Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

After Mason said those words, he went quiet for a long while. By the afternoon, his stomach was acting up, his fingers trembling just a bit. Tiffanie quickly reached for the phone to call 911, but Mason snatched it from her and switched it off. "No need," he said.

Tiffanie got out of bed in a rush, almost losing her balance and nearly hitting the floor. Mason caught her, listening as she croaked out, "So, if I eat something, you'll take your meds?" "Yes."

"Alright, I'll eat, I'll eat," she said, coughing a couple of times and dragging him downstairs. She grabbed some stale bread from the fridge and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Mason, I'm eating, please stop torturing yourself. It's killing me to see you like this," she begged.

Mason, holding his aching stomach with one hand, held her wrist with the other. "Cold food isn't good for you."

With her mouth full, Tiffanie shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Please take your medicine first?"

Mason didn't reply. Instead, he grabbed some whole wheat bread, sliced it, fried a couple of eggs, and warmed up some milk before placing it in front of her. "Eat all of it."

Even though he was in pain, his eyes on her were serious and unwavering.

Tiffanie really didn't want to eat; just looking at the food made her feel sick. But she sat down quickly and forced herself to eat. After finishing, she held back the urge to vomit and started searching for his stomach medicine. Luckily, there was a first-aid kit nearby. She found the medicine, fetched a glass of water, and placed it in front of him.

Mason still wouldn't take it. "Don't throw it up," he warned.

If he took the medicine now, she might vomit right then. Tiffanie's fingers shook, her face turning pale. Eating had been truly awful.

She set the medicine by Mason's side and sat quietly next to him. He took her hand and kissed it gently. Tiffanie froze, a shiver running through her, reminding her of a vulnerability she could hardly bear.

She pulled her hand back quickly,

covering her mouth, but she kept his warning in mind-not to throw up. Seeing her like this, Mason felt his heart was being stabbed over and over. But he had to make sure she ate something, or she'd surely faint from hunger. This wasn't a

hospital-there was no one to give

her an IV.

After three hours, once he was sure the food had settled, Mason finally took his stomach medicine, cold sweat dotting his forehead from the pain. Tiffanie gently wiped his brow with a tissue. Mason glanced at her and managed a small, tired smile. "I'm a bit worn out."

"Let me help you get some rest," Tiffanie said, jumping up to help him to the couch. She thoughtfully fetched a pillow for him.

Once Mason lay down, he looked at her intently. Tiffanie looked pale, having lost nearly twenty pounds through all this, her cheeks almost hollow.

Mason brushed his hand against her cheek.

"Tiffanie."

"Yeah?" she replied.

"If you ever leave, I'll go with you."

His words were soft, but they carried

a weight that hit hard. Tiffanie was stunned. His career was

soaring he'd just been interviewed by a Wall Street journal, and offers were pouring in. Yet he said this now?

Give up everything to be with her?

But he was so young, with so much life ahead of him. Mason's story shouldn't end like this; he could have a dazzling future. Why get tangled up with someone like her, stuck in so much chaos?

"Maybe to others, you're just a footnote, but to me, you're everything," he said. "Tiffanie, so please, stay with me, stay alive, okay?"

As he said those last words, he couldn't hold it in anymore, covering his eyes with his hand.

"I want us to live like any other

couple. You can work or not,

whatever you feel. I'll hand over my

paycheck, and you manage it. Buye whatever makes you happy; I won't mind. On holidays, we'll go out for a feast, or I'll cook at home. If you want kids, we'll have them. If not, I'm willing to make that happen too. Just like any ordinary couple."