Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

There was a smug satisfaction on the woman's face as she spoke about the Dorsey family.

Brielle finally took a good look at her. The woman's outfit screamed nouveau riche, and her husband was also decked out in designer gear from head to toe.

Brielle figured this so-called distant relative must be connected by a series of convoluted ties after all, the Dorsey family was in hot water these days. Anyone with a real claim to the Dorsey legacy would be busy tending to the old man, not wasting their breath in a small- town spat. But as tempers flared and it seemed like fists might fly, a new voice echoed from outside the hospital room.

"Stop it, what on earth are you doing?"

A middle-aged man in a suit approached, his scalp tingling with irritation when he recognized the troublemakers as his own kin.

Brielle's eyes welled with tears upon seeing the figure behind the man.

The middle-aged man turned, his face etched with respect.

"Mr. Dorsey, welcome to our hospital. Who might you be looking for?"

Before he could finish, Max strode confidently toward Brielle.

He placed his hands on Brielle's shoulders, checking her over to ensure she wasn't injured, and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then, his piercing gaze darted toward the instigators.

The couple that had been sitting on the hospital bed stood up, cowed by his presence and too frightened to speak.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Max opened a bag on the table and set out some soup.

"Eat something first."

Brielle nodded, her attention no longer on the chaos behind her.

Meanwhile, the middle-aged couple, eager to apologize to Brielle, heard Max's stern command, "Get out."

The remark was directed at everyone in the room.

The man who came with Max knew a disaster when he saw one and quickly ordered the hospital staff to change all the sheets to freshly sanitized ones before he dared to leave.

Brielle took a few spoonfuls of the soup, wanting to ask Max what he'd been up to these past few days, but his phone rang again.

He coughed softly, his lips slightly pale, and patted her head soothingly before stepping aside to take the call.

Whatever was said on the other end caused his expression to darken instantaneously.

He pressed a hand to his temple, his eyes resting on Brielle.

"Hold them off, I'll be there once I've sorted things out here."

After ending the call, he faced Brielle, who couldn't bring herself to eat anymore.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Just a scratch."

He coughed again, continuing to rub at his temple.

Just as Brielle was about to speak, the doctor arrived, summoning Max outside.

Max's hand lingered on Brielle's belly for a moment, a gentle reassurance.

Brielle had sent him a message that brought him rushing: she was pregnant and wanted to see him.

Before lapsing into unconsciousness, she had

undergone a series of tests, and

now it seemed the doctor was ready to discuss the results with Max.

After urging her to eat more, Max stood and left the room.

As soon as the door closed behind him, the doctor spoke solemnly.

"Ms. Brielle's health is precarious, and she's exhausted. Coupled with her history of contraceptive pills and an IUD, which can harm the uterus this pregnancy isn't viable. The The longer it remains, the more harm it will cause her. An immediate termination procedure is necessary."

Contraceptive pills and an IUD?

Max frowned-neither seemed to fit with what he knew of Brielle.

"Are you sure?"

The doctor nodded, aware of Max's influential status and the gravity of lying.

"The device is still inside her. If you wish to have children, it should be removed first to ensure a healthy pregnancy in the future. She's already at risk of a miscarriagez If you're doubtful of the local tests, you could take her to Beaconsfield for a second opinion."

Max's head thundered, the pain intensifying with the weight of the news.