Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Chapter 9

The moment she stepped into the office, all eyes were drawn to her like magnets. They felt like sharp, judgmental knives, ready to peel away the facade she had so carefully

constructed

Whispers swirled around her

“Must be off to see Mr. Dorsey again. Some people have all the luck. Marrying into wealth sure has its perks”

“Marrying into wealth? Please, there’s not even a ring on her finger. Didn’t Mr. Spencer publicly deny any engagement?”

“Besides, word has it Mr. Spencer deliberately delayed the bid proposal because he’s got

issues with her.”

“But I heard that Brielle’s family is quite wealthy. Otherwise, how could she get engaged to Mr. Spencer? Don’t prestigious families emphasize matching social status?”

“Ha! Since when do rich people drive cars worth only tens of thousands? No chauffeur even. She just happened to be Mr. Spencer’s classmate, which is how she even got a foot in the door.”

“No wonder. Taking advantage of Mr. Spencer’s naiveté, she probably hoodwinked him into an engagement.”

After what Spencer had said yesterday, everyone was even more convinced of their

theories.

had always been an outlier in the department, landing a manager pos Mergers and Acquisitions division straight out of Beaconsfield College, stirri

suspected nepotism or worse, that she traded her body to get ahead. To self-proclaimed elite, she

world was notorious for its hierarchies, and those within it often develop an inflated sense of self due to the massive capital they handled, imagining themselves as titans of

been unwelcome from day one. In the three years she’d been there, Lucinda was

department’s internal phone with a casual tone, “Several companies have sent their bids to Integral Elements Inc. The president previously discussed a price of 130 million with you, but they’re

mark.”

13

16.04

annual reports and other investment banks’ research. She had even checked multiple simulation models; 130 million was the sweet spot. The

Elements Inc., but instead of the

your bid. It seems you’re

is a departure from

Mr. Tanner is very busy,”

no doubt. Tanner was

members, including Lucinda, “Book the next flight

especially the two male colleagues, were none too pleased to be bossed around by a woman they considered to be a backdoor hire. Graduates from prestigious schools, they all had

weakness or seeking help in a damsel-in-distress manner, always maintaining a cool demeanor that seemed to threaten their sense

was the point of a woman being so assertive, they thought, when

Spencer currently absent, she was

components manufacturer waiting to go public, was nestled in a neighboring town, providing over 3,000 jobs

Integral Elements Inc. Now with the bid proposal stalled

her team boarded the plane, Max was wrapping up a meeting on his

laptop as Patrick brought him a cup of coffee, “Mr. Doesey, Ms. Brielle stopped by

his inbox. Aside from the email from the previous night, there was nothing new from her. She must be upset, he

just a question mark. As the international conference call started, there was still no word from her. Max turned his