The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Gavin's eyes flashed a warning as he glanced at Victoria, "Since we've given our word to the Grimshaws, we can't break it. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how many times you've visited them-it won't do any good."

He signaled to Harrison, who immediately stepped forward to help Sophie up, "Miss Sophie, Victoria speaks her mind. Don't take offense. Better get up from the floor-it's cold, and you wouldn't want to catch a chill. Dad would be worried sick."

"Get lost-I don't need your help."

Sophie shook off Harrison's hand with a defiant look. She wasn't foolish.

Wasn't Harrison's remark just a blatant admission that Victoria was right?

Everyone looked down on her, including her own father, who always claimed to love her the most!

Was it just because Victoria held the title of the legitimate daughter?

If it weren't for her mother's relentless pursuit, that status should have rightfully been hers!

Biting her lower lip in frustration, she said, "Dad, I was just trying to help. Victoria's been trying to get something from Kaitlyn for ages with no results. I thought I'd go to Mr. Grimshaw myself to buy her some time, so if she comes up empty-handed, at least the Grimshaws won't blame us."

"With you?" Victoria scoffed from her perch, legs crossed leisurely. "Ridiculous. Dad, don't worry. I'll retrieve the item before the deadline. And when I do, you better not forget what you promised." Gavin's expression shifted, "That's if you can actually get it."

"What did you promise Victoria, Dad?" Sophie's mind raced with the possibility of it being something like the Abernathy estate.

She spun around anxiously, "How about I give you a suggestion, sis? Even if Kaitlyn is tough, her entourage is nothing but dead weight. Why don't we send more people to snatch her daughter? She'll have to hand over the recipe then."

then, Sophie could sabotage it all from the shadows! Victoria would completely lose

expressions of the others. Especially Gavin, who couldn't believe his daughter, usually as

moment before he exploded in anger under Harrison's and Victoria's gleeful gaze, "How dare you! I've spoiled you rotten to the point where you've forgotten the very concept of legality!"

audacity of such a

you ever read the criminal code? Do you realize kidnapping a child lands you behind bars? I'm seriously questioning whether you're a mole

His gaze on Sophie was indistinguishable from that

evidently, wasn't

wouldn't have had to go

Absurd.

nonsense. Please believe me; I really just wanted to help. We could just scare her a little, not actually have Victoria do anything." Seeing her still not giving up, Victoria stood up

Kaitlyn doesn't have the recipe anymore. It's now in the hands of Vivienne. This woman

was instantly alert, "What? Kaitlyn

not know Percival? The beloved nephew of that woman! Richard's

years, but over the past few, with misfortunes befalling the main and secondary branches of the Ellingtons, Percival had

could see the reach of Percival's

no doubt, was no ordinary

the item in their possession, reclaiming it would

pause, Gavin looked at Victoria, instructing, "You're his cousin, and you've never been in touch before. If you could reconnect, get close

you. My grandfather and uncle reached out to her initially, but she insisted on marrying you and staying with the Abernathys. Now, after everything that's happened to my mom, you expect me, her daughter,

was laced with scorn. "Do you

face turned