Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Andrew thought he was heading to Stellar Stage Entertainment again today, but as soon as they were on the road, he found out they were actually headed to Premier Palace.

He hadn't kept up with the online buzz or checked in with Max recently, and now the severity of the situation hit him hard. When a friend is in trouble, you don't just make a phone call - you show up in person to show you care.

Andrew had heard some rumors, but Max always seemed so calm that he assumed he had everything under control. Now, with public opinion spiraling out of control and Max still silent, Andrew couldn't help but wonder if prison was a real possibility.

Staring out the window at the blur of the streets, he felt a heaviness in his chest. He never imagined things would come to this - Kenzo leaving the limelight, social media accounts deactivated. Jaired dodging gatherings with flimsy excuses, and Max, facing potential jail time, wasn't even a true Dorsey by blood. Everything had flipped upside down overnight, and Andrew couldn't make sense of it.

Rubbing his temples, he waited until they arrived at Premier Palace, where Patrick met him at the door.

"The boss is tied up in a meeting in the study," Patrick said.

Settling on a nearby couch, Andrew couldn't help but notice how calm Patrick seemed, despite being out of a job. "So, you don't have to show up at Dorsey International anymore?" he asked.

Patrick sat back down, his laptop open to documents about a takeover deal involving Dorsey International - a pressing matter he had to deal with. "Yeah."

Feeling a pang of discomfort, Andrew pressed on, "Is there anything I can do? Are we really going to court with the Dorseys?"

The truth about Max's lineage could drown him in a sea of troubles if the Dorsey family clung to it.

"Mr. Clements, the boss will probably be tied up till evening and can't meet with you right now. As for your question, I'm not really in the loop."

Already short-tempered, Andrew shot up from his seat. "You don't know? If you don't, then who does? You're Max's right-hand man! You-"Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

He was cut short by his assistant's

phone ringing. After a brief

conversation the assistant turned to Andrew, a grave look on his face. "Boss, there's big trouble. Michael's been silent till now, but he just went public claiming back the shares from Mr. Dorsey. He's got a Contract from back in the day giving him the right to reclaim everything, and now Mr. Dorsey's left with nothing at Dorsey International. Looks like the old man really wants to see him behind bars."

Andrew felt his head buzz with a mix of anger and dread. If Michael had stayed silent, there might have been a chance for Max, with his support solidifying Max's claim as a Dorsey heir, But Michael, at this critical juncture, not only failed to stand by Max but personally pushed him deeper into the muck.

Fuming, Andrew stormed towards the study, with Patrick trailing unsuccessfully behind. Desperate to help Max but clueless on where to begin, Andrew knew that barring a bloodline miracle, Max's fate was sealed.

Barging into the study, he found Max seated, exuding a cold composure, not the biting cold, but a calm one, as if he was unfazed by the chaos outside. Andrew's throat tightened, and then, closing the distance, he locked eyes with Max.

Max muted his computer's microphone and asked, "What's up?"

Andrew nearly laughed in frustration - the emperor isn't worried, but his eunuchs are in agony. Without a word, Andrew took a seat. He had assumed Max's meeting revolved around his identity crisis, but after ten minutes of eavesdropping, all he heard was one mention of Brielle after another.

Ten minutes earlier, Max had wrapped up his input on the Dorsey International acquisition, pivoting to discuss with a hypnotist how to approach Brielle's delicate health situation. "Her health is failing."

"She needs you here asap; Brielle's guard is up against everyone now."

"She wants to be a mother, and that's my fault."

Max's face remained impassive, every sentence woven with Brielle's name. Discussing the issue directly with Brielle was futile; she refused to terminate the pregnancy. Unable to bring himself to force her, Max found the doctor's suggestion invaluable - have the hypnotist make Brielle forget the baby, a peaceful solution to an otherwise heartbreaking impasse.