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.

an abrupt blow,

of the Boyd lineage, and Patrick had intended to consolidate his power by winning over

from Vivienne, and the contract was supposed to be

key and the murder

turned pale

trump card had become utterly

you’ve been pacing for ages; you’re making my head spin. What’s going on with Eliza? Did she really

was still preoccupied with dreams of marrying

asked, “Gillian, has Mara called

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

with someone

was one of

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

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

We won’t be at Vivienne’s mercy anymore if you manage to get them. Hurry before Vivienne catches

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

seen her father so

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

to them, Vivienne had heard every word of

her headphones, chuckling as she reviewed the

afloat all these years relying on GTO.”

was fixated on the

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

to my mentor is the wisest choice,”

curved her lips. “Traitors always meet a

Mara’s call came through

“Bro, it’s Mara.”

sobs, still not fully comprehending how the Boyd family had fallen so

on the

don’t know what to do. With all this chaos at home, I… Can I come to you? I want to

Ashford Mansion. Tell Gillian I’ll bring over what

that, Percival hung

had run out of patience for playing games

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