Chapter 111


    The whole ride there, Brandon just kept his cool, driving in silence, not much chatter.


    When they pulled up at the hotel entrance, Brandon hopped out and hauled Sophia’s suitcase down for


    her.


    Sophia grabbed her suitcase, shed a smile, and bid Brandon farewell.


    “When you heading back?” Brandon asked.


    “In a few days, I guess.” Sophia replied, still uncertain, since it all hinged on how Haley was bouncing


    back.


    Brandon nodded, “If you need anything, give Kent a buzz.”


    “Will do,” Sophia nodded back.


    She gestured to the hotel lobby behind her, “Well, I’m gonna head back in.”


    Brandon returned the nod, watched her enter the hotel, and didn’t move until she vanished around the


    elevator corner. Then he spun around and got back into his car.


    Sitting in the car, he was wrapped in silence, not speeding off just yet.


    The window was down, the night wind was whooshing, fluttering his hair..


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    Right across was the river.


    River Song in the West district meandered from west to east, broad and silent. Every once in a while,


    you could spot a night cruise ship rumbling by.


    Brandon watched the slowly receding ship, his mind at peace, the kind of calm that settled after reason


    had had its say.


    He could totally rte to Kent’s words, longing for the old Brandon, the even-tempered one,


    unppable by anything or anyone at any time.


    Part of him missed that Brandon too.


    Rational, cool-headed,ser-focused on work, not fretting or floundering over anyone, not tormented


    like a caged animal without an escape.


    He cherished the days with Sophia by his side, thefort ofing home to her, the fullness in his


    heart when she crossed his mind. But life without her these past two years, though a bit nd, wasn’t


    unbearable.


    Brandon was never one to force things. Since Sophia chose to go solo, respecting her decision was the


    best way to honor what they had.


    Their journey together, if it was over, then so be it.


    A familiar cramp surged in his stomach at the thought.


    Without a flicker of emotion, Brandon pressed a hand to his abdomen, nced up at the brightly lit


    hotel, fired up the engine, and the car sped away.


    In her hotel room, Sophia stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching that familiar ck sedan slowly


    drive away.


    She was staying on the second floor, not too high, giving her a clear view of the car below.


    She had just drawn back the curtains when she noticed Brandon’s car was still there.


    She saw his pause in the car, his calm, indifferent profile, and his eventual departure. She couldn’t


    quite name the feeling in her heart a sour, tingling difort. After all, he was the man she’d secretly


    adored for so many years.


    Sophia knew herself well. Feelings, moods, lots of things fade with time and distance. Out of sight, out


    of mind, no thoughts, no pining.


    But when close, she couldn’t control herself.


    Emotions aren’t things you can just drop with a single word.


    So keeping her distance, cutting off contact, or even avoiding meeting was the best exit strategy for


    her.


    The following days found Sophia’s life back on its regr track.


    Since she hadn’t known about Haley’s situation beforeing back, she hadn’t booked a return flight


    and was staying at the


    hotel. She visited Haley at the hospital like clockwork during the day and rushed home at night to work


    on the resort design. Her daily routine was busy and tight.


    Laura still held a grudge about the vi incident from two years ago and hadn’t warmed up to Sophia,


    who didn’t pay much mind


    to it.


    As a kid, Sophia had yearned for maternal love and had tried to curry favor with Laura.


    At that tender age, her idea of earning motherly affection was simply to be good, sensible, obedient,


    and academically sessful


    not to be a worry for Mom and Dad.


    So she bent over backwards to be understanding and obedient, taking Laura’s scolding as a sign she


    wasn’t doing well enough, which was why her mom was upset.


    Back then, she didn’t know Laura wasn’t her biological mother and med herself for not being good


    enough, which saddened


    her for a long time.


    She couldn’t fathom why her mom wouldn’t hug her like other moms, wouldn’tfort her when she


    cried, or praise her when she aced a test. She had many unanswered “whys”.


    Later, as she grew up and learned from Laura’s tirades that she wasn’t her real mom, she transitioned


    from sorrow to eptance and realized that no matter how hard she tried, she could never make Laura


    notice her, the daughter she saw as a burden. Her feelings for Laura shifted from craving love to just


    not provoking her.


    As she matured, she learned to handle Laura’s outbursts and maintain a surface-level harmony.


    This harmony peaked during her marriage to Brandon. Laura even seemed to butter her up, but this


    turned to resentment when she found out about their divorce and that Sophia had taken back the vi


    money.


    In Laura’s eyes, they saved Sophia’s life, raised her, and paid for her education, so Sophia owed her.


    Sophia may not have much affection left for Laura but bore no resentment either.


    They did save her, and despite all theints, they never gave up on her, raising her and funding


    her education, ensuring her life wasn’t too shabby.


    So in some ways, Sophia was grateful and wanted to repay that debt.


    She knew why Laura was both cold to her and yet called her back. It was because Haley’s fate was


    uncertain, and Laura feared the hospital bills she couldn’t afford, as well as the possibility of being


    liable for a bigpensation im she couldn’t pay. Laura urgently needed Sophia, the daughter, to


    return.


    But now, seeing Haley getting better day by day and not needing anypensation, Sophia’s role


    naturally fizzled out. Laura, back to her old ways, started nitpicking Sophia again.


    Every time Sophia showed up, Laura would dish out some sour grapes, all passive-aggressive, and


    even the others in the ward were feeling sorry for her.


    Haley, true to form, didn’t dare peep a word, but he’d always sneak in an apology to Sophia when


    Laura wasn’t around, feeling guilty as hell. She’d tell Sophia to just roll with the punches because


    Laura, despite her harsh words, was kind inside, so he urged Sophia not to take it to heart.


    Sophia had mixed feelings about the whole Haley thing.


    She didn’t get into a tiff with him over it, didn’t even put him in the hot seat, just encouraged him to


    focus on healing up. Maybe it was the good vibes, but Haley’s recovery was ahead of the game, and


    the doc gave him the thumbs up to check out early.


    When Sophia got the news that Haley was cleared to leave the hospital, she mentioned her ns to


    head back to Wye City.


    Haley’s face turned gloomy, “Aren’t you already done with school? Why head back there?”