The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 16

Day two

Just past eight in the morning, Dorian and his family were having breakfast when his cell phone rang. The caller ID showed a number he didn’t recognize Lately, Dorian had been getting a lot of calls from unknown numbers, so he was used to it. Most of them were from companies responding to his job applications. Usually, it was something like, “Sorry, Mr. Hawthorn, you don’t meet our recruitment criteria.”

Dorian sighed and answered the call.

“Are you Thaddeus‘ father?” The person on the other end of the line asked, in a friendly tone.

1 am Who’s this?” Dorian responded, while passing Vivienne her breakfast.

Tm the assistant principal at Imperial Blossom Nursery. We’d like to invite Thaddeus to join our school. Is that OK with you?”

Dorian froze, fork in hand. After a pause, he asked, his voice shaky. “Who did you say you are?”

Tm the assistant principal at Imperial Blossom Nursery.” The voice on the other end was still friendly.

Dorian’s mouth dropped open, and he jumped up excitedly. “Imperial Blossom Nursery? You mean, you want my Thaddeus to join your school?” Cordelia also jumped up, equally excited.

Vivienne just looked up and continued to enjoy her fried egg. She turned to Thaddeus, who was looking at her, passed him a piece of toast, and moved the blueberry jam in front of him, whispering, “Eat up, you’re too skinny”

Thaddeus smiled at her and said politely, “Thanks, Vivienne.”

Cordelia staring at him excitedly and switched his phone to speaker

Any other person, and she would not have repeated herself so many times. But this was Thaddeus! The

course, agreed!” Dorian was so afraid that she would change her mind that he answered

for someone to deliver the related

ended, Cordelia excitedly grabbed Dorian’s arm. “Dorian, is it true? Is it

that money

many strings. Rumor had it that Joseph’s son

was dreaming. He never thought that such unbelievable good fortune would come

truly a lucky charm!” Cordelia was all smiles. “Ever since Vivienne came back, we’ve not only moved

and kiss Vivienne. Sensing her intentions, Vivienne thought to herself, “Please don’t! I

In the afternoon.

family’s old mansion.

table, with Joseph and Michael on either side of her.

haven’t we heard anything?”

days. We need to get Dorian to agree soon, or this marriage is off,” Joseph said, looking at

yesterday to say that their plan had failed. The three people they had hired had been arrested, and the principal and the teacher had been fired. As the mastermind, she had to get those three out. Thankfully, not many people knew about the incident, so it didn’t affect her much. But she had

Vivienne hadn’t left there for ten years and probably hadn’t been to school, so who taught her to

to share the perfume formula, the company’s performance has plummeted.

and said in a low voice, “What’s the rush? Haven’t I taught you anything? You have to stay calm to

relationship with Dorian is still good. Why don’t you check

called Dorian many times over the past few days, but Dorian

the door. They say they’re from Imperial