The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Watching the two families on the brink of another spat, Wendy tapped impatiently on the floor with her cane. “Marrying you two into the Boyd family has been headache enough. There’s no way Gillian is setting foot in our house. You can forget that fantasy right now!”

Nancy’s anger subsided a bit at her mother-in-law’s words. As long as Mara and Gillian remained tight as thieves, she felt secure that the Ashford fortune would not slip through their fingers.

Teresa, momentarily distracted from her quarrel with Nancy, chimed in anxiously, “Mom, aren’t you worried about the Ellingtons sticking their nose in our business?”

“The Ellingtons don’t have the guts,” Wendy snapped, giving Teresa a sharp look. “Eliza and Patrick have already come to an understanding. No need for you to fret.”

With a dismissive wave, Wendy signaled for them to retire to their rooms.

Seeing this, the members of the first and secondary branches of the family had no choice but to leave the room.

It was then that the butler rushed in, his face flushed with panic. “Vivienne and Percival have arrived!”

Wendy raised an eyebrow, her expression darkening. “So they’re here. Why the fuss? It’s not like they can eat you.”

The butler stammered, clearly terrified, “Wolves, wolves!”

“What wolves? You idiot. What’s the point of keeping you if you can’t even form a proper sentence?” Wendy’s expression turned gloomier.

“They’ve brought a pack of wolves! They let them loose in the courtyard, and they’re tearing up your prized rose garden and… and Mr. Theodore’s pet beagle… it’s been eaten, and now…”

He paused, glancing fearfully at Wendy before continuing with a trembling voice, “Some of them have even jumped through your bedroom window. The servants are hiding everywhere, too scared to come out.”

The Boyd household’s servants were usually bustling about from dawn, not idling in the main hall.

When Vivienne and Percival entered with their pack of wolves, the terror they incited was palpable. One servant had even fainted from fear.

“Wolves? Here?” Wendy gasped in disbelief. “Where did they come from?”

don’t know, Madam!” The butler was near tears, his legs shaking. “What should we do? The doors to the great hall are shut tight; the wolves can’t get in there for the moment. But they’ve already made it to the

erupted from upstairs, followed by

Teresa clutched her daughter Margot close as she ran to Wendy’s side,

laced with panic. “I was in the bathroom when one crashed through the window. I nearly passed

and Margot, usually at odds, were now huddled

call the police. But before he could act, several wolves bounded down the

she swung her cane desperately, but the more

torn to ribbons, leaving

silent, having never anticipated this development. The wolves were not

but the immediate concern was for Wendy. Her sons and grandsons, red with anger and

wrestle

turned his back, unable to witness

wolves descended, sending the family into a frenzy of hide and seek. But they were quickly subdued, their

long, every member of the Boyd family, from Wendy down to her youngest

The great hall was empty save

the Boyds, drooling as if they were the main course at a feast, and the family was paralyzed with fear, huddled together

sobbed and screamed for help, “Someone

want to die! Grandma, save

crises, had never faced anything like this. As her children

slightly better but were still far from composed. They stood rigid, staring at the hungry wolves, their bodies tense with the instinct

on the brink of collapse, the front door

and Vivienne

Percival’s typically composed face twist with disgust. Without a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed Vivienne, spun her around, and walked right back out, his hand swiftly

becoming more rebellious

not to worry, that she would handle everything. He trusted Vivienne and nodded in agreement, not expecting

never consented if he had known that Vivienne intended to settle debts in this

had plenty of ways to deal with the Boyds without

she was

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