The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Leopold, the leader of the first squad, knew the unwritten leadership rules all too well. So, it stood to reason that Percival, the head honcho of the entire task force, would be even more clued in.

But now, even Leopold’s moves were being curtailed, never mind the liberty of the whole special squad.

Percival set aside the application form he had been holding, tapping his polished fingertip on the signature line. “Why don’t you take this up with the boss yourself?”

The rage on Leopold’s face fizzled out in an instant.

Would he dare?

For someone even Percival called “boss,” he was just a small fry; there was no way he would throw himself into the shark’s jaws.

Leopold slumped into his chair, rubbing his temples in frustration.

After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “Boss didn’t even ask you before signing off on this? Why didn’t you go to him first?”

Percival took a sip of his sweet fruit juice and said, “He said since Fiona’s my flesh and blood, having me sign could give someone leverage over me. If anything went sideways, there would be no one to cover for me, so he just went ahead without telling me.”

Leopold’s jaw worked silently, failing to snap shut.

Every word Micah said was for Percival’s sake. How could anyone argue with that?

Unable to sit still any longer, Leopold cursed under his breath, stood up, and stormed out. He slammed the door behind him, not caring if he would end up getting a beating.

This was just too damn suffocating.

Percival neatly filed the application form away and glanced up at Vivienne, his eyes usually icy, now melting with a certain warmth. “Vivienne, shall we go have a look?”

Vivienne rose, taking the fruit juice from Percival’s hand, and sipped the rest through the straw. “Yeah, let’s check it out.”

…

Ellington

cries, one could have thought

it. Fiona was fine when she went in, and now she’s in the ICU. Can you imagine her suffering? It’s all Vivienne’s fault. If not for her, my girl wouldn’t be like this. Dad, even if you’re mad at your son, you can’t just stand by

face wet with tears, laid the blame thickly on

marriage; you can ignore me, but my children are Ellingtons by blood. If you don’t step up, we three might as well die now and stop

in irritation. He had never approved of Heloise marrying Henry, knowing she was not the type to settle down. But she was pregnant, and the scandal was huge. The Ellington family had no choice but to take

half the Ellington fortune to keep such a woman out if he

weakly tugged at Heloise’s sleeve on the hospital bed, her complexion ashen. “Mom, please leave us. I want

left, allowing Fiona to make her own appeal

the more she made a scene, the more reasonable Fiona appeared. That was the

I’ll disown you,” Heloise warned before slamming the door behind

again, they were rimmed red with distress. She turned to Richard. “Grandpa, this mess is my fault. It has nothing

more of a back seat since the

knew Percival had his own fish to

just a simple case of financial fraud; it was bound to be part of a

of doing things, and Fiona would not be

softening. “Now that you’re out, live your life well. I won’t let you down. My promises are still good, and I’ve kept that credit card for you. Think about what

Once I’m better, let Mom, Jeffrey, and me leave Rivenwood. As for Dad…

to outright refuse. He could

first granddaughter, and before Isolde was born,

the only girl amidst a houseful of rambunctious

always been self-reliant, never troubling the family, and had

butted heads with Percival, she focused

her crime, Richard would have welcomed her back to the company

What a pity…

nowhere else is suitable for your recovery. Stay here. In

to lift, and a genuine smile spread

youngest son, was the cool uncle

ringleader of their childhood shenanigans, the proverbial pied piper of