The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Hayden was about to ask another question when Nancy cut him off.

“Eliza, Mom sure did not waste her affection on you. We’re all in awe to think you’d give up your shares so selflessly. Don’t worry, as long as there’s bread on our table, there will be a seat for you,” Nancy praised with a hint of insincerity, masking her eagerness for Eliza to relinquish all her shares and get Wendy the medical attention she needed.

To Nancy, it mattered little if Wendy got better or not as long as Eliza did not get her hands on the money.

The second branch had always been treated like the stepchild, overshadowed by the prestigious first branch and Eliza, the darling with Wendy’s favor. At least when Cecilia was around, she diverted some attention, but since she stopped visiting, the second branch had become even more neglected.

Now, with the family matriarch indisposed, Nancy had no intention of letting Hayden dip into the funds. Those were better saved for her own children.

Eliza merely smiled, keenly aware of Nancy’s thoughts. But it did not matter. With the control of the Ashford family’s wealth firmly in her grasp, once the Specter Healer cured her mother, and the Boyd family shares were hers, would both branches not have to dance to her tune?

After all, her ultimate goal was to use the Boyd and Ashford resources to obtain the Ellington Group.

As the butler wheeled out Wendy, the other Boyds settled on the couches, anxiously awaiting the Specter Healer’s arrival.

Two hours ticked by with no sign of him, causing Theodore to grow impatient. “Eliza, is this guy reliable or what? Did you actually transfer the shares, or did he bail?”

“No, that can’t be it,” Eliza frowned, feeling a stir of doubt, too. She had wired an astronomical sum and arranged everything with the Frostfire Intelligence Agency. The Specter Healer had no reason to stand them up.

“Eliza, show me the transfer papers. Don’t tell me you’ve been conned,” Teresa eyed her suspiciously.

Eliza cleared her throat. “Teresa, the Specter Healer is a man of his word. Perhaps he’s just running late due to some inconvenience of his old age. Don’t worry.”

“I just don’t want you to be…”

“Enough. You weren’t this concerned when it was time to fork the money. Eliza’s no fool. Everyone zip it.” Wendy cut Teresa off mid-sentence.

Just then, the Boyd family’s front door swung open, and the butler rushed to greet the new arrival. A collective sigh of relief filled the room – the Specter Healer had finally come.

But their expressions went from surprise to disappointment when they saw who it was.

“Why are you here?” Eliza asked in astonishment.

Vivienne, arm in arm with Percival, holding a bag, smirked. “Didn’t you invite me?”

Still fuming over Vivienne’s actions aboard the yacht, Mara scowled at her, her bruised face aching even more from the expression.

here. You’re bad luck. Because of you,

grudge, lashed out too, “Percival,

today. Please leave,

eyebrow, “Are you sure you want me to

Hawthorn and leave. Today is really not the best time;

reluctantly letting go. “Vivienne, it seems like my grandmother doesn’t need the Specter Healer’s services after all,”

were

know about the Specter Healer and that

as she placed her bag on the floor and spoke seriously, “You’ve paid a fortune for my

and then Huxley piped up. “You’re

quietest member of the family had caught on

of silence followed, then the room erupted in

nonsense are you talking,

Specter Healer? I suggest you get your head checked. If you’re the

of medical tools. With a simple gesture, Margot

the… wait, my voice… Oh no,

hardly resembled an ordinary girl; she looked more like a grumpy old

were Merlin himself? I’m just making your dreams

in the Boyd household as everyone stared at Vivienne

that she was actually the Specter

hastily grabbed her smartphone and dialed the head of the Frostfire Intelligence Agency. “Hello, I was wondering, has

name is Vivienne Hawthorn. You should know

was on speaker, and the faces of the Boyd family members

bulged out

dreams had they imagined that Vivienne, of all people, was

could it be

hacking? With all those

did she manage

unharmed hand trembling with terror, Wendy looked at Vivienne in shock. “How… how could you possibly reattach my

“I have a code of ethics. After

was the epitome of honor; taking money meant getting

Wendy was speechless.

right, like I’d believe

fleeing, but how could she, confined