The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

In front of the Boyd Mansion.

As Wendy approached, she could not miss the sparkling ring on Vivienne’s finger. Under her breath, she cursed, “That little bitch!”

But her face was all smiles as she said, “Percival, darling, why stand out here? You’re at granny’s now; there’s no need to be so formal. Come on in!”

Percival scanned Wendy with a glance. If it weren’t for the mission he was concealing, he’d never again associate with the Boyds. It made his skin crawl.

“We haven’t sanitized and showered yet; it wouldn’t be proper to come in,” Percival replied coolly.

Wendy despised him all the more for it.

Percival was even more insufferable than his grandfather. Give him an inch, and he would not take it. Those Ellingtons, all with a stick up their backside! But for the sake of that elusive trade route, she had to play along.

With a thwack, Wendy brought her solid oak cane down on the butler’s shin, sending him tumbling to the ground in surprise.

“You ungrateful wretch, Percival’s family, isn’t he? I told you to have those riff-raff from who knows where to clean up, not Percival! You muddle-headed fool, you can kiss your bonus goodbye this month.”

Vivienne watched from the side, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

Riff-raff from nowhere?

Was that directed at her?

Surely, it was.

After scolding the butler, Wendy turned back to Percival with a forced smile and said, “Percival, the servants are clueless sometimes. Please, come inside. Don’t just stand out here.”

But Percival acted as if he had not heard Wendy. Instead, he turned to Vivienne.

Vivienne smiled lightly. “I heard it’s Boyd tradition to sanitize and shower before meeting the head of the house?”

few seconds before replying, “We don’t

do now,” Vivienne said, twisting the ring on her finger, and without changing shoes, she and

hand. Now, with four dirty footprints stamped

coffee table, her gaze casually turning to Wendy.

her cane tightened. She wanted to smash it over

had a presence that even Wendy, well

to the prepared decontamination room to shower and change, ready to cleanse

room, freshly dressed. Vivienne looked her over; she

approached, her heart aching at seeing her precious carpet,

water, saying, “Percival, your aunt and uncle are still out working. We’ll have dinner

at the clock. It was already 7:30 PM. Still out working?

sneer. After all these years, his grandmother had no

child, every time he and Cecilia returned, only Wendy would be home, claiming his aunt and uncle were out working, and they would eat when they returned. But once they did, they would say they had already eaten, leaving

“Fine, we’ll wait

to him but his looks. Now, he seemed to radiate

that little bitch beside him, not a trace of girlishness

devoid

the Boyds started to

The injured butler stopped them, “Master Theodore, please proceed to the decontamination room for a shower and change, as the head of the

Theodore had never heard of such a

“You mutt, who

Hayden, his wife Nancy, and their children

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