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

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

Wolf, what are

face playfully, and said deliberately, “I’m thinking about how

the brakes so hard he

cat just dashed across the

goodness, are Percival and his lady now discussing such explosive topics? This isn’t a mission —

task swap. I’d rather guard Griffin’s bomb factory

maybe Maddox should

cheeks turned crimson. She had only been teasing Mara, after

would

the flushed face on his lap, felt a stir in his

…

At the Perez Mansion.

Vivienne has arrived in Sea City?” Diana Perez

“Yes, she has arrived. Master Maddox mentioned she’s busy and might not visit the Perez family. He said not to prepare

tightly. Despite her years with the Perez family, she

mere foster granddaughter was getting all the

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

It was maddening!

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

…

next morning, Percival was awakened

after the water ceremony

one might think it

missing the warmth of Vivienne next to him, which

could be too efficient sometimes; she had cleared his room in just

the

“Percival, are you listening? I’m beside

Boyd, Vivienne isn’t someone you should

her full name, Mara was

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

Mara

of Vivienne. We all know she’s the matriarch, but come on, Grandma’s an elder. You