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?”

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 second floor. Any

finish, a blood-curdling scream erupted from

she ran to Wendy’s side, her voice shaking. “Mom, what is happening? Why are there wolves running

when one crashed through the window. I nearly passed out from fear. Mom, we have to

at odds,

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

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

were torn

and silent, having never anticipated this

was for Wendy. Her sons and grandsons, red with anger and embarrassment, were helpless to intervene as they witnessed Wendy get

dare wrestle with

his back, unable to witness

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

member of the Boyd family, from Wendy down

the servants had scattered in fear. The

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

granddaughters and daughters-in-law sobbed and screamed for

want to die! Grandma,

As her children and grandchildren

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

the Boyd family was on the brink of collapse, the

Vivienne stepped

made Percival’s typically composed face twist with disgust. Without a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed Vivienne, spun her around, and

becoming more

would handle everything. He trusted Vivienne and nodded

if he had known that Vivienne

deal with the Boyds without letting Vivienne tarnish

she was supposed to witness the Boyds’

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