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.”

a bunch,” Diana

the group set

the grill, “Yuri, keep an eye on your wife. She’s

new one if that happens,” Yuri muttered,

Diana a break. She was quite embarrassed earlier. As her brothers, try not to be so hard on

speaking of

“Go on.”

and there was some tampering with Willa’s paternity test. Diana was the only

what stunned him was not Diana’s meddling with the will or

to cough, and Yuri quickly stepped forward to comfort him. “Dad, don’t get worked up. Maddox said

Yuri’s hand, steadying himself. “Do you boys mean to say that Vivienne might actually be my biological

laid eyes on Vivienne, I felt she had to be my niece. Dad, you’re

Should

it under wraps. No

they would keep it a secret from everyone

agreed. “Alright, I’m on

Yuri went to deal with the test, Maddox stayed with Jasper, unable to

were not particularly fond of their sister, they knew her all too well, especially

certain someone was backing

Yuri returned from the lab with

came in, the

report to Jasper,

shocked. “Impossible, Diana

supervised the entire process in the lab, from sample collection to result delivery. No one

then took a

If she’s not, then we shouldn’t force it.” Jasper wheeled himself away. “You

knew Jasper’s

the bottom of this, Maddox? Did Diana really tamper with the test?” Yuri could not

“When have I ever been wrong?

his brother. While it was disappointing not to have Vivienne as their niece, Yuri had already come

not change how the Perez family would treat

paternity test report that negated their

to

be his real

Maddox’s eye, so when Vivienne showed up out of the blue, he was convinced she

Why did every paternity test come back