Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)
Chapter 1017

Brielle sunk into the couch, meticulously piecing together the clues she'd gathered so far. She glanced up at the ceiling, a dull ache settling behind her eyes.

If her suspicions were right, what on earth was King plotting? And what about that child? What was his deal?

She couldn't shake the feeling that the kid was the key, but there was nothing concrete to go on. He'd shown up in North America just a month ago, and before that, it was like he didn't exist. Who was the kid's mother?

Brielle was drowning in questions with nowhere near enough answers. For now, all she could do was wait and make another trip to that mansion.

She had this sneaking suspicion that King was letting her snoop around on purpose. It was like he didn't care if she uncovered his secrets, almost as if it would hurt her more than him. Apart from that gut feeling, Brielle was stumped.

As evening rolled in, she drove back to the mansion. When she passed by the security booth, she made sure to roll down her window so they'd see her clearly. Knowing King, he was probably checking the monitors earlier. He was all about control.

Sure enough, King had been watching, but now he was up and heading to the mansion's entrance. A car was waiting, and the driver respectfully opened the door for him.

Just as he was about to get in, he spotted Isaac on the second-floor balcony. Isaac, with wide and hopeful eyes, was clutching the iron railing, staring at him.

Isaac was still struggling to adapt to this place. Back at the castle, he didn't have to talk to anyone, but here, the servants were always trying to chat him up.

This mansion wasn't as vast as the castle, and Noir couldn't take him to the mountains anymore. Those trips used to last all afternoon, and by the time they got back, his dad would be fuming, threatening to cook Noir for dinner. With so many people around, and Noir often in trouble for leaving, Isaac felt even more isolated.

Now, Isaac gripped the railing, hoping his dad would bring him along. But he knew his dad didn't want him wandering off, always scared he'd vanish like his mom.

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His dad wanted to keep him close, just like in the castle, where it was only the two of them. That way, his dad would never have to worry about losing him too.

His father just gave him a glance, not budging an inch.

"Get inside, don't stand out there," he said.

"Daddy, let's go out, together," Isaac pleaded.

But all he got was the sight of his dad's back as he climbed into the car. Isaac's heart sank, his angelic face clouded with a touch of sadness, enough to tug at anyone's heartstrings. en Narugi

As the car drove away, his father caught a last look at him in the rearview mirror before turning away.

Isaac heard footsteps behind him and sighed.

"Noir, I'm sad. Hug?" he said.

The sleek panther approached gracefully and sat beside him, flicking its tail. Noir's tail had been trimmed into a heart shape, making the fierce animal look a tad more cuddly.

Still, the folks in the mansion were wary of the panther. At the castle, it used to hunt on its own, but here, it was fed raw meat, and it had a picky appetite. Isaac reached up and gently patted the panther's head.

"Be good," he whispered.