The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Sophie’s face paled as she caught the words, and the woman beside her shifted uneasily.

Without hesitation, the woman clung to Gavin, tears streaming down her face as if on cue.

“Darling,” she wept, “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. Since the crack of dawn, I’ve been slaving away over a hot stove to prepare your favorite health tonic, not even meeting Victoria. And no sooner had I finished than I was met with a barrage of insults.

I know she dislikes me, but I am her elder, after all. And to be humiliated in front of all the housemaids—what about my dignity?”

At the sight of her tears, Gavin’s heart clenched. Without a second thought, he swung at Victoria.

This time, Victoria didn’t just stand there; she dodged with a swift move. She scoffed coldly at Gavin, “You think you can hit me? Do you really think I was born to be trampled upon?”

Enraged, Gavin grabbed the fruit bowl from the table and hurled it at her. “I’ve had enough of your insolence!”

With a swift kick, Victoria sent the fruit bowl flying. “And I’ve had enough of you!”

Glaring at Gavin, she roared, “I’ve had enough of you long ago! For this woman, you abandoned my mother, threw her out, leaving her in a vegetative state, and you live happily ever after with this bitch and her daughter. You use me to do your dirty work for your own selfish desires—why should I? I’m done!”

With that, Victoria stormed out.

Gavin bellowed from behind, “Get back here!”

Victoria didn’t look back, striding out the door. Once outside the villa, her expression of rage vanished.

Walter approached her respectfully, “Miss.”

As they walked, Victoria asked, “Is the new place ready?”

Walter nodded. “All set. Kaitlyn and her family can move in tomorrow.”

“You didn’t use our men, right?” Victoria pressed.

trouble on the one hand and assist her in secret on

sidelong glance. “What do you

me like hawks. If I openly helped Kaitlyn, it would only

Walter’s lips were sealed, he

down. Victoria admired her spirit, and when she learned that Tyler’s leg had been deliberately broken

she found the right

a million. When she heard Kaitlyn planned to sell her blood to repay it, Victoria arranged for an exorbitant sum

pint but received half a million in return. Her frail appearance was due, in part, to regular

the silence. “Doesn’t

an eye on them for me and

Walter nodded. “Understood.”

“Has my father not noticed anything off

been loyal to

“You’d better be. Those

well aware, Miss,”

…

Elsewhere.

the

finished his work and called

found Vivienne on the phone when he arrived. Without disturbing her, he simply opened

Vivienne’s conversation ended with a command, “Dig up everything on the

she hung up, Percival asked,

any

my life, a member of the once-prosperous Littleton family

family?” Percival pondered for a moment. “The ones

“You’re aware?” Vivienne inquired.

said, “The Littletons are an ancient warrior lineage, too. Rumor has it they got booted for crossing paths with another ancient warrior lineage. About a decade ago, there was a scandal with the Littleton product line—people died, their finances tanked, and Mr. and Mrs.