Chapter 22

She had no intention of becoming the other woman in anyone’s story.

Who Max held as his cherished memory was none of her business. Her aim was clear: she wanted to get back at a few members of the Dorsey family through Max. And she had to admit, getting tangled up with a guy like Max was no loss.

The Priest sometimes showed mercy to the mortal women, and the way he mingled with the mundane was truly thrilling. To outsiders, he personified frost, but in bed, he was a different man.

Brielle was worldly in her own ways, and after Max had laid out his theories, she found herself more drawn to him than ever. Knowledge was the highest form of allure, and every word he spoke seemed to entice her.

And in Max’s eyes, her gaze was just as inviting. What happened next came naturally.

When it ended, Brielle fell asleep in his arms. Both of their phones were buzzing with notifications, but they were ignored.

The marks on her neck hadn’t faded before new ones were added.

www “Uncle Max,” she said, her cheeks flushed, shedding her usual decisiveness and clarity, “The oxytocin and vasopressin you mentioned, they provide a long-lasting sense of happiness. Although dopamine is fleeting, it can draw people into a relationship filled. with passionate commitment. That’s the reason why people choose to get married.”

She hadn’t forgotten her earlier query, murmuring before she fell asleep, “I’m not like you. believe love isn’t an illusion but an instinct. Some are born with it, while others will never experience it.”

Max looked down at her and couldn’t resist leaving a faint kiss on her lips. “You might be right,” he conceded.

When Brielle awoke, it was already noon the next day in her familiar apartment. Her phone. was flooded with missed calls-from Lucinda, her colleagues, and one from Tanner.

Tanner had called just once, probably having heard about her resignation, so he was checking in as a formality.

Brielle remembered her unfinished business with Integral Elements Inc.-that wasn’t something she could just walk away from.

She dialed Tanner’s number.

“Ms. Brielle,” Tanner’s voice was unexpectedly warm. “Heard you left Dorsey International. Found a new gig yet?”

Without that sincere prospectus, Tanner wasn’t keen on collaborating with Dorsey 16.06 International. Brielle, however, was someone he wanted on his team.

Brielle found it amusing. “How did this morning’s negotiation go, Mr. Tanner Tanner knew all the ins and outs of the business world and was aware she was setting trap. Even though she had included him in her schemes, he admired her for it and didn’t take offense, “Mr.

Spencer and Ms. Lucinda still have much to learn, it seems.”

It looked like those two hadn’t had much success today. After all, Tanner was the sole architect behind Integral Elements Inc., a veteran of the business battlefield, not someone Spencer could easily handle.

“Mr. Tanner, the terms we discussed last time are still on the table. I’ll come to sign the contract myself, but I need to push the date back three days. Once I’ve secured the position of department head, I’ll contact you personally.”

“Ms. Brielle, you’re twenty-three this year. Aspiring to a director’s chair is a bit of a stretch, isn’t it?”

Brielle had joined Dorsey International right after graduation, amounting to only three years of work experience. Even at another company, she’d be considered a senior employee at best, let alone at the fiercely competitive Dorsey International.

How cutthroat was Dorsey International? On his first day, Max implemented a racehorse. mechanism for all departments and teams. Whether it was the staff or the products, everyone was put on the same starting line to compete, and Dorsey International would allocate resources according to the rankings.

This survival of the fittest theory kept everyone on their toes, and though those ousted by Dorsey International were hot commodities elsewhere, no one wanted to be the one who failed in such an elite gathering.

So for Brielle to aim for a director’s role at such a young age was almost a fantasy. Even if she was talented, the management wouldn’t agree.

Nothing was absolute, so Brielle didn’t talk too much for fear it would be off-putting. What always moved a man like Tanner was capability and sincerity.

“Mr. Tanner, I’ve read your early interviews. I wonder who influenced you five years ago when Integral Elements Inc. shifted from manufacturing components to establishing a tech talent agency, and started collaborating with several educational companies to create two large private schools aimed at nurturing talent for Integral Elements Inc. It was an open innovation move, yet the company’s market value has been dropping every year.”

This was Tanner’s sore point. When a company reached its peak, it sought innovation. Everyone agreed with the decision at the time, but it led to disaster, leaving the company in a position where it needed to be acquired.

“Ms. Brielle, anyone can find out what you mentioned with a little research. It just shows