Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Max felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched Brielle's eyelids flutter open for a few fleeting seconds before closing again. It was almost as if the brief awakening had been an illusion. "Doc, she opened her eyes!" he called out, urgency laced in his voice.

The doctor rushed in, quickly checking the monitors and Brielle's vitals. His tense brow relaxed slightly. "As long as Ms. Brielle has woken up once, she's likely to do so again," he reassured. "But we can't rule out the possibility of complications, so..." Max nodded, his face stoic. A quiet "hm" was all he managed to say before falling silent.

After the doctor left, Max headed to the bathroom. He meticulously shaved, making sure every hair was in place. Then, he returned to Brielle's side, patiently waiting for her to wake up again.

By evening, Brielle's eyes opened once more, this time staying open as she blinked slowly. Her entire body ached, especially her head, which throbbed relentlessly.

She raised her hand to rub her temple but was stopped by a firm grip. "Don't move," a familiar voice instructed.

Hearing the voice, Brielle froze. She slowly lowered her hand and stared blankly at the ceiling, saying nothing.

For the next two days, the doctor came and went, peppering Brielle with questions. But she remained tight-lipped.

Eventually, the doctor pulled Max aside in the hallway. "She should be fine now. You can start the discharge process," he advised.

Max glanced through the small window in the door, noticing Brielle gazing out of the window, lost in thought. He followed the doctor to complete the discharge paperwork. But when he returned to Brielle's room, it was empty. She had left without a word, taking her phone, which he had cleaned multiple times after it got stained with blood.

Gripping the bag of medications, Max's hand tightened, a shadow crossing his eyes. A dangerous thought flashed through his mind: she was more manageable when bedridden.

standing behind him, had witnessed the mercurial nature of the CEO of Dorsey International over the past few days. Now, an icy chill seemed to

him up. As he was about to get into the car, he cast a lingering

about Ms. Brielle, but

colder than ever, like a sharp

was quiet, save for the occasional cough from Max. He turned to look outside, his eyes bloodshot from days

through his soul and heart. If inflicting pain was a

slid into the car Aubree had driven over, her head was pounding so fiercely it was hard

injuries may have healed, but the potential for complications the doctor mentioned was still a

at her through the rearview mirror, her

you end up in

all of a sudden?"

the Barnes family. The

hove

society's darling

in her mind like sparks, but the pain was too intense. Sweat beaded

water and asked, "What about Max? Hasn't he been looking after you these

hand froze, her fingers