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.

had agreed to dine with Gillian the next day. Gillian was a crucial player in his mission and had to

in Percival’s embrace, observing the

what are

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

the brakes so hard he

Percival, a cat just dashed across

discussing such explosive topics? This

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

in the car, thinking maybe Maddox

turned crimson. She had only been teasing

knew he would

the flushed face on his lap, felt a stir in his heart, and leaned down

…

At the Perez Mansion.

City?” Diana Perez was having dinner when she overheard

might not visit the Perez family. He said not

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

foster granddaughter was getting all

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

It was maddening!

here, and I really should visit her. Please ask Maddox where she’s staying when

…

morning, Percival was awakened by

after the water ceremony

so intense one might think it was

of Vivienne

she had

not mind sharing the sprawling

are you listening? I’m beside myself here. The doctor said Grandma might be bedridden forever, all because of

Boyd, Vivienne isn’t someone you

use her full name, Mara was

had always called her Mara. His sternness,

made Mara seethe

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