Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Max had already found a seat and sat down, his posture rigid and upright, the very picture of composure. However, Alivia could tell that beneath the surface, Max was anything but calm. For years, he had diligently overseen Martha's treatment, and now, despite the introduction of cutting-edge medication, Martha's condition had deteriorated because of Brielle.

The fact that Brielle had been present during the incident was an indelible stain on her reputation. She hadn't intervened in time, and that lapse had directly contributed to Martha's current plight. Moreover, it was Brielle's own brother who had caused the harm. Had Brielle, at some dark moment, wished for Martha's demise as well?

This thought would undoubtedly become a thorn in Max's side.

Taking a deep breath to muster tears, Alivia approached Max.

"Max, there's a room for you at the sanatorium, the same one as before. Why don't you stay the night?" she suggested gently.

Max blinked for the first time in a while, replying with a faint "Hmm."

"I've had the surveillance footage from that day brought over. Unfortunately, the nearest camera was a bit too far to capture their voices, so you won't be able to hear them in the recording. I'll have someone set it up in your room."

Alivia wasn't lying about this. The open space had diluted the sound to a whisper, making it impossible to hear Martha's curses, leaving only the visual of Martha and Brielle locking eyes. What was clear from the footage was Brielle's fight with James just before he turned his aggression on Martha.

The video did not bode well for Brielle. At the very least, it didn't portray her as innocent.

After reviewing the surveillance, Alivia had deliberately retrieved it, knowing it would serve her purposes.

"Max, go get some rest. Staying up all night here won't hasten the results for Martha," she advised, her tone laced with faux concern.

Still in the suit he had worn to the Dorsey International meeting, Max stood up and began rubbing his temples, clearly exhausted.Content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Alivia wanted to seize the opportunity to say more, but Max was already heading for the door, not sparing her another word.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Alivia's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by confidence. This crisis was far more serious than before. Even if Max was emotionally detached, Martha was still his mother. He couldn't be entirely indifferent. Her lips curved into a determined smile. She had no regrets about injecting the drugs.

Back in his usual room at the sanatorium, Max found that Patrick had anticipated his stay and had the wardrobe fully stocked with his clothes.

After a shower, Max emerged, casually toweling his hair dry.

"Sir, Ms. Brielle and Kingston have undergone another paternity test, and the results confirm their biological relation," reported a familiar voice. Max took a sip of water, its coolness quelling the restlessness within him.

"And I've had people dig into Kingston's past, About two decades ago, they did indeed abandon a girl at the doorstep of Sunflower Children's Home. According to Ms. Brielle and Mark's accounts, Brielle was the child Mark found at the orphanage, cold and starving, nearly dead. Mark spent a lot of money to save her, which explains why Ms. Brielle was so frail and sickly as a child."

All the evidence pointed to the validity of the paternity test.

Max's lips pursed. "Which hospital conducted the test?"

"It was Central Hospital, independent, under government administration," the voice responded.

Max frowned slightly, then listened as Patrick continued.

าวน

"The police have also reported that Kingston and his wife have a history of petty theft. The warehouse he managed often reported missing items, and there were numerous complaints from clients. However, since the losses were minor, they never faced criminal charges. As for his wife, she's been caught stealing jewelry from her employers. Their son, James, has been involved in petty crime, extorting protection money with a gang of underlings."

This matched the gossip circulating in their social circles.

Max played the video Alivia had sent. There was little to glean from it. In fact, it seemed to suggest thate Brielle was complicit in some wrongdoing.

Max knew his mother had always had a disdainful attitude towards Brielle. Was it possible Brielle harbored some resentment toward Martha?

He pursed his lips, watching as Brielle dropped her little cupcake, apparently trying to stop James, but her actions were too slow.

The video made it seem like Brielle could have intervened faster.

The video couldn't convey the full context since Max hadn't been at the scene. In reality, Martha's spiteful words had frozen Brielle in place.