The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 63

Don had no clue whether Martin was off to see Brandon or not. The guy was driving like a bat out of hell, and by the time he hit the road, the taxi was nowhere in sight.

He rang Martin up, but Martin just brushed him off with a "Don't worry about me" and hung up.

Don couldn't for the life of him figure out what Martin was playing at, or what was going on between him and Brandon. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed compared to those two, but he had a sneaking suspicion they were keeping him in the dark about something.

Not wanting to stick his nose where it wasn't wanted, Don mulled it over and decided to give Brandon a buzz. "Hey, I couldn't catch Martin. He hailed a cab and took off saying he had some stuff to do. Not sure if he's heading your way or what."

Brandon was at the Starlight Hotel's HQ in Ephemora, and he paused mid-stride when he heard the news, but didn't make a big deal out of it.

"Got it," he responded coolly. "If he shows up, I'll give you a shout."

"Are you guys keeping something from me?" Don wasn't one to beat around the bush and asked point-blank.

Brandon didn't sugarcoat it. "He's coming over to confirm Yolanda's identity."

"Huh? No, I mean, if that's the case, why the heck are you stopping him?" Don didn't get it. If it was about confirming identity, just arrange for Marian and Martin to meet up, get on the same page, and go for a paternity test. No biggie.

"Let's talk about it later." Brandon let out a sigh, glancing at the hotel, "I'm a bit tied up right now, gotta hang up."

After he ended the call, Brandon hesitated, remembering Martin had left on his own. The phone spun in his hand as he weighed his options—deal with business first or sort out personal matters.

Just then, a young girl with an HR vibe stepped out of the office and spotted Brandon by the elevator. She approached with a smile. "Hello, you must be Mr. Keith, here for the operations director position?"

She reached out her hand while she spoke. "Hi, I'm Crystal from HR."

Brandon locked eyes with her but didn't respond.

Unfazed, Crystal swiped open the glass door, welcoming warmly, "Come on in. Mr. Darcy has already briefed us about you several times, emphasizing that we should treat you well."

At the mention of "Mr. Darcy," Brandon's expression shifted, and he nodded, "Thanks for the trouble."

He followed her into the company.

The office was a high-rise leased for its panoramic river views and glass-walled divisions, clean and upscale.

Brandon had only been here a few times during the subsidiary setup. Once he took over the group's operations, his workload soared, and hotel management was delegated, so he hadn't been back in years.

It had been so long that most of the staff was new, and nobody recognized him.

He was a low-key guy. The company profiles and financial interviews never featured his photo, and aside from the execs he dealt with, hardly anyone knew him.

During working hours, the office was a beehive of activity.

Brandon's passage with HR caused a minor stir, his striking figure and cool demeanor instantly capturing attention. Whispers spread about the dashing job applicant, and speculation about which position he was after.

Probably because he was with HR, no one mistook him for a new hire.

Brandon's gaze swept calmly across the office. His inherent authority silenced the excited whispers, and everyone quickly sat up straight.

Crystal explained with a smile, "They're just young girls getting excited over a good-looking guy. Don't mind them, Mr. Keith."

Brandon hummed in acknowledgment and followed Crystal into the meeting room.

"Mr. Keith, take a seat. I'll get you some water," said Crystal, fetching a disposable cup and filling it for Brandon before sitting opposite him. She opened the resume in her hand and said, "So, Mr. Keith, Mr. Darcy has made it clear to us that your background more than qualifies you for our hotel's operations director position, and the company would be happy to have you. But, as you know, the role of operations director is quite significant, and the hiring decision has to be approved by the headquarters. The process is somewhat more formal and complex, so don't take it personally. It's just a formality."

"No worries," Brandon replied calmly, glancing at the resume in her hand. "Could I take a look at that? I was in such a rush that I forgot to bring."

Before he could finish, Crystal handed him the resume, "Of course, no problem."

Brandon frowned slightly as he took it, quickly scanning the document labeled "Keith," age 30, a master's degree from an obscure university he'd never heard of, possibly a diploma mill, with an unrelated major and barely relevant work experience capped at a receptionist position, with exactly four years under his belt—a resume that, from education to work experience, was a far cry from the group's hiring standards.

Looking at Crystal, he asked, "If this has to go through headquarters approval, is this resume going to cut it?"

Crystal chuckled, "That's exactly why we've called you in today."

After a cautious glance at the meeting room's camera to see if it was off and a quick check outside the glass walls to ensure no one was around, she leaned in and handed Brandon another resume, lowering her voice, "This is the polished resume Mr. Darcy asked us to give you. It wasn't safe to send it online. Take a look and just remember the key points."

Brandon flipped through the resume and sure enough, it was jazzed up, and pretty darn well at that. A world-renowned university grad with a master's in hotel management, dabbled in the ops of some top-tier hotels during his studies, and post-graduation, he jumped straight into one of the world's top ten hotels, skyrocketing its expansion abroad – turning it into a hot commodity with a full house every night. Taking a gig at the Starlight Hotel seemed like a walk in the park for him.

After Brandon had gone through the CV, Crystal chuckled and nudged him, "You brought this resume, so make sure to keep it close to the chest."

She gave him a knowing wink, signaling him to zip it and not ask questions.

Brandon nodded, closed the resume, and turned to her, "Is this how Mr. Darcy usually hooks people up with jobs?"

Crystal found the question a bit odd but still shook her head with a smile, "Of course not. You're a talent Mr. Darcy has his eye on, so naturally, he's going to roll out the red carpet for you."

Brandon offered a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.