The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 483

Brandon hung around in the car till the wee hours of the night.

Daniel had someone fetch Brandon a few times and even made two personal attempts to coax him back for dinner, but all he got was the cold shoulder from Brandon.

Gone was the polite facade he used to maintain around Daniel, as well as the assertiveness he had when he was stripped of his company shares not too long ago. Now he just looked totally down in the dumps, like he couldn't care less about anything. Daniel was both frustrated and furious, biting back the anger that almost burst out, scared to death he'd set Brandon off.

This vulnerable, lifeless version of Brandon was something Daniel had never seen before, and he didn't dare to risk blowing his top.

Daniel had lived a cushy life for the most part; in his early years, his dad took care of everything, so he never had to sweat the small stuff. But then his dad got old, and Brandon took over the reins of the company.

From a young age, Brandon was a kid one didn't have to worry about - he even outdid his grandpa's teachings. Sure, being his dad came with its frustrations, but Daniel never really had to fret over Brandon.

And now, his usually reliable son had turned into someone he couldn't scold, couldn't beat, and couldn't cajole. Daniel was at a loss. He was out of his depth for the first time in his life as a father.

Daniel looked at the feast prepared to welcome him home, his appetite vanishing into thin air.

"You've just been discharged; you gotta eat something." Patricia urged, worried, "The doctor said you need to rest, to stop overthinking and avoid getting worked up. You've finally left the hospital; don't go making yourself sick again."

Patricia wasn't all that affected by Brandon's transformation.

After all, Brandon wasn't her flesh and blood, and in the past couple of years, he had snubbed her over Sophia time and again. Any maternal affection she might have had for him had worn thin with each new conflict. But she still worried about Daniel.

With the way Brandon was icing her out, she feared she wouldn't have a leg to stand on in this family if Daniel were gone.

But when faced with her concerns, all Daniel could do was let out a heavy sigh, "How can I eat when my son has turned into this?"

Daniel didn't finish his sentence when Yvonne, who had been eating quietly, tentatively piped up with a suggestion, "Dad, maybe it's all about the sister-in-law. Why don't you talk to her, persuade her to make up with my brother?"

"What kind of rotten idea is that!"

Daniel snapped, cutting her off, "How is that woman worthy of your brother? Marrying her is like marrying her whole darn family. Your brother finally came to his senses and cut her loose; why on earth would we want to drag her back in?"

Yvonne clammed up, not daring to make another peep.

Patricia, not wanting Daniel to blow a gasket, quickly tried to calm him down, shooting Yvonne a reprimanding glare, "Don't be stirring the pot. Sometimes it's better to rip off the Band-Aid. Your dad's just looking out for your brother's best interest."

Yvonne wouldn't dare to talk back to Daniel, but she wasn't afraid of Patricia, who usually doted on her. She couldn't help but mutter under her breath.

"My brother can manage a whole company; can't he handle her family? I think you guys are worrying about nothing. You say it's for his good, but everything you do seems to hold him back. At my brother's level, he doesn't need to marry for alliances anymore. Having a partner who gives him peace and comfort is what counts. I really don't get what you're all against. Look at Wilson's sister - she didn't marry into a family of equal status, and they're doing just fine, aren't they?"