Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

Upstairs, Brielle was in a deep sleep, the deepest she'd had since she arrived at the castle. From the moment she stepped inside, every fiber of her being resisted, leaving her restless and irked. That night, she dreamt again.

She dreamt she was pinned in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, with someone shouting her name from behind. She clearly wasn't a fan of this scenario, crying as her body trembled.

"Don't be scared, Brielle. Look at me," a deep voice whispered in her ear, gently kissing away her tears.

Brielle couldn't recall a time when she felt so fragile and desperate-not even during her childhood in the orphanage when there was nothing to eat. She always believed she could make it through anything. Even after years of loving Spencer, only to catch him cheating on her, she hadn't felt this vulnerable.

Brielle was like a beast with fangs, always ready to retaliate fiercely whenever someone dared to bully her. But in this dream, she was utterly helpless and bullied to no end.

"Pregnant?"

"Why don't you stay, fall in love with me, and have the baby?"

These words reached Brielle's ears, but they brought no joy, only a bone-chilling fear.

Waking from the dream, she realized her cheeks were damp with real tears. She tried to turn over, but felt an arm wrapped tightly around her waist, making it hard to breathe. Turning her head, she saw Max's face, clinging to her in a state of dependency. The frustration she harbored during the day instantly dissipated, but right now, she really felt uncomfortable and wanted to free herself from his grasp.

"Don't leave," he muttered in his sleep, pulling her even closer. Brielle felt like her bones were about to break, but she remained silent, just staring blankly at the ceiling.

Why did she have such a dream? Where did her life go wrong? She wasn't foolish; she tried hard to connect all the dots, her mind racing back to the things she had seized from Myles. His inexplicable affection felt utterly baseless. He had collected so many of her belongings, but most were from after her exchange program had ended.

Max had previously asked if she

made any friends during her exchange, but she couldn't recall

anyone. In her mind, she was always

a dull person, with few friends, focused solely on studying. Even when she went abroad, her thoughts were consumed with research: Back then, Beaconsfield College had defended her during a scandal, praising her for her outstanding performance during the exchange. Brielle had no doubts about that; she indeed had devoted herself to studying and research during the

exchange.

But now, she felt compelled to visit the university she had exchanged to. What was Myles's inexplicable affection all about, and why were there so many items from after her exchange program, including food typically consumed by pregnant women? She had to investigate this matter herself. The next morning, Brielle got out of bed and immediately called Dustin Lynch. Still fuming, King didn't dare stop her, just sulking downstairs on his own. Upstairs, Brielle heard the call connect quickly and inquired.

"Bro, I got a call yesterday about some female doctor losing a child? I want to know what's the deal with King's female doctor."

Why would she receive such a call, especially when King's mood went south right after the call ended? She was always sensitive to these matters, and linking them together now, things seemed increasingly off. There had to be a lapse in her information; otherwise, she wouldn't be clueless about what King was referring to each time.

Dustin, having pulled an all-nighter

investigating the organization, with

Seamus getting restless behind the scenes, but everything was still under Dustin's control. However, there hadn't been any word from their mother for a week, causing him worry. His mother was a shrewd and capable woman, but Dustin always feared for her safety, given her gender, making these past few days particularly stressful. Now, receiving a call from his sister offered a

moment's respite.

"Little Bri, I'm not sure myself. King mentioned a female doctor saved me, but I remember waking up to Patrick. Probably, the injury was so severe it jumbled my memory. He gave me the doctor's address, but it's too far, and I'm swamped lately. I'm not planning to investigate further for now, especially since it's all in the past."

But the call Brielle received

mentioned a female doctor losing a

.n

child. If this was the same woman Dustin spoke of, then the lost child detail didn't add up. Unless the. woman on the phone and the female doctor were entirely different people. Brielle felt even more that something was amiss, concluding she must visit the university she exchanged to at once.