Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

She considered Emily a friend, and yet this was how Emily had betrayed her. She couldn’t help but shoot a text to Lillian, spilling the beans about the evening’s debacle.

Lillian replied in no time. [So, how’s Brielle holding up now?]

A smirk played on Lillian’s lips. She hadn’t expected Emily to make her move so soon. She was indeed too impulsive.

Sophia and Lillian were tight, part of the same clique. [Heard she got hurt. I’m livid, Emily that backstabber must’ve set me up on purpose. I treated her like a friend, and she pulls this stunt on me. What am I supposed to do if the cops come knocking?]

Sophia was fiery, preferring to play dirty rather than play the naïve card like Emily. This time, the stakes were high, and she was genuinely freaking out.

[I’ll have a word with Bri, try to make her drop it. Hang in there, Sophia. No matter how much she gets on my nerves, I’ll bear it for you.] Adversity shows true friendship, and Sophia felt a wave of gratitude. Lillian seemed like a sincere friend.

After hanging up, Lillian was in a whirl of emotions. As long as Brielle was down on her luck, she was thrilled. She had no real intention of helping Sophia out, but she knew she’d need Sophia down the line, so the show must go on.

After finding out which police station Brielle was at, a gleeful glint crossed her eyes. To make the act more convincing, she had to be there in person. And for a drama like this, there had to be an audience. Her acts of loyalty were no good if no one knew about them. Cameron immediately came to mind, followed by a call to Miranda.

Miranda and Cameron arrived promptly, especially agitated upon hearing Brielle was at the police station.

How much trouble can Brielle stir up?!

This time she’d even dragged in the Hatfields and the Rowlands, as if she wouldn’t rest until she’d crossed every power player in Beaconsfield.

On the way to the police station, Lillian, with reddened eyes, comforted Miranda. “Miranda, don’t take it to heart. Bri surely didn’t mean any harm. We need to see the situation for ourselves. The call I got was all muddled. Maybe Bri’s been framed.”

Miranda looked livid, as if she wished she could teleport to the station.

Cameron, sitting beside them, let out a scoff. “She didn’t mean to? Is the mess she’s made not enough? She doesn’t even care about the Dorseys, thinks she’s above it all.”

“Cameron, come on, we should at least check things out before jumping to conclusions.”

They made it there in less than twenty minutes. Inside, Brielle sat refusing any bandages, blood staining the slippers someone had offered her.

Pain has a way of snapping you to attention.

Brielle lowered her eyes and saw several police officers investigating the source of funds, mentioning both the Rowland family and the Hatfield family.

The thug being grilled had lost his swagger, casting panicked glances at Brielle. “Brielle, maybe we should just let this one go, huh? You heard them, the Rowlands and the Hatfields are involved. You really want to make enemies of both families at once?”

He had made a name for himself in this generation by doing dirty work for Sophia, who had introduced him to the right people, turning him into a professional enforcer.

Tonight’s events had taken him by surprise. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

15:08

He was known for being ruthless, but he hadn’t anticipated a fall from grace, and even his connections seemed shaky now.