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.

put through the wringer this time,”

“Jasper, you flatter me. I had no idea Lark was your daughter—no wonder she’s

heard from Percival that you’re

who was busy pouring coffee for Vivienne and not

to the ancient warrior lineage. After the Sheldon family met their demise, we took possession of the

He was well

until they could return it to Ulysses Sheldon. But they were too late, and the Edwards got

and when the head of the Edwards family and Vance’s parents died under mysterious circumstances, it was hard for them not

resulting in their complete downfall, and

saint and felt no

of the Vanguard Agency and to have

wondered why Vance had climbed the ranks so quickly,

occur to you that the misfortunes of the Edwards family could be the result

in Vance’s eyes, “Are you suggesting that you know about my grandfather’s and my parents’

emotion, and his hands balled

befallen the Edwards has nothing to do with

brow furrowed with frustration. “What do

a document

meddle with

ancient warrior lineage and the Sheldons stirred

signature page of the contract, pointing to the name of the other party. “Don’t you

taken aback, then looked closely—the chairman

coffee in her hands, took a sip, and said with a smirk, “You really didn’t know? When the company went through the whole rebranding shindig and changed the CEO’s

have the time to fuss over a triviality like resigning some contract? He had

Group craved were the cutting-edge gas masks that the pharmaceutical company supplied – the only way to halt the sacrifice of their workers and safeguard

for a fool. His mind was sharp as a tack. “Who was this previous

crossed her arms and leveled her gaze

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

the play of emotions across Vance’s face and could not help but curve her lips into a sly smile. She recounted the tale of how Finnian had once handed