The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 211

"Whoa?" Kent got the fright of his life, instinctively yanking the steering wheel toward the curb and slamming on the brakes like there was no tomorrow.

The tires screeched a long, ear-piercing protest against the asphalt.

Kent couldn't care less about that and whipped his head around to check on Brandon. "Mr. Crawley, what's up?"

But Brandon, with his handsome face all tight and tense, didn't even wait for the car to stop before he yanked open the door and bolted toward the mall across the street.

Kent glanced at the mall, but it was just a sea of strangers-nothing out of the ordinary.

Clueless about what was going on, he hurriedly opened his door and chased after Brandon.

Tia, who had been trailing in her car, was equally puzzled by Brandon's hasty departure. She hastily parked on the side of the road and followed suit.

Brandon stormed into the mall without skipping a beat.

The place was massive and packed, as it was the weekend.

Brandon stood at the entrance, his sharp gaze scanning over the crowd.

He wasn't sure if he had just seen Sophia.

Sophia with a child in her arms.

Kent was driving too fast, and Brandon had only caught a fleeting glimpse, too quick to make out the details.

But that brief view of her silhouette was so strikingly familiar that even if there was only a one in a million chance it was her, Brandon couldn't let it slip away.

His eyes flickered urgently across the crowd, but the figure he had glimpsed was nowhere to be seen.

His searching gaze moved to the escalators, connecting the floors.

Nothing there either.

Just as Brandon was about to head to the second floor, Kent came running up, out of breath.

"Mr. Crawley, what are you looking for?"

His voice was loud, and his panting echoed across the mall's grand atrium. Sophia paused for a moment in her stride.

She was on the second floor with Theresa in a children's clothing store, well- concealed behind the throng of shoppers and promotional signs at the entrance.

Theresa noticed the halt in her mother's steps, her big, clear eyes looking up in confusion. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

managed a smile.

hugged her tighter, but couldn't help craning her neck to peek

Brandon, who had been scanning the area, suddenly looked

the same instant, Sophia crouched down with Theresa in her arms, her heart hammering in

startled by her

called

and whispered, "Theresa, my tummy feels a bit off.

Theresa nodded, "Okay."

of her mother's embrace,

I've got

that, Sophia, using the crowd as cover, made her way to the restroom in the adjacent

to the second floor, his intense gaze sweeping the area before it fell on the

was bustling, but there was no sign of the figure he'd

slightly and looked elsewhere, still

out of breath

what are

to Brandon and offered, "Let me help you look; I'm really familiar with

the ladies' room on the opposite

out, Sophia couldn't help but peek outside and saw a young stranger eagerly trying to engage with Brandon, hesitating to touch him but her eyes brimming with

gaze shifted to

simply uninterested, Brandon didn't respond to her, instead turning

arm. "Brandon, I like you, so I'm more than willing

breath hitched, and she couldn't help

was

face, only seeing him glance at

girl.

look of concern and curiously peeked outside, spotting

recognized him and excitedly began to say,

she could finish, Sophia quickly covered her mouth and pulled her back

was soft, drowned out by the sounds of running

Brandon didn't hear it.

She was practically hanging onto his sleeve,

and led Tia aside. "Ms. Temple,

had already whipped out his

swiftly pressed the side button to silence it, not daring to make a

noticed the phone's vibration and quietly reminded her, "Mommy,

a reassuring

her close but didn't pick

several times with no answer, so