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.

as an abrupt

sole survivor of the Boyd lineage, and Patrick had intended to consolidate his power by winning over the Boyd Group’s shareholders with her help. It would

ring from Vivienne, and the contract

the murder footage spreading like wildfire

turned pale with

was his trump card had become utterly

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

mind was still preoccupied with dreams

sat down and asked, “Gillian, has Mara called you

such a mess, why would she bother? Besides, I don’t want to deal with her anymore. Percival has already cut ties with them, so she’s useless

bother with someone

of

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. Tell her you can help her turn things

still want to entangle with them? A family full of

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

but seeing Patrick’s ashen

never seen her father

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

Vivienne had heard every

as she reviewed the translated

afloat all these years relying

Patrick was fixated on the contract rather than

was monitoring satellite imagery on his computer, where three red dots were converging into a trap

that loyalty to my

her lips. “Traitors always meet a

later, Mara’s call came through

“Bro, it’s Mara.”

not fully comprehending how the Boyd family had

on the speakerphone. “What’s

do. With all this chaos at home, I… Can I come to you?

Ashford Mansion. Tell Gillian I’ll bring over what

that, Percival

patience for playing

settling on Percival’s expression with a hint of surprise. “What’s