The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 159

Ashley zipped her lips this time, her objective having been accomplished. With each word she had uttered, the countenance of the Brooks family members had darkened bit by bit.

They had already considered the possibility that Arabella was after their fortune.

“When we sent out invitations announcing the wedding of Scott, the news of his wife, Karen’s departure a day before the wedding. left us flabbergasted.” Timothy complained bitterly. “Our family became the laughing stock of all Rivenwood. It seems like mother like daughter.”

“Dad.” Timothy’s son Ronald interjected, eyeing Scott’s expression and halting his father from further comments.

Scott, with his hand supporting his temple, seemed to be lost in memories.

When Karen disappeared just before their wedding, all the Brooks were convinced she had betrayed him. However, he had always felt that wasn’t the case.

He knew that when he rescued the severely injured Karen, her background was more impressive than he could have ever guessed. Even the Brooks‘ resources couldn’t unearth her past.

Being the eldest son of the Brooks family, he was well–versed in the ways of the world. He knew not to involve himself with dangerous individuals.

Yet he fell in love with Karen. Despite her reluctance to discuss her past and the secrets she kept from him, he proposed to her.

And she left him without a word.

Why?

They loved each other so much. She was even pregnant with his child.

Over the years, he never gave up searching for Karen. When the news of Arabella’s existence reached him, he found out that Karen had been dead for many years.

That day, he felt his heart shatter. Amid his grief, he was grateful that Karen left him their child.

He swore to treat their daughter well, to give her the best of everything, and to make her a princess to compensate for the nineteen years they lost.

met Arabella for the first time, he felt distant, even

Something felt off.

and him, except for her eyes,

Havenwood, he realized that she had

by a high school girl

It was

paternity tests, suspecting that Beatrice

results disappointed him. Arabella was indeed his

Brooks, we can’t let the rumors continue.

disdainfully. If her high school was already abuzz with the

incident, she believed Arabella’s image in the eyes of the Brooks had significantly deteriorated.

this, she

Judith suggested with a sigh. “Since he was the one who took the child away, we have to hear his

raise Karen’s daughter in such a

mention it, he would find Finnian to discover the truth about Karen’s

decided. “She wanted to return there for her college entrance exam. By the time she’s done, the scandal

“Tell Tristan to keep a close eye on her. We can’t afford more

“Grandma, are you sure Tristan will keep an

laughed, but her eyes showed her

a mad dog, always looking down on them, the pampered children of

around like a puppy, claiming he owed her a debt and was willing to go through

got Ashley into trouble several times

Tristan’s excessive compliance with Arabella. After considering Ashley’s comment, she turned to Scott,

it.” Scott said, massaging his

hear about this.” Judith sternly instructed. “He’s been having some heart troubles, and the last thing he

were enough to make the Brooks the laughingstock of

would need to extend his stay at the health

“Understood.”

in agreement, though she doubted they could keep it from her grandfather