The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 211

"Whoa?" Kent got the fright of his life, instinctively yanking the steering wheel toward the curb and slamming on the brakes like there was no tomorrow.

The tires screeched a long, ear-piercing protest against the asphalt.

Kent couldn't care less about that and whipped his head around to check on Brandon. "Mr. Crawley, what's up?"

But Brandon, with his handsome face all tight and tense, didn't even wait for the car to stop before he yanked open the door and bolted toward the mall across the street.

Kent glanced at the mall, but it was just a sea of strangers—nothing out of the ordinary.

Clueless about what was going on, he hurriedly opened his door and chased after Brandon.

Tia, who had been trailing in her car, was equally puzzled by Brandon's hasty departure. She hastily parked on the side of the road and followed suit.

Brandon stormed into the mall without skipping a beat.

The place was massive and packed, as it was the weekend.

Brandon stood at the entrance, his sharp gaze scanning over the crowd.

He wasn't sure if he had just seen Sophia.

Sophia with a child in her arms.

Kent was driving too fast, and Brandon had only caught a fleeting glimpse, too quick to make out the details.

But that brief view of her silhouette was so strikingly familiar that even if there was only a one in a million chance it was her, Brandon couldn't let it slip away.

His eyes flickered urgently across the crowd, but the figure he had glimpsed was nowhere to be seen.

His searching gaze moved to the escalators, connecting the floors.

Nothing there either.

Just as Brandon was about to head to the second floor, Kent came running up, out of breath.

"Mr. Crawley, what are you looking for?"

His voice was loud, and his panting echoed across the mall's grand atrium.

Sophia paused for a moment in her stride.

She was on the second floor with Theresa in a children's clothing store, well-concealed behind the throng of shoppers and promotional signs at the entrance.

Theresa noticed the halt in her mother's steps, her big, clear eyes looking up in confusion. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Sophia managed a smile. "Nothing, sweetie."

She hugged her tighter, but couldn't help craning her neck to peek downstairs, spotting Brandon and Kent below.

Feeling her gaze, Brandon, who had been scanning the area, suddenly looked up in Sophia's direction.

Almost in the same instant, Sophia crouched down with Theresa in her arms, her heart hammering in her chest.

Theresa was startled by her mother's sudden movement.

"Mommy?" she called out, concerned.

Sophia soothingly cradled the back of her head and whispered, "Theresa, my tummy feels a bit off. Let's head to the restroom, okay?"

Theresa nodded, "Okay."

She attempted to wriggle out of her mother's embrace, but Sophia stopped her halfway.

"It's okay, I've got you."

With that, Sophia, using the crowd as cover, made her way to the restroom in the adjacent corridor.

Brandon went up to the second floor, his intense gaze sweeping the area before it fell on the children's store where Sophia and Theresa had just been, his confusion evident.

The store was bustling, but there was no sign of the figure he'd caught a glimpse of from the car.

Brandon frowned slightly and looked elsewhere, still no trace.

Tia arrived out of breath as well.

"Mr. Crawley, what are you looking for?"

She caught up to Brandon and offered, "Let me help you look; I'm really familiar with this place."