him bustling about in the kitchen like this.


    The ordinary life and the day-to-day domesticity were never part of his world. His life revolved around


    that small desk in his office.


    On weekends when he wasn’t working, and they were both home, Brandon would asionally whip


    something up, but it was rare. Sophia wasn’t sure if it was because he wasn’t into it, or because she


    had already taken over all the chores, leaving him no stage to show off his skills.


    During her long stretches of unemployment, she had developed a Pavlovian response to cook meals


    on time, as if only by doing so could she prove her worth.


    But Sophia had always despised this reflex.


    She couldn’t remember thest time she had seen such a scene. Thest memorable asion was


    back when they


    were newlyweds, and she was pregnant. Back then, cooking had be solely Brandon’s domain.


    Time hade full circle, it seemed.


    Sensing someone’s eyes on him, Brandon paused his egg-frying, then turned around to find Sophia


    staring at him, lost in thought


    “Up and at ’em?” he asked, turning off the stove.


    Sophia gave a gentle nod. “Mhm.”


    She looked kind of out of it.


    Brandon walked over to her and stood in front. “Rough night?”


    After a moment’s hesitation, Sophia candidly nodded again. “Yeah.”


    The bed giving you grief? Or just not your cup of tea?” he asked, brushing her hair back from her face.


    Sophia shook her head slightly. “Neither.”


    Brandon gave her a deep look but didn’t pry further.


    “Let’s grab some grub,” he suggested


    Sophia silently nodded, took a seat at the dining table, and watched him set the table. Then he sat


    down opposite her


    He ced the warmed milk in front of her. “Start with some milk.”


    Thanks.” Sophia murmured her thanks, took a small sip of the milk, and then looked back at Brandon.


    Brandon was also tucking into his breakfast, juggling a ss of milk in his left hand and a piece of toast


    in his right.


    Watching him take a bite of his toast, chewing methodically and taking a small sip of milk, Sophia noted


    his eating was always graceful and a sight for sore eyes.


    Brandon swallowed his mouthful of toast before looking at her. “Not hungry?”


    Sophia shook her head gently. “No, not really.”


    She took another sip of milk and then turned to him. “I had a nightmarest night.”


    Brandon’s eyes met hers. “What kind of nightmare?”


    Sophia said, “I dreamed we were still married. Felt like I was suffocating.”


    Brandon just looked at her, silent.


    “Brandon, you know what? Those two years we were married, I was actually pretty miserable, Sophia


    said softly. locking eyes with him


    Sometimes I can’t help but think, maybe the reason we lost that baby was because she could feel my


    unhappiness. Maybe she knew she wouldn’t be happy in this house, so she left.”