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

Percival’s embrace, observing the scheming look

what are

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

on the brakes so hard he nearly flew out of

Percival, a cat just dashed

now discussing such explosive

Griffin’s bomb factory and

the privacy screen in the car, thinking maybe Maddox should consider a new

crimson. She had only been teasing Mara,

would

stir in his

…

At the Perez Mansion.

Perez was having dinner when she overheard the servants discussing Juliet’s

might not visit the Perez family. He said not to

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

foster granddaughter was

Jasper to check in, and all he talked about was

It was maddening!

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

…

awakened

acting up after the water ceremony yesterday. She’s

sobs were so intense one might think it was a life-or-death

out of bed, missing the warmth of Vivienne

had cleared

did not mind sharing the sprawling

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

you should talk about like

Percival use her full name, Mara

called her Mara. His

Mara seethe with

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.