The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Eliza had just tucked Wendy in when she bolted out the door.

“Hold on a sec, Percival!” she called out.

Percival was about to slide into his car when he heard his name being called. He turned around and asked, “What?”

Eliza tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Percival, we haven’t had a proper chat in ages. Can we catch up the day after tomorrow, maybe over dinner?”

Percival squinted slightly. “What’s on your mind, Eliza?”

She chuckled awkwardly, “I just wanted to talk to you about your mother, my sister, you know?”

Percival gazed at Eliza, his thoughts concealed by the dim light around them.

After a moment, he said with a deep voice, “Day after tomorrow it is.”

Eliza then pulled out something from her pocket, handed it to Percival without explanation, and headed back to the Boyd residence.

In the car, Vivienne sniffed the object curiously.

It was an antidote for some love potion!

“Why did she give you this?” Vivienne was puzzled.

Could it be that Eliza, a member of the Boyd family, did not want Gillian to marry into Percival?

Percival chuckled. “She probably wants to curry favor.”

Vivienne nodded in understanding. “So, are you going to accept this favor or not?”

“Absolutely,” Percival said, wrapping his arm around Vivienne and rubbing her shoulder, “It wouldn’t be fun otherwise. Can’t be completely uninvolved with the Boyds during this time.”

Percival had come to Sea City on a mission, and getting close to the Boyds was just a cover.

He needed to entangle himself with them when necessary to mask his true purpose better.

Now that his enemies were hidden and he was exposed, he had to tread carefully.

Percival had agreed to dine with Gillian the next day. Gillian was a crucial player in his mission and had to be

rested in Percival’s embrace, observing the scheming

are you plotting

pinched Vivienne’s face playfully, and said deliberately, “I’m thinking about how to properly attend to the matriarch tonight

hard he nearly flew out of his

a cat just dashed

Percival and his lady now discussing such explosive topics? This isn’t a mission

bomb

the privacy screen in the car, thinking maybe Maddox

had only been teasing

would

on his lap, felt a stir in his

…

At the Perez Mansion.

City?” Diana Perez was having

“Yes, she has arrived. Master Maddox mentioned she’s busy and might not visit the Perez

Despite her years with the Perez family, she had never received such

granddaughter was getting all the

called Jasper to check in,

It was maddening!

and I really should visit her. Please

…

was awakened by a frantic call from

Grandma’s back is acting up after the water ceremony

one might think it

got out of bed, missing the warmth of Vivienne next to him, which only added

sometimes; she had cleared his room

sharing the sprawling king-sized bed with

more frantic, “Percival, are you listening? I’m beside myself here.

Boyd, Vivienne isn’t someone you should talk about like

use her full name, Mara

close, and he had always called her Mara. His sternness, especially over Vivienne, stunned

made Mara

because of Vivienne. We all know she’s the matriarch, but come on, Grandma’s an elder. You can’t treat an