The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Chapter 627

Kent stepped up and handed the work phone over to Brandon.

Brandon flicked through the phone with his long fingers, then turned the screen towards Harvey Ferber.

Harvey's pupils shrank, his fingers clutching the contract tightened suddenly, creasing the thin paper with a deep, sharp fold.

Clark, standing right behind him, instantly sensed the change in Harvey's aura and shot him a surprised glance before turning to the phone Brandon had flipped around. His expression shifted slightly.

The phone displayed the latest work photo of Arlene Bright.

She was clad in a long oatmeal-colored wool coat paired with a houndstooth- patterned wool scarf, her hair cascading over her shoulders. With one hand, she was holding a document folder, and with the other, a pen, writing something down with a soft and peaceful look in her eyes.

Clark couldn't help but look back at Harvey Ferber.

He knew that when Harvey had been hellbent on tracking down Arlene through Brandon at the mall, it was only a matter of time before trouble brewed. By doing this, Harvey was basically delivering Brandon some serious leverage.

But back then, Harvey was so focused on finding Arlene that he couldn't care less about anything else.

Little did he expect that not only would he fail to find Arlene, but he also ended up handing over the bargaining chips to Brandon.

Today's stunt was just Harvey betting on Brandon's desperation to find Sophia, gambling that Brandon would lose his cool in his haste, just like Harvey had done back at the West district's Sky Street mall.

But this was about sealing a deal with no turning back, not like Harvey's shopping mall frenzy.

When Harvey learned a few days ago that Sophia had secretly taken on the project for the science museum at West district's secondary school, he made a special trip to Starlight Group. He aimed to mess with Brandon's head by pretending he heard that Brandon had donated a science museum and that Arlene was the designer, trying to keep Brandon in the dark about Sophia's involvement before sitting down at the negotiation table like today.

He wasn't keen on using Sophia as bait to make Brandon transfer the docks as a way of repaying a favor, but he didn't mind exploiting the opportunity and the timing to tempt an irrational Brandon into signing the contract. Just a moment ago, he was so close, just a hair's breadth away...

The image of Brandon almost signing the contract without hesitation, if not for Kent's sudden interruption, played in Harvey's mind, leaving him with a faint sense of regret.

But outwardly, he maintained a composed facade, looking at Brandon, "While I am indeed looking for her, she's not so important that I'd give up a dock for her."

Harvey said with a slight smile, his eyes still locked on Brandon, "Are you sure you can afford this gamble, Mr. Crawley?"

returned the gaze, stoically

be sure how much this woman named Arlene meant

had spent a fortune looking

front of Harvey, it was like he was playing an open hand, while Harvey was sitting on

when the odds aren't even, you don't have to just

could also... flip

tossing the contract onto the table, "My woman is never a chip on my negotiation table, she's

"There's an old saying, 'Courtesy before force.' Since Mr. Ferber isn't willing to

and a group of fashionable young

them too, his expression shifting as

a casual glance toward the gangplank, as calm as ever, then turned back to Brandon, "Are

Ferber didn't specify that security couldn't buy a ticket to board," Brandon said, turning back and bracing his hands on the table, leaning in slightly toward Harvey, "Don't worry, Mr. Ferber, they're here to give you money. Buying tickets to board is

at the ticket checkpoint where the strapping young men were

guys search bit by bit," Brandon said, his gaze still on Harvey. "After all, this ship isn't

Harvey's lips, light and not at all angry, tinged with an unexpected hint of resignation he hadn't

Sophia's existence, Brandon would be driven mad with urgency to find her, and indeed there was a brief moment when he was. Unfortunately for Harvey, Brandon's rationality and composure returned too swiftly,

the signing, and he began to understand

Brandon's own shrewdness was

seemed a bit too fussy by his side not

finally took the edge off his tone, no

the dock issue,

referred

shoot Brandon a worried

knew Harvey Ferber was on her trail - she handed in

kept this ace

with the same

guy himself. He deduced from the timing of Brandon's revelation about Arlene's whereabouts that there was only a fifty-fifty shot Brandon

held back his own

that Sophia

people storming the ship, it was Harvey's vessel, and whether they could

also the only possible lead Brandon had to finding Sophia, so