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 be

Percival’s embrace, observing the scheming look

Wolf, what are you plotting

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

so hard he nearly flew

just

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

rather guard Griffin’s bomb factory and get blown to

thinking maybe Maddox should

had only been teasing Mara, after

knew he would take

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

…

At the Perez Mansion.

Sea City?” Diana Perez was having dinner when

arrived. Master Maddox mentioned she’s 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

mere foster granddaughter was getting all

check in, and all he talked about was his foster

It was maddening!

“Vivienne’s here, and I really should visit her. Please ask Maddox where she’s staying when you have a

…

morning, Percival was awakened by a frantic

back is acting up after the water ceremony yesterday. She’s bedridden and can’t get up. What should we

sobs were so intense one might think it was a

bed, missing the warmth of Vivienne next

too efficient sometimes; she had cleared his room

mind sharing the

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

Vivienne isn’t someone you should talk about like

use her full

he had always called her Mara. His

Mara seethe

Uncle Hayden. Your grandma’s situation is definitely because of Vivienne.