The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne froze for a moment.

Was Maddox implying that she should carry on with this contract?

“Exactly as you’re thinking,” Maddox slid the contract toward Vivienne. “The Perez family has its own fish to fry these days, not focusing on bionic tech. And I know the reason the Ashfords have stood the test of time has a lot to do with this project.”

He paused, his gaze growing intense before he continued, “The person who got the Ashfords involved in the first place was your mother, Karen, right?”

Vivienne nodded but remained tight-lipped.

She was not ready to stir the pot with the Perez family’s waters still uncharted.

“Vivienne, only the Perez and the Boyd families are in on the bionic tech secret. Your mother managed to bring this concept to life, and it’s nearly identical to what the Perez family envisioned. I think she must have seen their initial concept draft. I’m not saying she copied or stole it. I’m just saying…”

“Uncle, I get what you’re trying to say.”

Vivienne smiled at Maddox.

She knew he was beginning to question her identity.

If her mother had indeed introduced those concepts, matching the Perez family’s ideas, it only meant she had some connection with them.

If that was the case, could Karen perhaps be Sasha?

Maddox hesitated to voice his suspicion, fearing another disappointment.

Vivienne tucked the contract away. “Thanks, Uncle. I’ll take it from here and push the research forward.”

Maddox nodded. “Yeah, I believe in you.”

He also believed that she must be his niece, his sister’s daughter.

But with a paternity test looming, this was a matter that still needed resolution!

…

At the Ashford Mansion.

Eliza came as an

intended to consolidate his power by winning over

signet ring from Vivienne,

her under lock and key and the murder footage spreading like wildfire online, no one could bail her

pale

was his trump card had

going on with Eliza? Did she really kill Wendy?” Gillian had woken up to see Patrick pacing and was clueless about the unfolding

was still preoccupied with dreams of

down and asked, “Gillian, has Mara called

with their family in such a mess, why would she bother? Besides, I don’t want to deal with her anymore. Percival has

bother with

friendship was one of mutual exploitation,

Mara. Tell her to find a way to get close to Vivienne and retrieve the Boyd family signet ring. And try to find the contract Wendy left behind.

still want to entangle with them? A family

as I say. Those two items are crucial for our family. We won’t be at Vivienne’s mercy anymore if you

but seeing Patrick’s

never seen her father so

Patrick’s instructions, Gillian dialed Mara’s number. For the Boyd family fortune, Mara

to them, Vivienne had heard every word of

she reviewed the translated documents on

to stay afloat all these years relying on GTO.” Vivienne shook her head. The man was

fixated on the

imagery on his computer, where three red dots were converging into a

he’d realize that loyalty to my mentor

lips. “Traitors

later, Mara’s call came

“Bro, it’s Mara.”

was laced with sobs, still not fully comprehending how the Boyd family had

turned on the speakerphone.

know what to do. With all this chaos at home, I… Can I come to you? I want to apologize to Vivienne, no,

Mansion. Tell Gillian I’ll bring over what

Percival

for playing games with these

settling on Percival’s expression with