Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Max felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched Brielle's eyelids flutter open for a few fleeting seconds before closing again. It was almost as if the brief awakening had been an illusion. "Doc, she opened her eyes!" he called out, urgency laced in his voice.

The doctor rushed in, quickly checking the monitors and Brielle's vitals. His tense brow relaxed slightly. "As long as Ms. Brielle has woken up once, she's likely to do so again," he reassured. "But we can't rule out the possibility of complications, so..." Max nodded, his face stoic. A quiet "hm" was all he managed to say before falling silent.

After the doctor left, Max headed to the bathroom. He meticulously shaved, making sure every hair was in place. Then, he returned to Brielle's side, patiently waiting for her to wake up again.

By evening, Brielle's eyes opened once more, this time staying open as she blinked slowly. Her entire body ached, especially her head, which throbbed relentlessly.

She raised her hand to rub her temple but was stopped by a firm grip. "Don't move," a familiar voice instructed.

Hearing the voice, Brielle froze. She slowly lowered her hand and stared blankly at the ceiling, saying nothing.

For the next two days, the doctor came and went, peppering Brielle with questions. But she remained tight-lipped.

Eventually, the doctor pulled Max aside in the hallway. "She should be fine now. You can start the discharge process," he advised.

Max glanced through the small window in the door, noticing Brielle gazing out of the window, lost in thought. He followed the doctor to complete the discharge paperwork. But when he returned to Brielle's room, it was empty. She had left without a word, taking her phone, which he had cleaned multiple times after it got stained with blood.

Gripping the bag of medications, Max's hand tightened, a shadow crossing his eyes. A dangerous thought flashed through his mind: she was more manageable when bedridden.

The doctor, standing behind him, had witnessed the mercurial nature of the CEO of Dorsey International over the past few days. Now, an icy chill seemed to emanate from Max, as though the ground beneath him had frosted over.

Without a word, Max signaled for Patrick to pick him up. As he was about to get into the car, he cast a lingering glance into the distance before settling into the silence of the vehicle.

Patrick had meant to ask about Ms. Brielle, but the look on Max's face stopped him cold.

Max's emotions burrowed deeper, and he seemed colder than ever, like a sharp sword sheathed and hidden away.

The car was quiet, save for the occasional cough from Max. He turned to look outside, his eyes bloodshot from days without rest.

Fury seared through his soul and heart. If inflicting pain was a talent, then Brielle was indeed gifted.

When Brielle slid into the car Aubree had driven over, her head was pounding so fiercely it was hard to think.

Her external injuries may have healed, but the potential for complications the doctor mentioned was still a reality.

Aubree glanced at her through the rearview mirror, her brow furrowed with concern. "What's going

How did you end up in the ital

all of a sudden?"

"Bri, do you have any idea what's happening out there? It's chaos. Alivia and Kenzo aren't even from the Barnes family. The Barnes clan has really lost face this time. And Max, Can you believe Dorsey International released that

hove

statement? It turned Alivia from society's darling to a pariah overnight."

Brielle lifted a hand to her forehead, sensing new memories flickering in her mind like sparks, but the pain was too intense. Sweat beaded on her brow as she clenched her lips shut, tilting her head back in a vain attempt to ease the pain.

Once they arrived at Pearl Estate, Aubree brought her a glass of water and asked, "What about Max? Hasn't he been looking after you these past few days?"

Brielle's hand froze, her fingers curling.NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

Yes, he had been looking after her.

Seeing his tired eyes and gaunt face, she couldn't bring herself to say a word.

The weight of Michael's expectations still pressed down on her, leaving her afraid to make a move.

As Aubree said, she had to endure.

She hoped their paths would be clear of obstacles, blooming with flowers, so she knew she had to face and resolve the troubles at hand. She picked up her phone and checked the news online.

Alivia's lineage had been exposed, and with the official statement from Dorsey International, Michael must be fuming.

And Max, still waiting at the hospital, had evidently been ignoring the outside world's commotion, unreachable by Michael.

Brielle took a sip of water, trying to ignore the throbbing in her head, and began to piece together the scattered clues.