The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 60

Kent couldn’t fathom why Brandon was getting all worked up over the “winter” thing all of a sudden, but he nodded anyway, “Yeah, just like Sophia’s dad said, I even recorded it.”

As Kent said this, he clicked on his computer, “You bet. She was such a darling, a real heart-stealer since she was tiny, pretty as a picture, all rosy-cheeked. Back then, she must’ve been five or six years old, middle of winter, all alone outside…” Haley’s voice, rough with a hint of booze, slowly drifted from the phone. Brandon cut him off, “Send me the recording.”

“The whole thing? It’s kinda long, want me to edit down to the highlights first?”

“Just send it all,” Brandon cut him off again, “Send it now.”

“Alright.” As Brandon’s right-hand man for years, Kent knew the drill and was always ready. He quickly sent the prepared recording to Brandon.

“Good, go on with your stuff.”

After giving instructions to Kent on the phone, Brandon hung up, pressed his palm on the mouse, and opened the recording Kent had

sent.

He didn’t speed through it. Instead, he just put on his headphones, leaned back gently against his computer chair, and hit play. The recording from Kent’s phone was crisp and clear, without any background noise.

Brandon had been listening with his eyes closed, but when Haley said, “It’s all my fault, when I picked her up back then, I never thought her mom might not like her.” he opened his eyes and looked at the audio playing on his computer. Haley’s denials didn’t stir his gaze or expression, until Kent asked Haley if Sophia was always so sweet and adorable as a child. That’s when a flicker of emotion finally passed through Brandon’s eyes. He stared at the screen, listening to Haley’s hoarse, nostalgic voice recalling the moment he found young Sophia, describing her as five or six years old, in the winter cold, alone outdoors, her little face turning blue from the freeze, not crying or fussing, just hugging her knees, curled up into a ball, with those big eyes staring at him full of terror, not shouting out loud; when he walked over, she asked in a weak voice, “Mister, are you here to take me home?”

tilting his head, his hands crossed on the

the winter, out in the wilderness.

conversation in his headphones continued.

for days. When she came

regret entered his ears, Brandon’s gaze slowly

had said not long ago, “You miss her because you two shared many beautiful memories. But if you’re the only one

question much thought at the time, but if Sophia was Yolanda, whether or not she had those

get up right away. He listened to

at the computer screen, his expression blank, his mind filled with Haley’s description of a

image of young

longed to see Sophia, eager and impatient.

the desk to move the chair back a couple of steps, and he stood up. As he passed through the living room, he bent down to grab the keys from the coffee table

the way to Sophia’s school, Brandon drove fast.

the wide-open car window, tossing his

on the steering wheel,

wasn’t far from the hotel, just a few minutes’ drive.

of the school bell piercing the campus, and groups

Sophia’s classroom building, watching the clusters of young students descend the stairs but didn’t