The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

Don bolted to Zion City and immediately hit up Kent to ask where they were at. Kent had just wrapped up sstuff Brandon had

dumped on him and had made it back to his hotel room to crash when he got wind of Don's arrival, so he hustled down to meet

him.

Kent looked like he was running on fumes, having not caught a wink of sleep all night and then spending the whole morning getting

things sorted.

"How's Brandon holding up now?"

Spotting Kent hustling down the steps, Don popped the question while closing his car door, a worried tone in his voice.

Kent just heaved a sigh, shook his head in silence, and murmured, "He's upstairs. I'll take you to him. He's been searching in the

water all night, not a second of sleep, passed out in the morning from the strain, and now he's back from the hospital looking after

the kid without a bite to eat all morning. I'm scared he'll just collapse."

Don was taken aback, "Theresa's here too?"

"The plan was to finish pouring the concrete in the beams and columns today and take Theresa on a vacation." Kent whispered

back, "Mr. Crawley had everything set up for work, and then,"

Don fell silent. It was a while before he spoke again, his voice hoarse, "Any word from Sophia, from the police?"

Kent shook his head gently, "Nothing."

"I'm torn between dreading news and fearing silence," he sighed heavily, turning to head up the steps.

He'd been dealing with all this since morning, scared stiff of getting that call to identify a body. But the lack of news was just as

unnerving.

Don felt the sheavy-hearted dread, a sorrow almost as crushing as the thought of identifying a body, but at least for now,

there was a glimmer of hope.

He couldn't begin to fathom how a life, so vibrant just yesterday, could now be?

Cindy happened to cdownstairs just then and spotted Don from afar. Her lips quivered, and her emotions got the better of her

before she could even speak.

"Mr. Dempsey," even her call was laced with a sob.

"What happened last night?" Don urgently inquired as he headed upstairs, not missing a step, "Weren't you with Director

Yearwood?"

Cindy hurried after him, explaining as they walked, "The director askedto stay back at the hotel to finish up a design project

that was due."

As she spoke, tears started rolling down her cheeks again, "I should have gone with her. Maybe none of this would've happened if |

had been there. It's all my fault, all my fault."

"What about Augus?" Don cut through her self-blame, "Why didn't he go with her?"

Cindy froze, "He didn't con the business trip with us. Right before we left, there was a rush on the gallery project, and since

Sophia couldn't leave, she had him stay back at the office to handle it. She didn't ask him to come."

Don frowned involuntarily; he hadn't been looped in on this.

The original plan was for Augus and Cindy to ctogether, and it was only after they couldn't manage that Sophia stepped in.

So, he had assumed Augus would be joining the trip.

Kent, however, instantly got why Sophia had made that call, just finding an excuse to keep Augus away from the site.

She had voiced her suspicions about Augus to him, and if she had doubts, she definitely wouldn't want him anywhere near the

construction site.

Seeing Don's frown, Kent couldn't help but look at him and asked, "Didn't he show up at the office today?"

Don shook his head, "I'm not sure, the office was buzzing, and | was out the door for a meeting first thing."

Plus, with Augus supposed to be on the trip with Sophia and Cindy, he wouldn't have thought twice about not seeing him around.

Kent's brow furrowed too, and just as he was about to say something, he noticed Don had stopped in his tracks, staring into an

open room with a heavy, pained expression.

Kent turned to look inside the room as well.

There was Brandon, carefully tucking a sleeping Theresa into bed, pulling the covers up over her, but he lingered, just watching

her, letting his fingers gently trace her cheek, the look on his face one of deep sorrow and desolation.

He was side-on to the doorway, and in the backlight, Kent could clearly see the moisture in his eyes.

Don and Brandon had been best buddies for over two decades. Since Brandon had grown up, Don had never seen him this lifeless.

It took him a moment to snap out of it.

He remembered when Brandon's mother had passed away, the silent stoicism, but back then, Yolanda had been there for him.

Now...

Don's gaze drifted to the sleeping Theresa, and his heart ached even more.

"Brandon," he called softly and stepped inside.

Brandon didn't turn around or react, his gaze fixed on Theresa, his eyes still red and moist.

It was unclear whether he was looking at Theresa or through her at Sophia, but he seemed so utterly hollow and lost.

Don stood behind him, reaching out to pat his shoulder in silent solace.

He couldn't bring himself to say "Sophia will be okay," because everyone knew the odds were grim, and "my condolences" just

didn't feel right either.

Finally, Brandon responded, but not to Don.

"Any news on Sophia?" He asked, his voice hoarse as if he was a different person.

"No, not yet," Kent replied softly, the emotion evident in his voice.

"Is the reward not enough?" Brandon asked quietly, "With so many people out there, can't a single one find her?"

"Maybe," Kent's voice cracked a bit, "Maybe it'll just take a little more time."

Brandon fell silent for a prolonged while, glanced at Theresa sleeping soundly, and then stood up.

"Take care of Theresa for me," he said, his voice rough, and made to leave the room.

Kent, concerned, grabbed him, "Mr. Crawley, where are you off to?"

"I'm going to keep looking." Brandon said, "I'm going to..."

His voice choked up, "I'm going to bring her home."

Kent felt a lump in his throat too.

"But your condition." he said, looking worriedly at Brandon's obviously weakened state.

After searching in the water all night and leaving the hospital first thing in the morning without eating all day, there was no way

Brandon could keep going like this.

"I know my limits," after Brandon spoke, he dropped his hand and, without looking back, bolted out of there.

"Cindy, keep an eye on Theresa for me."

Kent told Cindy, and then hurried off with Don hot on his heels, while calling Susan on the phone to have her and Grace cback

to look after Theresa.

The moment they chased Brandon down to the lobby of the hotel, they spotted Marian from a distance at the front desk, frantically

trying to dig up the check-in deets on Brandon, Cindy, and the gang, obviously looking all antsy.

Kent and Don slowed their roll, instinctively glancing over at Brandon, who had already paused, his face a blank slate as he

watched Marian peppering the front desk with questions.

Just then, Marian turned around and caught sight of Brandon standing there, which took her by surprise, and she blurted out, "Mr.

Crawley."

After the greeting, she noticed Kent and Don trailing behind him and awkwardly threw a "Hey" their way, "Kent, Mr. Dempsey."

Then she spun around and started heading their way, but before she could get close, Brandon suddenly reached out, grabbed her

by the neck out of the blue, and spun her around to slam her against the wall with a vengeance.

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