Daniel was taken aback, and then quickly replied.
"Yoli mentioned it when she came to see me and your mom the other day. She brought up the Zenitha-style resort project, said she heard from colleagues that for some reason, they can't get this one column to set right. They've brought in two different survey teams and still can't figure it out. Everyone's getting the heebie-jeebies, thinking it might be some sort of supernatural jinx. To tackle the issue, they put together this crack team of experienced builders and even roped in a professional to pick an auspicious date for the pour. But outta the blue, the higher-ups swapped out the crew, so it looks like the pour is gonna hit a snag, not going down as planned. I later hit up Tomas for the lowdown, heard that it was you putting the brakes on the construction. Worried it might jinx the company's mojo, I told Tomas to stick with the plan, I'd take the heat. But who knew."
Daniel trailed off, not daring to continue. Brandon's lips curled into a chilly half-smile, and without a word, he left. He was still a bit wobbly on his feet, probably not yet back to his old self.
Daniel, concerned, called out to him, "You're still on the mend, where are you off to? Rest up in the hospital a bit longer."
But no one paid him any mind. Brandon's towering figure quickly vanished at the end of the corridor.
Daniel turned to Kent, seeking guidance. Kent just silently shook his head.
"Chairman Crawley, what were you thinking?" Kent sighed, and then without another word, hurried out the door after Brandon.
Daniel stood still, his mind in a fog, a feeling of regret creeping and spreading in his heart like never before. He couldn't fathom why things had gone south, especially with Sophia.
He'd always been indifferent to her, even repelled.
But now that she was gone, he felt an echoing hollowness, his mind replaying over and over the calm look on her face as she steadied him from falling last night, the urgency in her pull when that frail man was nearly sent flying, and back to the mess hall, her steady hand on his trembling one at the controls, not even looking at him.
These fragmented, tranquil moments, hanging like droplets in his mind, each containing the quiet, peaceful Sophia since she married into their family. In every droplet, she was vivid, her smiles gentle and unassuming. But all these vivid Sophias slowly merged into the harrowing image of her being pushed over the railing by gravity last night.
Daniel felt an emptiness, a bewildering void, not knowing which way to turn.
Kent caught up with Brandon outside the hospital. Brandon flung open the door to a cab and got in. Kent managed to catch the door before it closed, softly saying to Brandon, "Mr. Crawley, where to? I'll join you."
Brandon didn't look at him or respond, and just told the cab driver, "To the Zenitha-style resort project site."
His handsome face was still lifeless, so void of emotion it was just a shell. Kent couldn't help but think of zombies, like in those flicks with the undead stumbling about without a shred of human feeling.
"Mr. Crawley!" Kent also got into the cab, calling him softly again.
Brandon still didn't react to his voice but gave an order, "Gather everyone who was at the site last night at the same spot where the construction was taking place."
"Alright," Kent answered gently.
“Release a reward searching to all media.” Brandon kept on, still unperturbed lifeless, “Whoever finds any news about Sophia gets 10 million dollars.”
Even the driver couldn’t help but turn around and flick a glance at Brandon, whose attractive face was all the same deathly pale without any emotional fluctuation.
“Will do,” Kent whispered his acknowledgment and quickly whipped out his phone to make arrangements.
The cab soon stopped at the entrance to the Zenitha-style resort project site. All those present the previous night had already been rounded up on the overpass where the construction had happened.
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