The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

"Are you askingout?" Aaron was surprised and a bit puzzled, "Do you need something?"

"It's not really a big deal." Marian looked a bit sheepish, "That day you cto see my brother about the bidding, | was actually

upstairs and heard the whole conversation between you and my brother, and | saw the company information you left behind.

Besides being the Frost family's daughter, I'm also the chief designer of this project. | really liked the past projects your company

has worked on, so | wanted to catch up."

Aaron was thrilled. "So you're the chief designer! | was wondering who had the chops to cup with such stellar designs."

Marian cut him off. "Mr. Yearwood, let's skip the flattery, are you free to meet up right now?"

Her tone had lost its earlier warmth.

Aaron wasn't sure what he'd said wrong, but he didn't dare to ramble on and quickly replied, "I'm free, wherever you want to meet,

I'll head right over."

Marian gave him an address.

"So, we'll see each other in a bit?" Marian on the other end of the line was back to her casual, warm self, "If it's convenient, bring

your company's bidding materials with you."

"Sure, sure."

Aaron was over the moon. He hung up the phone and hurriedly found a nearby print shop to reprint a set of bidding materials, then

bolted to the restaurant Marian had picked.

When he arrived, Marian was already there.

She had booked a private room, offering good privacy.

Seeing Aaron walk in, Marian got up to greet him with poise, calling him "Mr. Yearwood" with a respectful and courteous air that

made Aaron feel quite flattered, and his fondness for Marian soared.

"Mr. Yearwood," after the small talk, Marian finally got to the point, "I wanted to meet you today mainly because | really admire

your company's construction projects and approach. | believe that you can perfectly bring my design to life. But today | saw the list

of bidding companies my brother announced and didn't see your company there, which | thought was a pity, so | wanted to chat

with you to see if it's possible for you to share your bidding materials with me. I'll personally recommend them to my grandfather,

and we can give it our best shot to see if there's a chance for collaboration."

"Of course, no problem at all. Ms. Frost, with such talent and beauty at a young age, you are quite impressive. I've always hoped to

bring your work to life."

As Aaron said this, he passed the document bag he was carrying to her.

He couldn't believe this pie in the sky had fallen right into his lap, just when he'd been kicked out of the bidding and all his

attempts to find a backdoor had failed. The chief designer and project manager's own sister had clooking for him to

collaborate - it was a godsend.

Marian smiled and took the document bag from him, but couldn't help giving him a heads-up, "Mr. Yearwood, although | am the

chief designer, | don't have much say in choosing the construction team. | can only do my best to persuade my brother and my

grandfather. If it doesn't work out in the end, | hope you won't hold it against me."

"No worries," Aaron replied with a smile, "Doing your best is all that matters."

"Alright, I'll do everything | can to push this forward." Marian smiled back, "Even if the contract doesn't go to your company, I'll

strive to get you involved in the project construction as an individual. We'll be counting on you, Mr. Yearwood."

"There's nothing to count on, | should be thanking you," Aaron said, lifting his glass to Marian, "Ms. Frost, here's to you. I'm honored

that you appreciate me. As long as I'm around, | guarantee you'll be satisfied with the project construction.”

Marian also lifted her glass with a smile, "It's my honor to know you, Mr. Yearwood."

They toasted, and after taking a sip, Marian put down her glass and turned to Aaron with a smile, "I always thought Sophia was

nice. A person like her must cfrom a good family. When | saw you today, it's clear to see."

"Sophia?"

Aaron was surprised and looked at her, "You know Sophia?"

Marian nodded with a smile, "Yeah, Sophia and | were grad school classmates, and we both happen to work at Star-Dempsey

Architects now. Actually, Sophia is my leader."

"Star-Dempsey Architects?" Aaron frowned, mulling over the name.

"It's part of the Starlight Group." Marian explained as if she thought he might be confused, "Our office is a branch of the Starlight

Group, so we're located on the seventeenth floor of the group's headquarters, which makes it easier to communicate with the main

office.”

Aaron nodded thoughtfully, "I see."

