Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)
Chapter 1161

Orla had been holed up in her room ever since she arrived at the castle, not once setting foot outside.

That all changed when the door creaked open, revealing a man standing on the other side. Her eyes narrowed as she took him in.

Who was this?

This man, Max, didn't look anything like Simone, but Orla felt a sudden, inexplicable warmth toward him. She'd been gone for so long, too long to let herself hope for much, so she stayed quiet, sitting tensely.

King was never good with these kinds of situations, and Max wasn't any better. So there he stood, silent in the doorway for what felt like ages before finally speaking up. "The Dorsey family isn't what it used to be. Mother Simone has passed away. Aunt, wherever you want to spend your later years, I'll find you a suitable place."

Orla's heart clenched. She had braced herself for Simone's fate, but hearing it out loud brought tears to her eyes. Simone was the sister she couldn't bear to leave behind, the reason she fought so hard to escape that facility. Now, with her sister gone, everything seemed meaningless.

No, not everything.

She looked up at the man in front of her. He was quite the looker, inheriting his mother's stunning beauty. Simone had always been the talk of the town, especially after her visits to Beaconsfield, where people couldn't stop raving about her looks. This child, her nephew, carried none of Simone's naivety, which was probably for the best.

"I'd like to stay here, even if just as a maid," she said softly. She had spent twenty-eight long years in that place and was no longer willing to face loneliness. She wanted to stay close to her only remaining family member, hoping to see her sister's child find happiness and success.

King nodded. "Aunt, if Mother knew you were still alive, she'd be overjoyed. I'm currently dealing with matters regarding that facility. If you have any additional information, it would help us greatly."

And Max had been affected by those drugs from the facility, uncertain of their lingering effects. If his aunt had a hand in creating those drugs, maybe she could alleviate some of Max's suffering.

King had once thought Max's headaches were a boon, giving him more control over their shared body. But now with Brielle captured and her fate uncertain, his perspective had shifted. It didn't matter who controlled the body anymore. All that

mattered was loving Brielle properly.

It was rare for a man so possessive to reach such an enlightenment. King could sense that Max was ready to take over at any moment, but his spirit was still weakened by the drugs' impact. "Could you create a drug to counteract the side effects of those control drugs from the facility?" he asked.

No wonder the third Dorsey sibling struggled for so long without

success. The best minds had been involved in the drug's creation, and despite the third sibling's genius and fortunate absence from a critical

meeting, their efforts were ultimately

in vain.

"Of course, I can. I led the development of the first generation of that drug. All I need is a lab and a room. Give me a month, and I'll have the antidote ready," Orla replied confidently.

King breathed a sigh of relief. A month was more than enough. "Thank you, Aunt. If there's anything you need, just let someone in the castle know."

He had always kept the castle off-limits to others, seeing it as a sanctuary for him and Brielle alone, their personal Eden. But times had changed.

As King was about to leave, Max's voice echoed in his mind, laden with a newfound maturity. "You've grown up."

That single sentence infuriated him to no end. Maybe they should have his aunt research a different kind of drug, one that could rid him of this nuisance once and for all.