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?”

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.

erupted from upstairs, followed

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

her voice laced with panic. “I was in the bathroom when one crashed through the window. I nearly passed out from fear. Mom, we have

Mara and Margot, usually at odds, were now huddled together in

ordered the butler to call the police. But

in her wheelchair, she swung her cane desperately, but the more she fought, the more vicious they became,

moments, her garments were torn to ribbons, leaving her

and silent, having never anticipated this development. The wolves were not biting—they were stripping

Wendy. Her sons and grandsons, red with anger

would dare wrestle with

the butler turned his back, unable to witness

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

member of the Boyd family, from Wendy

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

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

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

to die! Grandma,

anything like this. As her children

still far from composed. They stood rigid, staring at the hungry

was on the brink of collapse, the

Vivienne stepped

disgust. Without a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed Vivienne, spun her around, and

more rebellious by the

over, 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 a

had known that Vivienne intended

deal with the Boyds without letting

she was supposed to witness the

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