The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Evening had settled when Eliza stepped into Wendy’s room.

“Mom, why are you still up at this hour?” Eliza perched herself beside Wendy, the picture of a dutiful daughter.

Wendy cherished Eliza deeply, having protected her like the apple of her eye since she was a child.

Now, in her current state, she trusted no one more than Eliza.

“Eliza, with me in this condition, I would not put it past my daughters-in-law to have all sorts of ideas. We can’t let them get the better of us, darling. Your brothers are no use either, only seeing dollar signs.”

Eliza nestled close to Wendy, chuckling softly. “Don’t worry, Mom. The Boyds won’t be played by my sisters-in-law. Our family’s assets won’t fall into the wrong hands, not on my watch.”

Wendy nodded in assurance. “I knew I could count on you to ease my worries. Eliza, I’ve taken note of your ambitions all those years and prepared for it. This visit from Percival, it’s so you can get acquainted with the Ellingtons, you understand?”

Relief washed over Eliza with those words.

As long as she could see Nathan Ellington again, she would do anything.

“Yeah, I know you’ve always got my back, Mom.” Eliza leaned on Wendy’s shoulder, briefly catching sight of her amputated hand and quickly averting her gaze with a hint of distaste.

Wendy’s hand was already skeletal, a ghastly sight, and with the stump so starkly exposed, it was downright macabre.

“Mom, what are your plans regarding the Specter Healer?” Eliza inquired.

Wendy scoffed. “He’s just after money, isn’t he? I have plenty, though it might be a bit tricky to come up with 800 billion dollars at once. But, opportunities are not nonexistent.”

Eliza looked at Wendy skeptically.

Plenty of money? What a joke.

As the CFO of Boyd Group, she was all too aware of how much the Boyd family had.

Not to mention 800 billion, even 800 million would require careful consideration.

Where was her mother getting this confidence from?

Noticing Eliza’s doubt, Wendy smiled. “Have you forgotten our ace in the hole?”

hole?” Eliza’s brow

remote and switched on the news channel where Patrick’s

mentioning Patrick’s apprehension. The screen also showed Gillian besieged

Eliza in

Ashford family’s fortune, turning their empire into her personal

800 billion was more than feasible

so sure Patrick will turn to us for help?”

would dare get involved? And with Gillian’s reputation in ruins, who would want her? But, just one call from you, inviting her to turn to the Boyds, bringing all Ashford business under our roof, and the money

was exploiting

Patrick in trouble, Gillian, as the sole Ashford heiress, would be

the gravity of Patrick’s offenses

ones to extend help, Gillian would agree to any terms, however

business and unveiling the Boyd

call

they could snatch all the Ashford business, it would

other Boyds, or

to negotiate with the Ellingtons from a position of strength and to get

next daughter-in-law was within

wait to be cast aside,” She

…

Ashford Mansion was in chaos. Gillian had barely processed Patrick’s arrest

its numerous projects, Patrick had inevitably borrowed heavily

his arrest, the banks were aggressively seeking

Gillian tossed her phone aside, clueless

once flocked around her had vanished

the doorbell rang. Surprisingly, it

eyed her warily. “What are

Your dad and I go way back, and I’ve watched you grow up. I could

comforting thing Gillian had heard in a while, and tears sprung

rushed forward and embraced Eliza,

to Mara and had grown up calling Eliza

to sit beside her. “Gillian, given the circumstances, there’s only one thing I can think of

what to do. I’ll follow your lead,” Gillian said, entirely out of her depth with business affairs. Having someone willing

a document. “It’s quite simple. You’re now the sole heir to the Ashford Group. After your father’s incident, you’ll take over as CEO. All you have to do is sign the Ashford Group’s over to the Boyd Group. That’ll help

lost in the fog. “Auntie, I don’t really understand

you don’t, dear. Just sign here and leave the rest to me. The Ashford will still be the same, just under the umbrella