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.

Theresa when she saw the child wanted

home; we can get one from there. Let him go

head stubbornly, tears welling up her eyes again,

look, then tentatively

as if afraid being taken away. Once securely in Brandon's arms, she clung tightly

but his attention was captured as he

and paused

gaze slowly moved to Theresa, who was snugged against his

expression had already

beside

carried off, the plump woman gave an anxious look

a moment's hesitation, gestured

hurried to catch

were far

staring at the backs

still affectionately perched on his shoulder, her small

looked at Sophia with

"You alright?"

snapped back to the present, shook her head slightly, and then took out her

"Ivan, sorry, but I won't able to keep

smiled,

to apologize for last night's incident and to further

while ago and had come upon Sophia and Grace playing with Theresa downstairs. Not wanting the little ones to hear their conversation,

of the complex's

firmly rejected

An expected response.

"I'll be off then."

spoke without

persist unwelcomingly, and Sophia appreciated

"Alright, get

him out. They said goodbye and went their separate ways. Brandon took Theresa

one was thrilled, lacking much of a notion of "strangers" or "acquaintances," clinging to Brandon the whole way. Yet she was a child with a very sensitive mind; she could clearly sense

gazed up with

warm smile, "No, I'm very

embraced Brandon's shoulder tightly, whispering into his ear with her soft voice,

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

"I'm fine."

her in a whisper, the tenderness in 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 rubbing her little cheek against his

her head, not 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 her arriving with

worried that Theresa's disregard of boundaries might have annoyed him, and swiftly moved

stopped her,

until they walked past the claw machine area on the first floor

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