The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 227

Brandon drove straight to the apartment complex where Sophia lived.

Having been there a couple of times before, Brandon knew the place like an old friend.

After parking the car, he made a beeline for Sophia's place on the 15th floor.

The door was shut tight as always.

Brandon rang the doorbell, but no one answered.

Knocking didn't help either.

Brandon wasn't sure if Sophia was simply not in the mood to open the door, if she wasn't home, or if she had moved yet again.

When Brandon last sought her out in Wye City, she had packed up and left overnight.

After one last ring of the doorbell with no response, Brandon let out a long sigh, retrieved his phone, and dialed Sophia's number.

The call went through, but no one picked up.

He called several times to no avail, and heard no ring from inside the apartment.

Clearly, nobody was home.

Pocketing his phone, Brandon took a moment to inspect the peephole camera, then turned around and headed back down.

The elevator descended quickly to the ground floor.

As the elevator doors opened, Brandon paused for a second to eye the unfamiliar hallway before stepping out.

He didn't leave the building but simply stood at the entrance hall, gazing out at the complex.

The complex was serene, holding a hint of autumn coolness, especially after last night’s rain in the West district—perfect for a stroll or taking in the breeze.

The community bustled with people, mostly grandparents with their grandchildren.

Brandon glanced at the crowd and moved to exit, pulling out his phone to call Don.

His car was parked just outside the complex, as there was no chance of finding a spot inside on the weekend.

His phone call continued at his ear.

Don, not hearing a response for a while, grew anxious and called out, "Brandon, Brandon?"

Having called out twice and received no reply, Don raised his voice, "Brandon, you there? Is everything alright on your end?"

The sudden loudness jolted Brandon back.

"I’ve got something to deal with right now; I'll call you back," he said, then ended the call and regarded the downcast little girl looking up at him tentatively.

She seemed a touch frightened by him and hesitantly pointed to his feet, "My balloon."

Brandon glanced at the remains and then squatted down in front of her.

"The balloon's gone," he said. "Sorry, I was distracted and didn’t see it."

The little girl's lips quivered more, but she whispered, "It's okay."

But no sooner had she spoken than tears poured down like pearls, flowing freely. She tried to stem the tide, bursting into sobs before quickly silencing herself, her efforts both pitiable and a tad comical.