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 was a

in Percival’s embrace, observing the scheming look

what are you plotting

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

Thomas slammed on the brakes so hard he nearly flew

cat just dashed

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

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

in the car, thinking maybe Maddox should consider a

had only been teasing

would

a stir in his heart, and leaned

…

At the Perez Mansion.

mean that Vivienne has arrived in Sea City?” Diana Perez was having dinner when she

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

the Perez family, she had never received such

was getting

yesterday, she had called Jasper to check in, and all he talked about was his

It was maddening!

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

…

next morning, Percival was awakened

after the water ceremony yesterday. She’s bedridden and can’t

so intense one might think it was a

Vivienne next to him, which

sometimes; she had cleared his

sharing the sprawling

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

you

use her full name, Mara was

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

made Mara

because of Vivienne.