The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Gillian’s words hung unfinished as Percival suddenly stood up and gestured towards someone in the distance. “Vivienne, over here!”

Gillian blinked in surprise. Vivienne?

What on earth was Vivienne doing here?

Should she not be back at the Boyd estate, caring for Wendy, who was bedridden?

Gillian turned to see Vivienne stride in, decked out in a leather biker jacket, her hair cascading down her back, helmet in hand.

The very epitome of cool and spicy!

Vivienne walked over, placed her helmet on the table, and pecked Percival on the lips in front of Gillian without a second thought.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

“Not at all. You’re just in time.” Percival took her hand and pulled her close, seating her at the table and sliding a freshly cut steak in front of her. “Just cut it for you, eat up.”

“Thanks, Mr. Wolf.” Vivienne grinned and dug into the steak with gusto.

Percival ruffled her hair affectionately, then turned to Gillian. “So, what were you saying?”

Gillian clenched the tablecloth beneath the table, her knuckles turning white with tension, the veins in her hands standing out starkly. Yet, for the sake of her image, she maintained a strained smile.

“I was suggesting maybe the wedding bash should be in Sea City before heading back to Rivenwood for the ceremony.”

Gillian did not believe for a second that Vivienne could be oblivious to the implications of her words. After all, she was the one the Boyd family had accepted as their future granddaughter-in-law!

Percival smirked. “Vivienne and I only want a ceremony in Rivenwood. Sea City? We don’t really have relatives there.”

Gillian nearly bit through her lip. “Mr. Ellington, you must be misunderstanding something. Our parents have arranged this meeting of ours, and that’s why we’re here.”

Percival’s smile turned cold. “The reason we’re here isn’t some family setup. I wanted to make it clear: Vivienne is my fiancée. I did not introduce her properly last time, but you get the picture this time, right?”

Tears rimmed Gillian’s eyes. She could not believe Percival could be so heartless.

What was so special about Vivienne?

In other words, someone who worked for their kind of aristocracy, a country bumpkin who thought a bit of skill could turn her

nothing but a

under

top-notch family in Sea City. Even the well-rooted Boyds had

could a country

Gillian was certain

Was Percival blind?

napkin and noticed Gillian’s untouched steak. “Ms. Ashford, your steak will lose its flavor if

Gillian’s eye as she glared at

her indifference, Vivienne shrugged.

wrapping an arm around her slender waist, not looking back as

her back to Gillian, Vivienne called over her shoulder, “Ms. Ashford, you might want to head home early. Be careful,

tightened, her nails

not over. Vivienne

yanked the tablecloth, toppling

igniting as the flame

“Ah! Help!”

quick-thinking waitstaff doused the flames with an extinguisher, sparing

ruined, revealing far more than intended, including

have thought such an innocent-looking girl

clutch bag close, barely covering herself until a waiter

a word of

Gillian locked herself in her room

had never been so

father, Patrick Ashford, concerned by her cries, knocked gently on her door. “Gillian, what’s

sobbed into her father’s chest. “Dad, Vivienne’s gone too far. Please,

at the

it be that

to me? I’ve been humiliated, and you

back to the present. “Gillian, this Vivienne…

all she is. A regular Jane Doe, Mara said it herself. No parents to speak of, and she still dares to

in

always been the pampered princess of the household, her every whim indulged by her

Havenwood, Patrick had hustled tirelessly for the family business, taking any job to