Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

Joseph placed the laptop on the coffee table and opened it, revealing the surveillance footage. Instead of hitting play, he slid the mouse towards King.

The decision wasn't Joseph's to make; after all, King hadn't said whether he wanted to watch the video.

King sat on the couch, staring at the video thumbnail, recognizing the hospital from that fateful time. It had been a while since those events unfolded. With a hesitant hand, he finally clicked play.

"Before you send me away, can you make me forget this memory if you're a hypnotist?" Brielle's voice echoed from the screen.

Myles was facing away from the camera, so his expression was hidden. But King didn't care about Myles; his eyes were glued to Brielle.

Back then, Brielle looked so young and fragile, especially after just giving birth. Her vulnerability was palpable. But what had drawn him in was the purity and clarity in her eyes, as if one look could pierce his soul.

Now, those same eyes were pleading with Myles to hypnotize her.

"Ms. Brielle, are you certain? Deep hypnosis can be dangerous. You might never remember this again. And he, he's been quite good to you."

A flash of disgust crossed Brielle's face at those words, a visible disdain that felt like a dagger piercing King's heart through time.

He felt humiliated watching further, like he was masochistically digging his own grave. Yet, he needed to see if he had wronged her, if there was some misunderstanding. Had Myles sweet-talked her into this? Did she harbor some misunderstanding about him? "Good to me?" Brielle echoed, her smile bitter. "He destroyed me."

"Ms. Brielle, you've made up your mind?"

"Yes, I don't want to remember this man anymore. Can you help me?"

"Alright."

The video ended there.

With the investigation by the female doctor and the phone call Brielle received, it was proven that Brielle had indeed lost the child on her own

accord Now the video confirmen

she had also chosen to forget those memories voluntarily.

He hadn't wronged her. As always, she seemed to look for ways to escape him.

Closing the laptop, King turned to Joseph. "Was the video edited in any way?"

Joseph shook his head, adding, "There's no sign of editing. But all other hospital surveillance was wiped clean, leaving only this part. It's clear they knew we'd investigate this footage."

King wasn't a fool; he knew someone had intentionally preserved this footage, knowing it would make its way to him. But if it hadn't been edited, then Brielle truly did ask for Myles's help.

Rubbing his temples, King felt a

sharp pain in his chest, worsened by the sight of the bruise from a slap on his face, his eyes reddening. He reached for a cigarette on the table, attempting to light it, but his fingers trembled, failing to ignite the lighter.

Joseph, unable to watch this scene unfold, stepped closer to assist. "Sir."

Without a word, King leaned in to light his cigarette. As Joseph respectfully stepped back, he

couldn't help but speak up. "Sir, ifjet

may, during my investigation into Myles's betrayal, I discovered traces of him in Beaconsfield. It's quite possible he had feelings for Ms. Brielle."

Otherwise, his betrayal made no sense. Serving as a shadow was an honor. Had Joseph been just a few inches taller, that role would never have fallen to Myles.

King had already suspected as much. Meeting Brielle at that age, it was rare for anyone not to fall for her. He loved her too, desperately. He had awkwardly, tirelessly, tried to win her affection. And what had he gotten in return?