Chapter 502


    Brielle’s heart swelled with emotion, a familiar warmth blooming in her chest. Only Max could stir her so


    deeply with just a few words.


    She had always detested how intimate rtionships could turnnguage into a weapon. It was the


    understanding of each other that could be twisted into a hurtful barb, but that wasn’t any sort of skill. It


    was merely taking advantage of the other’s open heart, their vulnerabilitiesid bare in trust, which


    shouldn’t be used as a target for attack.


    Throughout the time she’d known Max, he had never used words to wound her. He had enveloped her


    in a cocoon of safety, truly fulfilling his initial promise. Every word he uttered was with intent and was


    not tossed carelessly into the wind.


    Max studied her with earnest, trying to decipher the emotions swirling in her eyes. The thought of


    rejecting a gift worth billions would have seemed absurd to anyone else, but Brielle had done just that.


    The sensation that washed over him was hard to ce–it was the first day of confirming their romantic


    rtionship, and his present was being returned.


    His mood soured, a brooding silence falling over him as he gathered the documents, cing them


    aside as if they were nothing more than scrap paper.


    “Max, what would you like for a New Year’s gift? How about a scarf? Hand–knitted by yours truly,”


    Brielle ventured, hoping to lift his spirits with a skill from her past.


    In the orphanage, she’d knitted scarves and mittens for the other kids to save money, honing her craft


    with dedication.


    A smile tugged at Max’s lips, barely contained joy threatening to break through his usuallyposed


    demeanor. It seemed like he was charmed by the idea.


    That was all Brielle needed to hear to breathe a sigh of relief. “Let’s hit the mall now. You can pick out


    the yarn, and I’ll aim to have it done by New Year’s Day.”


    “Alright.”


    With that, Patrick, who was sitting in the front seat, set the navigation for the nearest craft store.


    This was probably Max’s first excursion to such a ce in years. His life was meticulously nned by


    assistants–every meal, every outfit, decided the day before. So when they entered the vast space of


    the shopping mall, he paused, momentarily overwhelmed.


    Brielle beelined for the yarn aisle, taking his hand. “What color do you fancy?”


    Max considered his choice with the gravity of a major business deal. After a lengthy deliberation, he


    settled on a dignified grey. He looped the selected yarn with his finger and handed it to Brielle.


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    Chapter 502


    She wasn’t worried about picking the wrong color. Max had the kind of face that could make even the


    tackiest neon look regal. After bagging the yarn, Brielle’s gaze drifted to a disy of slippers nearby,


    and she couldn’t help but point them out. “Look, couple’s sets.”


    Indulging in a rare moment of whimsy, Max took the bag from her. “Should we get them?”


    Without hesitation, Brielle grabbed a matching ck and white pair and tossed them into the


    cart.


    She rarely went shopping, and doing it together with Max was an even rarer treat. She simply grabbed


    anything that seemed practical, especially if it came in a his–and–hers version.


    They shopped for items from head to toe until the carts were brimming. Realizing she might have


    gotten carried away, Brielle felt a tad embarrassed. But as if by magic, Patrick emerged, silently


    directing the staff to transfer their haul to the car.


    Once in the car, Brielle was too exhausted to lift a finger.


    When they returned to Premier Pce, Wesley was already waiting by the door, as if he knew. they’d


    arrive together. “Sir, Ms. Brielle.”


    Wesley directed the staff to unload the car and unpack the items.


    Suddenly, Brielle recalled the couple’s theme of their purKenzos and felt a twinge of embarrassment


    with so many eyes on her. “I’ll help,” she offered, moving to tackle the unpacking herself, but Wesley


    stopped her.


    “Ms. Brielle, please, have a seat.”


    She settled on the couch, though not for long. Among the pile, she spotted several boxes of condoms,


    and her cheeks flushed with heat.


    Two staff members were still unwrapping items, Wesley was supervising, and even Patrick was


    bustling about, arranging their other purKenzos.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Brielle shot up from her seat, covering the boxes with her hands. She hadn’t bought those; it must have


    been Max’s doing.


    She turned to find Max, who was nonchntly perusing a document, unaffected by the unfolding


    scene. Who would have guessed that with his austere and distant demeanor, Max had slyly slipped a


    few boxes of condoms into their shopping just half an hour earlier?