Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Patrick glanced at him through the rearview mirror, noting how his breathing was shaky from distress. He nodded swiftly in acknowledgment. "Alright, boss."

Patrick floored the accelerator, but his first call wasn't to track down Brielle's whereabouts. Instead, he rang the family doctor to meet them at Premier Palace before making another call to initiate the search for Brielle.

By the time Max arrived at Premier Palace, the doctor was already there, a look of surprise evident on his face. Over the years, Max had faced his share of underhanded tactics, but this was the first time he seemed so tormented by a drug's effects, indicating a potent dose. For an ordinary man, confusion would have already blurred the lines between friend and foe. The family doctor, seasoned by various crises, recalled a drug that had once made a well-mannered gentleman nearly attack his own brother in public. Shuddering at the memory, the doctor hastily administered an antidote to Max.

Max kept his eyes closed, darkness swirling inside them like a vortex, threatening to drag him deeper. He leaned back against the couch, his Adam's apple bobbing as he asked Patrick.

"Have you found her location?"

Patrick was about to say they hadn't received any updates when his phone rang. He pressed the answer button without hesitation.

"Patrick, we've located Ms. Brielle. But it's not good news-the car the boss sent for her is abandoned on the outskirts of town. There's been a lot of activity out there tonight, and it's likely that Ms. Brielle..."

A shiver ran down Patrick's spine as he relayed the information to Max.NôvelDrama.Org owns this.

Max's eyelashes quivered violently, and from somewhere, he summoned the strength to stand.

"Let's go."

"But boss, you're not well..."

The doctor looked on, troubled. Given the drug's effect on Max, the dosage must have been massive, perhaps a complex blend of substances. Even with his strong will, a breakdown seemed imminent. "Max, you should stay and rest."

But before he could finish, Max was already striding out the door, leaving Patrick with no choice but to follow swiftly.

Max's presence was icy, the air around him seemingly solidifying into frost. Patrick felt chilled to the bone just sharing the same space with him.

They drove to where Brielle's car was abandoned. Evening had fallen, and the dim streetlights made the area look like a prime spot for foul play. Max saw his men searching for Brielle but was not reassured. He grabbed a flashlight and decided to search himself.

Patrick, unable to dissuade him, followed closely, fearing Max might collapse due to the drugs.

Thorns and underbrush surrounded them, and Max felt a growing chill in his heart, overpowering the drug's effects until all he could feel was an endless cold.

Brielle...

He quickened his pace and then, at the edge of a ravine, he found her gun. It was custom-made for her by Jaired to fit her hand perfectly. Max squatted down to pick up the gun, noting the bloodstains on it. His eyes, dark already, now flickered with a tinge of madness. "Check down there."

His voice was hoarse as he clutched the firearm tightly. The ravine was steep, and finding a way down was not easy.

After a long search, Max found a narrow path. But the recent spring rain had made it slippery, and his dress shoes lost their grip. He slipped and tumbled down.

"Sir!"

Patrick cried out in panic. He was about to leap after him when a beam of light revealed Max picking up the flashlight from the ground. "I'm fine."

Patrick sighed in relief, his eyes reddening as he hurried down to join him.

Max's expensive suit jacket was smeared with leaves and mud, but he didn't have the luxury of concerning himself with his attire. He moved forward.

Patrick was speechless. This was

the second time he'd seen the boss

so disheveled. The first was the night Ms. Brielle had broken things off with him, when he had returned from the graveyard with his trouser hems caked in mud.

Both times, it was because of Ms. Brielle.