Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

As she finished her tirade, Martha began to snicker with smug satisfaction.

Standing by the bedside, Brielle felt a chill spreading through her entire body, like a withered flower shaking ever so slightly in a cold wind.

"Brielle, I've told you time and again that you're no match for Max, but you wouldn't listen. You had to get yourself all banged up before you'd walk away. Tsk, tsk, I almost feel sorry for you. Heard that you sent Mark away just to be with Max, and now, the poor man has come back to town at his old age, only to kick the bucket from a heart attack-without a soul by his side."

Every venomous word Martha spat out pierced Brielle's heart. Her hand, hanging limply at her side, slowly clenched into a rigid fist as she listened to Martha spill her bile.

"Mark must have been cursed to have bumped into you-a real black cat! First, he got divorced, then died in such a miserable way! Serves him right!" "Shut your mouth!"

Brielle had never seen such an ugly face before. Martha had everything, so why was she so hell-bent on stripping away the little Brielle had left?

"Oh, getting antsy, are we? Too bad, James will suffer in prison for the rest of his life because of me. And Brielle, this will be your life now. As long as you're with Max, these kinds of troubles will keep coming. Enjoy your misery, you tramp."

Brielle's fingertips trembled as she watched Martha dislodge her oxygen tube with her chin and start to gasp for air. Even at this moment, she was using her life to threaten Brielle.

Brielle remained frozen, her mind screaming at her to save Martha.

However, the thought of saving someone so bent on death, someone who would drag her down too, was revolting. Her stomach churned, and her legs felt nailed to the floor. "Help, Brielle is trying to kill me!"

Martha's voice was hoarse with anger yet oddly triumphant.

The doctors burst in to the scene of Martha convulsing with the oxygen tube unplugged, while Brielle hadn't moved an inch.

The door was ajar, and Max stood just behind the frantic medical team, watching as they desperately tried to save Martha's life.

Martha continued to cry out that Brielle was trying to murder her.

Brielle blinked away the sting in her eyes, feeling Max's presence behind her.

Max had come up behind her, but neither of them spoke.

Their silence was endless, a void of irreparable division and lingering pain built up from constant helplessness, like lava solidified after a volcanic eruption, never to disappear. Brielle felt utterly drained.

Before,

thought Brielle's

James was out to harm Now, they believed Brielle intended to harm her.

2x

Once the video of James pushing Martha circulated around the social circles of Beaconsfield, everyone would think Brielle had stood by idly. With today's incident, they'd believe she wanted to get rid of Martha to be with Max.

And if Max continued to stand by her, he would be seen as heartless, committing the gravest of sins.

Max would be branded a sinner struggling in hell.

"Brielle," Max whispered, reaching out to gently and cautiously touch her fingertips.

Brielle jerked her hand back and stormed out, only to trip over a potted plant in the hallway and crash to the ground. "Thud!"

Her knees, ankles, and palms ached as tears streamed down her face in humiliation.

Martha's wails could still be heard from the room.

"Brielle is trying to kill me, arrest her!"

"She wants to kill me over a few words, Max."

"Max, can you tolerate such a woman by your side?"

Then, the doctors' panicked shouts filled the air.

"Ms. Martha!"

"Hurry, get the emergency team! Ms. Martha, hold on!"

Max stood in the doorway, torn between the dying Martha and Brielle, crumpled on the floor.

His instincts drove him to help

Brielle first, but he watched as sheeContent rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

stubbornly got up and limped

toward the elevator at the end of the hallway.

She never looked back.

Not even once.

Max's half-step forward faltered, and he felt an overwhelming pain.

Loving someone what kind of cruel torture was it?