Chapter 197

Inside the grand halls of Premier Palace, Max strode into the living room, his blazer casually draped over his elbow.

The butler took his belongings and hung them on the nearby coat rack.

Michael sat upright on the sofa, his piercing gaze settling on Max, “Why are you home so late?” Max slipped off his cufflinks, tossing them carelessly to the butler, and made his way to the couch, “Had a few drinks with Andrew.”

The scent of liquor clung to him, and on the coffee table lay several photographs–the very ones.

William had been holding, Max wasn’t in a rush. He picked up the photos, studied them for a moment before commenting. “Not a bad shot.”

“Ridiculous!”

The sharpness in that single word sent the servants scurrying out of the room, heads lowered and faces flushed with panic.

“Is that Brielle in these pictures?”

Max chuckled and took a seat, “What makes you think that’s Brielle?”

Michael wasn’t so sure now, especially seeing Max’s composed demeanor, his brow furrowed with concern. “Then who is it? If these pictures get to the Barnes family, what are you going to tell Jose, Max? Don’t go down the same path as your brother. I don’t care about his escapades, but you don’t have that liberty.”

“Your future wife is Alivia, and she’s set her heart on you. The Barnes family and the Dorsey family are practically announcing the engagement. We’ve all but said it out loud. You know what I mean?”

Realizing the woman in the photos wasn’t Brielle, Michael’s tone softened.

“Max, your mother-” He sighed deeply, “Her health hasn’t been good, and she hopes you’ll settle down soon. Alivia calls her every month. I don’t want any trouble between you two.”

The Dorsey family situation was complex. Max, the youngest son, didn’t share a mother with his siblings. In Michael’s era, the laws still allowed for multiple wives, following old traditions. Max’s mother was the last lawful wife, but she never stayed in the mansion, instead, she was abroad receiving treatment for an illness, in a facility not far from Alivia’s research institute.

Michael had been a playboy all his life, but he had poured all his affection into this last wife. Even Max, her son, was his pride and joy. Unfortunately, after Max’s birth, she fell ill and her mental state was never the same.

“Father, I have always arranged for someone to take care of mother, and as for the woman in 14:16 the photos, even if it were Brielle, so what?”

Max had always been decisive, and even if he hadn’t been born into the Dorsey family, he believed he could have climbed into the elite circles on his own merit. No one could sway his decisions.

Michael’s chest tightened at his words, only Max had the audacity to speak to him like that, and yet he couldn’t argue.

Even if it were Brielle, what then? What did he mean by that?

Michael was harsh to everyone else in the Dorsey family but dared not press too hard on his youngest son.

Now Max controlled fifty–one percent of Dorsey International’s shares and had accumulated a vast amount of foreign capital over the years. Aside from Dorsey International’s assets. whether he owned other companies was unknown. Michael had used Dorsey International to pressure Everett but never dared use it against Max.

He felt a metaphorical blow to the head and was silent for a long time.

Max, however, poured him a cup of water, “Father, have some water.”

Michael shivered with anger, and after a while, he clenched his teeth, “So, it is you in those pictures, with Brielle? When did you…”

Max laughed softly, “What I said was, even if it were Brielle, so what? I have the right to choose my wife, don’t I? Until I find someone I like, it doesn’t matter who I marry. But if I do find someone I like, then she’s the only one for me.”

The old man took a deep breath, annoyed, and took the tea, “You truly want to be the death of ne.”

le took a few sips to cool off and ventured. “So, do you have someone you like now?”

Max paused, a crease forming between his brows, “I don’t know what liking someone means.”