Chapter 308

However, as luck would have it, when you’re down on your luck, even sipping water can choke you.

She had only taken a few steps when her cane got stuck in a pothole that had appeared on the sidewalk. She yanked on it, but her strength was insufficient, and the tip of the cane was firmly lodged.

This little mishap was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Her eyes instantly welled up, her heart felt suffocated, and she hastily pulled out her cell phone, intending to call Aubree. She needed someone to pick her up and save her from further embarrassment.

Before she could dial, footsteps sounded from behind her. She stiffened. Was it Noah or…

Then Patrick’s voice chimed in, “Ms. Brielle, let me drive you home.”

Brielle felt a faint sense of expectation rise within her, which she found rather silly. “No, I’ll call Aubree,”

she replied.

But before she could finish, Noah stepped up to her. “Brielle, don’t be polite to me. You look a bit pale.

Just get in my car,” he insisted.

Turning to Patrick, Noah continued, “Patrick, it’s no trouble at all. I’ll take Brielle home. And by the way, she’s likely to be my future girlfriend.”

Women loved it when a man publicly claimed them. It fed their modest vanity. Brielle was just an ordinary woman and surely couldn’t resist his persistent advances.

Hearing Noah’s words, Brielle’s lips twitched slightly. “Mr. Noah, have you lost your mind?” After holding back time and again, why couldn’t Noah read the room?

“Anyone might be your girlfriend, but it won’t be me.” Her tone was indifferent; she was too weary to engage further with Noah. Instead, she tried to pull the cane free again.

Realizing she couldn’t do it alone, she turned to ask Patrick for help. To any onlooker, she simply seemed to have stopped in her tracks; no one had noticed her cane trapped in the hole.

“Patr-” Before she could finish, a hand reached out from beside her and effortlessly liberated the cane.

The scent of natural cedarwood emanated from him, fresh and clear as ever.

Without even looking, Brielle knew it was Max. Only he had noticed her predicament. This realization brought tears to her eyes again, but she pushed her emotions down. “Thank you, Mr. Dorsey.”

Nobody expected Max to step up to Brielle’s side, let alone perform such a gentlemanly act.

Noah, noticing Max’s behavior, felt a pang of annoyance as if he had been bested. He hadn’t noticed Brielle’s cane was stuck. He had lost Alivia, and now was he about to lose Brielle as well?

The thought made him exceedingly uncomfortable. He almost reached for Brielle, intending to usher her into his car, but before his hand got halfway. Max spoke up. “The executive meeting starts in ten minutes. What are you all doing standing around?”

Max didn’t need to be present for the executive meeting, which was why he had left early.

Reminded by his words, everyone snapped back to reality. The other executives quickly fawned.

“Mr. Dorsey, glad you’re alright. We’ll head up then.”

“Mr. Dorsey, sorry you had to go through that.”

Max ignored them, and his gaze was fixed on Noah, as if to say, what are you still doing here?

Noah, for all his bravado, couldn’t defy Max and skip the meeting. He turned to Brielle. “Brielle, Patrick will take you home. Once your leg’s better, I’ll take you out for dinner.”

Brielle’s lips tightened in what passed for a response.

Once everyone had left, Brielle didn’t linger either. She turned to leave, but Max graspe wrist.

“Mr. Dorsey, what is this about?”

her Patrick, ever perceptive, discreetly retreated. Thus, in the vast expanse of the underground parking lot, only the two of them remained.

Max didn’t speak. Instead, he took her cane and scooped her up in his arms. He seemed intent on personally escorting her home.

Brielle felt stifled. The break–up had been his idea. The harsh words had been his, so why did he seem utterly unaffected?