Chapter 165


    Sophia quietly met his gaze, staying silent.


    She had no clue how much he’d heard or which words had set him off.


    “Why don’t you speak up when they treat you like that?”


    After what felt like forever, Brandon finally broke the silence, his voice cool as ice.


    “Do you really not know, or is it because you never cared?” Sophia softly retorted, locking eyes with


    him, “That time you and your dad were talking about Ynda in the study, he said you screwed up by


    drinking too much and should’ve never gone to that damn reunion. You let that woman take advantage


    of the situation.”


    Sophia’s voice briefly faltered, as she looked at him, “That ‘woman’ he mentioned was me. A woman


    he wouldn’t even bother to call by name, do you think he’d ever give me the respect I deserve?”


    Brandon frowned, about to speak, but Sophia cut him off, “Even if that was the first time he showed that


    attitude towards me in front of you, did you ever give me a chance to speak up?”


    “You’re always busy, at work or otherwise,” Sophia continued, her tone still calm and measured, “Every


    time I psych myself up and muster the courage to talk to you, you’re either on a call or buried in emails.


    Then off you go, back to work. You’ve always got endless work and calls to take. Do you have any idea


    how long it takes for me to gear myself up, the courage I need to find just to talk to you?”


    Brandon’s brow furrowed deeper, seemingly puzzled as to why she needed to prep herself to talk to


    him.


    “Brandon.” Sophia looked into his eyes, “It’s not just your employees who are afraid of you, I am too.


    You’re alwaysposed, calm, meticulous, restrained. You have so many good qualities, they make


    you unbeatable, but it’s this same you that I can’t feel a hint of normal human warmth from.”


    “I’m just like the rest of them, always tense and unsure around you, terrified of saying or doing the


    wrong thing. I don’t know how to get close to you, and you’ve never signaled that I can.”


    “Our rtionship has never felt like husband and wife, not even close friends. We’re more like boss and


    subordinate than anything else.”


    “They say the one who falls in love first, loses. I married you because I liked you, but I’ve never felt an


    ounce of that from you.” “I thought affection would grow over time, so until you learned to care about


    me, I couldn’t help but tread lightly, carefully considering my words and actions. I’d agonize over


    whether you’d dislike it if I mentioned your parents, if you’d think I was gossiping, if it would make you


    hate me. Should I just keep out of it, since it’s not a big deal anyway?”


    “Every time I finally convinced myself to talk to you about it, you’d be either taking a call or checking


    emails. You never hung up the phone or shut down yourputer to let me finish. Your work always


    came first, even while waiting for food at a restaurant, you’d still be glued to your workptop.”


    “I get tired too. After it happened over and over, I thought, forget it, I’ve got no energy left to fuss over it


    because, by then, I was ready to leave. I didn’t want you anymore, do you get that, Brandon?”


    Towards the end, Sophia’s emotions started to unravel, her voice losing its usual calm and her eyes


    reddening.


    This side of Sophia reminded Brandon of the time at Don’s gathering when she found out he was the


    client behind the project, her breakdown.


    His gaze on her wasplex, watching the tears slide down her cheeks. He reached out to wipe them


    away, but Sophia pushed his hand aside.


    “Stop it, Brandon, I just don’t want you anymore. Do you understand?” Sophia choked out, pushing him


    away, “Everyone says you’re good to me, gentle, considerate, thoughtful, that I’m ungrateful. But all


    your kindness feels programmed, without warmth.”


    “And your family, I can’t feel a bit of warmth from them either. They always act so high and mighty, like


    I’m so lucky to have married into your family.”


    “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been so greedy to want to marry you. But I’ve paid the price already.


    Can’t you and your family just let me be, stop haunting me? I can take good care of myself; Ihave no


    emotional needs from you anymore. Can we just be strangers, just strangers, okay? uh.”


    Brandon kissed her, silencing her sobs and breakdown.


    Sophia pushed and hit him, letting out her frustration.


    Brandon let her hit him, his hand firmly cradling the back of her head, pinning her against the car seat,


    kissing her more intensely.


    09-14


    Sophia’s fierce resistance gradually melted away under the heat of his deepening kiss.


    Finally, she stopped pushing him away, but she didn’t kiss back, just letting her tears fall.


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    Brandon’s kissing slowed down.


    He didn’t let her go, still holding her tightly, forehead resting against hers, their breath mingling


    together.


    “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice low and hoarse.


    “I don’t want your apology.” Sophia gently pushed him, “Brandon, you can’t keep being so fickle.”


    “Just think of me as the bad guy.”


    Brandon said hoarsely, looking at the wetness in the corners of her eyes, lifting a hand to tenderly wipe


    her tears away. Sophia looked up at him.


    His expression was serious and focused, his eyes filled with an unprecedented softness and a trace of


    remorse.


    Sophia didn’t want Brandon’s apologies.


    She wasn’t trying to make him feel sorry for her.


    Their marriage wasn’t just Brandon’s fault. She had her share of responsibility.


    She simply wanted to move forward.


    She shifted her head slightly, avoiding Brandon’s hand.


    Brandon looked at her.