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. "Nothing,

craning her neck to peek downstairs, spotting Brandon

gaze, Brandon, who had been scanning

down with Theresa in her arms, her heart hammering in

by her mother's sudden

called

the back of her head and whispered, "Theresa, my tummy feels a bit off. Let's head to the

Theresa nodded, "Okay."

attempted to wriggle out of her mother's embrace, but

I've

the crowd as cover, made her

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

store was bustling, but there was no sign of the figure he'd caught a glimpse

looked elsewhere,

of breath

Crawley, what are you

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

was in the ladies' room on the opposite

girl's voice rang 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

shifted

preoccupied or simply uninterested, Brandon didn't respond to

before she grasped Brandon's arm. "Brandon, I like you, so I'm more than willing to help you with anything. You don't have to feel like you owe

hitched, and she couldn't help but watch

was turned

couldn't read the expression on his face, only seeing him glance at the

girl.

noticed Sophia's look of concern and

excitedly

she could finish, Sophia quickly covered her mouth

by the sounds of running

Brandon didn't hear it.

Tia a cold glance. She was practically hanging onto his sleeve,

who knew how to read the room, quickly stepped in with a smile and led Tia aside. "Ms. Temple, Mr. Crawley's pretty tied up right now. Why don't you

his phone and dialed Sophia's

and swiftly pressed the side button to

and quietly reminded her, "Mommy, you've

reassuring

held her close but didn't pick up the

calling several times with no answer, so