Chapter 58
Martin frowned, “What do we need this for?”
Brandon replied, “Just in case.”
“Alright. I’ll send it to you tomorrow.” Martin nodded agreeably.
Brandon said, “Thanks for the trouble.”
Martin chuckled, “Come on, there’s no ‘trouble’ between you and me.”
Glancing at his watch, he added, “Gotta cut this short, or it’ll be daylight here before we know it. You should hit the hay too.”
With that, he hung up the call.
As Martin put away his phone, the smile on his face also vanished.
He had known Brandon for years, and Brandon was always a man of decisive action. This indecisive side of Brandon was new to Martin.
His gut was telling him something fishy was going on.
After mulling it over for a moment, Martin stood up and made a call to his assistant, “Book me a flight to Wye City for tomorrow.” After hanging up, Brandon stayed put.
He stood by the window, gazing at the myriad lights outside.
Knowing Martin as well as he did, he doubted that Martin would be swayed so easily. The more swiftly Martin agreed, the more likely he was plotting something else.
Brandon shot a message to Kent, asking how the childhood background check on Sophia was coming along.
Kent saw the message the next morning, and it gave him quite the jolt.
Brandon had only assigned the task the night before. How could Kent have made any progress so quickly? His own schedule wasn’t even set until today.
But with Brandon pushing for an update, Kent couldn’t drag his feet. He shot back a message saying he’d have an update by noon, then hurried to get ready and head out after breakfast.
Kent had a vague understanding of Sophia’s family background. They weren’t locals, having moved from the north when she was a child. The chances of neighbors having useful information were slim.
Although Brandon hadn’t spelled it out, Kent had been by his side for years and knew what he was after. It wasn’t just Sophia’s childhood. It was her life story from birth to youth.
With time pressing, digging up neighbors from Sophia’s hometown for a background check was unrealistic. The people who knew her best were her parents.
So after breakfast, Kent picked up some fine wine, coffee beans, and a selection of appetizers, and made his way over to Sophia’s family home.
At the Yearwood residence, only Sophia’s father Haley was home, drowning his boredom in alcohol.
Kent had met Haley a few times and remembered him as an honest but sprnewhat timid man who always nodded along to his domineering wife, scarcely daring to voice his own opinions. He probably figured a peaceful home trumped all, so he had grown. accustomed to taking it on the chin, yet deep down, he harbored some macho pride. Years of being under his wife’s thumb had left him feeling pent up, so he turned to booze for solace.
This drinking habit wasn’t bound by time; breakfast with a glass in hand was the norm.
When Kent arrived, he found Haley drinking with barely any food.
Haley, with a glass in one hand and utensils in the other, was absentmindedly nibbling on peanuts as he downed his liquor.
“Starting early, are you?” Kent greeted with a smile as he entered the room, taking a quick Inok around, “Is the missus not home?”
“She’s gone to visit relatives, Haley replied, welcoming him in, “What brings you here so early?”
Haley recognized Kent as one of Brandon’s right-hand men, with many dealings between their families being handled by Kent. Hence, the two were pretty familiar with each other.
Just that the company had a slow day, and I thought of you. Figured I’d come over to join you for a couple of drinks.”
Kent, ever so casual, came in with gifts and snacks, setting them on the dining table and serving them up as if he were in his own home. He called out to Haley, “Come on, Mr. Yearwood, let’s have a drink while the food’s still hot.”
Haley eyed him suspiciously, “They say you don’t visit the temple without a reason. Spit it out, Kent, you’re making me nervous.
“Nothing’s up, really,” Kent reassured him, patting the fine bottle on the table, “Someone gifted Mr. Crawley some nice liquor, and he remembered how much you enjoy a good drink. Made a point to have me bring some over to you.”
Haley relaxed and smiled, “Please tell Mr. Crawley I’m grateful. Kind of him to think of an old man like me.”
Haley had always thought well of Brandon and had even been pleased about Sophia marrying him. It wasn’t about Brandon’s wealth or status. He simply appreciated how thorough and considerate Brandon was, believing Sophia wouldn’t be shortchanged with him. It just hadn’t crossed his mind that the two would end up divorcing.
The thought of their divorce made Haley heave a deep sigh.
“What’s the matter, Mr. Yearwood? Why the long face so early in the morning?” Kent asked, setting out the food and uncorking the bottle for Haley, “Here, have a drink first.”
“Thanks,” Haley murmured, gulping down his drink before picking at the food and taking another sip. He then looked at Kent, “Just thinking about Sophia. Why did they have to divorce? And now she’s gone off so far away. It would’ve been better if she stayed in West district after the divorce”
Kent smiled, “Maybe they had their reasons. Matters of the heart, only they know the real deal. We’re just onlookers, can’t really see through it all.”
Haley turned to him, “You’re close with Mr. Crawley. Has he ever mentioned why they divorced?”
Kent was seriously out of the loop, he was even more clueless than Haley. Just the other day, he was helping out with some errands, and the next thing he knew, he had been roped into helping with divorce papers. He could tell Brandon gave a darn, but when it came to handling the divorce, he was all business, no muss, no fuss.
“You know Mr. Crawley’s style. He wouldn’t spill the beans to me,” Kent said, topping off Haley’s glass with a grin. “Sophia’s your daughter. Doesn’t she open up to you?”
“All she said was they weren’t a good fit.” Haley let out another sigh and shake of the head. “This kid, ever since she was little, never liked to share anything with us. Always playing her cards close to her chest, only shares the good news, never the worries. We never know what’s really going on in her head. Out of the blue, she came home one day announcing she’s getting hitched, and now, just like that, she’s talking divorce. What’s up with that?”
Kent’s mind zeroed in on “never liked to.share anything with us,” spotting an opening, he chimed in with a smile, “So, she’s been tight-lipped since she was a kid, huh?”
Haley downed another drink, “When it comes down to it, it’s my fault. When I first took her in, I didn’t think about whether her mom might not be too keen on her.”
Kent’s eyebrows shot up, “Took her in? Was Sophia adopted?”
