Chapter 301

Ryan snorted dismissively, decisively abandoning any lingering suspicions he had about Brielle. “In the days since you vanished, the Haywood clan became toast. Max made his move against them. At the last Hatfield charity ball, Lillian had the audacity to slip something into Max’s drink. I can’t fathom where she got the guts.”

Max taking action against the Haywood family was publicly justified by Lillian’s bold move against him.

Everyone knew the consequences of riling up Max, especially by employing such sordid tactics.

As Ryan relayed the events, Spencer’s pupils dilated sharply, sensing he was missing a critical piece of the puzzle.

The charity ball hosted by the Hatfield family, Lillian’s tryst with Connor, and that morning. Spencer had witnessed Max with Brielle in the elevator. Brielle, who had no business being there, was inexplicably present. Even if they had a professional relationship, upon reflection, it seemed peculiar.

“Spencer, glad you’re okay. I’ll keep digging into this. You need to watch your back and not give anyone another opportunity to hurt you.”

it like it w But Spencer wasn’t really listening. His mind short–circuiting, unable to keep up. A ridiculous thought surfaced, which he desperately tried to dismiss.

Impossible. How could it be?

Meanwhile, Brielle and her entourage had driven a few hundred meters away from the villa. A distant explosion sent them all turning to look back.

The villa’s location was shrouded in dust and debris; someone had blown it up. Brielle’s eyes narrowed sharply, her lips clenched tightly. The attack wasn’t targeted at Ryan but at them. Had they left just seconds later, they would have been reduced to rubble alongside the villa. Thankfully, Ryan’s intervention had bought them precious time.

Brielle was shaken and couldn’t help but glance at Patrick. Patrick’s usually composed face showed a fleeting trace of surprise before settling into a frown. “Ms. Brielle, I’ll look into this. Please secure a safe place for Mark. I’ll have a new benefactor take over the orphanage. The deeper your ties with those kids, the more they become your Achilles heel. You might save one. but you can’t save them all. It’s best to cut these ties.”

Patrick’s gaze lingered on the rising smoke. His thoughts drifted to Max’s current condition. and he felt a headache coming on. “Ms. Brielle, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The moment your decided to get involved with Mr. Dorsey, you stepped into the Beaconsfield ring. Your relationship will come out sooner or later, and it’ll be fraught with danger. You might not even be able to protect yourself.”

Brielle lowered her lashes, acknowledging the harsh truth in his words. Julian should have been living out his twilight years in a hospice, but because of her, he died with his eyes wide open.

To this day, she hadn’t even seen his body.

Brielle was unable to reach anyone from the Haywood family, and as an outsider with no legal rights, she couldn’t even arrange Julian’s affairs. It was all her fault.

Brielle closed her eyes in anguish, gathered her composure, and reopened them with an icy resolve. “I understand. Thank you, Patrick.”

Patrick nodded but chose not to burden her with Max’s current plight.

The car stopped in a secluded area, and without a moment’s hesitation, Brielle hurriedly arranged all necessary documents for Mark. When Mark awoke, he was already en route to another city. Beside him lay a letter from Brielle, promising to take care of the children, and a card with a password on its back.

Ten million the nest egg Brielle had left for his retirement.

Mark sighed as he looked at the card, and Brielle stood rooted to the spot, her heart heavy with he decision she’d made.

Mark had lived his whole life in Beaconsfield, and even if it wasn’t the main city, he was ccustomed to every flower and blade of grass around the orphanage. Now, at his age, he was eing uprooted to start anew elsewhere.

rielle was pressed for time and couldn’t think of a better solution than to leave him money and letter.

She couldn’t even face him when he was awake, so while he was still unconscious, she ad him sent away.

s Brielle turned to leave, her phone pinged. [Bri, I’m old, and it doesn’t matter where I live. Take Dod care of and live well.]

ears fell as she read the last two words, remembering Julian’s last words to live well.

he was gone forever, and another was sent far away. She was now the quintessential sinner. silent executioner.