The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

A couple of months later.

Saturday rolled around, and the weather was starting to warm up, bathing everything outside in a pleasant sunshine.

Brandon squatted down, meticulously fixing Theresa's clothes until they were just right, then finally looked up at her and said, "All set." Theresa, who had just stretched her arm out to place her little teddy bear at a distance, immediately pulled it back into a tight hug against her chest.

This had be her go-tofort move over the past few months. Brandon had gotten used to this little ritual of hers and didn't try to correct it anymore, even if the teddy bear wasn't looking its freshest from being clung to and slept with all the time.

Silently, he brushed off slint sticking to the teddy bear, his fingertips lingering a bit too long on the bear's soft fabric before he pulled away, his expression drifting into a reminiscent daze.

"Daddy?" Theresa called out, a hint of confusion in her voice.

Brandon snapped back to reality, offering her a reassuring smile as his gaze drifted past her shoulder to the long table behind her. On that table was an album, holding a picture of Sophia from when she first joined thepany.

He had seen that photo on the wall at Star Dempsey Architects two months ago, and had since gotten the negative from HR, developed and printed it out.

He didn't have a picture of Sophia on his phone. Neither did Sophia on hers.

She wasn't into taking photos, so her phone gallery was devoid of selfies, even though it was filled with lots of moments capturing Theresa.

In the photo, Sophia was sitting at her desk, smiling quietly and gently, obviously taken spontaneously when the HR cby for a shoot. She wasn't showy, but her youth and beauty shone through her calm and gentle gaze.

Her eyes seemed to speak volumes, as soft and serene as ever. It was as if she was smiling right at him through the photo, and Brandon couldn't help but smile back, though his throat tightened with a sudden wave of emotion.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Grace, who was bustling in the kitchen, hurried to answer it.

"Kent, Susan," Grace called out, her weing voice trailing behind them.

Theresa looked up at the sound and saw Kent and Susan walking in. She greeted them politely, "Uncle Kent, godmom." "Theresa," Kent replied, wiggling his eyebrows in an attempt to cheer her up.

Ever since the incident with Sophia, the little girl had be much quieter. But as before, his goofy faces didn't seem to have the desired effect.

Theresa just watched him with her big, round eyes, a faint smile on her face, her expression showing a maturity and calmness beyond her years.

Seeing Theresa like this made Brandon's heart twinge, but he said nothing, simply stroking her hair reassuringly.

Susan bent down with a smile, "Today, godmom and Kent are going to take you shopping for new clothes for the New Year. Are you excited, sweetheart?" Theresa nodded, "Yes." Susan noticed the teddy bear was getting dirty and couldn't help but reach out to touch it, "Your teddy's got a bit dirty; how about godmom cleans it up for you?" But the moment Susan touched the bear, Theresa's smile vanished, and she clutched the teddy tighter, shaking her head vigorously as if afraid it would be taken from her, "No." Brandon quickly crouched down and hugged her, whispering soothingly, "We won't wash it; don't be scared, Theresa." Theresa relaxed a bit at his words, and gazing at her distressfully, Susan didn't dare to push the matter further.

To lighten the mood, Kent chimed in with a grin, "Let's go; we'll start with the New Year's shopping and getting new clothes. The malls are buzzing with excitement." As speaking, he bent down to Theresa, "We're about to celebrate New Year; are you happy, Theresa?" Theresa nodded blankly, "Yeah." At her age, she didn't really grasp what New Year's meant. She didn't remember much from her first New Year, and now was her first real sense of the holiday as a conscious little person.

Other kids were already out with their moms, picking out new outfits and prepping for the holiday. Whether it was because Sophia was gone or Brandon subconsciously avoiding the festive season, they hadn't made any plans.

Susan was determined to fill in andplete the traditions Sophia couldn't continue.

She remembered when Theresa was l one, and they were abroad. When Christmas arrived, even though Theresa was too young to understand, and despite Sophia's hectic work and study schedule, she made sure to prepare a Christmas trée and holiday outfits for her, giving her a taste of the festive spirit.

Now that Sophia was gone, she worried Brandon might neglect it, so she took advantage of the good weather to take Theresa out.

Kent turned to Brandon, "Mr. Crawley, why don't you join us for a stroll?" Brandon had seemed to slowly return to normal over time, but Kent, his long-tassistant, could tell he wasn't really back to his old self-he was just numb, numb to work, to life, with Theresa being the only spark in his otherwise still waters, the only reason to keep pushing forward. But even so, the calm, rational, and vibrant Brandon of the past seemed to have disappeared.

Kent had always thought of Brandon as detached, aloof, and hard to get close to, but now he realized just how alive the old Brandon waspared to now. Life was still long, and he hoped Brandon could slowly return to a normal life.

"No need, you guys." Brandon started to decline Kent's invitation but caught Theresa's hopeful eyes on him, and he paused. Theresa eyed at him, whispering, "I wanna go with Daddy." In just a few months, Theresa's linguistic skills had skyrocketed. She was no longer the stuttering little chatterbox she used to be. Brandon stroked her hair and nodded gently, "Okay." Outside, the festive spirit was in full swing.

Big red lanterns and New Year decorations were already hanging from the trees lining the streets. Twinkling lights were everywhere, the malls were packed like sardines, and the air was filled with festive vibe - everywhere was buzzing with celebration. Brandon's life used to be all work, no play. The whole shebang of prepping for the New Year and making the rounds for greetings was always someone else's gig. That kind of stuff never popped up on his radar.

So, even after years of marriage to Sophia, he'd never actually done the New Year's prep with her. No watching the Gala, no window-shopping, no visiting relatives, no New Year's greetings. He didn't have the slightest inkling about it, let alone any sense of ceremony.

He even had a hard tremembering how he and Sophia used to spend each New Year. Seemed like they just had a simple meal, pretty much business as usual.

He also couldn't quite recall what he was up to on New Year's Eve. Most likely, he was just working, as per usual.