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.

“Miss, I don’t understand. If you want to help Kaitlyn, why do you give her trouble on the one hand and assist her in secret on the other, making her despise you? Is

gave him a sidelong glance. “What do you

watching me like hawks. If I openly helped Kaitlyn, it would only arouse their suspicions. That foolish woman, to risk everything

lips were sealed, he

tall even when life knocked her down. Victoria admired her spirit, and when she learned that Tyler’s leg had been deliberately broken by one of Harrison’s goons, leaving the Littleton family desperate and without a buyer for their home, it was

faced, she found the right

glass, leaving Kaitlyn with a debt of half a million. When

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

broke the silence. “Doesn’t today’s outburst expose your

an eye on them for me and

Walter nodded. “Understood.”

my father not noticed anything off about

stepped back, bowing his head. “Miss, I’ve been loyal to you. I’ve always been flawless in

lips. “You’d better be.

aware, Miss,” Walter

…

Elsewhere.

the

called Vivienne to

arrived. Without disturbing her, he

command, “Dig up everything on the Littleton family. Leave

Percival asked,

heard of any Littletons crossing her path

once saved my life, a member of the once-prosperous Littleton family from Rivenwood.

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

“You’re aware?” Vivienne inquired.

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. Littleton… they both