The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne looked around at the grandeur of the Brooks Mansion one last time. The Brooks family, a name that once meant everything to her, had become a thing of the past.

Baron could not hold back but called out as she was about to leave. “Vivienne… what kind of punishment will he face?”

She paused, her beautiful eyes brimming with delight as she glanced back at the face that time had not been kind to. “The law will take care of his misdeeds. How severe the punishment will be depends on the gravity of his crimes.”

With that, Vivienne looked at Baron, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “No wonder the Brooks have stood strong for a century. Baron, you sure have mastered the art of playing the fool.”

Baron’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

Vivienne’s slender, pale fingers brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her smile now bewitching. “I’m not Scott’s biological daughter. You knew that all along, didn’t you?”

Baron’s pupils shook, but then he slowly revealed his true cunning nature, mixed with a unique sharpness. “You’re frighteningly clever, Vivienne. It’s a shame you’re not my blood. If you were, I’d hand over the reins of the Brooks family to you.”

He believed the Brooks name could stand firm for another century with Vivienne in charge.

But Vivienne’s smile deepened. “It’s a pity, but the Brooks family doesn’t interest me.”

After a brief pause, she added, “Baron, sometimes ignorance is bliss. Otherwise, life can be quite exhausting, don’t you agree?”

She had to admit that Baron always had many roles up his sleeve. He could play the domineering patriarch, the affectionate father, or the carefree man hidden from the world.

Even his recent display of affection towards Scott was an act.

When had he ever stopped performing? Perhaps only when he spoke of Dahlia did a moment of genuineness shine through.

Baron watched Vivienne for a long while before he burst into laughter. “You’re right. Ignorance can be a blessing.”

had never truly loved his so-called eldest son or his current children. They were all conceived through Judith’s schemes—drugging,

he harbor

send Scott away, and when Scott returned, he knew that the boy was no longer the child he once knew. But Scott held the fate of the entire Brooks family and its foundation in his

position of head of the family, he might well

keep control of the Brooks business empire as

meddling in Scott’s affairs, choosing to spend his days in a nursing home. But he was not oblivious to Scott’s actions, including the

buy Karen some time at the engagement party, doing his duty as a father to

that she

organization back then, Scott and Karen might have

not expected Vivienne to lack any real blood ties to

and Scott, which differed from the one in Scott’s possession. His showed no

but being as shrewd as he was, he realized someone was targeting Scott and even helping

Vivienne when the Brooks family gave

also for Karen, the talented woman who came to investigate Scott but

a way to

one knew that he had been aware for a long time that Scott was not

he known?

glanced over at Timothy and Melissa’s family. “If you

look out for the Brooks family for her

that, she linked arms with

Vivienne received a text

time? Fancy

her slender fingers swiftly tapping a response on the

Percival playfully rubbed the corner of her mouth. “What’s making you

reflecting his

“Let’s go. I’ll

shades and a chic hunter-green trench coat, looking every inch