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.

had agreed to dine with Gillian the next day. Gillian was a crucial player

rested in Percival’s embrace, observing the scheming look in

Wolf, what are you

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

so hard he

cat just dashed across the

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

I demand a task swap. I’d rather guard Griffin’s bomb factory and get blown to

discreetly lowered the privacy screen in the car, thinking maybe Maddox should

crimson. She had

he would take her

on his lap, felt a stir in

…

At the Perez Mansion.

City?” Diana Perez was having

busy and might not visit the Perez family. He

years with the Perez family, she

mere foster granddaughter was getting all the

check in, and all he

It was maddening!

fork before regaining her composure and smiling. “Vivienne’s here, and I really should visit her. Please ask Maddox

…

Percival was awakened

back is acting up after the water ceremony yesterday.

one might think it was

of Vivienne next to him, which only

had cleared

not mind sharing the sprawling king-sized bed with

listening? I’m beside myself here. The doctor said Grandma might be

Boyd, Vivienne isn’t someone you

her full name, Mara was

had always been close, and he had always called her Mara. His

thought made Mara

the 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