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.

with Gillian the next day. Gillian was a crucial player

embrace, observing the

Wolf, what are you

playfully, and said deliberately, “I’m thinking

so hard he nearly

Percival, a cat just dashed across the

such explosive topics?

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

in the car, thinking maybe Maddox should consider

She had only been teasing

knew he would take

face on his lap, felt a stir in his heart, and leaned down to kiss the blushing

…

At the Perez Mansion.

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

busy and might not visit the Perez family. He said

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

granddaughter was getting all the

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

It was maddening!

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

…

Percival was awakened by a frantic call

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

might think it was a

the warmth of Vivienne next to

had cleared his

did not mind sharing the

grew even more frantic, “Percival, are you listening? I’m beside myself here. The doctor said Grandma might be bedridden forever, all because of that

someone you should talk about

full name, Mara was

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

Mara seethe with

took the phone and said, “Percival, it’s Uncle Hayden. Your grandma’s situation is definitely because of Vivienne. We