The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 434

Louis suddenly looked a bit under the weather, but since he was on the wrong side of the fence, it wasn't really his place to haggle anymore.

Marian, at Louis' side, appeared to make a last-ditch effort, anxiously and gently shaking his arm while holding onto it, "Grandpa."

Louis, still harboring doubts about whether she was indeed not Yolanda, couldn't bring himself to show her the unreserved warmth he once did. Especially with Brandon pointing out all the differences between Yoli and Marian, Louis felt a complex knot of emotions. On one hand, he mourned the loss of the well-behaved and sensible Yoli to the woman she had become, on the other hand, a part of him felt relieved that she was still alive, no matter the changes she'd undergone.

With a heavy heart torn between these emotions, he slowly peeled Marian's hands off his arm.

"Just apologize properly."

With those words, he turned and shuffled out of the resting room, his gait unsteady, suddenly seeming to age.

Marian stood there, her soul seemingly having departed with him, watching the distant figure of Louis before her gaze slowly drifted back to Sophia. She didn't speak, just watched Sophia with the same halt and attentively panic-stricken eyes as she did in the morning, a stark difference from her defiant arrogance the day before.

Sophia found today's Marian to be peculiar, and gave her a curious glance.

But the moment their eyes met, Marian quickly looked away, as if she was afraid of making eye contact.

Sophia frowned, unable to understand the root of this change.

Officially, Marian was her subordinate, but she had never shown respect, let alone fear, in Sophia's presence.

But now, it felt like Marian was somehow afraid of her, and this fear seemed to be tinged with guilt?

Sophia wasn't sure, but felt the things didn't add up.

Despite having plagiarized Sophia's work for so long, Marian never once seemed guilty when facing her—not even after being exposed the previous day, displaying only unguarded frustration.

Brandon too noticed Marian's evasive look when facing Sophia and furrowed his brow.

Marian, not daring to linger any longer, silently rushed past them.

Watching Marian stride away, Sophia glanced at Brandon who was wearing a similarly puzzled look.

But with the press conference about to start, Kent calling them over, they had no time for conjecture.

"Let's get going," Brandon said after hanging up.

Sophia nodded slightly, "Mhm."

By the time they arrived at the venue, Marian was already seated next to Louis, frantically refreshing her phone with an anxious expression.

Martin sat on her other side, staring blankly at the stage.

Unable to get the paternity test report, Marian’s eyes darted between the stage and her phone, and she couldn't help but look towards Martin.

"Martin."

She called out to him for help.

Martin ignored her, simply glancing at his watch—there were 10 minutes left until the start of the press conference.

Marian was not one to resign herself to fate. After a frantic look at her phone, she dropped the excuse, "I'm going to the restroom" as she prepared to leave.

Brandon, who'd been keeping an eye on her, signaled Kent with a glance.

Kent, understanding, stepped forward with a smile to intercept Marian: "Ms. Barlow, the press conference is about to begin, please take your seat."