The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate (Brandon and Sophia) novel Chapter 676

Patricia just happened to look up and her brisk pace slowed down. With a poker face, she gave Sophia the once-over from head to toe, finally resting her gaze on Sophia's slightly stunned face.

Daniel had been glued to his phone and hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings. Patricia suddenly slowing down made him instinctively look her way, then followed her gaze to see Sophia standing at the doorstep with her phone, which caused him to slow his steps as well.

Sophia had just seen Daniel at noon and she recognized him.

She also remembered bumping into Patricia at the entrance of the West district Tian Street Shopping Center.

Back then, she was spooked by Ivan's actions, hastily fled from his car, dashed into the mall without looking where she was going, and ended up colliding head-on with someone, accidentally knocking their bag to the ground.

That someone was the lady sizing her up right now, Patricia, Sophia remembered.

She also vividly recalled the chilling sensation of her blood freezing in her veins when she first heard Patricia's voice, and the suffocating feeling that gripped her heart when she first saw her face, a repulsion that made her instinctively want to stay away, yet her feet felt as if they were frozen in place.

That feeling was still there, just not as intense as the shock of that first encounter.

The middle-aged woman in front of her wasn't freaking out like she had seen a ghost like she did that day, making a beeline to get away with a flustered and haphazard retreat. Instead, she was giving Sophia an evaluative once-over.

Although Sophia didn't have any recollection of her, Patricia's expression and gaze made her feel uncomfortable.

Sophia was pretty sure she didn't like her, so she didn't bother with hellos or asking who they were looking for, she just calmly glanced over them and turned to go back inside.

"Wait up."

Patricia suddenly piped up, perhaps irked by Sophia's snub, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure. Just as she was about to say something else, Daniel reached out to hold her hand, stopping her, and then warmly said to Sophia, "Sophia, your mom and I came to check on you, Brandon, and the kids. Are Brandon and the kids home?"

"Your mom" – those words made Sophia's steps falter, and she turned back to look at the two of them.

She couldn't tell if they were her biological parents or Brandon's, as she failed to see any resemblance to herself or Brandon in them.

Daniel's demeanor was gentle, even had a tinge of an ingratiating smile.

Regardless of whether the Sophia in front of her was real or not, she reminded Patricia more of the Sophia who had just married into the family – gentle and compliant, lacking the composure and sharpness she had after the divorce. This version of Sophia unconsciously brought out Patricia's sense of elder superiority, and she couldn't suppress it.

Sophia wasn't oblivious to Patricia's condescending vibe, but Daniel's "your mom" had her unsure about their relationship, so she politely nodded, "Yeah, I can't remember the past."

Then she asked, "May I know who you are?"

"Hasn't Brandon told you?"

Daniel looked puzzled and furrowed his brows but quickly adjusted and introduced himself, "I'm Daniel, Brandon's dad. This is Brandon's mom, Patricia."

Sophia got it, then politely nodded and greeted, "Nice to meet you."

She didn't kowtow or try to curry favor, nor did she come off as cold or distant, which made Patricia frown, unable to help herself from sizing up Sophia all over again, her eyes clearly asking, "Are you really Sophia?"