In the end, Brandon didn't actually drag her into that house.
Instead, he took her to the apartment where he was living. The whole ride there, neither of them uttered a word. Sophia's emotions
gradually settled, and she numbly leaned against the car window, silent as a mouse.
When they got home, Brandon finally broke the silence with the first words of the trip, "Go rest up a bit."
With that, he headed into the kitchen.
Sophia didn't respond, just plopped herself down on the couch.
The emotional roller coaster she had been on all day had her worn out to the bone.
She ended up dozing off on the couch, half in a daze.
When Brandon finished cooking and cout, she was still asleep.
He glanced at her with an unreadable face, turned to leave, then hesitated.
He stood there in silence for a good while, then finally, he turned back towards her.
His footsteps didn't wake her.
Sophia was sleeping deeply, hugging a pillow, half-slumped over, with her head resting on it.
Traces of tears were still visible on her face.
Brandon's eyes darkened as he thought of her earlier broke down at the door of their old place.
He squatted down in front of her, gazing at her sleeping face, "I'm sorry."
The low murmur of an apology escaped his slightly parted lips, but it didn't wake her.
She just shuffled a bit, seeking a more comfortable position, but stayed asleep.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtBrandon watched her for a while, noticed her hair falling over her nose, and his hand instinctively moved to brush it aside, but this
startled her awake.
Her eyes, heavy with sleep, struggled to open, and although she wasn't fully awake, the sight of his familiar face made her
instinctively shrink back.
A fear-laden reflex.
His coldness and forcefulness before she fell asleep had frightened her.
Brandon's eyes darkened again.
"Tto eat," he said.
Sophia hesitantly nodded.
Dinner was eaten in silence, no words were exchanged.
And the silence lingered even after the meal was done.
Afterward, he didn't offer to take her back, and she didn't dare to ask to be taken home.
Sophia's fear of him had peaked.
The two of them maintained a precarious peace, careful not to set the other off.
As the night deepened, Brandon handed her a fresh set of pajamas and a towel.
"Thanks."
Her voice was hoarse with gratitude, still carrying the aftertaste of the afternoon's scares.
Brandon watched her enter the guest bathroom, then let out a long sigh and took his pajamas into the master bathroom.
After his shower, Brandon casually tossed his clothes into the washing machine and was about to close the door when he paused,
fell silent for a moment, glanced at the clothes inside, then finally bent down to retrieve the tissue-wrapped strand of Theresa's
hair from his suit pocket.
The makeshift wrap wasn't anything fancy.
He unwrapped the tissue, staring at the strand of hair, lost in thought.
A noise from behind startled him.
Brandon turned to see Sophia coming out with her dirty clothes.
Sophia also saw the hair in his hand, her gaze lingered on the tissue, then shifted to him.
Brandon didn't hide it, just re-wrapped the tissue and stepped aside.
"Chuck it in the washer," Brandon said.
Sophia gave a slight nod and silently tossed her clothes in with the rest.
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
"I'll head back to my room," Sophia said softly, and retreated to her space.
She didn't know who the visitor was, but anyone looking for Brandon at this hour was likely to be family or friends.
Sophia didn't want to meet them.
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