The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 351

Jeffrey’s eyes bulged in disbelief, and for a long moment, he struggled to process what he had just heard.

After a brief pause, he snapped back to reality and roared at Fiona Ellington, “Are you out of your mind? Ten billion dollars to them? Do we look like we’re running a charity here?”

With ten billion dollars, you could open a string of world–class art galleries! He thought.

Fiona must have lost her marbles by giving out such an astronomical number.

Fiona shot him an icy glance before turning to Vivienne and Percival, “Give me an account number. I’ll transfer the funds to you!”

She wasn’t offering this fortune for Jeffrey’s sake, but to keep Percival and Vivienne from dismantling the other art galleries.

Some of the galleries Jeffrey had established were a front for under–the–table dealings, which were secrets that outsiders must never uncover. It was a network she had painstakingly built, hidden from her entire family.

Even Jeffrey, the supposed head, was clueless about it.

If these secrets were ever exposed, she’d stand to lose up to thirty billion dollars.

When weighed against ten billion, it was a no–brainer. She had to protect those assets.

And Fiona didn’t buy for a second that Percival could go after her family without a reason.

Mr. Percy’s stature alone had put him at the zenith of power; he wouldn’t bat an eyelid at a few art galleries, let alone a few hundred billion

Yet, he was insistent on tearing down the galleries. She suspected he knew something.

It seemed Percival had to go. His very existence was the most significant threat to her.

With Percival around, the inheritance wouldn’t fall into her hands even if the old man died. Not to mention that Richard Ellington was still alive

If Percival were out of the picture, the other Ellington nonentities wouldn’t stand a chance against her.

Vivienne raised an eyebrow and her gaze harbored meaning. “Alright!”

She promptly provided her account details.

money by tonight at the latest!” Fiona declared confidently. It seemed that she was not the

Vivienne nodded, “Agreed”

made a call to the National Gallery’s secretary, and soon after, the team that had come to seal off the

He stormed off, neglecting the gallery’s guests. He had to get back and convince his

after she she nodded to Percival

too. But they were suddenly halted by

I purchase that painting

elderly man leaning on a cane; his hair was almost entirely white with just a few strands of black remaining.

be in his seventies, dressed modestly but exuding a palpable authority.

paused before responding. “This painting

“but you wouldn’t sell the original, would

and

familiar to me I’d like to buy it to help find

to me

looked up. “You recognize the person

a figure from the back, and only someone who knew the individual very well could identify it

hint of melancholy “My lost daughter has a mole in the same place Even though it might

the painting

for her for thirty years without a trace. I heard the might have come to

was taken aback

a beautiful

Sasha, yet the name felt eerily

Chapter.

say the person in the portrait was your mother, who has passed.

man could finish, Vivienne

man apologized, “I’m sorry

Vivienne replied softly, her

I may be so bold, the mole behind your mother’s ear is in the exact spot as my daughter’s. May I ask if you know much

voice suddenly turned cold, “are

had caused their incarceration personally.

past that her mother took her to

first encounter with her maternal relatives, and it revealed a harsh truth: some parents truly can be