The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Percival stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair, his muscular chest outlined by the sleek fabric of his silk pajamas. Even though he knew Vivienne couldn't see him, he nodded in agreement and hummed in response.

Glancing down at his phone, it was flooded with thirty messages, half of which were from Richard. A fleeting look of resignation crossed Percival's eyes as he read through them all. Instead of annoyance, a chuckle escaped him. "The Abernathys are hosting a family reunion for Victoria and Grandpa tomorrow."

"Again?" Vivienne, putting her phone aside and rolling into bed, was puzzled. "Didn't we do this already? Didn't Harrison tell Gavin?"

Handing over his phone, Percival's answer was clear without words, "If he had, we wouldn't be in this mess. The Abernathys' drama is deeper than we thought."

After skimming through Richard's messages and beyond, even Kenneth Ellington couldn't help but scoff at the Abernathys' shamelessness. It seemed he had had his own run-ins with them, his texts brimming with disdain.

Returning the phone, Vivienne pulled Percival down beside her, "Let's not drown in their whirlpool. When the big fish shows up, we'll be ready."

As they settled down, Percival, with a swift move, hovered above her, not at all surprised by her unfazed gaze. His hands caressed her soft cheeks, a ticklish sensation spreading through her veins, making her flush and nuzzle against his palm in a playful surrender.

Percival found her gesture incredibly endearing, his gaze deepening. Impatient, Vivienne pulled him closer for a kiss, their lips meeting in a moment that drowned out the sound of the rain and their muffled laughter.

And so, they naturally stood up Gavin. Not just them, aside from Richard and Kenneth, who had accidentally stumbled upon the Abernathys' disgrace, no direct member of the Ellington family showed up. Victoria, as the granddaughter, sat beside Richard, facing the emissaries sent by Gavin from across a long table, a scene reminiscent of two opposing forces, with the heiress seemingly defecting to the enemy side.

my lady. The mistress's illness had kept us quite occupied," Brady, dressed in

sweat, "It's been years, and to think the Abernathys have all turned mute. Quite frankly, I see my donations to the church haven't

lost on the attendees; Brady, having been a stalwart beside Gavin for years, struggled to find a retort, merely shifting the subject. "Speaking of which, we've heard the Ellington heir has gotten engaged. Why hasn't Percival made an appearance? He is, after all, our Miss's

furiously typing on his phone, looked up sharply, defending, "And what right does an underling

for Brady's darkening expression to respond, Kenneth turned to Richard, "Are the Abernathys

tree yields crooked branches. Gavin's

to Victoria with

you, dear. You're not your father's

lif

in

any part Gavin's legacy! Victoria would've agreed on the spot if not

okay if Percival's busy. I heard he's been tied up with a legal battle for a friend's sake. It's understandable if he couldn't make

case wrapped up yesterday," was the swift

his granddaughter's hand, his warmth and affection seemingly bridging the gap of their infrequent encounters "You know, your cousin Percival and his wife, Vivienne, are quite the lovebirds. They've finally taken some time off for a cozy getaway, just the two of them. No need to worry about them now; there'll be