Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

In the mix of joy for some, there's always a bit of sorrow for others.

At Stellar Stage Entertainment, the place was buzzing, with everyone in the building caught up in the excitement. Meanwhile, over at Dorsey International, the atmosphere was downright gloomy.

William stared at the day's box office numbers hitting a hundred million, half-expecting his eyes to be playing tricks on him. Movies with a whole lineup of A-list stars didn't always pull off those numbers on opening day. What made this one so special? "Damn it all!" He slammed his hand on the desk, his frustration spilling over to the person next to him.

"Didn't I tell you to hire some trolls? Why are there so few people badmouthing Stellar Stage Entertainment online? Taking money and not doing the job - what a bunch of losers!"

The berated staff member hung their head, muttering, "Mr. Ryan-"

"What did you just call me?"

"Mr. Dorsey, we've thrown plenty of cash at it, but the trolling firms are refusing to take orders. They actually saw the movie and don't want to bash it anymore, even for money."

What kind of excuse was that?! William felt his scalp prickling with irritation.

"Keep pouring money into it! And get that scandal about Aubree trending! We cannot let Stellar Stage Entertainment win!"

This movie was Stellar Stage Entertainment's first big move. If they succeeded, it would be bad news for Dorsey International.

Having just taken over at Dorsey International, William had planned to make an example out of Max and Stellar Stage Entertainment. If he ended up with egg on his face, he'd be the laughingstock of the company.

His expression darkened as he called the police, instructing them to summon Max to court.

Just as the movie's buzz was peaking, a bombshell dropped - a court summons for Max, with the trial against William kicking off in two days.

Max, however, remained eerily silent. Nobody seemed to know what he was up to lately. Rumors swirled that he was holed up in the Premier Palace, leading to speculation that perhaps the untouchable golden boy had succumbed to despondency. Brielle couldn't stand the online slander against Max and took to her Twitter to defend him.

-My boyfriend is anything but disheartened.

Boyfriend?

Users squinted at the word, like they'd suddenly forgotten how to read. Wasn't it rumored that Max hadn't won Brielle over? Hadn't she rejected him? Even his gift of that black rosary?

Yet here she was, publicly

acknowledging their relationship

amidst his legal turmoil. It seemed insane. Brielle had spurned Max back when he was the CEO of Dorsey International, only to stand by bim now, in his hour of need.

They say you cut and run when the going gets tough, but Brielle was marching to the beat of her own drum.

Her tweet exploded, raking in over a hundred thousand comments. The curious and the nosy alike asked if they were truly an item.

Brielle was on cloud nine these days and eager to shield Max from slander, so she confirmed it openly.

-Yes, we're together.

The trending topics went wild.

After Stellar Stage Entertainment's

successful revamp and film release,

Brielle's naysayers had vanished. Now, anyone speaking ill of her risked a virtual lynching. Yet, at this crucial juncture, Brielle

acknowledged the relationship.

Was it a publicity stunt, or was it genuine love? Any other woman would have bailed by now.

Inside Premier Palace, Max was oblivious to Twitter, wholly indifferent to the outside world. No matter how much public discourse churned, it never reached him.

Ramey, sitting beside him, laid out the next week's agenda with deference.

"Mr. Dorsey, deep hypnosis will erase Ms. Brielle's memory of the pregnancy. We can operate while she's out, and when she wakes up, you just tell her she underwent a different procedure."

"But Mr. Dorsey, are you sure you don't want to discuss it with Ms. Brielle?"NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

Ramey hadn't been around long, but it was clear they deeply cared for each other.

Without Brielle in the villa, Max didn't hold back, lighting up a rare cigarette. He rarely smoked, only when his nerves were frayed. Before Brielle, he had nothing to fret over.

He leaned back, his voice gravelly as smoke curled around him. "I've tried talking to her. Every time I bring it up, she runs away. Last night, she said she'd be heartbroken, unable to sleep if she lost the baby."

At this point, what was there to discuss? Should he tell her about being drugged with contraceptives for years?

Brielle was already on edge, her

anxiety through the roof. The revelation that these drugs barred

her from carrying a child would send her into a spiral of regret and guilt regret for her years wasted on Dorsey International, guilt for not being more vigilant. Guilt in, guilt out, her world would crumble.