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.

arrest of Eliza came as an

the 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

to retrieve the Boyd family signet ring from Vivienne, and the contract was supposed to be in her

and the murder footage spreading like wildfire online, no one

pale with

trump card had

Eliza? Did she really

was still preoccupied with dreams of

sat down and asked, “Gillian,

to deal with her anymore. Percival has already cut ties with them, so she’s useless to me now.” Gillian snorted with disdain

with

of

find a way to get close to Vivienne and retrieve the Boyd family signet ring. And try

was puzzled. “Dad, you still want to entangle with them?

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

probe further, but seeing Patrick’s ashen face, she swallowed

seen her father

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

to them, Vivienne had heard every word of

she reviewed the translated documents on

managed to stay afloat all these years relying on GTO.” Vivienne shook

now, Patrick was fixated on the contract rather

computer, where three red dots were converging into a trap around a factory

sense, he’d realize that loyalty to

curved her lips. “Traitors always meet a traitor’s

minutes later, Mara’s call came through to

“Bro, it’s Mara.”

sobs, still not fully

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, to your

to the Ashford Mansion. Tell Gillian I’ll bring over

that, Percival hung

run out of patience for playing

looked up, her gaze settling on Percival’s expression with a hint of surprise. “What’s