The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 239

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 came back 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, I 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 time on 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 time they 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 time they 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 time of 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.