Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Brielle sat at the dinner table, her mind tangled in thoughts that made her food taste like cardboard. Sticking to her routine, she called Max and had a brief chat, but her face clouded over as she put her phone down. Ramey had been watching her from the sidelines. He noticed her muttering to the dark screen and couldn't tell if she was getting better or worse.

"Max is coming home tonight," she suddenly announced, standing up and instructing Wesley to give the Premier Palace a thorough cleaning. Ramey was baffled. Max coming tonight? That didn't add up. Who could she possibly mean?

Brielle decided to skip her visit to Stellar Stage Entertainment, opting instead to prepare for Max's return from his business trip. She held an online meeting with the company's executives from home.

In work mode, she morphed back into the composed and cool-headed Brielle. After she made sure the execs understood her directives, she mentioned Max's return and excused herself.

The execs at Stellar Stage Entertainment, many of whom Brielle had personally promoted, were well aware of her relationship with Max, the president of Dream Tech Designs. They were the ultimate power couple.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

When Brielle mentioned Max, the execs started sending their best wishes, making her blush a little. Sure, they'd made their relationship public on Twitter, but admitting it face-to-face was still awkward.

"I've laid out the next steps clearly. I trust you all to keep each other in check. Stellar Stage Entertainment has come too far to slip back into old habits. The suggestion box is still in the lobby, and any name that appears in it will trigger a full investigation. Got it?" she said firmly.

The room buzzed with energy. Stellar Stage Entertainment was on the rise, and with Keiran's new movie set to release soon, they were poised for even greater success. The team was determined to make their mark.

"Got it, Ms. Haywood. Don't worry about a thing. Just go enjoy your date," one of them said, a smile in their voice.

Brielle's stern demeanor softened when Max was mentioned. After ending the call, she settled on the sofa, waiting patiently for him.

But deep down, everyone knew Max wouldn't be coming.

Ramey, unable to bear the sight, thought about hypnotizing her to forget Max. But with her fragile state, he feared it might make things worse.

He had hoped his cousin's presence would provide some stability, but for reasons unknown, his cousin had left early that morning. Ramey regretted not insisting they stay over maybe then he could've

convinced him to remain.

Now, all he could do was watch the clock's hands circle around, marking the passage of time until dinner, with no doorbell ring.

Brielle didn't seem to notice the growing fatigue, sitting in the fading glow of the sunset, as if she might turn into a statue waiting for a lover who would never appear.

Ramey himself felt drowsy from the day's vigit, Brielle had skipped lunch and dinner, insisting on waiting to eat with Max. Despite Ramey's and Wesley's attempts to change her mind, she wouldn't budge.

At nine in the evening, Ramey went to the kitchen to make himself a coffee. As he returned, Brielle stood up with a face full of surprise. "The doorbell rang!"

Ramey looked at the silent doorbell, his face falling.

Brielle, excited, opened the front

door to a dark and empty outside, lit only by the dim light of the street lamps. She talked to the air, complaining about his late arrival and her hungry wait.

Then, arm-in-arm with nothing but air, she walked inside, asking Wesley to serve dinner.

To an outsider unaware of her situation, this scene would have been startling. Ramey's coffee cup slipped from his hand, spilling its dark contents and staining the floor. Wesley stood still, as if turned to stone.

The other staff in the villa slowly bowed their heads, a heavy silence enveloping the room.

Brielle's smile faded into confusion. "What's wrong? Why isn't anyone happy that he's back?" she asked, her voice a mix of hope and uncertainty.