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?”

doors to the great hall are shut tight; the wolves can’t get in there for the moment. But they’ve

erupted from upstairs, followed by a chorus

the stairs. Teresa clutched her daughter Margot close as she ran to Wendy’s side, her voice shaking. “Mom, what

laced with panic. “I was in the bathroom when one crashed through the window. I nearly passed out from fear. Mom, we have to do something! They

usually at odds,

butler to call the police. But before he could act, several wolves bounded down the stairs, heading straight

wolves. Trapped in her wheelchair, she swung her cane desperately, but the more she fought, the more vicious they became, shredding her

garments were torn to

stunned and silent, having never anticipated this development. The

grandsons, red with anger and

wrestle with a

butler turned his back,

into a frenzy of hide and seek. But they were quickly

family, from Wendy

servants had scattered in fear. The great hall was empty save for him, and he was too

at a feast,

and daughters-in-law sobbed and screamed for help, “Someone save

want to

this. As her children and grandchildren clung to

composed. They stood rigid, staring at the hungry wolves, their bodies tense

the brink of collapse, the front door

and Vivienne

that greeted them made Percival’s typically composed face twist with disgust. Without a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed Vivienne,

becoming more rebellious by the

she had told him not to worry, that she would handle everything. He trusted Vivienne and nodded in agreement, not expecting to walk into such

would have never consented if he had known that Vivienne intended

ways to deal with the Boyds without letting

she was

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