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.

at the latest!” Fiona declared confidently. It seemed that she was not the least bit worried about whether her parents, Henry

Vivienne nodded, “Agreed”

National Gallery’s secretary, and soon

Fiona casually promised to hand over ten billion dollars. He stormed off, neglecting the gallery’s guests. He had

also took her leave after she she

Vivienne made to leave too. But they were suddenly halted by a

I purchase that painting from

turned to see an elderly man leaning on a cane; his hair was almost entirely white with just a few

to be in his seventies, dressed modestly but exuding a palpable

before responding. “This painting is

“but you wouldn’t sell the

and nodded,

buy it to help find her,” the old man disclosed without reservation. “I

to me

up. “You recognize the person in this

the back, and only someone who

man recounted his voice was tinged with a hint of melancholy “My lost daughter has a mole in the same place Even though it might not be her,

the painting tightened. “Your daughter? Whats

as his tears welled up I’ve been searching for her for thirty years without

taken

was a

couldn’t recall meeting anyone named Sasha, yet the name

Chapter.

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

old man could finish, Vivienne

words, the old man apologized, “I’m sorry to have touched a

fine,” Vivienne replied softly, her thoughts evidently

ear is in the exact spot as my daughter’s. May I ask if you know

Vivienne’s voice suddenly turned cold,

mother had caused

their flight from the past that her mother took her to visit her family

revealed a harsh truth: some parents truly can be indifferent to their own kids.