Master of his heart (Max and Brielle) novel Chapter 1020

She was anything but calm. Earlier, Max had spilled the beans that Mark was not only a professor but also the son of the Lynch family's butler. This meant he was in cahoots with the butler.

Her brother was still chasing shadows, trying to track down the elusive fox, with no one knowing which faction they belonged to. But right now, Brielle couldn't help but feel influenced by Mark.

During her days at the orphanage, Mark was like a rock for the kids, offering warmth amidst their struggles. Looking back now, the irony stung. She was merely a pawn in their game, manipulated to see how she'd survive the odds. They didn't even think she was worth killing.

Yes, not even worth it.

This realization made Brielle furious, but she knew she couldn't lose her cool in front of this sly fox. The fact that he could stand there, glorifying their hardships, was enough to show he never really cared about their past at the orphanage.

To him, it was all just a game.

From now on, there wouldn’t be any Mark, only the professor.

Brielle composed herself and drove to the meeting spot with Dustin. They were about to head to the Lynch estate.

Dustin had been swamped lately, always on the phone, coordinating things. Brielle had overheard him mentioning he was looking for someone named Dummy.

Dustin seemed on edge whenever he talked about Dummy.

"Bro, how did Dummy end up so close to you?"

Dustin's grip on the steering wheel tightened as he rubbed his forehead.

"The Lynch family has made a lot of enemies. When you went missing, our parents were devastated, and things were rough. I was left to fend for myself, and Dummy just showed up in the alley nearby, keeping me company. Later, I invited him to join the family, but then there was this car fire, and we were both trapped inside. He protected me, suffering burns on his face and body."

Fire again.

Brielle thought back to the fire at the orphanage, her fists slowly clenching. It seemed like those behind her had a penchant for using fire.

She now suspected that the fire was meant to kill her, but when they saw her resilience, they found it amusing to watch her struggle against fate. So, she lived.

This realization made her feel trapped, as if no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't escape their grasp.

Raymond's chilly demeanor seemed to grow colder, as if he was unwelcoming of his daughter's presence.

"Because of her, Shishi gave up so much. And then the hardships little Jed endured. Now she's been here for over a month and hasn’t once visited the old mansion."

In reality, it was his son who had forbidden him from seeing his daughter, fueling his current rage.

Seamus chuckled, wrinkles forming on his smiling face.

"But this young lady, she bears a striking resemblance to Annie. Didn't Annie have a paternity test done back then? She wasn't your child. Maybe this person..."

"Uncle Lin, I’m aware of all that. With the Lynch family under so much scrutiny, we need to be cautious. She better not be someone's spy. Even if Jed protects her, I won't make her life easy."

Old fox, it's all about acting. After so many years in this game, I refuse to believe I can't outplay you.

Raymond mused internally, his gaze casually drifting towards the entrance.