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.

to dine with Gillian the next day. Gillian was a crucial player in his mission

rested in Percival’s embrace, observing the

what are you plotting

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

the brakes so hard he nearly

a cat just dashed

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

guard Griffin’s bomb factory and get blown to bits if I have to!” He

discreetly lowered the privacy screen in the car, thinking maybe Maddox should consider a new driver for Vivienne and

She had only been

would take her

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

…

At the Perez Mansion.

in Sea City?” Diana Perez was

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

Despite her years with the Perez family, she had never received

foster granddaughter was

to check in, and all he talked about

It was maddening!

smiling. “Vivienne’s here, and I really should

…

was awakened by

the water ceremony yesterday. She’s

might

of Vivienne next

too efficient sometimes; she had cleared

did not mind sharing the sprawling king-sized bed with

beside myself here. The doctor said Grandma might be bedridden forever, all because of that

Boyd, Vivienne isn’t someone you should talk about like

use her full name, Mara was taken

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

Mara

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