The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 316

Don and Ivan stepped up to her, all worried, "What's going on?"

Sophia finally calmed down a bit.

"I'm alright," she whispered back, her voice still shaky and choked up, but not as freaked out as before, "Got some family emergency, I gotta take off. You guys carry on."

After she quickly filled them in, Sophia spun around and bolted.

Don and Ivan exchanged puzzled glances, neither feeling at ease. Before Don could get a word in, Ivan dropped a "I'm gonna check on her" and dashed off after her.

Sophia staggered to the elevator doors, but they were all at different floors and didn’t move.

Sophia couldn't hang around, so she spun around, shoved open the fire exit, and bolted down the stairs, moving fast and frantic.

By the time Ivan made it outside, Sophia was gone, so he followed suit into the stairwell.

After hanging up with the cops, Brandon headed downstairs, stepping out of the elevator and immediately spotting Theresa standing at the gate, with her puppy dog eyes on him. His heart, which had been up in his throat, finally relaxed, but his face remained stone-cold.

Theresa picked up on his intense vibe, her gaze towards him turning timid.

"Hello," her greeting came out more like a nervous whisper.

Brandon swiped his card through the turnstile and squatted down in front of her, "Theresa, did you run out here all by yourself?"

Theresa was spooked, lips puckered, tears swirling in her eyes, wanting to cry but not daring to, and too scared to speak.

Brandon didn't go soft on her, just stared her down seriously and said, "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? What if you got hit by a car, or took a nasty fall, or some creep snatched you away to sell you off to who knows where, and you could never find your mom again? What then? Do you get how freaked out your mom would be, how worried?"

Theresa hesitated, then nodded, her hands fidgeting together.

"Sorry," she whispered, her voice carrying a hint of tears.

Brandon cracked a smile at her, "It's okay. But for real, you can't pull this stunt again, or you'll never see your mom, or me, or your auntie again. Is that what you want, Theresa?"

Theresa shook her head quickly, "No."

The cop, watching the interaction, confirmed they knew each other, but for safety's sake, still stepped up to ask Brandon for his ID, and how he was related to Theresa.

When asked about their relationship, Brandon hesitated slightly; he really couldn't define what he was to Theresa, and had no proof.

Luckily, when Brandon had received the call from the police, he'd already had Kent notify Grace.