The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 11

Sophia had just cleared security when Ivan finished up too

They headed to the boarding gate together, keeping a bit of distance one after the other, barely exchanging words along the way.

Once they reached the security hall, they each plopped down onto their own patch of empty seats.

Ivan took the spot next to Sophia, whipped out his phone the moment he sat down, looking like he was swamped with

work

Sophia didn’t peep a word, her gaze drifting from the bustling crowd in the gate area to the window outside.

Outside the sky was gradually darkening

The tarmac was ablaze with lights, planes taking off and landing, the night merging with the lights, slowly deepening the sense of parting

–

Sophia thought back to that call with Brandon – picked up and then abruptly dropped her fingertips grazing the edge. of her phone She felt nowhere near as calm as she had expected.

Brandon always had a way of getting under her skin, no matter what.

She wanted to call him back ask what was up, but then she remembered their goodbye, how he’d hugged her gently. told her to take care, and the determined stride he took as he walked away. Her fingers, which had been caressing the edge of her phone, finally relaxed and she shifted her gaze to the specks of light outside the window.

The unease in her gut wasn’t letting up. In fact, it seemed to be getting worse

She was in for a flight over ten hours long, and she was starting to worry about a mid-air body breakdown. Her hand instinctively pressed against her chest, hesitating whether she should grab some meds.

Ivan glanced up at her. “Feeling off?”

Sophia gave a slight shake of her head. “I’m fine

Her eyes caught a glimpse of a pharmacy nearby and paused for a moment.

Ivan picked up on her pause “Not feeling well?

Sophia, a tad embarrassed Yeah probably didn’t sleep well last night and didn’t eat much today. My stomach’s throwing a bit of a fit”

Stomach acting

nausea hit Sophia, and she couldn’t hold back a dry heave to the side,

and stood up. “Let’s get you some meds before we’re stuck on that plane for

Sophia nodded.

was just to the side, next to a food joint, its rich food aromas mingled with the greasy scent of cooking oil, constantly assaulting

raised a hand to block her nose and looked

staffer a cautious pharmacist asked,

shook her head. “No, just

has this been

“Just started this moming.”

“How long exactly?”

when I got up, but felt better after

Chapter

suddenly stopped, a hazy suspicion crossing her mind, her eyes widening slightly at the potential

of oden, the pungent seafood smell triggering another wave of nausea. Sophia turned away instinctively,

just looked up blankly, pale and

her shoulder paused, worry in his eyes

to twist a smile at him. “It’s

scene, and his steps

Sophia’s shoulder looked ambiguously comforting, and Brandon, not too far but not too close, could easily see the tenderness in Sophia’s smile towards Ivan, and the hidden adoration and concern in Ivan’s

see the day when Sophia would lean so affectionately into another man’s arms, her unique gentle smile blooming

didn’t know

man’s presence, he’d

had already said their goodbyes. There was no

was her choice, and he respected

his head emotionlessly, without a hint of reluctance, and walked away

turned around, her gaze inadvertently sweeping a familiar silhouette in the window reflection. The

surged behind her, but the familiar tall figure was

looked to the pharmacy staff. “Excuse me, could I get

gaze snapped

but still

headed to the

wait for the test result, her

more bewildering than her

she was just panicked and clueless, unsure of what

was a