Chapter 89


    Without looking at the screen, Brandon answered.


    At this hour, it could only be Kent calling.


    “Mr. Crawley, Mr. Evert would like to meet with you tomorrow afternoon, what do you think?” Kent


    reported the next day’s schedule diligently from the other end of the line, but before he could finish,


    Brandon cut him off


    with a t tone.


    “Not meeting him.”


    “Uh?” He hadn’t heard of any recent issues between Brandon and Mr. Evert, so this sudden refusal


    was unexpected.


    “I’ll be out of town for a few days, postpone all appointments ordingly,” said Brandon.


    Kent quickly flipped through Brandon’s schedule. “But Mr. Crawley, you don’t have any trips nned.


    Where are you headed?”


    “That’s none of your business, just make sure it’s arranged.”


    After giving instructions, Brandon hung up.


    Kent, still baffled, listened to the “beep beep” on the other end and looked up at his assistant, “Does Mr.


    Crawley have any trips scheduled?”


    The assistant was just as clueless, “Not that I know of.”


    Kent’s frown deepened, and he sent a message to Brandon, [Mr. Crawley, do you need me to book


    your flight now?[


    Brandon’s reply came quickly. [No need]


    Kent was puzzled.


    A trip even he was kept in the dark about?


    Sophia made it to the graduation venue just in the nick of time.


    She’d left home a bitte that morning and made ast–minute stop at the studio to discuss some


    creative ideas for the traditional resort project with Don – the client was pressing hard. She rushed to


    the venue right after their meeting.


    By the time she arrived, the graduation ceremony was about to start. The ce was decorated to the


    nines, most of the students were already there, still scrambling for seats or huddled in groups chatting


    away.


    Sylvia had been waiting for Sophia at the entrance and quickly grabbed her when she saw her hurrying


    over, “You made it! I was beginning to think you’d skip the graduation.”


    It wasn’t just her concern. Sophia wasn’t much for group activities.


    Although the graduation ceremony was significant, it wasn’t mandatory for getting the degree and


    diploma, so it wasn’t like she had to be there.


    –


    Sophia hadn’t actually considered missing it after all, you only graduate once.


    “Sorry about that.” Sophia gave Sylvia an apologetic look. “Pulled an all–nighter working on a design


    and overslept, then I dashed to thepany”


    No worries, as long as you’re here,” Sylvia said, leading her to their ss section.


    The atmosphere at the ceremony was buzzing, most people seated.


    Sylvia had scoped out a spot for them already and guided Sophia through the crowd to sit at the back


    of their se section


    was already there and gave Sophia a polite nod, sliding over to make room for her


    The two had been busy with their studies and work over thest two years, and aside from necessary


    academic and professional interactions, they hadn’t had much to do with each other, maintaining the


    same rtionship as before.


    Marian from next door came bustling in and, upon seeing Sophia, raised her eyebrows in surprise and


    greeted her, “Whoa, Sophia, you’re here too! Haven’t seen much of you at schooltely, thought you


    might have taken off after finishing your thesis.”


    Sophia gave a polite smile, “Been swamped with work recently, not many sses left at school, so I


    haven’t been around much.”


    “That’s cool, no biggie. There’s not much going on at school anyway. Everyone’s busy job hunting,


    hardly anyone’s hanging around campus.”


    Marian mumbled away, plopping down next to Sophia.


    Back in the day, she loved to catch up with Sophia, but these past couple of years Sophia seemed


    super busy. Sophia was always in a rush to sses and quick to leave, never showing up for group


    activities. Aside from the asional ssroom hellos, they hardly ever got a chance to connect.


    Tracking down Sophia outside of ss was pretty much a wild goose chase.


    Sophia watched as Marian settled in beside her and said nothing, just shifted her gaze to the stage.


    The college leaders and professors were mostly seated up there.


    Today, all the grads were decked out in their academic regalia, the air thick with graduation vibes.


    This wasn’t Sophia’s first rodeo as a student, nor her first graduation, but sitting in her dream college in


    her gown felt surreal, like she was in a dream.


