The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Next to Jasper, Diana bit her lower lip in frustration.

Was Maddox being too obvious?

It was as if he were broadcasting to the world that he disliked her!

It was outrageous, completely outrageous!

Diana took several deep breaths to compose herself and turned to Vivienne with a smile. “Vivienne, I rushed over here and didn’t have time to pick up a gift for you. How about we hit the shops later, and anything you fancy, it’s on me.”

“No, that’s alright, I don’t need anything,” Vivienne replied, eager to keep her distance.

For some reason, Vivienne always felt uneasy around Diana. It was not just because Diana was adopted into the Perez family; there was something off-putting about her.

Maybe it was what people called ‘bad vibes.’

Diana moved closer, eagerly grabbing Vivienne’s hand again. “Vivienne, don’t be like that with me. Even if you’ve got everything, one more thing won’t hurt. Us girls can never have too many treats, right, Zelda?”

Zelda looked up from her book and said, “Absolutely, I’ll tag along. I always believe in the more the merrier when it comes to my closet.”

Yuri coughed, glancing at the pile of unopened shopping bags near Zelda.

Yeah, the more the merrier.

Diana forced a laugh, but with Zelda jumping in, she could not very well refuse. “Alright, let’s go together.”

While she appeared enthusiastic, Diana was fuming inside.

What was Zelda up to?

Was she worried about Vivienne going out alone with her?

Ha! The nerve, thinking she was a true Perez through and through!

Seeing Zelda on board, Vivienne had no more excuses to decline.

Percival, jingling his car keys, chimed in, “I’d be honored to chauffeur three lovely ladies today.”

Diana

checking Jasper’s health, the group set

keep an eye on your wife. She’s got a

buy a new one if that happens,” Yuri muttered, shutting off the whipped cream

a break. She was quite embarrassed

speaking of Diana, there’s

“Go on.”

been snooping around your will, and there was some tampering with Willa’s paternity test. Diana was the only

a look of shock crossing his face. But what stunned him was not Diana’s meddling with

“Dad, don’t get worked up. Maddox said we don’t have

you boys mean to say that Vivienne might actually be my biological

his father earnestly. “Yes. Ever since I first laid eyes on Vivienne, I felt she had to be my niece. Dad, you’re not the only one who has that hunch, which is why I doubt the

Should we

it under wraps. No

was a mole at home, they would keep

agreed. “Alright, I’m on

the test, Maddox stayed with

fond of their sister, they knew her all too well, especially

certain someone was

lab with the rushed paternity

in,

result,” Yuri handed the report to Jasper, a trace of regret

was shocked. “Impossible, Diana clearly tampered with

lab, from sample collection to result delivery. No one interfered,”

then

Jasper wheeled himself away. “You two go have fun. I

and Maddox knew Jasper’s heart was

you sure you got to the bottom of this, Maddox? Did Diana really tamper with the test?” Yuri could not help

smacked Yuri’s head. “When have I ever been wrong? There’s definitely something not

followed his brother. While it was disappointing not to have Vivienne as their niece,

how the Perez family would treat Vivienne with genuine care and

paternity test report that negated their blood

to believe

be

been the apple of her brother Maddox’s eye, so when Vivienne showed up out of the blue, he

something was not adding up. Why did