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 abrupt blow, derailing Patrick’s many

and Patrick had intended to consolidate his power by winning over

to retrieve the Boyd family signet ring from Vivienne, and the contract

with her under lock and key and the murder footage spreading like wildfire online, no

pale with

was his trump card had become

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

preoccupied

“Gillian, has

I don’t want to deal with her anymore. Percival has

with

friendship was one of

frowned. “Gillian, call Mara. Tell her to find a way to get close to Vivienne and retrieve the Boyd family signet ring. And try

“Dad, you still want to entangle with them? A family full of

two items are crucial for our family. We won’t be at Vivienne’s mercy anymore

to probe further, but seeing Patrick’s

seen her father so

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

Vivienne had heard every word

chuckling as she reviewed the translated documents on

all these years relying on GTO.” Vivienne shook

was fixated on the contract rather than ensuring

his computer, where three red dots were converging into a trap

sense, he’d realize that loyalty to my

curved her lips. “Traitors always meet

later, Mara’s call came through

“Bro, it’s Mara.”

voice was laced with sobs, still not fully comprehending

on the speakerphone.

I… Can I come to you? I want to apologize to Vivienne, no, to your wife.

Mansion. Tell Gillian I’ll bring over

Percival hung

for playing

Percival’s expression