Chapter 228

Brandon watched with regret, his voice softening involuntarily, "I'm sorry. It's my bad. How about I make it up to you with a new one?"

The little girl, pouting, hesitated as she looked at Brandon, wanting to nod but too cautious to do so. She glanced back toward where she came from, as if looking for someone.

Instinctively, Brandon followed her gaze.

A tall and plump woman was hurrying toward them, the same one he had seen before in Wye City with the girl.

Brandon gave her a once-over.

The woman clearly recognized him too, offered an awkward smile at him, and moved forward to pick up Theresa.

Theresa, feeling wronged, pointed to the broken balloon on the ground, "Balloon's busted."

Brandon looked at the tall, plump woman, "Sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention and accidentally stepped on the little one's balloon."

The woman smiled, "It's no big deal, just a balloon."

"I just promised her a new balloon," Brandon said, glancing outside, "I remember there's a mall right by the entrance, would it be alright if I take her to pick one out?"

The woman quickly waved her hands, "No need, children forget fast, she'll forget about it soon enough. It's just a balloon, after all."

"To us adults, it's just a balloon, but to a kid, it might be more," Brandon said. "I already made a promise to her."

Brandon then looked at Theresa, the little girl gazing at him with big, hopeful eyes.

"Just a few minutes," Brandon said to the woman, "It won't take long."

"Or if you're worried, feel free to wait here for me, and I'll go get it," Brandon added.

The woman looked at him with a touch of surprise, perhaps unsure why someone as well-dressed as he would go out of their way to buy a balloon for a kid, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded, "We'll wait here then."

"Alright."

Brandon responded lightly, looking at Theresa, "Theresa, can you wait here for a sec? I will go and get you a balloon, okay?"

He remembered that her name was "Theresa" from asking last time.

Just as Brandon was about to get up, the little girl suddenly grabbed his pant leg in quickly.

Brandon turned back to look at her.

"I... wanna... go... too."

The little girl's voice came out in short bursts, milky and eager, her big watery eyes filled with longing.

Brandon paused, looking at her.

pick up Theresa when she

home; we can get one from there.

shook her head stubbornly, tears welling up

look, then tentatively reached

Once securely in Brandon's arms, she clung tightly to his neck, nestling her face affectionately

help but hug her a little closer, then looked up at the tall, plump woman, but his attention was captured as he saw Sophia

up and paused

Theresa, who was snugged against his neck, and then

had

at Ivan beside her, and without another word,

plump woman

hesitation, gestured for her

hurried to

were far

stood there, staring at the backs of Brandon and

still affectionately perched on his shoulder, her small arms

looked at Sophia with a complex of

"You alright?"

snapped back to the present, shook her head slightly, and then took out her phone to send a message to Grace: [No need to

to Ivan, somewhat apologetically, "Ivan, sorry, but I won't able to keep you for

smiled, "That's

see her today, to apologize for last night's

playing with Theresa downstairs. Not wanting the little ones to hear their conversation, Sophia had asked Grace to watch

one of the

firmly rejected

An expected response.

"I'll be off then."

without further

wasn't one to persist unwelcomingly, and

"Alright, get home

didn't walk him out. They said goodbye and went their separate

"acquaintances," clinging to Brandon the whole way. Yet she

show much excitement when she got the balloon, just gazed up with her big eyes, and

a warm smile, "No, I'm very

in and embraced Brandon's shoulder tightly, whispering into his ear with her

tug at his heartstrings from her fervent embrace and couldn't help but

"I'm fine."

his voice filling the little girl with delight, though she did not know exactly how to show her happiness. She simply clung to Brandon, gently

stopping her-letting her snuggle as a slight relief washed over him, though not significantly. His thoughts were overwhelmed by images of waiting in vain outside Sophia's door and the sight of

Brandon's face, worried that Theresa's disregard of boundaries might have annoyed him,

Brandon stopped her, "It's

held on to him even tighter until they walked past the claw machine area on the first floor

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