Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Brielle felt as though her heart had crumbled, a void that could never be filled. She looked up, her gaze piercing straight into his eyes.

"I will never forgive you for Mark's passing. Not in this lifetime."

Max's pupils shrank, his heart stopped for a brief moment, and his grip weakened as if he had lost all his strength.

He choked back a silent sob. It was his own disgrace.

Brielle shook off his hand and stormed out with determined strides.

He had lost the courage to chase after her.

Death is irreversible. His selfishness had condemned Brielle to a life of pain.

Max's eyes reddened in an instant, and his lips pressed tightly together like the edge of a knife.

Back in her car, Brielle realized just how violently her hands were trembling. She wanted to slam the gas pedal, but her body felt as limp as overcooked spaghetti.

The more she struggled, the deeper she sank into the mire until she finally slumped over the steering wheel, her shoulders quaking silently.

her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she mustered what little rationale she had left and drove to Pearl Estate. All the way there, she felt the

was despicable and vile, dragging Max down only to discard him

voids and desires, and now, she chose to let

the couch like a zombie, motionless until the evening,

water on her face, she opened the door to find Aubree holding

have a drink with Brielle. With her

soon as the door swung open, she saw Brielle's unnaturally

in," Brielle's voice was hoarse and barely

the barbecue bites on the coffee table, and

or drink and just leaned

She just laid everything out and turned on the V. "Hey, what do you think of this actress?" she asked, pointing to a celebrity who was the current talk of the

"She's alright."

do you think I'd fare with that

managed a wry smile,

satisfied

a plan in life. Men are just the icing on the cake. They do not come through when you really need them." Brielle slowly sat up straighter, taking the cold beer can Aubree

knees, rocking her beer bottle back and

whispered, "I'm the one who did