The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Diana’s pout could have tugged the heartstrings of the stone statues in the garden. “I’m fine,” she insisted, but even her echo did not believe her.

Dracon followed Diana’s gaze and naturally landed on Vivienne.

“She’s been stealing your thunder again, hasn’t she? Don’t worry, I’ll get your back. No one messes with you on my watch,” Dracon said with a steely edge to his voice.

Before long, all the guests had arrived.

Yuri exchanged pleasantries with Natalia and Yasmine before moving on to the gift-giving part of the evening.

Isolde Ellington, on behalf of the Ellington family, presented two antique lockets. To the trained eye, these were not ordinary trinkets. They were antiques, auctioned for a hefty sum over a decade ago, once belonging to twin princesses from an age long past.

The crowd murmured their appreciation; the Ellingtons never did anything by halves.

Vivienne waited her turn, and once most had presented their gifts, she stepped forward. “Happy birthday, Natalia, Yasmine.”

Upon opening the gift box, the sight of two exquisite jade bracelets lit up the girls’ eyes.

Indeed, no matter the age, jewelry had a certain irresistible allure for women.

“Thank you, Vivienne,” the girls chimed in unison, their eyes sparkling with joy.

Vivienne ruffled their hair affectionately. Paired with the shoes Karen had given earlier, these bracelets would keep Natalia and Yasmine in good health for years to come.

The crowd was duly impressed. Such bracelets were not items one simply stumbled upon in a store.

Then, a snicker cut through the chatter. “I was curious what Ms. Hawthorn would bring. Just a pair of bracelets? How uninspired. I heard Jasper once gave you the Heart of Hope set, and as Master Jessica, plucking a bracelet from your inventory is no hassle. I thought you only played games with women, but it seems you don’t spare the children either.”

All eyes turned to Dracon, the only one who could deliver such a biting remark.

The faces of the Perez family fell, and the Ellingtons were not pleased either.

daughter-in-law was something the Ellingtons could not

holding onto Percival, stepped forward. “I wonder what you have brought

wooden box. When opened, a prism of colors

– Rainbow Opal! It was a gemstone scarcely seen in a hundred years, invaluable

no mere purchase; wealth alone

last sighting had been five years ago when a mysterious collector briefly brought it into the light before it vanished from public

collector was none

gifting such

opal, but her disdain for Dracon kept her from

Vivienne. “Mr. Linklater, is this

bowing gentlemanly and delivering the Rainbow Opal

opal, could not warm up to it, not after Dracon’s

knelt to smooth things over. “This is a special

“Diana mentioned you liked sparkly

closer

He had thought Percival was a hero worthy of respect, but apparently, he was just another man orbiting

box over.

and, to Dracon’s horror, began tossing it as

you doing, Percival?” Dracon

Opal can’t be shattered; it can only be cut with special

isn’t Mr. Ellington’s casual treatment of another’s gift a

the shock of everyone, the supposedly unbreakable

guests were stunned into

it not supposed to

starting with Maddox

red and white, his composure as shattered like the

to maintain her poise in the face

at a

present, especially to two little kids, and then it turns out to be

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