The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Gavin glanced at the bruise beneath his eye, so faint it was almost invisible.

A flicker of disdain crossed his eyes, but for Madeline's sake, he tempered his expression. "What's the rush? As long as you all stick to your story and don't budge on Julian's harassment charges, I can't believe Vivienne, that little tramp, has any chance of overturning the case!"

"But what about the bribery allegations from before..." Kipling wanted to say that since they'd filed charges, they'd surely not focus only on the hardest to prove. Back in the day, to climb the ladder, he had done quite a few things to undermine Julian. If all that came to light, who would believe his judgment?

Gavin waved his hand dismissively, as if such concerns were trivial. "You took bribes? As if Vivienne's people are clean? That country girl from nowhere, how does she have the clout to sue you?"

Kipling's eyes lit up with understanding at the implied message. He slapped his thigh, "Right! How does Vivienne have the nerve? It must be her man behind her! Gavin, I know what to do now. Don't worry, this time, I won't let Kaitlyn and Vivienne get away with it!"

Gavin nodded with satisfaction, "Then get to it. And don't mess it up."

Kaitlyn, Vivienne. You really think that by handing over the secret recipe, you'll be worry-free?!

Just wait. The real show is yet to come!

Watching Kipling's eager departure, Gavin dusted off his jacket and stood to leave.

Unnoticed by all, two figures had been standing in the most hidden corner of the side hall the entire time. Victoria only emerged from the shadows once the room cleared.

Looking in the direction Kipling had left, then at Gavin's retreating figure, she said with a mix of mockery and wistfulness, "Vivienne really does have some talent, pushing Gavin to this point. The old man's truly a waste of space!"

Seaton dared not speak; lately, Victoria seemed to have less and less restraint in her speech. She'd just had a spat with Harrison, and now she was insinuating against Gavin. She was practically declaring war on him without saying it outright!

Victoria didn't expect Seaton to say anything. After venting, she remembered the task at hand, "Did you find what I asked for?"

"Miss, everything you requested is on this flash drive." Seaton instantly became serious. He handed the silver flash drive to Victoria.

"This should make things interesting. Vivienne had better not disappoint me." Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ

earlier-should we report to

switch the Littleton family urns, Seaton was no longer surprised by any of her actions. After all, anyone capable of desecrating her own grandmother's remains to spite her father was

Seaton's internal commentary, Victoria waved him off, "No need. Vivienne surely knows already. Just make sure our current plans go smoothly

matters to attend to and couldn't afford to be exposed because of

Seaton bowed, "Understood."

conversation remained their

stormed out of the Abernathy

was known only to

began at

into the jury undetected, and in the courtroom, Jerry laid

laughably weak, yet each point was crafted to steer the

to be unable to

worried; he

paper from the table, "There's a difference between lying on one's own and being coerced to lie. Kipting, to entrap Julian, bribed the then-impoverished Tobin with a thousand

had done to Julian,

clear and legible, and the court had no shortage of experts to

was confirmed beyond doubt that the note was indeed written by

robed judge looked solemnly at Kipling's side, "The plaintiff's evidence

expected Tobin to still have that

longer the vulnerable kid he once manipulated, meeting his eyes with a calm and

Kipling's lawyer