Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)
Chapter 1007

Brielle wasn't scared, not even a little. Death didn't bother her; if it meant reuniting with Max, she'd welcome it. With closed eyes, she braced herself for the impending pain. But instead of agony, a cold voice pierced the silence. ""Noir, down."

The panther, which had pinned Brielle down, immediately obeyed, releasing her with a soft growl. Slowly, Brielle pushed herself up from the ground and spotted a man not too far away. He still wore that mask, exuding an aura of coldness, yet there was a vulnerability about him now.

Earlier at the party, she had only noticed his commanding presence, but here, away from the bright lights, she could see he was hurt. She and Aubree were lucky to escape without a scratch, unharmed by the fire. But King, from where he had been, must have been seriously injured. Perhaps his face had borne the brunt of it.

Noir, the panther, circled Brielle before obediently heading over to Isaac. Isaac reached out and patted its head gently. "Good girl, Noir."

So, the 'friend' Isaac had mentioned was this panther. In his presence, the fierce creature turned into a gentle kitten, nuzzling his cheek affectionately. Isaac's smile was full of warmth as he looked up and asked, "Dad, what are you doing here?" Dad?

Brielle stiffened, sitting on the ground, unable to believe what she was hearing. King, visibly struggling with his injuries, coughed before replying, "You can't wander off like that again. Everyone's been looking for you."

"I'm sorry I didn't get you a ring, Dad."

Brielle's body turned cold, her mind reeling. Approaching Isaac, King ruffled his hair and said, "Now that we've found you, let's go back. We can't let Noir out again, or she might end up as dinner, got it?"

Isaac hugged Noir tightly, eyes wide, "Friends aren't for eating."

Noir seemed to understand, letting out a sad whimper as if protesting. King's tone softened, "If you disobey and cause trouble again, that might happen."

Noir's next cry sounded more like a

plea for understanding. Brielle watched silently, her fingers digging into the earth until they bled, a testament to her inner turmoil. Isaac, protective of Noir, noticed Brielle still sitting on the ground and rémarked, "The ground's cold."

Without a word, Brielle stood up, her voice rough, her fingers trembling, "King, why-"

Her heart raced. Why did King have a child who looked exactly like Max? It was madness. The world seemed utterly insane. Was King related to Max? A twin, maybe? Her head throbbed with questions.

Digging her nails deeper into the earth, Brielle felt no pain, even as her nails cracked. King noticed and, with a soft sigh, said, "Brielle."

He crouched down to her level. "All you think about is Max. You've completely forgotten me. That's really cruel."

Brielle sat frozen, confused by his

words. But King stood up, likely

burdened by his injuries. After speaking, he went over to Isaac, lifting him into his arms. Noir, ` graceful as ever, swished its tail by their side.

Brielle's mind was a whirlwind as she watched them walk away. She tried to follow but found herself drained of strength. It was as if she was lost in a mist, everything around her obscured and unreachable.