Even though he was on his way through the door, Max froze at the invocation of Julien once again in this way. “My brother understood how much I loved that bar. It was my eighteenth birthday present to myself. It wasn’t his to sell,” he reminded her.
“Grow up! You’re acting like someone without responsibilities. When are you going to take your life seriously?
“I’m handling my duty! I’m here, aren’t I?”
Huimin shrugged, neither confirming nor denying. “Julien would never have behaved in this way. He would have stood up to his responsibilities.” She shot a pointed glance at Éloïse. “And done the right thing. In every sense! Julien would have given up playing games in a bar and come on board to run our affairs if I had demanded it!”
“Maybe you’d have preferred I had died instead of him!” The words were out of Max’s mouth before he could stop them, and it was only then that he realized to his horror that they had been lurking at the back of his mind all the while.
Even worse, there was a look that flashed across his mother’s face, and then it was gone. She pinched her lips shut and looked away.
It was like a kick from a mule, straight to the chest. Feeling dizzy, almost nauseated, Max turned away and headed to his rooms.