Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Andrew leaned weakly against the door, chuckling bitterly a couple of times. However, at the thought of Tessa, a trace of coldness flickered in his eyes.

He dialed his associates, ordering them to extract Tessa from the Clements household and confine her to a house. They were to strip her of all means of communication.

He wasn't entirely sure if she still possessed that incriminating video.

Meanwhile, Aubree was determined to break into the entertainment industry, a place where any hint of scandal could be a death sentence. Andrew knew his role was to shield and guide her through the treacherous waters of showbiz. After ending the call, Andrew felt an agonizing bitterness in his heart. Clutching his chest as if pierced by needles, he slumped on the couch, lost in thought.

At that moment, Aubree was having tea with Brielle.

"So, that Kingston is really your biological father?" Aubree inquired, having followed the recent news. Kingston's nefarious reputation was likely the talk of the Beaconsfield social circles, with many probably sneering at Brielle's plight. The corners of Brielle's mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "Mark handed me the paternity test results. He's been trying to help me find my real parents for years."

"But Mark's just a laid-off factory worker. The information he gave might not be accurate. Bri, deep down you might feel abandoned by your family. That's why when someone like Kingston shows up, you're not surprised. You don't fight it. Instead, you accept the harsh reality, albeit with pain and resignation."

Aubree knew Brielle too well after all these years. She understood the scars in her friend's heart. Abandoned on a snowy day at an orphanage's doorstep, Brielle had always felt unloved.

When the Haywood family brought Brielle home, she was kidnapped for ransom. The kidnappers couldn't get through to the Haywoods to negotiate. Even after lowering their demands three times, there was no response. Eventually, it was the police who raided the hideout and saved her.

At that time, the Haywood family was too busy celebrating Lillian's birthday with a lavish party to answer the phone.

Aubree was also on the guest list for that party. When she saw the police return a disheveled Brielle, who stood out in her dirtied clothes against the backdrop of elegantly dressed ladies, she knew she had to become close friends with this girl.

The abandonment at the orphanage, and the kidnappers' failed ransom - these events had left an indelible mark on Brielle. Despite her successes, Brielle still craved a family's love - a need that was severely unmet.

Now, Brielle might pretend to be

indifferent to family bonds,

convincing herself she had moved

on from those painful memories. But

in truth she was still shackled, her

internal wounds dressed in

a

prisoner's garb.

Aubree became close to Brielle at that banquet because she felt that Brielle was just like herself.

At that young age, she was already mesmerized by Andrew, yearning for the love in the adults' world. Meanwhile, Brielle longed for family affection. Two wounded souls, in many nights, opened up to each other about their most fragmented and painful sorrows.

"Bri, let's do another paternity test with Kingston," Aubree suggested, patting Brielle's shoulder reassuringly.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

"Do you remember that party? I decided then to be your friend because I felt the Haywoods didn't deserve you. You were meant for something more, and it's the same now."

The Haywoods didn't deserve her, and Kingston even less so.

Brielle thought for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, I'll do it."

When Brielle left, it was already two in the afternoon.

Kingston was again loitering outside Stellar Stage Entertainment,

evidently not having learned his

lesson even after being detained et

Brielle instructed security to obtain a strand of his hair and personally delivered it to the testing center.

There, someone's eyes flickered upon seeing the two profiles. They discreetly switched the samples and made a call.

The man on the other end, his face obscured by a mask, swirled his drink while overlooking a vast indoor pool.

"Alright."

His tone was indifferent. After hanging up, he glanced at a photo on his phone.

His little princess didn't need the world's attention.