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.

Gillian

observing the

what are you

and said deliberately, “I’m thinking about how to properly attend to the matriarch tonight

Thomas slammed on the brakes so hard he

a cat just dashed

goodness, are Percival and his lady now discussing such explosive topics? This

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

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

crimson. She had only been teasing Mara, after

knew he would take her

stir in his heart, and leaned down to kiss the

…

At the Perez Mansion.

Sea City?” Diana Perez was

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

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

mere foster granddaughter was getting

had called Jasper to check in,

It was maddening!

smiling. “Vivienne’s here, and I really should visit

…

Percival was awakened

after the water ceremony yesterday. She’s bedridden

one might think it was a life-or-death

got out of bed, missing the warmth of Vivienne next to

too efficient sometimes; she had cleared his room in just

did not mind sharing the

beside myself here. The doctor said Grandma might be bedridden forever, all because

you

Percival use her full name, Mara was

close, and he had always called her Mara.

thought made Mara seethe with

situation is definitely because of Vivienne. We all know she’s the matriarch, but come on, Grandma’s an elder. You