The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

On one hand, Marian was anxious about her reputation potentially taking a hit, and on the other, the thought of the Frost family

paying the price if the project tanked. Both prospects waged war within her, battling in a frenzy that she felt incapable of

withstanding.

Neither outcwas something she could stomach.

She never imagined she'd have to face such fear and choices one day. She found herself in turmoil, feeling all out of sorts.

When Martin turned around, he noticed her complexion cycling between pallor and ghastliness. He couldn't help but furrow his

brow, "What's up?"

Marian snapped back to reality and shook her head, "It's nothing. I've just been overtired from finalizing the revised plans and

haven't been sleeping well."

Louis heard this and was immediately anxious, "Well, you must rest straight away. Don't run yourself into the ground over

grandfather's sake."

Marian nodded, "Yes."

She said her goodbyes to Louis, Martin, and the others, then headed back to her room.

Aaron got home, his mind buzzing with thoughts of Daniel being in the hospital. This was a golden opportunity to get closer with

him.

Finding out which hospital Daniel was in wasn't tough for him.

Thanks to the two years since Sophia had married Brandon, Aaron, riding on the coattails of Brandon, had amassed an impressive

network of contacts across various industries, a testament to his social savvy.

He made a few calls to his contacts at various hospitals and quickly found out where Daniel was staying, even got his room

number, and learned that he was hospitalized due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Although now conscious, Daniel's condition was

rumored to be unstable.

Aaron sensed his moment had arisen.

He happened to know a neurosurgery expert. If he could connect Daniel to this specialist and get him back on his feet, Daniel

would owe him big time.

Flush with this exhilarating vision, Aaron meticulously prepared his gifts for visiting Daniel.

He even picked an auspicious day to visit Daniel. His business had floundered in recent years, leading him to becdeeply

superstitious.

However, his careful preparation was for naught; he was stopped just short of the hospital room by two burly men resembling

bodyguards.

Baffled by this hindrance but always sporting an amiable demeanor toward Daniel's entourage. He explained politely, "I'm Aaron,

the brother of Chairman Crawley's daughter-in-law. | heard Chairman Crawley was under the weather, and | cespecially to see

him."

He even took out a business card to show the bodyguards as evidence, a token validating his identity as a relative, not a charlatan.

But the bodyguard didn't even glance at the card before pushing it back.

"Mr. Yearwood, | apologize, but Chairman Crawley is unwell and cannot receive visitors."

"But didn't he meet with Mr. Frost a couple of days ago?" Aaron remembered Martin's visit.

"Chairman Crawley was feeling a bit better a few days back, but he's taken a turn for the worse," the taller bodyguard said while

gently ushering Aaron away, "Please, we'll convey your well-wishes."

Aaron didn't take it personally, guessing Daniel's fluctuating health was the cause and feeling a twinge of worry himself. Without

protest, he handed over his gift basket to the guards, "Then please deliver this for me, and tell Chairman Crawley to rest up and

take care. If there's anything he needs, please reach out. | know a neurosurgery specialist who might be able to help."

"Sure thing, take care," the bodyguard amiably accepted the gifts, escorting him to the elevator.

Out of nowhere, Aaron suddenly yelled towards the hospital room, "Get well soon, dear father-in-law, I'll drop by another day!"

The startled bodyguards nearly clapped a hand over his mouth.

Daniel was already awake, lying on the hospital bed, feeling downright miserable.

His head ached, spun, and left him with no capacity to move.

Patricia was patiently coaxing him to eat sporridge, and just as she finally got him to take a small sip, Aaron's out-of-the-blue

shout almost sent Daniel to the great beyond.

Feeling his blood pressure spike and the frailty of his condition, Daniel spewed out a feeble curse and closed his eyes in agony,

refusing to eat any more.

Patricia, in a fury and ready to unleash her wrath, set down the bow! with a resounding thud and went to confront the intruder. But

it was too late—Aaron was already in the elevator.

Patricia's attempt to confront him was thwarted by another bodyguard, who shoved her back inside, sparing the two from a face-

to-face confrontation.

Brandon found out about Aaron's hospital visit to Daniel just minutes after it happened.

After sending Aaron off, the bodyguard reported the whole scene to Brandon in detail.

"How's Chairman Crawley now?"

Brandon asked, knowing full well that Aaron's visit was less of an act of goodwill than a grim portent.

"Sas before, no major changes," the bodyguard replied.

"All right, thanks for your effort."

Brandon hung up with a heavy sigh.

Having been present at the hospital when Daniel first regained consciousness—only to witness him re-enter the operating room for

a second hemorrhage—Brandon hadn't visited while he was conscious since.

From what Yvonne had told him, he knew Daniel's recovery wasn't progressing well, whether due to his mood or his age, the brain

hematoma wasn't absorbing well, and his condition was teetering on the edge.

This was the first tDaniel made him feel completely helpless.

He's unyielding, set in his own ways; faced with the slightest pressure, he folded like a deck of cards.

Now with Aaron's involvement—he was a man who wasn't all bad but still a pain, frustratingly conniving, but couldn't read the

room—compounded the dilemma. If these two ever collided, the outcmight be Daniel, delicate as porcelain, shattered once

again.

However, avoiding encounters between two kindred spirits forever was unrealistic.

For now, the best he could do was to let Daniel heal in peace, away from any stress.

Brandon exhaled another long sigh and glanced at his watch—it was exactly 6 PM, tto leave the office.

He shoved his keyboard forward, hopped to his feet, snatched his car keys from the desk, and made a beeline for the door.

The rest of the office crew were still hustling and bustling; Brandon's punctuality had long ceased to be a curiosity.

Ever since the thunderbolt announcement of his blessed addition, Brandon hadn't stayed late, faithfully clocking out each day.

Brandon headed straight for the seventeenth floor.

As he strode through the automatically sliding glass doors, the staff at Star-Dempsey Architects don't even bat an eyelid.

Brandon moved directly toward Sophia's office, halting just a breath away from the door.

Sophia and Ivan were deep in work chatter.

Sophia was parked in her office chair, and lvan's standing close, one hand resting on the back of her chair, the other pointing at

sdesign on the computer screen, bending over slightly to talk to her.

Sophia was tilting her head up to listen, all attentive.

The scene was visually serene, a tableau of attractiveness and gentle charm but a little piercing as well.

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