Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

The hospital room fell silent, the kind of quiet that can feel almost deafening. Aubree wanted to pull up a chair and sit, but found her hands not quite cooperating. She looked over at Andrew, sitting there on the bed, looking so pitiful. His wounds had been restitched, and the fever had left his lips pale. In that moment, Aubree's heart ached. She had sworn to distance herself from him, but seeing him like this tugged at her heartstrings.

How could she just stand by and watch someone she once loved deeply suffer like this? But she was so weary, so tired of it all.

Her mind flashed back to the sunrise she saw that morning, the thrill of bungee jumping off a cliff. For a moment, it was like she was wrapped in the beauty of the world. But whenever she was near Andrew, it felt like being dragged back into a cycle of mutual pain. She lowered her gaze and pulled a chair closer, finally sitting down. "Andrew," she called, her voice raspy.

Andrew, on the other hand, suddenly wanted to shut it all out, to cover his ears and pretend he didn't hear her. But Aubree continued.

"Andrew, I'm really tired," she confessed, rubbing her forehead with weariness. "I went to see the sunrise with Matthew, and hiking felt so freeing. The sunrise was breathtaking, and the bungee jump made me forget all my troubles. But with you, it's like there's a weight holding me down, stopping me from chasing after something better."

"If you really care about me, could you let me be?" Her plea for freedom masked a deeper desire for him to just vanish from her life.

Andrew remained silent, just staring at her. Aubree had wanted to say this for a long time, but now she couldn't meet his eyes. It felt like she was making a tough choice, one that had to be made to break free from their limbo.

Andrew knew he had no real power to keep her. Now that she wanted to leave, he couldn't even find the words to ask her to stay. His mouth opened, but all he wished was for his wounds to never heal.

Aubree, however, was already on her feet. "Don't hurt yourself like this anymore," she said softly before leaving the room.

As she walked downstairs, each step felt like it weighed a ton. Everything had been said, even the words that were hardest to utter.noveldrama

Back in the hospital room, Andrew

stood up, wanting to follow her. But he only made it to the window, watching her disappear through the main doors. His throat itched for a cigarette, and his eyes burned with unshed tears. The pain was beyond words as he slumped against the wall, burying his face in his knees, shoulders quivering.

Aubree wasn't feeling much better. When she got home, she realized she was still holding the takeout Matthew had packed for her. She warmed some of it, took a few bites, then curled up on the couch. Later that evening, her phone rang. It was Casey, calling to let her know she had passed the preliminary round for a movie role. Another round of selections, and the female lead would be decided. Aubree skimmed through the list of contenders, all strong actresses. While she was popular, her late start and competition with seasoned child stars made her feel like she didn't stand much of a chance.

Meanwhile, across town, Casey was deep in discussions with the producers about the male lead when he heard his son, still sprawled on the couch playing a game, casually say, Dad, let's cast Aubree as the female lead."

Casey, a well-known director who had always let his son find his own way, was surprised. "You've got her autograph, isn't that enough? Want her to join you for a meal? We can make that happen."

Matthew's tone was nonchalant, but he flashed a smile. "I want Aubree to play it."

Matthew put down his game console. "I like Aubree, like in a 'want to marry her' way. You told me I could choose my girlfriend or future wife when I turned eighteen. I've made my choice, and it's Aubree."

Teenage love is bold and fiery, like a

drop of water in a sizzling pan. Casey had never stopped Matthew from exploring the world, except when it came to affairs of the heart, enforcing a rule of no relationships until he was of age. And here was Matthew, freshly eighteen, telling his shrewd father about his plans to marry.