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 in his mission and had to be handled

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

Wolf, what are

face playfully, and said deliberately, “I’m thinking about how to properly attend to the matriarch tonight to ensure her

on the brakes so hard he nearly flew out of

just dashed across the

and his lady now discussing such explosive topics?

bomb

the privacy screen in the car, thinking maybe Maddox should consider a new

She had only been teasing Mara, after

knew he would

felt a stir in his heart, and leaned down

…

At the Perez Mansion.

in Sea City?” Diana Perez was having dinner when she overheard the servants

has arrived. Master Maddox mentioned she’s busy and might not visit the Perez family. He said not

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

mere foster granddaughter was getting all

check in, and all he talked about was his foster

It was maddening!

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

…

awakened by a frantic call from

is acting up after the water ceremony yesterday. She’s bedridden

so intense one might think

of bed, missing the warmth of Vivienne next

too efficient sometimes; she had

mind sharing the sprawling king-sized bed

I’m beside myself here. The doctor said Grandma might be bedridden

you should talk about

full

always called her Mara. His sternness, especially over

thought made Mara seethe with

definitely because of Vivienne. We all know she’s the matriarch, but come on,