Looking at Marian's gentle demeanor and delicate appearance, he thought about what Daniel had mentioned not long ago about

Yolanda and Brandon's wedding. Hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "I heard you and Brandon are getting married."

Marian was taken aback, looking at him, "Who told you that?"

Her question didn't confirm or deny it.

Aaron didn't want to speculate and just smiled, "Just heard it around. Is it true?"

Marian's expression softened and she shook her head with a laugh, "The parents on both sides are indeed trying to match us,

but..."

She just laughed, not saying more.

To Aaron, her words and expression seemed tinged with bitterness.

"That's up to your family. How did you raise a daughter that got pregnant before marriage at such a young age, and now that

Brandon is about to get married, you still indulge her to cling on to him, which doesn't sound good when it gets out."

Daniel's earlier accusations resurfaced in Aaron's mind, and he felt that familiar surge of anger rise up again, along with the

humiliating feeling of being insulted.

Marian seemed done with the chitchat too. She glanced at her watch, gave an apologetic look to Aaron and said, "Mr. Yearwood, |

gotta head back to the office. The whole crew's burning the midnight oil and | shouldn't be out too long. | won't be able to join you

for dinner. I'll do my best to pitch the bid to Grandpa and my brother."

With that, Marian was on her feet.

Aaron got up as well, thanking her and saying his goodbyes.

Once Marian had split, the smile on Aaron's face vanished too. He took a quick peek at the Starlight building in the distance before

taking off.

He drove straight to the Starlight building.

Thanks to the convenience of Sophia marrying Brandon back in the day, Daniel and Patricia had given him a pass that let him

wander in and out of the Starlight building as he pleased. After Sophia and Brandon split, no one remembered to snag that pass

back from him.

He hadn't used it for the last couple of years since the marriage hit the skids, but it was always there in his car.

When Aaron arrived at the Starlight building, he breezed through the lobby with his pass and took the elevator straight up to the

seventeenth floor.

The seventeenth floor was still buzzing with activity; everyone was still grinding away, just spilling out of a meeting room.

Sophia was among the crowd, flipping through her meeting notes and marking things with her pen, totally oblivious to her

surroundings.

Aaron spotted her the second he stepped out of the elevator and called out with a frosty voice, "Sophia!"

The sound of his chilly tone made everyone's ears perk up with curiosity.

Sophia looked up, puzzled, and saw Aaron marching toward her with a stony expression. She was about to say something when

Aaron reached her and, out of nowhere, landed a hard slap across her cheek.

Caught off guard, Sophia's head snapped to the side.

The crowd was instantly abuzz, looking at them with a mix of confusion and concern.

Ivan was right next to Sophia, and his face turned stormy when he saw the man slapped her. He quickly moved to support her,

asking worriedly, "You okay?"

Don had just walked out of the meeting room and was equally shocked. His notebook snapped shut as he rushed over, pointing

angrily at Aaron, "Who the hell are you? Why are you hitting people?"

Then he yelled at the other onlookers, "Call the cops, for heaven's sake! What are you all gawking at? Are you dead or what?"

Meanwhile, he tried to grab Aaron, but Aaron shook him off, intent on confronting Sophia again and snapped coldly at Don, "Why

you sticking your nose in? I'm teaching my little sister a lesson!"

Don froze. Little sister?

He glanced back at Sophia instinctively.

Sophia still seemed to be trying to process what had happened, cradling her forehead and cheek, doubled over in pain.

Cindy was already freaking out, trembling as she fished out her phone. Not to call the cops, but to dial Brandon directly.

"Mr. Brandon, Director Yearwood got smacked by sdude claiming to be her brother."

Brandon was at the hospital, sitting by Daniel's bedside when he got the call. His expression changed instantly, and he was on his

feet in a flash, "I'm on my way!"

No sooner had he said that, he was heading out the door.

Patricia, also in the hospital room, called after him in a panic, "Your dad's still out cold, where are you off to?"

"I've got to handle something," Brandon didn't break stride, "Look after him and callif anything comes up."

By the this voice trailed off, he was already gone from the hospital room's doorway.

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