Chapter 166
“I’m heading out,” she murmured under her breath..
Brandon didn’t utter a word, his hand frozen in mid-air after she pushed it away, his gazeplex as
he watched her. Sophia’s eyes were downcast, avoiding his gaze.
She didn’t dare look at him. This version of Brandon would just make her heartache and go all mushy.
She turned and shoved open the car door.
Brandon watched her, his hand twitched but ultimately didn’t reach out, silently observing as she got
out of the car.
He didn’t stop her, nor did he dare to.
Sophia had told him many times to let her go, but never as bluntly and thoroughly as this time.
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So blunt that he felt like a total jerk, unworthy of bothering her.
Maybe Sophia was right.
He didn’t care for her enough, failing to notice her needs, her grievances.
During those two years of marriage, he took herpany for granted.
He relished her quiet presence, herpanionship, but never pondered what she got out of the
marriage.
She was smart, hardworking, had her own career and wealth. The money she earned was more than
enough to satisfy her material desires. So, she didn’t need marriage for material pleasure, let alone to
climb socialdders.
She never chased after such superficial things.
They married because of a child, but that child didn’t stay.
Over the following year, he considered her health and insisted on not having kids.
Although that child did briefly return after the divorce.
Thinking back to rushing to the hospital two years ago, seeing pale-faced Sophia on the bed and those
words “termination of pregnancy” on the yellowed hospital report, Brandon pressed his lips tightly
together, and he slightly turned his head away.
He didn’t want to touch on this topic.
Even though Sophia made that decision without his consent, Brandon knew he had no right to me
her.
So for Sophia, this marriage brought nothing but the shackles of being a Crawley daughter-inw, with
no added happiness or confidence, only forced to endure the discrimination and constraints of an
unequal status.
So her choice to end the marriage, to stop walking that path with him, to start anew, wasn’t wrong at all.
Brandon knew he should let go. When she spoke so frankly about why she needed him to release her,
he should’ve just honored their agreement-no clinging, no disturbance, just wishing each other well.
Wishing each other well.
The familiar spasms in his stomach surged again.
They say the stomach was an emotional organ. Every emotion in the heart could manifest as a physical
response in the gut.
Brandon raised his hand to press against his stomach, nced in the direction Sophia left, but her
figure was no longer in sight.
Her departures were always decisive and without a second look back nor would she ever nce back.
Brandon somberly withdrew his gaze and started the car’s engine.
Sophia took the stairs up.
Around the corner of the lobby on the first floor, she saw Brandon’s car slowly leaving thepany
gate.
Her steps didn’t falter as she numbly watched the ck sedan turn a corner and gradually disappear,
her mind reying Brandon’s hand suspended in mid-air and his handsome face watching her with a
complex expression.
She always felt that their marriage was simply a matter of ipatibility between her and Brandon.
Their marriage wasn’t born of love, nor was it about coercion. It was a result of unteral wishes.
So there was nothing wrong with Brandon being engrossed in his work after their wedding or not caring
about her; she just wasn’t the one he truly wanted.
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And yet, he happened to be the one she wanted, creating this imbnce.
That was why she never med Brandon, nor did she hate him. Even when she saw his lonely and
vulnerable side, she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
Fortunately, she could now rationally control these emotions.
She didn’t stop or look back, just moved forward numbly.
Behind her, the ck sedan grew smaller in the distance.
One to the left, one to the right.
When she returned to the office, Cindy was already anxiously waiting. “Did that guy bother you with
anything?”
Don was also in the office. He couldn’t help but look behind her as she walked in and, not seeing
Brandon, he frowned slightly, putting down his work and standing up to approach Sophia.
“Everything okay?” he asked, his usual casual demeanor reced with a more serious tone, concern
barely concealed in his eyes. Sophia offered him a smile. “I’m fine.”
Don also smiled, his gaze drifting towards the elevator, not spotting Brandon, his concern deepening.
Cindy, oblivious to his worries and seeing Sophia seemingly fine, breathed a sigh of relief. “Then let’s
go. We’re off to see the house.”
Sophia nodded slightly, shut down herputer, and left with Cindy.
Don lost interest in work, shut down hisputer, and pulled out his phone to call Brandon.
“Where are you at?”
Brandon was aimlessly driving. “Just driving. What’s up?”
“Where are you headed? I’ll join you.”
“No need.”
Brandon hung up on Don.
Cindy and Sophia went to view a house, and as soon as they arrived at the neighborhood, Cindy
noticed Sophia’s distraction. She seemed absent-minded during the viewing, not really listening to the
agent, often staring into space, her expression vacant. “What’s up with you?”
Seizing a moment when the agent stepped away to take a call, Cindy asked her softly, “You seem off
tonight.”
Sophia looked at her. “It’s nothing.”
But Cindy wasn’t easily brushed off. “Is it because of that older guy this afternoon?”
Sophia shook her head gently. “No.”
“Then, is it about Mr. Crawley?”
Sophia turned to her.
Cindy gave an awkward smile. “I just feel like Mr. Crawley is, well, kinda different around you. Right
after you left on opening day, Mr. Crawley called me into the office and asked about you.”
Sophia paused, looking at her. “What did he ask you?”