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.

next day. Gillian was a crucial player in

embrace, observing the scheming look

Wolf, what are you

face playfully, and said deliberately, “I’m thinking about how to properly

on the brakes so hard he nearly

a cat just dashed across the

now discussing such explosive

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

discreetly lowered the privacy screen in the car, thinking maybe Maddox should consider a new driver for

turned crimson. She had

he would take her

watched the flushed face on his lap, felt a stir in his heart,

…

At the Perez Mansion.

Perez was having dinner when she overheard the servants discussing

arrived. Master Maddox mentioned she’s busy and might not visit the Perez family. He said not to prepare or

years with the Perez family, she had never

mere foster granddaughter was

in, and all he talked about was his foster

It was maddening!

and I really should visit her. Please ask Maddox where she’s

…

Percival was awakened by a frantic

terrible, Percival! Grandma’s back is acting up after the water ceremony yesterday. She’s bedridden and

were so intense one might think it was

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

she had

mind sharing the sprawling king-sized

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

isn’t someone you should talk about

Percival use her full

called her Mara. His

thought made Mara seethe with

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 that,