The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Don and Kent's ride was parked in the spot next door. Peering through the car window, they spotted Brandon gazing at Sophia in a

trance, exchanging puzzled glances without making a peep to interrupt.

Brandon paid no mind to the two in the adjacent car, just quietly watching Sophia.

Gotta admit, post-divorce Sophia looked way better than she did two years back.

It wasn't about her features being more pretty, but that vibe she had and the sparkle in her eyes.

Sophia had been glowing more and more these past couple of years.

Maybe it was his intense stare that jolted Sophia.

In her slumber, Sophia stirred and then slowly opened her eyes.

Their gazes collided.

There was a hint of grogginess in Sophia's eyes, like she wasn't fully awake yet.

She tried to speak, but her just-awoke brain was still in a fog, not quite sure where she was, just the car's AC made her instinctively

pull the suit jacket around her.

The stiff fabric took her by surprise, and she glanced down to see the jacket she was draped in.

"It's chilly in here."

A calm voice floated down from above.

A somewhat embarrassed Sophia cback to reality.

"Thanks."

She murmured her thanks and was about to hand back the jacket when Brandon stopped her with a raised hand, "Keep it on, |

don't need it."

After saying this, he straightened up and glanced out the window, "We've hit the service area. Need a bite to eat?"

Sophia shook her head gently, "No, thank you."

Brandon nodded, not pushing the issue, and checked the ton his wristwatch before starting the engine.

Don and Kent quickly followed suit.

The sky outside looked a bit gloomy, and the wind had picked up along the way.

Zion City was a seaside town, and Sophia remembered the weather report predicting a hurricane hitting the city by early morning

the next day.

Should've been clear skies before the storm, but the look of the sky and the way the wind blew gave off vibes that the storm might

hit earlier.

She glanced at Brandon involuntarily.

Brandon too noticed the change outside, a slight frown creasing his brow as he picked up speed.

By the tthey reached Zion City, the weather was still decent, sunny but with a breeze.

"The hurricane isn't going to hit early, is it?"

Parking outside a restaurant, Kent looked up at the sky and voiced his concern.

"We can't be that unlucky."

Don was more optimistic, and with that, he led the way into the restaurant, grabbing a menu off the counter and settling down at a

table to order.

They were in a rush, so lunch had to be sorted here.

"Let's grab something quick so we can head back sooner," Brandon suggested, pulling up a chair next to Don, "There's a good

chance the hurricane will land earlier than expected."

"Alright."

With Brandon's word, Don didn't dawdle, choosing a few quick dishes.

But no matter how much they rushed, by the tthey finished lunch and reached the resort site, it was well into the afternoon.

The construction crew was already on site, ready to break ground.

Materials were being delivered one after the other.

The foundation-laying ceremony was also in prep mode.

The construction team was a long-term partner of the Starlight Group. They were also in charge of the mall where the accident

happened over the weekend.

At the tof the accident, Brandon had called the cops and also notified the engineering quality supervision department to

conduct a safety assessment of the building under construction.

Thankfully, the structure was sound, but the falling stone pillar was clearly an act of sabotage.

Had he not been there by chance to intervene, the consequences would have been unthinkable. All of the Starlight Group's malls

and hotels could have sparked safety concerns and public worry.

Brandon suspected someone was stirring up trouble on purpose.

Of the two buildings the Starlight Group had under construction, besides the mall where the accident occurred, it was only the

Zenithan-style resort left.

After the mall incident, supervision was tightened, leaving little room for foul play.

If someone was up to no good, the Zenithan-style resort, especially with the foundation-laying ceremony coming up, would be the

target.

Brandon's visit this twas a last-minute decision, but he didn't try to keep it under wraps.

As soon as the group arrived, Vince, the company's project supervision head, hurried over to meet them.

He was an old hand at the company, brought over by Daniel and Patricia when they set up the new tourism firm, tasked with

project oversight.

Officially, he was Daniel's man, but privately, he took his cues from Brandon's side.

Brandon held a lot of trust in him.

Brandon was upfront about his visit's purpose. Apart from a surprise inspection, it was to ensure Vince kept a tight watch, securing

the foundation-laying and construction process without a hitch.

As the chief designer, Sophia tagged along mainly to check that the preliminary preparations for each phase were on track, to

avoid any issues.

Luckily, even though it was an unannounced visit, with Vince at the helm, preparations on site were solid, everything moving

forward smoothly.

"Mr. Crawley, rest easy. Withhere, there won't be any issues," Vince assured with a smile, slapping his chest as they exited the

work area.

He was tall and lanky, very scholarly-looking, speaking with a methodical calm.

"Thanks."

Brandon responded with a smile of his own.

"Mr. Crawley, you're too kind."

Vince replied with a grin, and couldn't help but glance at Sophia who stood beside him, surprised by the chief designer's

youthfulness.

Coming from an architectural design background himself, he had a deep appreciation for the ingenuity in Sophia's designs.

Noticing Vince sizing her up, Sophia greeted with a smile, "Mr. Vince, if there are any questions during the construction process,

feel free to reach out toanytime."

"Will do, will do," Vince said with a smile, before praising her, "Ms. Yearwood, | didn't expect you to be so young. | thought whoever

designed this resort must have been older, with more experience."

Sophia thanked him with a smile, "Thanks for the compliment, Mr. Vince."

"Deservedly so." Vince grinned and checked his watch, "Let's go grab a bite, and then head back."

It was already dark outside, way past mealtime.

The sky had opened up, pouring rain accompanied by strong winds that bent the roadside trees.

It looked like the hurricane was indeed on its way.

Kent laughed off Vince's offer, "Let's rain check that, buddy. It's blowing a gale out there, and it looks like a hurricane's brewing.

Better hustle back home."

Vince, noticing the weather getting rough, voiced his concern, "Why not crash here for the night and hit the road once the storm

blows over? Driving in this kind of weather is asking for trouble."

"No, no, thanks, Mr. Vince."

Kent was turning down Vince's offer on behalf of Brandon as well.

Brandon's got a busy day at work tomorrow and would rather beat the hurricane back home.

But the storm was picking up faster than they thought.

They hadn't even left town when a fierce wind, driving rain straight into their faces, started to pick up, showing signs of getting

even stronger.

Sophia was still hitching a ride with Brandon.

Watching the trees outside bending in the wind, she couldn't help but shoot Brandon a worried look, fearing that the car might not

withstand the hurricane's fury on the way.

Brandon also glanced outside, smoothly taking a turn at the intersection.

"Let Kent know we're bunking here tonight."

Sophia nodded, whipped out her phone, and dialed Don and Kent, who was following behind.

They took the sturn and found a hotel close by.

"Sorry, we've only got one room left."

After braving the storm to the hotel lobby, the receptionist apologetically informed them after checking the system.

Don was taken aback, "You're doing that good of a business?"

"Zion City is a seaside tourist spot, and it's peak season for travel. You have to book hotel rooms well in advance."

"Not just us, it's the sstory nearby," the receptionist added. "Either no rooms or at most a single one left. Considering the

hurricane's almost here, you're lucky to even find a room."

Just as the receptionist finished speaking, the phone rang with another inquiry for a room.

The receptionist hesitated to commit, glancing at the group for a decision.

Brandon stepped up, "We'll take the room."

Then he turned to Don and Kent, "You guys hunker down here. Sophia and | will check next door."

Don and Kent exchanged glances, then, in perfect sync, took the reins. "No need, you two stay. We'll scope out the place next

door."

Before the others could respond, they dashed off into the downpour as if on a shared mission.

Sophia was speechless.

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