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.

dine with Gillian the next day. Gillian was a crucial player

Percival’s embrace, observing the scheming look in

what are you plotting

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

brakes so hard he nearly

Percival, a cat just dashed

discussing such explosive topics? This isn’t a mission — it’s

Griffin’s bomb factory and get blown to bits if I have

screen in the car, thinking maybe

cheeks turned crimson. She had only been teasing Mara,

would take her

the flushed face on his lap, felt a stir in his heart, and leaned down to kiss the blushing

…

At the Perez Mansion.

has arrived in Sea City?” Diana Perez was having dinner when she overheard the servants discussing Juliet’s

might not

clenched her fork tightly. Despite her years with the Perez family, she

mere foster granddaughter was

Jasper to check in, and all he talked about was

It was maddening!

here, and I really should

…

Percival was awakened by a frantic call

water ceremony yesterday. She’s bedridden and can’t get up.

intense one might think it was a

warmth of Vivienne next to him, which only added

sometimes; she had

sharing the sprawling king-sized bed

remained silent, Mara grew even more frantic, “Percival, are you listening? I’m beside myself here. The doctor said Grandma might

isn’t someone you should talk

use her full name, Mara

called her Mara. His sternness, especially over Vivienne, stunned

made Mara seethe

other side of the room, Hayden took the phone and said, “Percival, it’s Uncle Hayden. Your grandma’s situation is definitely because of Vivienne. We all know she’s the matriarch, but come on, Grandma’s an elder. You can’t treat an old lady like