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?”

replying, “We don’t

twisting the ring on her finger, and without changing shoes, she and Percival stepped onto

would have the staff clean it meticulously by hand. Now, with four dirty footprints

on the coffee table, her

smash it over Vivienne’s head

a presence that even Wendy, well into her fifties, found

the prepared decontamination room to shower and change, ready

emerged from the decontamination room, freshly dressed. Vivienne looked her over; she really had showered, and the fragrance of her body wash had muted the unpleasant

her heart aching at seeing her precious carpet,

took a sip of water, saying, “Percival, your aunt and uncle are still out working. We’ll have dinner when they

clock. It was already 7:30 PM. Still out working? The Boyds

a sneer. After all these years, his grandmother had no new tricks.

time he and Cecilia returned, only Wendy would be home, claiming his aunt and uncle were out working, and

we’ll wait

Percival had nothing to him but his looks. Now, he seemed to radiate a chilling

bitch beside him, not a trace of

room was silent, devoid of even basic

Boyds started

to enter were the family members of Boyd’s eldest son, Theodore, and his wife, Teresa, followed by their children. The injured butler

years, Theodore had never heard of such

slapped the butler. “You mutt,

wife Nancy, and their

were all bewildered.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All