The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate (Brandon and Sophia) novel Chapter 721

"Sorry for the delay, got caught up in some things on the way," Harvey Ferber said as he pulled out a chair and offered an apologetic smile.

Sophia turned her head at the sound of his voice, and seeing Harvey, she stood up to greet him politely, "Mr. Ferber."

Brandon also stood, extending his hand for a courteous handshake, "Mr. Ferber."

Harvey accepted the handshake and then took his seat at Brandon's invitation.

This dinner was a special thank-you gathering arranged by Brandon, meant to express gratitude to Harvey's family for helping Sophia. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, quite unlike the tense confrontation when Brandon had whisked Sophia away.

Brandon was keen to keep things light, not wanting Sophia to pick up on any underlying tensions. Harvey, having already set a separate meeting with Brandon to discuss business, was more than happy to play along with the friendly charade.

Amanda, on the other hand, wasn't as easily convinced. She couldn't muster any warmth for Brandon.

In her eyes, Brandon had swooped in and taken Sophia away. Without his sudden appearance, Sophia would have left with her, free of any ties, returning to Amanda’s world.

Sophia's memory loss and her reluctance to reclaim the past made her more endearing to Amanda. In hindsight, Amanda regretted staying those few extra days in the West district with Harvey. Had they left sooner, Sophia would never have crossed paths with Brandon, and her loyalties wouldn't have shifted to this man who had taken her away.

"Sophia, sweetie, I agreed to come to this dinner mainly to say goodbye," Amanda said softly, trying to suppress her regrets. "I’ve lingered in the West district longer than planned. I wanted to wait for you, but something urgent came up back home. I need to leave tomorrow."

Brandon paused, his fingers resting on his glass, and glanced at Amanda, then at Harvey, who raised his glass in a silent toast. Although both men remained silent, their eyes spoke volumes.

Getting Amanda to leave the West district was part of the initial understanding between Harvey and Brandon.

Brandon simply acknowledged Harvey with a calm look, showing no particular reaction.

Amanda continued, her voice gentle as she held Sophia's hand. "Sophia, you promised me you'd come home with me for the holidays. Isn’t that still the plan?"

Sophia kept her grip on Brandon's hand, her gaze steady on Amanda. "I understand you’re upset about him taking me away, but it wasn’t him—it was my choice. He’s been nothing but good to me. Even though I don’t remember the past, I’m happy now. You care for me, so I’m sure you’d want to see me happy, right?"

Amanda pressed her lips together, reluctantly nodding. "Yes."

Sophia gave her a gentle smile. "So, could you stop this? Seeing you like this pains me."

Amanda looked at her, lips tight, unable to argue. Sophia had cleverly turned her own affection against her, making it hard to dispute.

Sophia didn't wait for a response, her voice still soft as she continued, "Before, I agreed to go with you because you wanted my company, and I had forgotten my family and child. But now that I’ve found them, and with my child being so young and affected by my previous absence, I need to be with her. Once things settle, I'll come visit you. Is that okay?"

Even though Amanda phrased it as a question, she had already made up her mind.

Amanda had suspected that Sophia might not come back with her, but she still held onto a sliver of hope. She thought maybe Brandon would be the one to object, while Sophia would be caught in a whirlwind of indecision. Amanda bet on the idea that Sophia wouldn't be able to resist her godmother's persistent persuasion. To her surprise, it was Sophia herself who directly refused her, leaving Amanda's expression slightly sour.