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.

the next day. Gillian was a crucial player in his mission and had to be

rested in Percival’s embrace, observing the scheming look in

what are

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

brakes so hard he

Percival, a cat just

and his lady now discussing such explosive topics? This isn’t

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

car, thinking maybe Maddox should

She had only been

knew he would take

face on his lap, felt a stir in his

…

At the Perez Mansion.

Vivienne has arrived in Sea City?” Diana Perez was

she’s busy and might not visit

clenched her fork tightly. Despite her years with the Perez family, she had never received such

mere foster granddaughter was getting

in, and all he talked about was his

It was maddening!

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

…

awakened by a frantic call

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

so intense one might think it was a

got out of bed, missing the warmth of Vivienne next to him, which only added to

be too efficient sometimes; she had cleared his

mind sharing the

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

isn’t someone you should talk

Percival use her full name, Mara was

close, and he had always called her Mara. His sternness,

thought made Mara seethe

of the room, Hayden 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 come on, Grandma’s an elder. You can’t treat an old lady like that,