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 the next day. Gillian

rested in Percival’s embrace, observing

what are

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

the brakes so hard he nearly flew

Percival, a cat just

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

bomb factory and get blown

maybe Maddox should consider a

She had only been teasing Mara,

knew he would take

lap, felt a stir in his heart,

…

At the Perez Mansion.

has arrived in Sea City?” Diana Perez was having dinner when

busy and might not visit the Perez family. He said not to prepare or disturb

tightly. Despite her years with the Perez family, she had never received such attention from

granddaughter was getting all the

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

It was maddening!

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

…

was awakened by a frantic call from

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

intense one might think

warmth of Vivienne next to him, which

efficient sometimes; she had cleared his room in just one

not mind sharing the

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

Vivienne isn’t someone you

Percival use her full name, Mara was

always called her Mara. His sternness,

thought made Mara seethe with

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.