Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)
Chapter 971

"What's on your mind?"

His grip tightened on her chin, his voice dangerously close.

Brielle recoiled, disgusted, but even that slight movement seemed to set him off.

"Aubree hasn't been sent back yet, has she?"

Brielle froze, pressing her lips tightly together in silence. The two sat there, wordless.

The TV droned on in the background with news about Max. Brielle couldn't care less about the media's take on him. The same people who had torn Max to shreds were now praising him to the heavens. Everyone had condemned Max, leaving him in tatters. The jeers that had echoed so loudly were now replaced with applause.

It was all so fleeting, so hollow.

The silence broke with Antonio's hurried footsteps. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the cold, masked man on the sofa, and he rushed forward, barely containing his excitement.

"Sir!"

He looked like he wanted to bow down in reverence, but Brielle's presence held him back.

"Sir, I've done everything you asked. What should I do next?"

Desperation filled his eyes.

Brielle, overhearing Antonio's plea, realized he had made a deal with this man.

Dealing with the devil never ends well.

If King truly wanted to help Antonio, he wouldn't still be empty-handed after all this time.

Clearly, it was all just a game to him.

"Sir, now that Max has acquired Dorsey International, how can I turn the tide?" Antonio's hopeful question made Brielle chuckle.

"Why don't you just do what he did? Start your own DreamTech Designs at sixteen. If you're truly better than him, you'd have another identity by now to crush him, instead of groveling to a third party, right?"

It echoed Michael's words, hitting the nail on the head.

In Antonio's world, he believed he'd beaten Max.

But in reality, he was utterly defeated.

Antonio glared at Brielle, his face twisted with resentment and pity.

"What do you know? You're just a hostage. Sir is far superior to Max, the most cunning person I've ever met. He could crush Max as easily as an ant." Putting Sir on a pedestal made Max seem insignificant.

Brielle raised an eyebrow, convinced Antonio had lost his mind. She chose to keep quiet, not wanting to argue with someone so delusional.

Antonio's gaze remained fixed on King, while the TV continued to laud Max. Frantic with rage, Antonio grabbed a nearby glass and hurled it at the screen. "He won't be smug for long, Sir. I believe in you. You're so powerful, you must have a way, right?"

King's lips curled into a slight smile as he rose slowly, "I do have a way."

"Really?"

Hope flickered in Antonio's eyes, and he seemed ready to grovel at his feet, to lick his boots.

King glanced toward the corridor leading to the garden. The villa had its charm, with a corridor that. opened up to a backyard ending in a sheer cliff, a bottomless drop beyond.

He walked toward the corridor, Antonio eagerly following behind. Like a devout believer.

Reaching the backyard, strong winds whipped around them, the chill rising from the abyss below was daunting. But Antonio was oblivious, his eyes full of reverence for the man before him.

"Sir, what's your plan?"