Chapter 659

Brielle watched as he ignored the persistent ringing of his cell phone, silencing it again amidst the nearly suffocating kisses between them. Finally, she reached for the phone herself.

It was an unknown number. Taking a deep breath, she pushed him away, worried that she might be keeping him from something important.

After pressing the answer button, she held the phone to his ear. Max shot her an annoyed glance before hearing Annie’s voice on the line. “Hey, Max.”

Brielle caught the female voice, her eyebrows arching in curiosity.

Max’s hair was tousled, and he wrapped his robe around him as he walked over to the window. “What’s up?”

His voice, rough with lust, came out unintentionally seductive.

Annie paused, then said casually, “I received a file this evening that’s missing a crucial piece of evidence. I called Patrick, and he said the material is in your office. But you’ve always said your office is off–limits without your permission, so that’s why I’m calling you now. Can I go in?”

Considering the professor had specifically asked Max to provide tasks that would assist Annie with her PhD research, he had no reason to refuse her request for materials.

“Go ahead.”

“Is it in the drawer on your left or your right?”

“On the right.”

Annie opened the cabinet and immediately spotted the document she needed. “Got it, thanks. Sorry for disturbing you this late.”

Before she could finish, a thunderous sound came from outside the office, like a large pane of glass being smashed. This was followed by a startled cry from Annie.

Max’s brows furrowed. “Annie?”

There was no response, and the call had been abruptly disconnected.

The room’s previously charged atmosphere vanished in an instant. Max made a call to the building’s security, instructing them to check the top floor, and began dressing in a dark, heavy coat.

Brielle quickly changed as well. “What’s happening? I’m coming with you.”

“You should get some sleep. You have an early day at the company tomorrow.”

But sleep was the last thing on Brielle’s mind at that moment.

Realizing he couldn’t dissuade her, Max reluctantly agreed, and together they headed to Dorsey.

International.

The security team called to inform him they hadn’t seen Annie. Max’s frown deepened. “Check the top floor’s surveillance.”

Only a couple of night–shift workers in the surveillance room, who hastily scanned the footage, only to find images of Annie leaving the CEO’s office in a panic, followed by a cell phone being hurled against a wall, shattering on impact.

“Work with the police. Find her!”

Max’s voice was icy as his team scurried to trace Annie’s last known whereabouts. It was clear that the Intruder at Dorsey International had come prepared, evading all cameras from the start and even employing a top–tier hacker to disable the surrounding cameras in a split second.

This was no ordinary kidnapping.

Max quickly reached out to the professor. The professor was elderly and had been retired for several years, but upon hearing his goddaughter was in trouble, he insisted on catching the first flight over.

Brielle stood aside, feeling the chill of the drafty corridor. She heard Max soothing the professor while the old man on the other end seemed agitated.

It took half an hour for Max to promise that he would find Annie. As he ended the call, looking utterly exhausted, Brielle saw him rub his temples, directing his staff to scour every street corner. They didn’t return to Premier Palace and waited at Dorsey International for news.

During this tense wait, Michael called, quietly asking if Max had orchestrated all this to sideline Annie.

Max’s gaze turned frosty. “Father, she’s my mentor’s goddaughter. I would never stoop to such lows.”

“Once Annie completes her doctoral thesis, she’ll be eligible to teach at the university. You know how important she is to them. I entrusted her to you; you’re responsible for her safety.”

“I’ve been negligent.”

He hung up as dawn broke, and his phone rang again–this time with news of Annie’s whereabouts.

Max stood, and noticing Brielle beside him, he tenderly tousled her hair. “You go handle your stuff, sweetheart.”

Brielle couldn’t help but worry. Max had just finished an overseas acquisition, been tangled in the Clements family affairs, and now had this situation with Annie. How much could he take? He had been running a fever just days before. Was Michael intentionally pushing Max to the edge?

Since they’d agreed to that six–month arrangement, their time together had dwindled. They were constantly interrupted by various obligations, leaving them both exhausted and without a peaceful meal together.

Was it all worth it?

Max kissed her lips, lightening the mood until a hint of color returned to her cheeks, and then chuckled softly. “Come home early tonight. I’ll make us dinner.”