    Over two years ago, she never imagined she’d one day be part of the School of Architecture, let alone


    snagging that diploma.


    Time flew by so fast, it felt unreal.


    On stage, the MC grabbed the mic and stepped up, reminding everyone that the ceremony was about


    to start and to set their phones to silent.


    Just as Sophia was about to silence her phone, it rang.


    Marian, sitting by her side, instinctively nced at Sophia when the ringtone sounded. She couldn’t


    make out what was said over the din, but she saw Sophia’s expression turn serious. Sophia whispered


    a soft “Okay, I’ll be right back” before turning to Sylvia beside her, saying she had to dash because


    something came up, and then she was up and out the door.


    Marian didn’t even get a chance to stop her and ask what was up. Sophia had already slipped through


    the crowd and informed her instructor of the situation before taking off.


    A ck Cayenne slowly pulled up to the school’s entrance.


    Brandon sat inside the car, his eyes slowly turning towards the main gate.


    Students in their academic gowns were hustling in and out, the campus was buzzing with students


    taking graduation photos, and music from the ceremony could be heard, all steeped in graduation


    atmosphere. Brandon’s gaze drifted past the gate, looking towards the source of the music, his


    expression bing a bit dreamy.


    Beyond theyers of gardens and buildings, he couldn’t actually see anything.


    He didn’t even know why he came.


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    Today was Sophia’s big day, and out of the blue, he wanted to see her in her gown, to see her fulfill her


    dreams


    andon averted his gaze, unfastened his seatbelt with one hand, and swung the door open


    At the same moment, Sophia, still d in her academic dress, hurried out of the gate and gged down


    a taxi


    in the drop–off area.


    Brandon shut the car door, pressed the lock button on his keys, and made his way towards the


    entrance.


    Simultaneously, a red taxi pulled up in front of Sophia.


    Sophia hurriedly opened the door, and in her haste, identally bumped into another girl also trying to


    hail a


    cab.


    “Sorry about that,” Sophia apologized awkwardly and got into the car.


    Brandon hesitated for a moment, his brows knitting together. He turned his head just in time to see the


    taxi door close and a sea of unfamiliar faces.


    He didn’t catch a glimpse of the face he was looking for.


    Confusion flickered through his eyes, but it was fleeting. His expression cooled, and he continued


    towards the


    gate.


    The graduation venue wasn’t hard to find.


    By the time Brandon got there, the ceremony had already started, with college leaders speaking


    onstage.


    Below, the students sat upright in their academic regalia.


    Brandon let his gaze wander through the crowd without specifically looking for anyone and then slowly


    returned to the stage.


    The college leader’s speech was short and to the point. After reminiscing with the students about the


    past years of study and looking forward to the future, it was time to congratte them on their


    graduation, followed by the degree conferment and tassel–turning ceremonies.


    One by one, the grads walked up to the stage, bowed to receive the shift of the tassel from the right to


    the left of their mortarboards, and epted their diplomas.


    Brandon watched as groups of students went up and then came back down, but all along, he did not


    see the familiar face.


    His brow furrowed with the dwindling crowd, reaching a peak as thest group left the stage.


    Even after the MC announced the end of the ceremony, Sophia was nowhere to be seen.


    As the students dispersed, Brandon stopped one of Sophia’s ssmates. “Wasn’t Sophia here?”


    The ssmate vaguely remembered not seeing her and nodded. ‘Seems like she wasn’t.”


    Brandon’s frown deepened. “Did something happen to her?”


    “Tm not sure.” The ssmate was clueless. “She’s rarelye to school since her thesis defense.”


    Brandon’s brow knitted even tighter.


    “Do you need her for something?” the ssmate asked, puzzled.


    Brandon shook his head lightly. “No.”


    “Thanks” He said it softly again, then pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and dialed


    Susan’s number.


    “Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service” A polite customer service voice came through.


    Frowning, Brandon nced at his phone and then dialed Kent’s number. ‘Help me get in touch with


    Susan.


    Why do you need her?” Kent didn’t understand. “She’s not in the West district anymore, and she


    changed her number too. It might be hard to reach her


    a brow twisted. She’s not in the West district anymore?”