The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

"I have no clue!" Ivan suddenly burst out, his hand fiercely pointing towards the winding river outside the balcony, "She fell down there, and you're tellingyou don't know? She's gone, man, she's never coming back!" "You're talking nonsense!" Brandon was clearly riled up by his words, cutting him off sharply.

But this did not stop Ivan, who, seemingly using the moment to vent his emotions, sneered even more scornfully, "Brandon, you finally got what you wished for - you killed her! If it weren't for you forcing her to stay by your side, she would never have died. She was supposed to live as she did in Wye City - devoted, motivated, happy, fulfilled... it was your damn selfishness that killed her!" "She's not dead!" Brandon retorted coldly, refuting him word by word, as if convincing himself, "You hid her away, didn't you? Otherwise, why the hell did you suddenly resign? Why have you disappeared after her accident?" "My resignation gave Mr. Crawley great hope, didn't it?" Ivan sneered as if he heard a great joke, a smirk appearing on his lips, "Isn't Mr. Crawley always all about evidence? If you think Sophia is with me, go ahead and search. Search anywhere, the whole damn city, the entire world even - go on, search! Aren't you capable? Didn't you find her when she was on the other side of the globe? Continue searching, then, why don't you dig full fathom five to find her?" By the end, Ivan couldn't control his emotions and roared out loud.

His uncontrollable outburst gradually snuffed out the flicker of hope that had ignited in Brandon.

Watching Brandon's handsface drained of color, Ivan seemed to slowly realize his own lapse, pursing his lips and turning his face back toward the balcony.

Mr. Evert, who had been nervously watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but look at Brandon with concern.

He hadn't expected him to seek Ivan out for this matter.

This was beyond his comprehension.

Whether it was Brandon or Ivan, losing control over a girl was beyond what he knew of them.

He always thought of Brandon as a rational, cool-headed man with authority, like a king of the business world, masterfully strategizing with ease; women seemed to be the least of his concerns.

And his own son Ivan, while not exactly giving off the detached-from-the-world vibe like Brandon. The fact that he was now acting out of character over a woman was more shocking to Mr. Evert than surprising.

But as for Sophia, he had no impression of her; he had never met her.

Now, seeing the two men at each other's throats over a girl, Mr. Evert couldn't help but worryingly call out to Brandon, "Mr. Crawley?" Brandon glanced at him but didn't respond, his gaze returning to Ivan. As his Adam's apple bobbed, he pleaded, "Where is she? I beg you, tell me." Ivan, seemingly caught off guard by Brandon lowering himself to beg, paused, then looked at Brandon seriously, "How could she possibly be with me? I only learned about her accident from the news, how could I have had the chance to save her?" Brandon remained silent.

Logically, Ivan had no opportunity to save her. Brandon was just gambling on the slim chance that Sophia had been rescued and found by Ivan first.

Because given the hefty reward, only Ivan, with his background and his known affection for Sophia, could remain so indifferent.

"I went to Star Dempsey Architects because of Sophia. With her gone, there was no reason forto stay," Ivan said, "I didn't want to be reminded of her." Brandon couldn't help but look at him.

Ivan met his gaze unflinchingly, with no trace of guilt in his eyes.

Eventually, Brandon turned away under his unwavering stare.

"Sorry for the disturbance," he voiced a low apology and walked past him.

Once back in his car, Brandon immediately contacted a detective agency to help investigate Ivan's recent whereabouts.

His movements were too easily tracked, that the detective agency didn't even need to spend much tbefore they sent them to him.

Ivan had gone to Zion City on the day he learned of Sophia's accident and stayed there for a few days, with traces of him found along the river and in nearby villages.

While Brandon ramped up efforts to find Sophia, Ivan also searched privately. However, in all the surveillance that captured his figure, there was only the increasingly haggard and desolate silhouette of him, solitary from beginning to end.

On the way back to West district, Ivan was driving alone.

After returning to the West district, Ivan hardly ever left his home, and on the rare occasions he did go out, it was only to ride his motorcycle alone, almost as if he was punishing himself by speeding recklessly.

Throughout his movements, there was never a sign of Sophia, not even that of other people.

In other words, it was impossible for Ivan to have hidden Sophia.

Ivan had the means and motive; but like Brandon, if he couldn't find her, he couldn't hide her.

Looking at the electronic files with >hotos sent by the detective agency Brandon had to accept that Ivan's esignation was just as he said: simply because he had joined then et company for Sophia, and now with er gone, there was no need for him oreturn. He didn't want to face the eality that she wasn't there nymore. ¡wBrandon pulled over by the riverside, forced to confront the cruelty of having hope ignited only to be brutally extinguished.

Such cruelty made his chest hurt เอนไ on the lmost to the point of suffocation. With such acute pain, Brandon's atred grew more intense. Expressionless, he released the landbrake, pressed down on, Iccelerator, and steered the car, peeding off toward the Moonlight Resort & Spa where Dennis was staying. ¡wAfter leaving the office, Marian was in a state of panic with her heart pounding uncontrollably.

Brandon's gaze had unnerved her for no apparent reason.

She had witnessed his strategic patience and his uncompromising forcefulness.

Now, Brandon was like the ominous dark clouds that roll in before a storm hits.

The calmer he appeared, the deeper the panic settled in her heart.

That uncertainly of not being able to read his mind only amplified that panic.

Marian lingered in the restroom for a long while, just not having the guts to head back to the office.

Perhaps due to the shadow cast by Brandon's previous two attempts to put her in mortal danger, the current Brandon felt to her like a beast lying in wait-not just any beast, that had lost all reason. He seemed completely unconcerned with morality, etiquette, or the opinions of others now. She hasn't got clue if the moment she steps back into the office, Brandon's hand might strike her as swiftly and unexpectedly as it had the previous times. It was entirely within the realm of what Brandon was capable of doing. Such imaginary fears tormented her.

Marian uncontrollably bent over the sink, retching violently.

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