The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 22

After Sophia told Susan that she didn't want to hear about Brandon's recent situation, Susan really kept her word and didn't bring him up again, not even his name. Instead, she mentioned that her collaboration with Starlight Group had gone through evaluation and was now in the contract phase.

Though there were always twists and turns before a contract was finalized, Sophia was genuinely thrilled for Susan.

These days, Sophia had officially completed her enrollment procedures, and life was slowly getting back on track. She was also gradually getting used to life and culture in Ephemora. The only thing she hadn't quite adjusted to was her severe morning sickness; it was like whatever she ate came right back up, leaving her already frail body feeling even weaker.

Sophia only realized how bad her health was after her last pregnancy.

She wondered if it had anything to do with frostbite she suffered as a child. Back then, she was left in the freezing wilderness for days. After Haley picked her up and brought her home, he was often away working and couldn't look after her much. They weren't well-off, and Laura's educational level and love for her were limited. Back in those days, people didn't really understand the concept of scientific parenting. There was no special effort made to nurse her health; it was a matter of surviving, and if not, well, that was that.

But Sophia had a tough spirit. Despite frequently falling ill as a child and never being taken to the hospital unless it was really serious, Laura would only take her to a clinic to get some medicine or an antibiotic drip. Once she seemed a bit better, Laura would leave her be, and Sophia managed to survive all those bouts of illness.

Before, Sophia never paid attention to health and wellness info and didn’t know much about her own physical condition. She just knew she was often sickly, with a weak immune system and a delicate stomach—eating anything slightly cold would upset it—but she never knew it was this bad. Her first pregnancy was just like now, with severe morning sickness, and she kept eating and throwing up, losing weight until she barely weighed over a hundred pounds. Pregnancy was excruciating for her; her body just couldn't handle the hormonal changes it brought on.

And it's the same story now.

As she looked at the mess she'd just thrown up in the sink, Sophia sighed, resignedly turned on the faucet, and rinsed out the basin. Then, patting her empty stomach, she settled back at the dining table to continue eating, despite feeling queasy.

Her phone was right there on the table, still on a video call with Susan. They had been chatting when the nausea hit, and Sophia couldn't help but rush to the bathroom to hurl.

Susan was freaking out, and when Sophia sat back down, she bombarded her with questions: "How are you feeling? Any better? Should we go to the hospital, or should I get Ivan to check on you?"

"No," Sophia quickly intervened, "I barely know the guy, let's not bother him all the time. I'm fine."

Sophia and Ivan, although living in the same building, had their own lives. After a brief encounter when she moved in, they hadn't interacted much, only crossing paths occasionally in the lobby for a quick hello, or sometimes coincidentally walking to class together—they were in the same class, after all.

Sophia didn't know why Ivan chose to return to school so many years after graduating, especially at a time when it was said that he was successful. Probably just life choices for different stages.

Susan nodded, "Alright then. Just take care of yourself, and let me know right away if anything's wrong. I know we shouldn't impose on people too much, but when you're abroad and something sudden comes up, you gotta ask for help when you need it, don't just tough it out."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I'm feeling much better now," Sophia said, showing her a spoonful of soup and sipping it down in front of her. "I can still handle this."

This was already an improvement compared to her first pregnancy, when it was a never-ending cycle of eating and vomiting, which left her body wasted.

Sophia didn't know if Brandon had been freaked out by her state back then, but he definitely seemed nervous, taking a long leave from work to stay with her. They even hired a nutritionist and a chef to prepare special meals for her, but sadly her stomach was too sensitive to absorb anything.

At least now, after throwing up, she could manage to eat a little bit.

Sophia felt that this was somewhat thanks to Brandon's careful care over the past two years.

Even though he was busy with work and rarely at home, he always paid close attention to her diet and would check in on the meal plans the nutritionist had set up. He'd even make surprise visits to see if she was following the diet strictly. So, Sophia didn't have any hard feelings towards Brandon—she was actually grateful.

If it weren't for the messy and suffocating issues between their families that made her feel trapped in her marriage without an outlet, she wouldn't have minded continuing to live life alongside him.