Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Brandon just watched her silently, waiting for her answer..

Sophia hesitated for a moment, and then looked at him. “Did you overhear me on the phone just now?”

Brandon gave a slight nod, pretty chill about it, “I happened to be at the door and caught a bit of it by accident.”

Sophia awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth, “What a coincidence.”

Brandon cracked a small smile too, “Yeah, quite the coincidence.”

His eyes still fixed on her, he repeated his earlier question, “What’s not clicking between us?”

Sophia’s soup sipping slowed down to a halt as she looked at him, “Why are you all of a sudden so curious about this?”

“I’m just wondering, Brandon said, his composure as cool as a cucumber.

The expected answer.

Sophia stirred her soup spoon lightly, falling silent for a while, before looking at him, “Different goals, I guess.”

Brandon probed, “Like what?”

“You’re all about work, and I’m all about life, Sophia spoke softly, her eyes on him, “All you want is marriage, but I’m looking for love”

Brandon’s brow furrowed ever so slightly, he just looked at her, not saying a word.

Sophia let out a small chuckle, “Marriage might be just a duty to you. It doesn’t matter who you marry, who the mother. of your children is. To you, a partner might just be a symbol called ‘wife Anyone could fit the bill, but I can’t. Besides

these internal issues, we’re also not a match on the outside.”

Sophia continued, “You come from a well-off family, all wealthy and powerful, plenty of girls from similar backgrounds are into you. While my family, we’ve got nothing, and my relatives are,”

Sophia paused, shook her head with a chuckle, then looked at him again, “Basically, we’re just from different worlds, right? We got together by some fluke, and it’s been a mistake from the start. Now we’re just getting our lives back on track, that’s all.”

Brandon looked at her, his expression serene, “Were these past two years just a mistake to you?”

Sophia thought for a moment, then nodded, “Yeah.”

Brandon’s lips pursed slightly as he turned his head away.

Sophia saw his Adam’s apple bobbing, as if he was holding back his emotions, and his chiseled side profile tensed ever so slightly.

She looked at him, puzzled. Today, she had seen too many emotional sides of Brandon, a bit off from the Brandon she knew. She wasn’t sure if the problem was with her or with him.

She didn’t think she had changed much from before, and their interactions had been pretty consistent. She was always open where she needed to be, so she couldn’t fathom why Brandon, usually so absorbed in his work, was suddenly sweating the small stuff.

Brandon didn’t say much else, just turned to look at her with a glance that clearly carried a mix of blame and reproach.

Sophia felt inexplicably scrutinized and couldn’t help but meet his gaze.

Brandon had regained his calm and put some food on her plate, “Let’s eat first.”

Sophia nodded lightly, “Yeah.”

And then she started eating, taking small bites.

She wasn’t really hungry, eating was a bit of a struggle for her.

Luckily Brandon was considerate of her appetite. The dinner was thoughtfully prepared, all nutritious yet light and easy

to digest foods, so she didn’t end up hurling like she had a few times before.

Brandon had clearly put a lot of effort into the meal.

Putting down her utensils, Brandon looked at her with concern, “You okay?”

Sophia nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine Dinner was really to my taste tonight.”

She also thanked him, “Thanks for this.”

Brandon stayed silent for a while, then looked at her, “Sophia, you don’t have to be so formal with me.”

Sophia looked at him, puzzled

Brandon regarded her earnestly, “No matter what we were once husband and wife, and I’m the father of our child. We don’t need to be so polite with each other”

Sophia pulled a small smile, Alright

It wasn’t that she liked being formal, but Brandon’s aura of authority was so striking, and he always kept his unique sense of distance, which made her subconsciously polite around him.

Brandon also pulled a small smile, as a response

Sophia remembered the contract Susan hadn’t signed and couldn’t help but glance at Brandon

Brandon caught her look, “Something on your mind?

Sophia nodded, “Actually, there is. Not sure if it’s convenient to discuss.”

Brandon encouraged her, “Go ahead.”

Sophia began, “Susan is working on that contract with the Starlight Hotel to enter their shopping district, right? They’re pressed for time, but the legal back-and-forth is dragging on. I was wondering if it might be possible to deal directly with you?”

She finished, a bit sheepish, “I know it’s not standard company protocol, but you’ve signed so many contracts like this, you must have a clear idea of where you can make concessions and where you can’t. So, I thought maybe you could

spare some time

“Sure, Brandon interrupted her abruptly

Sophia was taken aback, “Huh?”

Brandon reached out “Give me the contract

“Ah? Oh, sure” Realizing what he meant Sophia quickly grabbed her phone, considering sending him the electronic version, but then thought it might be inconvenient and didn’t want to take up too much of his time. She noticed a printer in the room and hurriedly got up. “I’ll print it out for you. That’ll be easier to look at

And with that, she was about to head to the printer

Brandon stood up, leaning in to take her phone from her hand

“I got it.”

As he spoke, Brandon moved towards the printer and adeptly transferred the file to the computer printed a copy, and

even used the binding machine to put it all together. He then looked over the contract in his hands, his movements throughout the process smooth and efficient.

Sophia couldn’t help but watch him.

There was Brandon, casually leaning against the printer, his back lightly propped against the table, his long legs casually crossed. His gaze lowered, he held the contract in his left hand and flipped through the pages with his right, his eyes moving quickly yet attentively, his handsome face absorbed in concentration and seriousness.

They say a woman hard at work is captivating, and the same goes

for men.

This wasn’t the first time Sophia had seen Brandon in work mode, but every time, she found herself drawn to the focus.

on his handsome face.

Chapter 45

Brandon breezed through the contract, then casually grabbed a red pen from the desk and, with a few swift strokes, made quick edits to the document before handing it over to Sophia “This is the Starlight Group’s bottom line,” he said.

Sophia was daydreaming, staring at Brandon, and only snapped out of it when he passed the contract to her. “Huh?”

He shot her a look.

Feeling awkward, she numbled, “Sorry, I zoned out there for a sec.”

He turned the contract towards her. “Shoot this over to Susan. If their company can swallow these terms, we sign. If not, we call it quits on the collaboration.”

“Got it,” Sophia took the contract, unable to stop herself from blurting out a grateful, “Thanks.”

The word just hung there awkwardly, as she recalled he said there was no need for such formalities.

Brandon glanced at her again but responded with a casual, “No worries.”

Sophia cracked a smile in response and then gestured towards the back room, “So, I’ll head back to my room now.”

He gave a slight nod, “Yeah.”

After a polite nod, Sophia turned and went back inside.

Brandon watched as she closed the door, his gaze then drifting slightly to one side.

He couldn’t figure out why it was that he and Sophia just couldn’t be like other couples or married folks-close-knit without all the formalities and awkwardness.