The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Tia suddenly straightened up and got real.

"Got it."

She replied reluctantly, her eyes still showing a touch of longing as she glanced one more ttowards Brandon's office.

"Ms. Temple, Mr. Crawley is a family man," Kent had to remind her.

"Kent, quit trying to pull the wool over my eyes. I've done my homework. Mr. Crawley is single right now." When it cto matters

of the heart, Tia didn't scare easy, staring down Kent with determination, "Everyone has the right to chase after love. As long as

the guys are free and the girls are single, the gis on. Whether you can win someone over, that's all down to your own mojo."

Kent felt a headache coming on. She was as stubborn as they came.

Tia didn't care what others thought of her and continued, gazing at Kent, "Kent, we only live once; it's all about living without

regrets. | have a crush on Mr. Crawley, so I'm gonna go for it. No matter what the outcome, at least I'll have tried, and you don't

need to talkout of it. I'll do my job well, but I'm also gonna chase the guy. Work and personal life won't clash."

Back at Sophia's place, after breakfast, Sophia went back to bed to catch up on ssleep.

She had been feeling utterly drained lately due to various factors and just couldn't keep up physically.

Theresa, who had dolled herself up nicely and didn't want to waste it by going to sleep, couldn't think of anywhere to go out and

play, so after pondering in the living room for a while, she borrowed Grace's phone to call her dad.

Before knowing that Brandon was Theresa's dad, Grace would have tried to stop her from bothering Brandon, but now that she

knew about their relationship, she didn't dare interfere and quickly handed the phone to Theresa.

Theresa called Brandon with serious intent. The phone was picked up after just one ring.

Theresa, mindful of her mother still sleeping in the room, whispered into the phone's receiver, "Daddy, what are you doing?"

"Daddy's working." Brandon's voice softened upon hearing her, "What's up, Theresa?"

"Nothing." She uttered in a subdued voice, "I just want to chat with you."

Brandon chuckled, "So, what are you doing at home?"

"Sitting," Theresa said, already kneeling on the sofa, craning her neck to check out the weather outside as she felt a bit like going

out to play.

"And Mommy?" Brandon asked gently.

"Mommy went to sleep." Theresa said softly, "It's justand Grace in the living room."

"Are you bored?" Brandon inquired.

Theresa nodded, "Yeah, | wanna go out and play."

"Should | cpick you up?" Brandon offered.

Theresa was surprised, "Is that okay?" But she was also concerned, "Don’t you have to work?"

"It's fine." Brandon said, already grabbing his car keys and standing up, "Wait at hfor Daddy. I'll be there soon."

With that, Brandon hung up.

He drove himself back to pick up Theresa. As soon as he arrived at the complex entrance, he saw Theresa and Grace waiting there.

"Is Mommy still sleeping?" Brandon rolled down the car window and asked upon seeing the little girl.

Theresa nodded, "Uh-huh."

And she didn't forget to inform him, "Grace's already sent a message to tell Mommy."

"Okay," Brandon opened the car door for them to get in.

"Where do you want to go play?" He asked as the car door closed.

Theresa was still mindful of Brandon's work commitments.

"Can we go to Daddy's office?" She tentatively asked.

Brandon replied, "Of course."

"But will that grumpy grandpa scold me?" Theresa hadn't forgotten the incident when Daniel made her cry last time. The thought

made her feel a bit wronged, "He also scolded my mommy."

Brandon's hand paused on the steering wheel, his gaze shifting to Grace in the rearview mirror, "Grace, when did this happen?"

"It was the day Theresa got lost." Grace didn't dare to hide anything, "At the time, Theresa wanted to go to the company to find

you, but I didn't know you were her dad then. Thinking you were busy with work, | didn't want to disturb you, so | didn't let her. She

said she would wait downstairs for you to finish work, and | couldn't persuade her otherwise, so | waited with her, thinking she'd

want to go back once she got tired, but she insisted on waiting until noon and wouldn't leave.

Then, before we could see you, that old gentleman from the office cdown. Perhaps he didn't like seeingwalking a child in

the office area, and he gave us a talking-to. Theresa started crying, and | thought we should leave quickly, but she insisted on

waiting for you. | had no choice but to call Sophia.

At that time, | didn't know Sophia was upstairs. And that old gentleman, maybe irritated by Theresa's crying, spoke quite harshly

and even had security kick us out. Sophia happened to cdownstairs; she cares a lot about the kid and talked back to him,

which made that old gentleman look pretty upset."

Grace sneaked a glance at Brandon as she finished.

Brandon's face darkened slightly, his handsfeatures tensing, an air of low pressure surrounding him.

"What exactly did that he say?" He asked.

"He didn't say anything too outrageous." Grace thought for a moment, "It's just that after Theresa got scared to tears by him, he

seemed kind of disgusted, thinking her sobbing was a bad look in front of clients, so he had security cover to kick us out. Then

Sophia just happened to cdown, took the frightened Theresa in her arms, and comforted her. That man asked Sophia what her

relationship was with Theresa, and Sophia said it was none of his business. Then she challenged why the lobby was open to the

public if outsiders weren't allowed, asking why there wasn't a sign or why security didn't stop us earlier. He was like 'l call the shots

on the rules in my company; it's not up to an outsider to lecture me.' Something along those lines, | can't remember exactly. After

that, Sophia fired back at him and left with Theresa in her arms."

Brandon glanced at her in the rearview mirror, "Did he try to reach out to Sophia after that?"

Grace shook her head, "I don't think so. After that, Sophia took us out to eat and dropped us off before heading to the office. | don't

know what happened next."

Theresa, sensing a tense atmosphere in the car, tentatively asked Brandon, "Daddy, what's wrong?"

With a smile, Brandon reassured her, "Nothing."

He then said to her, "Theresa, you can visit Daddy at the office whenever you want. If anyone gives you trouble, call Daddy right

away, okay?"

Theresa nodded vigorously, "Okay."

Soon, the car arrived at the company's entrance.

This time, Brandon didn't take the underground parking garage but deliberately walked through the lobby, carrying Theresa.

The security and receptionists downstairs recognized Theresa, the pretty little girl who was once scolded to tears by the chairman -

it was something they all remembered vividly. But they didn't expect her to be so closely related to Brandon, and everyone was

stunned, casting curious glances at Brandon and Theresa.

Brandon gave the security and receptionists a look and said coolly, "From now on, if the kid comes over to play, just let her in. Let

her do whatever she wants, no need to stop her."

The security and receptionists quickly nodded, "Alright."

They couldn't help but sneak another curious look at Theresa.

Theresa, with her big, expressive eyes, was looking around curiously, probably still a bit shaken up from the last incident, and her

gaze was somewhat timid.

"If anyone stops her, just say it's my order and tell them to cto me."

After giving the instructions in a calm voice, Brandon carried Theresa upstairs.

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