Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Aubree arrived promptly, driving a sleek Maserati.

Brielle, trying to hide her nervousness, casually adjusted the scarf around her neck and slid into the passenger seat. As she settled in, her spine stiffened uncomfortably, and the temperature she had managed to cool within herself began to rise again.

“Bri, did you hear about the scene Faith made over at the Haywood estate?” Aubree asked, pressing the gas pedal with a bit of frustration.

Brielle sat up straight, trying to expel the thoughts of Max from her mind. “Yeah, I ignored their calls. How did it end up?”

Aubree couldn’t suppress a grin. “Your folks paid them a visit to apologize, but you know Faith, she’s relentless. She accused you of being a flirt and made a huge fuss about ending the engagement, claiming you cheated on her son. In the end, I think it was Ryan who stepped in.”

“Ryan?”

“Mhm, Ryan calmed Faith down. So, the engagement’s still on.”

Brielle pursed her lips. Ryan had just been let go from Dorsey International, and his reluctance to break off the engagement was likely to avoid catching Michael’s attention. Despite announcing his retirement, Michael still held absolute sway over the Dorsey clan. And Brielle didn’t want to draw his scrutiny either.

“Bri, if Michael gets involved, I’m worried your situation will become really awkward. He turns a blind eye to the other Dorsey men’s escapades, but not with Max, his golden boy. He can’t have a blemish on his record, you get me?”

Fooling around with Max in secret was one thing as long as it didn’t reach the old man’s ears, but having any other designs would be a disaster. If it came to that, no one in the Dorsey family would stand by her side, not even Max.

Brielle understood this all too well, which was why she always kept a tight rein on her emotions. Falling for Max would mean never getting back up again.

She leaned back, intending to close her eyes and rest for a moment when suddenly the car lurched forward. The sudden force startled them both.

“Screech!”

The brakes were slammed, leaving a dark streak on the pavement. Around them, the hustle and bustle continued, while the Maserati’s rear was slightly dented.

The car that hit them stopped, and out came Cameron and Lillian. Lillian seemed shaken, clinging to Cameron’s arm in the aftermath. Cameron soothed her while flanked by a secretary. He looked up and saw Brielle, a flash of disgust crossing his face. “What kind

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of driving is this?”

Lillian, standing next to him, appeared surprisingly thrilled but restrained herself as if worried about provoking Brielle’s disdain.

Brielle felt like this was a stroke of bad luck, getting rear-ended by them of all people. “The car’s Aubree’s, and you’re fully responsible for the fender bender. Just deal with the insurance company directly.”

Cameron didn’t want to engage with her, but her aloof demeanor irked him. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused the family?”

Lillian gently tugged at his sleeve, whispering, “Cameron, don’t be mad. Bri probably hasn’t gotten the message yet. She was abroad, you know, with the time difference.”

Her words only reminded Cameron of Brielle’s deliberate non-responsiveness. Countless unanswered calls and texts fueled his irritation. “There’s a family meeting tonight. Mom and Dad want to talk to you. Stop being so headstrong.”

By now, Aubree had hung up with the insurance company and was irate at seeing Cameron babying Lillian. “Cameron, who’s your real sister here? Did you see at the million-dollar bracelet you bought Lillian? Your family has no shame, treating Bri like a pawn in a marriage deal. Spencer and Lillian have been fucking each other like crazy, and you still treat her like a treasure.”

Cameron’s face turned stormy, his gaze as chilling as a crypt. “Aubree, I’ve known Lillian

for

years, and I know what kind of person she is. As for the little affair between you and Andrew, don’t think no one knows about it.”

Aubree’s expression faltered, confused about how he knew. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Lillian’s eyes sparkled maliciously upon hearing this. Aubree and Andrew? Weren’t they siblings?

Concerned that Lillian might stir up trouble, Brielle quickly interrupted. “Please tell mom and dad I’m swamped with work and can’t make it.”

“Grandpa said he wants to see you. You wouldn’t want to disturb his peace in his twilight years over your issues, would you?”

Brielle felt a sharp pain in her chest, freezing on the spot, unable to respond.

Aubree was furious. Brielle’s grandpa had been diagnosed with dementia two years ago, and aside from Brielle’s regular visits to the nursing home, the rest of the Haywood family barely paid any attention. Now they were using an old man to manipulate Brielle-it was utterly despicable.