The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Melissa was a wreck for a whole week when she heard the news of Karen’s passing. Even now, just the thought of it could bring tears to her eyes.

Karen reached out and wiped the tear from Melissa’s eye. “Come on, even your kids all grown up now. You shouldn’t be crying like when you were a little girl.”

Vivienne handed her a tissue. “Here, wipe your tears.”

Melissa looked up at Vivienne and then at Karen. “Auntie Karen, Vivienne’s had a tough time with the Brooks family. Now that you and Jasper are here, I want to apologize on behalf of the Brooks to both you and Vivienne.”

With that, Melissa bent forward in a deep bow.

Vivienne lifted her back up. “Auntie, you’re making us feel like strangers.”

“That’s right, if you keep this up, I’ll get cross,” Karen said, patting Melissa’s back. “Isn’t it great that we’re all here together now?”

Melissa nodded vigorously. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s nice, just like this.”

Vance watched from the side, well aware of the hardships Karen and Vivienne had endured over the years because of Scott and his organization. He knew that a mere apology or bow could not make up for it all.

But none of that mattered when it came to his beloved.

He put a comforting arm around Melissa’s shoulders, saying, “Melissa, we’ve finally got a chance to catch up with Karen. Let’s not dwell on the unhappy stuff. How about we talk about something cheerful?”

“Sure, Karen, let’s go chat over there.” Melissa affectionately linked arms with Karen, and they made their way over to where Zelda was.

Vance, Vivienne, and the ever-silent Jasper went to Jasper’s study in unspoken agreement.

Vance was aware that Vivienne’s invitation to join the Perez gathering was not just for pleasantries.

Inside the study, Percival was already there, serving coffee like a perfect gentleman.

Vance was surprised; he had not expected Percival to be at the Perez Mansion and was even more taken aback to see him waiting in the study.

you’ve been put through the wringer this time,” Jasper

no idea Lark was

skip the formalities. I’ve heard from Percival that you’re quite interested in the

who was busy pouring coffee for Vivienne and not looking his

furrowed imperceptibly, then smoothed again, “Yes, Jasper, you might know that my family, the Edwards, are connected by marriage to the ancient warrior lineage. After the Sheldon family met their

was

of the Sheldon family, the Perez family had considered keeping the Mystic Vein until they could return it to Ulysses Sheldon. But they were too late, and the Edwards got to

Perez family had kept a watchful eye on the Edwards, and when the head of the Edwards family and Vance’s parents

their complete downfall, and then suffering such karma—how

no saint and felt

for Vance to be part of the Vanguard

the ranks so quickly, only to

misfortunes of the Edwards family could be the

“Are you suggesting that you know about my grandfather’s and my parents’ sudden deaths—that they were due to the Sheldon family’s curse? What exactly is in that Mystic

with emotion, and

don’t get worked up. Whatever has befallen the Edwards has nothing to do with the Sheldon family. On the contrary, you might want to consider whether the fault lies with your own

frustration. “What do you mean by

out a contract from his briefcase, a document between the

meddle with whom the Edwards

mention of the ancient warrior lineage and

the contract, pointing to the name of the other party. “Don’t you want to see the name of

then looked closely—the chairman was none other

a smirk, “You really didn’t know? When the company went through the whole rebranding shindig and changed the CEO’s

time to fuss over a triviality like resigning some contract? He had not paid the slightest attention to who was helming the pharmaceutical company they were

were the cutting-edge gas masks that the pharmaceutical company supplied – the only way to

His mind

Vivienne crossed her arms and leveled her gaze

gobsmacked. Ulysses, the very man he had been doggedly searching for, had been right under his nose

curve her lips into a sly smile. She recounted the tale of how Finnian had once handed over the formula