Chapter 359

When Brielle stirred awake, she found herself already in Pearl Estate. Her body was feeling as though she had been through a prize fight and come out the loser.

The room was empty. Max must have gone to the office to catch up on work he’d missed.

A warm, fuzzy sensation fluttered in Brielle’s chest at the thought of him. Just then, her phone’s ringtone sliced through the quiet, and her brow furrowed when she saw the name flashing on the screen.

Spencer.

She hit the answer button, her voice coming out more gravelly than she’d expected. “What’s up?”

“Brielle, why weren’t you home this morning? I’ve been calling you for ages, and you’re only now picking up.”

Brielle nearly laughed. “Spencer, since when are we even friends? I don’t think I owe you any updates on my whereabouts.”

“Brielle, have you been seeing those… those guys again?*

He couldn’t think of any other explanation. It was Christmas Eve last night, and she hadn’t answered his calls. Now, on Christmas Day, he’d swung by Pearl Estate, and she wasn’t there, and her phone was going unanswered.

What on earth could she be doing?

The thought of her possibly spending time with some other man was like a punch to the gut.

Brielle raised an eyebrow, her mind briefly caressing the image of Max’s face; her heart sweetened at the thought. If this were the old days, she might have played along with Spencer’s insinuations. But not today. Instead, she stated firmly, “Actually, I am with a man. He’s my boyfriend.”

The words ‘my boyfriend‘ cut through Spencer’s heart like a blade, Enraged, Spencer lashed out. “You were engaged to me! Who else in the high society of Beaconsfield would take on ‘used goods?‘ Unless it’s some nobody from outside our circles. Brielle, are you really content with settling for that? Constant worries over trivial things, when you could have had the easy path with me.”

“That’s enough.” Brielle cut him off mid–rant. “I’m tired, Spencer. If you don’t have anything else. please stop calling. We’re not at a point in our relationship where phone calls are appropriate.” Spencer felt like his eyes were aflame, his fists clenched and unclenched. He consoled himself with the thought that their broken engagement had been the talk of the town. No one within their elite circle would look at Brielle twice. Despite her beauty, no man would want a woman that used to be someone else’s fiancée.

So she must’ve been lying to deter him.

His temper simmered down, and a smug smile curled his lips as he dialed Noah to check on his job application status.

Noah, seeing Spencer’s call and remembering his task, picked up. “Mr. Dorsey,”

“Noah, did HR reject my job application?”

“Yes, I’m not sure why, but the HR director followed Brielle’s lead and voted against it. You know your situation is… delicate, and Brielle probably doesn’t want to see you. However, I have another position available. You could start working on the top floor. How’s that?”

Working on the top floor meant running into Max, which ignited a spark of interest in Spencer. It was a perfect opportunity to snoop around about Max’s interests.

“Sure, I’ll come.”

After hanging up. Noah arranged for Spencer to work close to him, bypassing the usual channels; a nod from him was enough.

Spencer, thinking about being back at Dorsey International and seeing Brielle daily, was ecstatic. He figured he should get Brielle a gift, but what did she like?

He realized he didn’t actually know her preferences. He frowned, and headed to Tequila Sunset on a hunch.

He hadn’t expected to actually run into someone, but there was Aubree, a regular at the bar. perched on a stool in a daring miniskirt, sipping her drink.

Her expression soured at the sight of Spencer, but he seemed oblivious to her disdain as he pulled up a seat and ordered her another drink.

Aubree sneered, “Mr. Dorsey, I hardly think I should accept a drink from you.”

Spencer understood the jab; his past indiscretions with Lillian had hurt Brielle and tainted her friends‘

impressions of him. But he believed there was still time to make amends..

“Aubree, I just want to ask… what does Brielle like?”

At his question, Aubree’s sneer deepened, and her fingertips drummed on the bar.