Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)
Chapter 1280

"Little Canary, why'd you get me a present? Are you, uh," he stammered, swallowing hard and hesitating for what felt like forever, "into me?"

As he forced those words out, he couldn't bear to look at her anymore, feeling like he might just be dreaming.

Brielle's heart skipped a beat, her denial almost instinctive. "What do you think? How could I possibly be into you?"

The first time was in a back alley, and yeah, she was really hurting then. But she didn't push him away, because this was Max, the guy she'd had a crush on since she was a teenager. No matter how he acted, she was smitten. Completely and utterly lost in him. But realizing that his affection might just be fleeting, like a shooting star, brought tears to her eyes. She always knew a few lines of poetry that, every time she read them, made her want to cry.

-What could I possibly give you to keep you? I offer you the empty streets, the despairing sunsets, the moon over the desolate suburbs.

I offer you the sorrow of a man gazing longingly at the moon, alone.

I give you my loneliness, my darkness, the hunger of my heart.

I try to touch you with confusion, danger, defeat.

On days he didn't come back, those lines haunted her. Back in school, people couldn't understand why she found them so moving. She envied those who questioned such feelings. Those who don't understand the self-deprecating nature of love are the happiest people in the world.

Ever since she crossed paths with King, she felt imprisoned, controlled. What woman could possibly cherish being treated this way? Admitting her feelings would only confirm her fears of not being quite right in the head.

Suddenly, Brielle felt uneasy, her face turning pale. Her fingertips, resting by her side, trembled uncontrollably. "I could never be into you," she forced out.

King, staring at the gift in his hands, simply hummed in response, then asked, "It's getting late, wanna call it a night?"

Brielle's heart twisted at his words, her voice seemingly lost. Her lips quivered, unable to form words, and she turned away in silence, shutting down her computer without waiting for him and heading upstairs alone. King remained seated, watching her leave with a self-deprecating chuckle. Asking that question was indeed self-inflicted humiliation.

Upstairs, Brielle's heart was still racing. She wished she could pound on her chest to slow its frantic beating. Hearing footsteps outside, she quickly slipped under the covers, pretending to be asleep. King came up with a glass of milk, asking, "Want some milk?"

Brielle closed her eyes, pretending not to hear. King, seeing her unresponsive, silently stood for a moment before handing the milk to Isaac.

Isaac was still up, playing with Noir, a bunch of chess pieces laid out in front of him. "Little Cicada, drink up," he said, offering the milk.

Isaac looked up, saw the tray with two glasses of milk, and understood the situation. After finishing his

glass and licking his lips, he asked, "Daddy sleep?" Meaning, should he sleep with him tonight to shelter a heartbroken daddy.

King simply handed him the other glass, instructing, "Take this to your mommy in the master bedroom. She's still recovering, and there's a bit of a sleeping aid in it to help her sleep deeper."

A good night's sleep was essential

for mental recovery. Isaac obediently took the glass to Brielle's room, hesitating at the door. He felt uncomfortable, unsure of how to interact with Brielle. Calling her by her name felt too informal now. And if she found out about his identity, would she think less of King for not raising him well? Yet, he couldn't call her mommy either.

Isaac was caught in an unfamiliar dilemma, something he never used to fret over. After a few minutes and a yawn indicating his fatigue, he pushed open the door, barely

vel

managing to murmur, "Brielle net

exhaustion overwhelmed him

blurring his vision. He placed the milk on a nearby table, unconcerned with anything else but his desire to sleep.

Where's the bed? Finding the covers, he crawled in and fell asleep in less than a second.