Chapter 338

Brielle lowered her eyelashes, a gesture that Aubree, her confidant of many years, knew all too well.

Aubree wasn’t the type to spread rumors carelessly; Brielle’s secret was safe with her.

“I’ve only told Aubree, but I trust her completely.”

Tiffanie, deep in thought, stroked her chin. “You and Aubree have known each other for ages, and she’s mostly above suspicion. But if that snake Andrew is slithering around her, all bets. are off. That guy has always had it out for you.”

Brielle dropped her gaze. It wasn’t an impossibility, but she was confident that Aubree would have taken her concerns into account and made sure no one was around when she answered the phone.

The mystery was too complex, and the solution eluded her. Perhaps it was time to switch topics and ask about the Mason Corporation.

Brielle turned to Mason. She lacked the courage to confront them about their true identities; it was too melodramatic, too sensational, and she was just an outsider.

Mason still had that fresh–faced college student vibe, both in appearance and demeanor. When Brielle first met him, she could’ve sworn he’d just left the campus gates. In any college setting. Mason would be the guy everyone fawned over.

Perhaps feeling Brielle’s unabashed gaze, Tiffanie opened her arms wide, protective as a mother hen shielding her chick.

–

“Brielle, Mason’s off the market he’s mine. Stop looking at him like that. Besides, you’ve got Maxie.

Time to rein it in.”

The corner of Brielle’s mouth twitched, and she caught Mason’s flustered protest. “Cut it out!”

Tiffanie raised an eyebrow. “Right, I’m just talking nonsense. So that seal of approval kiss wasn’t for me?”

Brielle pretended not to hear, sensing Mason was about to blush into flames. She remembered their first meeting; he’d been so composed and so unruffled, even at a bustling reunion. She never imagined Tiffanie, the wildcat, would push him to the brink like this.

Brielle cleared her throat. “Mason, I bet you’ve had tons of offers to invest in your company, or even buy you out completely. Why didn’t you sell back then?”

Mason regained his composure, and after a brief pause, he spoke. “I’m passionate about the company I built and adore my team. When we, a group of young dreamers, hit wall after wall and returned to square one, we believed we could change the world. It wasn’t just me who didn’t want to sell; none of us did.”

“I’ve never told anyone, but three months after we started, a Wall Street financier wanted to buy us out.

The offer was half a billion dollars. I tossed and turned for a month, and to this day, I’m not sure if keeping the company was the right decision.”

15:13 That was half a billion dollars after only three months in business.

–

Brielle smiled slightly. “If there’s a reason not to sell, it’s probably because only one company ever turned down a half–billion–dollar offer in its infancy the Hartley Group.” Today, the Hartley Group was a retail titan both online and off, a true global giant.

A glint of ambition shone in Mason’s eyes as he chuckled. “You’re right. And in the world of the internet, I aim to be the next Hartley Group.”

Tiffanie leaned back, resting her chin on her hand, listening to the pair dissect potential deals. She yawned, oblivious to the fact that this evening at Pearl Estate, two enthusiastic young people might’ve just been laying the groundwork for an internet empire. Sadly, one couldn’t foresee the future, and so the thrill of witnessing history unfold remained elusive.

After their discussion, Brielle noticed Tiffanie, curled up in a tiny bundle and dozing off in the corner.

The room was chilly; they’d forgotten to turn on the heat, and were too engrossed in their conversation to notice. But Tiffanie seemed too cold to move, not bothering to ask for a blanket, possibly not wanting to interrupt Brielle’s train of thought.

Feeling sleepy herself, Brielle was about to suggest that Mason and Tiffanie stay over when she saw Mason gently lift Tiffanie in his arms and nod at her, ready to leave.

“Mason,” Brielle called out, her heart feeling a sudden weight.

Mason was a decent person, and so was Tiffanie. Two pure souls brought together, caught in the tangle of their parents‘ past grievances, couldn’t stay untainted forever.