The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Outside the quaint suburban house, Natalia and Yasmine tapped softly on the door before poking their heads inside.

“Grandpa, Uncle Luke, and Uncle Fredrick are here, and they’re in the backyard bawling their eyes out.”

“They’re wailing so pitifully. I swear Auntie Karen’s about to be hugged to death! Oh, and they keep asking for Vivienne.”

Vivienne rubbed her neck, contemplating how overwhelming family affection could sometimes feel like asphyxiation!

As they stepped out of the study, they were greeted by a chorus of sobs that could rival any opera.

Through his tears, Luke cried, “Oh, Sasha, my little Sasha, look how you’ve grown! I’ve been waiting for you to come home!”

Fredrick joined in, his voice choked with emotion, “Sasha, oh Sasha! I can finally lay eyes on you again. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you! You were so small when you left, and I haven’t slept well since!”

Karen had one brother clinging to each arm, her face a mask of resignation as she glanced helplessly at Maddox and Yuri.

“Guys, a little help here?”

Maddox feigned ignorance. “I don’t see anything!”

Yuri chimed in, “Hang in there, Sasha. I’m powerless here!”

“Luke, Fredrick, I get it, you’re emotional. But we’ve got guests. Maybe stand up for now?” Karen suggested, patting their shoulders.

Luke and Fredrick shook their heads in unison. “No way. It’s been years since I’ve seen my little sis. I can’t just walk away.”

“Exactly, let me have a good look at you. You’re finally back.”

Karen was torn between exasperation and amusement, then reassured them, “I’m not going anywhere again, guys. You can see me whenever you want from now on!”

Luke’s wife, Carmen Pendleton, finally intervened, “Luke, enough is enough, move it!”

Fredrick’s wife, Alice Churchill, though gentle, had a firmness to her words. “Fredrick, come on, get up, will you? If you don’t, I might just twist your arm off.”

way, leaving room for their

her uncles were identical twins, hence the striking resemblance and similar

not contain their laughter, imitating their sisters-in-law, which earned them a

she looked at Carmen and Alice standing side

had been but still

“Boss, you’re finally back!”

aback. What was

puzzled looks, clueless about

“Are your aunts, like, your

know, your daughter’s incredible, so it’s not weird for her to have a bunch of followers

deep look before turning his gaze to Vivienne. What sort of enigmas were this mother and daughter? One commanded the Nine Mystics Society, while

feet, Karen said, “You can’t call

eyes misting, shook her head,

right. That’s not going to

bankrupt. If it

then, Carmen and Alice had suffered much, protected by

seem destined

anticipated that helping the Churchill and Pendleton families would result in gaining two sisters-in-law or that

William and Zachary entered, followed by Faye Churchill. Faye was

much more composure than Charlotte

greeting, Luke and Fredrick finally

let us have a

instinctively wanted to flee from

Fredrick with his cane. “Will you give it a rest? What if you scare my

but laugh, half-hiding behind Jasper, “Hello,

true beauty, just like me!” One

be blind! She clearly takes after me more. People always said Sasha and I looked like twins. Vivienne is the spitting image of