Chapter 452
Time and space seemed to slow to a hush.
Outside the window, starlight sprinkled down, and the night breeze threading through the office. seemed to move more gently.
Brielle was supremely uncomfortable. If she had known he would just stand there like some kind of guardian statue behind her when he entered the room, she wouldn’t have pretended not to notice him. Now, if she initiated a conversation, he would definitely realize she had been. intentionally ignoring him.
The sensation of ants crawling under her skin was unbearable, partly because he was her boyfriend and partly because he was her high–powered boss. Being silently scrutinized by him like this doubled the pressure.
What on earth did he want?
Brielle squirmed in her seat.
Max just watched her as she tapped out a string of gibberish, yet maintained an air of seriousness. He observed her fingers tremble as if she was about to give up. He sighed, approaching slowly, and leaned in to wrap his arms around her from behind.
“Brielle, what’s on your mind?”
If there was one area where Max wasn’t adept, it was definitely understanding women.
Her body was immediately enveloped by a warmth that was neither sharp nor accusatory, but like a gentle spring breeze blowing across a pond, compelling her to lean into it.
Brielle’s hands, poised over the keyboard, froze. Her eyes flickered as she looked up to see her computer screen filled with a chaotic mix of numbers and text. He had been watching her pitiful act for so long.
She pursed her lips, realizing that all her pretense was futile in front of him; she couldn’t hide her sadness.
Max was uncertain about her thoughts and felt the need to guess. “I was thinking, it can’t be a TV show that’s got you upset. If it really is that, I could ask Kenzo to write a script just for you. and get some A–list stars to shoot it just for your viewing pleasure. How’s that?”
He was trying to cheer her up, though his way of consoling was so dominantly CEO–like, and had many points of criticism.
Brielle couldn’t help but find it amusing. The tears that had threatened to spill were now being pushed back.
Kenzo’s scripts were worth millions, and top directors couldn’t even secure a meeting with him. Yet here, Max was willing to use one to placate a woman. If Kenzo knew, even someone as mild–mannered as him might swear.
11:50
However, Brielle was well aware that if she nodded, Max would be on the phone web Zenzo right this moment.
If she had been upset about something else and didn’t want to see Hay, she would be bes won over by now. But it was because of that child. The thought alone made every teaches, and even his tender breath felt like knives tormenting her skin.
How could two people be so physically close, yet their souls drifted further and further sou
Max noticed that Brielle remained silent, so he tilted his head and kissed her hul monog com to her earlobe. He forcefully turned her face towards him, kissing her nose, and finally her lips, the spot he loved the most.
Brielle’s heart raced in this quiet, forbidden moment, where every hint of intravas magnified a hundredfold, a thousandfold. If it didn’t stop, her heart might just couch from the overload.
d
But Max clearly had no intention of stopping. When she tried to escape, he turned her car to face him directly, trapping her between the desk and his embrace,
“Tell me, why are you ignoring me?”
Max had never been so disregarded in all his years at the top. His heart had felt tingled these past few days.
Brielle opened her mouth, wanting to say it wasn’t because of him, but what if he persisted in probing?
“Brielle, are you- Max hesitated, looking at her intently for a long while without completing his thought.
Brielle’s heart was in her throat, fearing he might have discovered something.
But what Max said next was… “Do you like someone else?” There was hesitation and uncertainty in his voice.
“No, that’s impossible!”
Brielle denied it twice in quick succession. No one compared to Max. But she also realized the better and kinder Max was, the more her heart ached, the more regret she felt.
Max exhaled with relief. Everything else seemed bearable as long as it wasnt about that
there in the evening and
“In three days, Kenzo’s organizing an outdoor barbecue. We can stay there in watch the stars. If you’re feeling down, should I take you?”
Lately, Brielle really didn’t want to be alone at Pearl Estate. Getting out for a change of scenery seemed good.
“Yeah.”
Receiving her agreement, Max leaned in and kissed her lips, then straightened up. “I’m going to check on my mother tonight. Should I drop you off first?”
2/3
Chat
He hadn’t noticed that at the mention of his mother, Brielle tensed all over. That sense of panle at not seeing a future enveloped her again. She bit her lip, slowly widening the gap between
them.
“I’d like to go back on my own.”
“Brielle.”
“I said, I want to go back on my own.”
