Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

The car came to a sudden, jarring halt.

Aubree turned her head to stare at Brielle, her brows knitting together in worry. This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“Even if you did find out, what then? Do you think you can just show up on their doorstep? Didn’t you hear what Spencer said? That’s the Dorsey clan, the Rowland bunch, and the Barnes brigade meeting up. Any one of those families could squash you like a bug with a flick of their wrist. Are you really planning to beg Max to plead with him to remember you now? Bri, snap out of it. If he forgot you, it just proves he never loved you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to erase you so completely.”

“He just had an accident.”

Brielle’s lips pressed into a thin line, her trembling fingertips betraying her anxiety, “I heard about it when I was locked away, but I don’t believe it. I need to see for myself.” And these past few days, she felt she had braced herself for the truth.

“If he hasn’t forgotten you, doesn’t that make it even worse? He’s about to marry Alivia. Bri, what the hell are you doing? Remember how you counseled me back then, or are you just dying to play the other woman? I’m messed up enough for the both of us. Why are you so eager to join the club? Why put yourself through this?” Aubree was truly getting heated now.

“He promised me, he wouldn’t marry Alivia.”

A trace of sadness flickered through Aubree’s eyes, reflecting the hopelessness of a woman in love. Once smitten, it was like planting a tree in your heart, nurturing it into a towering oak whose roots invaded every corner of your being. To rip it out was to tear at every inch of your heart, and god, did it hurt.

Aubree knew this pain all too well, but her disillusionment with Andrew had reached saturation; even a flood wouldn’t stir a ripple. She had grown numb to it.

But Brielle was different. Or at least, Aubree hoped she was.

“Men’s promises are worth jack, Bri. Let’s just get the hell out of Beaconsfield,” she said, ready to slam on the gas pedal, sparks of fury in her eyes. She knew all too well how empty those promises could be. They might’ve felt genuine at the moment, but when they expired unfulfilled, they only served as bitter reminders of what could have been. It was better not to dwell on them, for the more you did, the more it hurt.

“If Max said he’ll do something, he’ll do it.” Brielle’s voice was soft but firm, echoing in the car, “And I believe he meant it. He gave me his rosary.”

“Doesn’t Alivia have one just like it? Haven’t you ever asked why she has one too? With your guts, how could you not be curious about its origin? You’re afraid to ask because you fear the answer might not be what you want, right?”

13:20

Aubree’s words struck a nerve. Brielle’s face instantly paled, and her lips pressed together.

Aubree felt a twinge of cruelty for speaking so harshly, but she was already in too deep, and she definitely didn’t want her best friend falling down the same hole.

Max was the object of countless desires, but he didn’t give any of them a second glance. How could he truly care for a woman of no standing?

He had toyed with Brielle’s heart so effortlessly, and when he was done, he discarded it just as easily. His attitude had always been one of disdain, the kind that itched at your pride.

After saying her piece, Aubree thought Brielle would see reason. After all, when unsure of Max’s feelings, the Brielle of old would guard her own heart well, never revealing a thing to

anyone.

But that was before she had been with Max. Not having been with him meant she had never fully seen herself. After all, one couldn’t see their own reflection without something to bounce back against. It took colliding with a man like Max, so aloof from the world, for her to truly understand herself and realize what she longed for. Deep down, she yearned for someone to love her fiercely, to the end, to show her that love was as powerful as death.

There were so many love stories in the world. There were even people who could spend a lifetime together without even knowing each other’s names. She didn’t want that with Max. She didn’t want such a pitiful ending, no more meaningful than a farcical play.

She lowered her lashes, a stubborn bite to her lip, and fell silent.

Aubree took her back to Pearl Estate. Noticing her friend’s weary state, she found her a set of pajamas. “Take a good soak and get some rest. Once you’re feeling better, we can talk about going abroad or whatever you want. The Dorsey family let you go, and with Max’s reach, no other company will dare hire you.”

Brielle’s hand paused as she took the clothes, a faint attempt at a smile flickering at her lips. But she couldn’t muster the expression no matter how hard she tried.