The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Kaitlyn knew all too well that things couldn't be that simple; there must have been someone fanning the flames behind the scenes.

But by then, the Littletons had fallen from grace. Those who once flocked around her family with flattering words were nowhere to be found after her parents' untimely deaths. To seek their help now would be nothing short of a pipe dream.

Yet the persecution from the ancient warrior lineages did not cease.

Tears streamed down Kaitlyn's cheeks as she struggled to catch her breath, coughing twice. "My father-in-law, Julian, ever since someone accused him of taking bribes... It's been one thing after another. Private tutoring, disciplining students too harshly. And now... they're accusing him of... of indecency with a student."

Julian had once been a celebrated teacher at Rivenwood High, but now his reputation was in tatters.

His wife, Sadie, couldn't continue with her job either, taken in for questioning by the school board time and again. Only after the school let them go did the tumult finally begin to subside.

accused Julian... she jumped from her building and took her life. Her parents think it's Julian's fault, so... so they called the cops and had him taken away." Vivienne listened intently

word, before finally speaking up, "What's the girl's name? Is she

shaky, "Her name is Cassidy. After the incident, I heard her family was

"Havenwood?"

She paused for a moment before reassuringly smiling, "Don't

of the difficulty ahead, Kaitlyn started to protest, but Vivienne had already turned away, dialing on her cell phone, "Check for a family in Havenwood, daughter named Cassidy, moved there five years ago from Rivenwood, left because

bribery case involving Julian and Sadie. I

made years ago, which turned out to be the best one. Without Vivienne, she might have already crumbled under the pressure from

nothing, simply patting Kaitlyn's hand to

thing; allegations of indecency are another, especially after so much time has passed. Any surveillance from the old office would

finger at Julian, those people didn't even bother investigating. They just took her word for it. Julian wasn't jailed, but he was detained for weeks. During that

surprised and switched gears, "What about the bribery case? Who accused

Her eyes, clear and bright, were tinged with resentment as she clenched her teeth, "Who else but that ungrateful brat? Without Julian's financial support, he wouldn't have been able to afford his

in the local precinct, Sophie was in a foul mood, roused from her bed in the dead of

of her blouse. But before leaving the Abernathy estate, Madeline had given her instructions: no matter what, they needed to retrieve the item from Kaitlyn. They had to show their strength to the Grimshaws, or she'd end up married to

at the couple behind bars before a venomous plot took root, "Give those two a taste of their own

to the officers, they hesitated, "I'm sorry, Ms.

during interrogation is nothing new. Are you saying you've never done that before?" The officers were in a

and let in some mosquitoes. Surely, that's not beyond your capabilities?" The two old geezers looked like a strong breeze could knock them over, let alone the

at the precinct lobby, the head of the local Education Bureau was still comforting the girl's mother, who had not left