Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Max and Brielle were now an item, out in the open for all to see. Yet, Brielle couldn’t shake the feeling that her happiness, every minute and every second of it, was somehow stolen.

After Brielle hung up the phone from explaining the previous night’s events, she stared blankly at the ball of yarn before her until a slender hand picked it up. Following the hand, her gaze met Max’s.

Max had wrapped up his work and, noticing the embryonic shape of a scarf in her hands, raised an eyebrow. “Getting close to done?”

Brielle chuckled. Knitting a scarf wasn’t exactly a quick affair, and with tomorrow’s dinner party, it would take even longer to finish it. She wanted to wear it before Christmas, but that would mean hustling.

“Not even close.”

Max set the yarn down and sat on the nearby couch. “Will I be able to wear it before Christmas?”

“Are you in a hurry?”

Although she had promised it as a Christmas gift, Max seemed more eager than ever.

Max nodded seriously. He was indeed anxious – after all, he had already bragged about it, and if he didn’t wear it soon, Andrew’s sharp tongue wouldn’t let him live it down.

“I’ll try to finish it within three days.”

So that night, when Max awoke at 2 a.m., he saw Brielle still working by lamplight. He instantly regretted pushing her.

“Brielle, let’s get some sleep.”

Rubbing her sore eyes, Brielle was already on the brink of sleep. Hearing Max suggest sleep. she dropped her knitting, rolled into his arms, and was asleep in under a minute.

Max found her exhaustion endearing. Expecting her to sleep in, he was surprised to find her up at dawn, knitting in the backyard.

Standing on the second–floor balcony, he watched her silhouette against the greenhouse’s vibrant flowers, finding the scene utterly enchanting.

At noon, Jaired messaged the group, saying he had set off and would arrive in about three hours.

Jaired’s gaze was sharp, his looks clean–cut and striking. Dressed in black boots with perfectly tucked pants and a tall frame, his presence was like the onset of spring – full of life and vigor.

Glancing at his phone, Jaired chuckled and surveyed the outside world. The driver in front didn’t dare strike up a conversation. In their circle, Jaired was known for his fearless deeds, a

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hero among his peers.

“Why would Max fall for someone outside our usual crowd?” he mused, finding it perplexing.

He tossed his phone aside. “Well, I’ll see what this Brielle is like soon enough.”

Restless, Jaired tagged Max in the group. [Bring your girlfriend, ok?]

Max seldom chatted, and Jaired was prepared for no reply. After sending the message, he tossed his phone aside again.

The reception was at a hotel in the suburbs, half an hour’s drive along a winding mountain road – a world of wealth beyond imagination.

Brielle sat in the car, cheeks flushed from the cold breeze through the cracked window. Max buttoned her coat up to the top. “Button up, I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

She closed the window and smiled back at him. Just as she was about to speak, her phone rang – it was Mason calling. Mason was unaware of her recent activities and rarely called, except for company– related matters.

Brielle answered, hearing Mason’s smug voice. “Brielle, the company’s going public in the States today. Got anything to say?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes narrowed at the news. Mason sure moved fast. Their company was going public.

“I heard Dorsey International let you go?”

She glanced at Max. “Yeah.”

Mason paused, then laughed. “Being fired might be a blessing in disguise.”

Brielle hadn’t told Max about her investment in the company yet, and she didn’t plan to for the time being. It was her trump card – she had a solid backup for whatever the future held. Owned by NôvelDrama.Org.

“Any problems?”

“If I can’t handle this with the money you’ve given, I don’t deserve to be your partner. Do you know how shocked I was by that last ten billion? I even thought you were printing money behind our backs.”

Brielle smiled, the casino funds were far more fluid than any money printer.

“Brielle, don’t worry about the IPO. We’re well–funded, and I’ll take care of our first–round investors.”

“I trust you. Just remember, the capital we bring in serves us, not controls us. We keep the control in the family.”

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