The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Jeffrey felt a pang of embarrassment somehow. After all, painting was his pride and joy, his claim to fame.

But now, having been publicly called out by Vivienne for plagiarism, he also faced the mortifying task of confessing this to his parents. It was the ultimate disgrace.

As Heloise and Fiona watched him with piercing gazes, Jeff’s irritation boiled over into anger, “So I copied Vivienne’s painting, then what? How was I supposed to know she was Eulalia? If I had known, I wouldn’t have copied it!”

“Plagiarism?” Heloise looked bewildered. “How did plagiarism come into this?”

She believed in her son’s talent. Though she was no art connoisseur, Jeff’s paintings were always a delight to the eye.

Jeffrey explained the whole fiasco to her.

Heloise’s brows knitted together in an instant, “It’s just a painting! Why is she being so aggressive? She’s marrying into the Ellington family, for heaven’s sake. Does making us pushovers do good to her?”

Fiona glanced at her and then settled herself on the couch, saying coolly, “I don’t know what good she wants get. But we must pay the money.”

Heloise was instantly resistant, “The money is ours. If we don’t want to pay, what’s she going to do? Twist our arms?”

This wasn’t just a million or two.

Handing the ten billion would leave their family penniless.

Jeffrey nodded in agreement, “Exactly! We’re not paying. What can she possibly do about it?”

Fiona’s eyes flickered with a chill. “So, you want to let them shut down the galleries?” she retorted.

“It’s just a few galleries; if they close, they close!” Judith dismissed the concern. “Worst comes to worst, I’ll just open new ones for my son!”

Fiona scoffed derisively, “Huh. If you want to see my brother ruined, then don’t pay.”

Heloise wasn’t listening. The thought of handing ten billion to someone else made her physically uncomfortable. “I don’t care; there’s no way I’m parting with that money,” she stated.

“Right, with ten billion, you could open countless galleries. I won’t let Percival and Vivienne get the best of us,” Jeffrey added.

turned to Henry, who had been silently listening to the conversation, cup

agree with your mother. We’re all blood relatives here and Percival’s been chosen as the heir by the old man himself. He’ll have

curved into a sly smile, “Even if it means risking our

“What do you mean?”

phone, clicked on a photo, and handed it to Henry, “I found this in Percival’s room. He’s investigating you! Dad, what do you think Grandpa would do if he found out you’ve been evading taxes and swapping quality

Henry stiffened.

jail. Or

slowly with furrowed eyebrows, “I’ll

exclaimed

the money so easily, what would become

plagiarism stunt, we wouldn’t be in

also don’t need to just hand over the money. Besides, they have

icy, “We have no case! They’ll

“Honey?” Heloise sounded worried.

worry, it’s only temporary. In the end, it’ll all come back

long enough to trust him at the most

too

this unfold, Jeffrey couldn’t

few words could convince his

Fiona siding with Percival

he was powerless to stop

…

was

Brooks called the family to welcome

playing with anime figurines with

stuck at

perked up considerably over the past few

announcement, Vivienne raised an

party

downstairs with Thaddeus, only to see Calista striding in alongside Scott, head held