The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Maddox’s grin froze on his face, and the bowl in his hands clattered to the floor.

Heads turned at the sound.

“Maddox, you just broke Natalia and Yasmine’s favorite bowl, you’re so screwed, man! Say goodbye to your wallet!”

“Oh, Maddox, when will you learn? You handle things like a bull in a china shop, and look what happens!”

“Oopsie, don’t be mad, Natalia and Yasmine, I’ll buy you a new one and make Uncle Maddox here pay up!”

Trying to keep cool, Maddox forced a smile and turned to the girls. “Sorry, Natalia and Yasmine, but I cut my hand pretty bad. Doesn’t anyone feel sorry for me?”

Luke immediately whisked the two kids away. “Girls, remember not to date a guy like this one.”

Yuri and Fredrick also quickly made their exit, unable to watch the embarrassing scene any longer!

After everyone left, Karen pulled out a small bottle of antiseptic powder and sprinkled it on Maddox’s wound, which healed quietly.

“No need to look so surprised, Maddox. Without Frost, I’d have less than a 2% chance.”

Karen smiled at Maddox and added, “Just don’t tell Dad, okay? I don’t want him to worry. Just say I’m off to find Frost’s dad, and it’ll be a long time before I can come back, alright?”

Maddox fought back tears, his eyes reddening but not allowing a single tear to fall.

Even with Vivienne and Karen working together, they only had a 2% chance of success. That left Maddox thinking…

“Sasha, can’t we just not do it?” Maddox struggled with the idea one last time.

“No, we have to do this,” Karen replied with certainty.

Maddox went silent, accepting that this was unstoppable.

the yard, Jasper and Vivienne were locked in a tense game of chess,

end, Jasper suddenly asked, “Vivienne, what’s

trembled ever so slightly, and she managed a smile. “Oh, just out for dinner, shopping,

“She’s my daughter; she can’t

her chess piece landed with a thud on the board, shaking slightly

procedure. It could restore memories, or it

chatty tonight, fussing over

her lip. “She

“Tell me the truth, Vivienne. What are the

her fists, the words barely

her eyes, the procedure had only a one percent

was powerful; otherwise, it wouldn’t have so easily repaired Calista’s

mysterious ST-1

Vivienne herself doing it, there wouldn’t even be a one percent chance. And that one percent

“Alright, can you promise your grandpa

his reddened eyes and said, “Sure,

I’m aware of this. Pretend I’m clueless so she can go into surgery without any

knew his daughter was tough on the outside but carried a heavy heart. She was aware she might not wake up

she chose

pretend to be oblivious,

the surgeon was his granddaughter, he couldn’t add to the pressure she

today. Next time, we’ll have your mom win it back for

Vivienne’s eye as she stared at the interwoven pieces, her

put pressure on her. They had chosen to keep things under

eventually returned to silence, broken only by the occasional

Karen slipped quietly out of her

we should head back. Get some

nodded and drove away from the Perez Mansion.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for