Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Bryan was the undisputed champ in the room. The gang, always itching for some action, had nudged him into a showdown with Ricardo, rumor had it that Ricardo was the top hitman on the block.

Ricardo, with his boyish charm and killer instincts, seemed too good to be true, making everyone a bit skeptical. And word was, Bryan had been working the hitman gig on the side too. So, when these two heavyweights were set to face off, everyone was on the edge of their seats. Besides their usual nights out, Jaired's place had this massive fight room where they'd occasionally throw down in some freestyle matches. Bryan and Ricardo had already gone head-to-head, with Bryan edging out Ricardo by just a bit. Naturally, that left Bryan as the reigning champ.noveldrama

Jaired, though tough in his own right, just couldn't top Bryan, probably due to some old family feud. Like that one time when Bryan knocked him out cold with just a bottle of whiskey. Bryan chuckled, apologizing as he lifted Jaired off the couch.

"I'll get this guy home," he said with a grin, while the others just shook their heads, used to this routine.

Once Bryan and Jaired were out, the room buzzed again with fresh rounds of beer. Andrew, having a rough patch lately, hit the drinks hard. In the end, his assistant had to haul him back to his mansion, where he ended up in the bathroom, trying to shake off the night. "Did you handle that situation with Matthew's company?" he asked between breaths.

"All sorted. Matthew's likely heading out of town by morning," the assistant replied.

Andrew, feeling the room spin, crashed on the couch. His assistant covered him up before leaving him alone with his thoughts. Alone, Andrew felt the weight of solitude, his mind drifting back to the days with Aubree when life felt adot warmer.

Even after a night with friends, loneliness crept in, tears welling up as he hugged a throw pillow, finding a bit of comfort amidst the ever-present nausea.

The next morning, Matthew was fielding a call about some sabotage aimed at messing with his company's IPO. His gut told him Andrew was behind it.

Tired of playing defense, Matthew decided to make a move. He called Julia, instructing her to stir up some trouble between Andrew and Aubree, but to be careful about it.

"There's a role in my dad's next film if you pull this off," Matthew teased, ensuring Julia's cooperation.

With everything set, Matthew spent

his remaining hours doting on Aubree cherishing their time together even as he prepared to leave, already feeling the ache of missing her. en