Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

Just as Mason was about to sink deeper into his thoughts, his phone buzzed with a call from Brielle. She had been there for him through thick and thin, silently observing his journey, especially during his time with Tiffanie. Back then, Brielle had kept some secrets to Now, as those memories resurfaced, her concern for Mason only deepened.

herself.

"Mason, you're not setting foot in the office for the next couple of days. Stay home and catch some sleep," she ordered.

"Cut the act. I've already called the other executives. You've barely been home lately. Handing over the reins of the company to you wasn't meant to be a death sentence. Take a three-day break, get some rest, then we'll talk," Brielle insisted.

Mason couldn't help but feel a bit helpless upon hearing this. "Brielle, I'm really okay."

Hearing this, Mason's eyes welled up with tears. The thought of slowing down only meant his mind would wander back to Tiffanie, something he desperately wanted to avoid.

After the call, Mason stared out the window, lost in thought, his mind plagued with a heavy heart. Who could have inflicted such wounds on her? Was it another man? His thoughts were a tangled mess, oscillating between disgust at himself for still caring about her and a gut-wrenching nausea whenever he remembered the homeless man.

Brielle, sensing his silence, felt a pang of sorrow herself. But she knew her place and chose not to overstep.

That night, Mason couldn't find sleep, and Tiffanie was in a similar state, aimlessly wandering the streets without a place to call home. She hadn't even bothered to look for one, simply dragging her suitcase behind her, resting only when exhaustion took over.

It had been ages since she last ate, her stomach aching, but she had grown numb to the pain. The endless stream of cars made her contemplate a quick end in the middle of the road, freeing her from having to decide where to go next.

A woman's cry caught her attention. Turning to find Victoria, her mother, in a pitiful state, sobbing on the ground, Tiffanie couldn't help but let out a laugh, which quickly turned into pain.

Victoria recognized Tiffanie and immediately demanded, "Call Everett, tell him to come see me."

This request took Tiffanie back to

her childhood, a time when she naively hoped Everett's presence would spare her from Victoria's wrath But the reality was far crueler; Victoria would only intensify her

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beatings to please Everett

Now, discarded by Everett, Victoria sat there, while Tiffanie had walked a long path to this encounter. It dawned on Tiffanie that she and Victoria were not so different after all, both ensnared in a cycle of misery.

As Victoria persisted, "Have you

called him? Hurry up, Everett always

favored you," Tiffanie stood up, bought a dagger from a nearby. store, and abandoned her suitcase in a trash can. Victoria's presence was the final straw.

Making her way to the alley closest to the house she once shared with Mason, Tiffanie intended to end her suffering there. However, she unexpectedly ran into Everett. His reaction to seeing her was one of disdain, as if she were a plague.

"What are you doing here? Have you been stalking Mason?" Everett accused.

Tiffanie, too weak to argue, noticed Mason not far away, accompanied by a young woman she recognized from Unicorn Company, possibly there on business with Mason, a former classmate who had once written him a love letter. Before Mason could spot her, Everett dragged Tiffanie into a nearby corner.

"Are you that desperate? Haven't I told you to stay away from Mason?" Tiffanie's attempt to respond was cut short by a slap. As her head turned sharply, the pain blurred her vision.

"So, the bruises finally healed, and here you are, ready to disgrace yourself again," Everett sneered.