The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 376

Kent didn't dare make another peep.

He had no clue what the tiff between the two was about, and was totally in the dark about Daniel landing in the hospital because of a brain hemorrhage due to Brandon. All he knew was that Daniel was hospitalized, and that was that.

Brandon didn't add any more to the story either. He headed back to his office and had barely plopped down at his desk when Yvonne's call buzzed in.

The second Brandon picked up, Yvonne's voice, thick with tears, hit him, "Brandon, Dad's had another bleed in his brain. He's back in surgery now."

"I got it," Brandon said cool as a cucumber, ended the call, and made a beeline for the door.

Kent had just settled into his seat when he saw Brandon, face all tight, storm out of the office, so he quickly got back on his feet, instinctively ready to follow suit.

"No need to tag along." Brandon stopped him, "Take care of Theresa when she gets back."

"Got it."

Brandon headed directly to the hospital and found himself back in the all-too- familiar waiting game outside the OR.

Patricia was a hot mess, crying her eyes out. When she saw Brandon, she couldn't hold back her emotions and laid into him, blaming him for setting Daniel off that morning.

Brandon gave her an icy stare, and Patricia's outburst quickly shrank back into silence.

Yvonne shot Brandon a worried look. He looked like he was about to blow a gasket, and it wasn't clear if it was because of Daniel's condition or Patricia's tantrum.

"Brandon?" Yvonne called out to him, concern lacing her voice.

"What did the doctor say?" Brandon asked, turning to her.

Yvonne shook her head, "Nothing much, just that they needed to rush him into surgery."

Brandon nodded, not saying another word. But his face was still a picture of misery, miserable like never before.

Yvonne didn't dare disturb him.

Thankfully, Daniel's surgery didn't take too long this time around. The bleeding was still under control, and they didn't need to crack his skull open again; just a simple ventricular puncture.

But his condition was anything but stable.

As he was wheeled out of the OR, the doctor emphasized over and over again how critical it was not to agitate the patient.

"Okay, thank you, doctor."

to the doctor, watched as

a blank slate. No telling how long he sat

of concern

grunted, a light response,

yourself up over this." Yvonne said softly,

Brandon cut her off, "He reaped what he

this with you. Call me if

go back to

a fire in his chest, mixed with

have committed such a heinous act that he was now obliged to be Daniel's son, paying

if they didn't even have a

even confront him, Daniel had

his car windows wide open, letting the fierce

Sophia to have dinner with

back a simple

he walked in, he made a beeline for the liquor cabinet, and grabbed a bottle

Don approached with concern, "Why the sudden need for a

remembered the last time Brandon drank was because of Sophia, but weren't he and Sophia shacked

"It's nothing."

but his actions spoke volumes as he uncorked the bottle, poured himself a full glass,

a second

stepped in after two glasses, "Your

of the night and they

talk to me about

poured himself another glass and downed it

gulp.

glass down so hard on the marble bar top that the delicate

Brandon and asked,

silent for a moment, "He had another bleed and is

is he now?" He

that's up to fate now," Brandon said, reached for the bottle again as if to pour another glass, but then he glanced at the broken glass, tossed it aside, took the bottle, and gulped it down straight from the neck, then tossed the bottle away, slumped against the couch, and

on the floor in front of the couch, not quite sure how to comfort him, just silently patting

spoke, his voice raspy, “But all the years of my upbringing and my conscience tell me that I'm the reason he's in there. His current state has

as nails," Don patted his