The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Everyone looked up as Vivienne walked in, her pace slow and measured. Clad in a plain tee and jeans, the simplicity of her attire was offset by the icy expression that seemed permanently etched onto her delicate features.

Kala watched her, emotions churning within her.

After a moment, she spoke up, “No need. I’ll handle it myself.”

She was at a loss for how to treat Vivienne now.

After all, it was not Vivienne who had affected her work, but there was an undeniable discomfort whenever she saw Vivienne.

Did she blame Vivienne?

No.

After all, her grandmother had genuinely committed murder, and not just once, but tenfold.

For twenty years, the families of the victims had been deprived of the truth.

Her grandmother’s fate was deserved.

She just could not face Vivienne.

It seemed ever since Vivienne’s return, everyone she was close to had changed.

Vivienne approached her, her face serious. “Judith’s death was a consequence of her actions. If she hadn’t resisted arrest, she wouldn’t have been shot in front of you. And the media exposure you faced wasn’t my doing. I covered your penalty fees as a gesture of goodwill. You were the only one who treated me with genuine kindness after I joined the Brooks family.”

When the Brooks first took her in, everyone had been considerate, but there was always an ulterior motive.

Only Kala had been genuinely kind to her.

That was just how Vivienne was unable to ignore those who were sincerely kind to her.

incident was somewhat related to her, she was not responsible for the

but she would never

stared at Vivienne, unsure of

since Vivienne had come back, she had been a woman of few words, never using two where

and stated flatly, “Baron, I’m here to

you think you can just bail when the going gets tough? I’m not dead yet. Even in hard times, I wouldn’t let my granddaughter fend for

you and Percival, I wouldn’t have spared her. This case… Richard and I have been investigating it

raised an

with finality. “We’re discussing the future of the Brooks family. You should

don’t mind where I stay as long as you all are willing to have

“Do you think

over

wore embarrassed expressions. It was not that they blamed Vivienne; it was just hard to accept what had happened right

was coming to

lady had ten lives on her conscience, and she could not escape

Percival had done merely brought everything to

who remained silent with a stern

not say more and took the seat next

that Vivienne has paid the penalty fee, it’s up to you whether you want to stay in show

question how Vivienne had come into so much money. After all, Karen’s daughter could not be doing too badly, especially with

Kala nodded. “Alright.”

I’ll issue an apology and provide compensation for the victims’

would be the one to turn things around,

and was frequently in the sanatorium, had appeared less capable to

Baron was orchestrating a comeback with new projects and

warrior lineage? Were the Rivenwood families not reluctant to deal with those from

need to

and the others busied themselves with Baron’s