Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

The buzz of last night’s festivities had faded, and now the stark light of reality was shining through the blinds. Brielle was pulled from her reverie by the jingle of a phone. It was Max’s phone.

Michael had seemed tight–lipped last night, deftly steering the conversation away from the elephant in the room, but Brielle knew that his silence didn’t mean approval of their relationship.

What Michael would do next was anyone’s guess.

The phone lit up, and Max pressed the answer button, calling out, “What’s up, Kenzo?”

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Michael on the other end of the line, but Kenzo.

Brielle couldn’t help but marvel at how the old fox was still full of tricks. Michael was playing the long game. After the mess of last night, it was unsettling how Michael had yet to call and confront them. The calmer the sea, the more Brielle feared the storm lurking beneath.

Kenzo’s call was obviously about the previous night’s drama. He had used drunkenness as an excuse to keep the situation from boiling over, but everyone who was there knew that Alivia wasn’t drunk, and Max had flat–out rejected her.

Kenzo’s tone carried no hint of blame, remaining as soothing as ever. “Max, are you still with Brielle?”

“Yeah.”

“My grandpa’s bound to hear about this soon. He’s always hoped for a union between our families. I’ll try to talk to him. Is this your final decision, Max?”

“Kenzo, could you handle things with the Barnes family? Thanks.”

No more words were needed. Kenzo understood Max’s choice. A deep shadow passed through his eyes, followed by a light smile. “Sure.”

After hanging up, Kenzo surveyed the chaos in the room. NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.

Alivia was buried under the covers, not a single strand of her hair in sight. The room was a battleground of shattered objects, with traces of blood amidst the wreckage. Shards of mirror were scattered across the floor, and even the plush slippers were spattered with drops of red.

“Alivia, come on out and have something to eat,” Kenzo coaxed as he nudged her.

She didn’t respond. This was the first time in her life that she felt so out of control, wishing she could destroy everything. Every memory of last night’s events made her heart ache until she could hardly breathe. Her body felt crushed, her soul trembling.

She had thought she was watching Brielle’s downfall, only to become the butt of the joke herself. Was she still held in any esteem in Max’s eyes?

Her eyelashes fluttered fiercely, her voice hoarse. “Kenzo, I’m not hungry.”

“You’re just going to lie there? You heard the call. Max has chosen Brielle and plans to stick with her. Do you think he’ll care about you if you keep degrading yourself like this?”

Alivia’s body began to tremble again, her eyes swollen from crying. The Alivia everyone knew was always the center of attention, never this disheveled.

She bit her lip so hard, tasting blood. “What should I do?”

How could she turn the tables? How could she tear those two apart?

Panic was setting in. Thinking of all she had done since Max regained his clarity, all her so–called clever moves were now her greatest embarrassment. If he had never forgotten, her actions must’ve seemed so foolish and so insincere in his eyes.

Kenzo sat down beside her bed. “Alivia, you’ve had an easy ride all your life. Is this little setback really going to beat you? I’ve always told you Brielle isn’t ordinary.”

“I don’t understand,” Alivia said, emerging from the covers. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her eyes were swollen nearly shut. Her cheeks were flushed from a lack of air.

“I don’t get how an orphan from the foster system, unwanted by all, is anything but ordinary. I thought I could crush her with a flick of my finger, and yet she’s given me the biggest humiliation of my life. I can’t accept it! I may not need to get back at her, but I want her to regret stepping into that lounge last night!”