The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Harrison's eyes flashed with an icy chill, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

After a brief silence, the brooding look on his face faded, and he turned towards Vivienne and Percival with a gaze that was subtly warm, though its sincerity was questionable. "Ms. Hawthorn, let's not stir the pot here. Let's focus on the matter at hand, the Littleton family's lawsuit. I understand the lawyer handling it is a colleague of yours, Ms. Hawthorn. I hope you could persuade him to drop the defense." Finally, they were getting to the heart of the matter.

Vivienne lifted her gaze, signaling for him to continue.

Harrison raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of determination. "You've judged me based solely on Kaitlyn's words, Ms. Hawthorn, which seems rather unfair."

"I admit, my initial intentions with the Littleton family were not pure, but before I could act, tragedy struck. I even went back to the Littleton's lab to check the medicines myself. The formula had issues long before I arrived, which had nothing to do with me."

Leopold scoffed, "A culprit never admits they're the culprit. Mr. Schram, are you so sure because you have evidence?"

Thomas's eyes flickered, suddenly understanding the purpose of their meeting. "If Mr. Schram truly believes he's innocent, why does he keep bothering our lady and Percival?"

"It's because Harrison doesn't want to clash with Mr. Ellington," Sophie chimed in, unable to resist joining the conversation.

She stomped her foot, tilting her chin up in a playful yet adorable gesture, "The Ellington family, being the most prestigious in Rivenwood, and also my sister's maternal grandparents, obviously Harrison doesn't want to make enemies. Yet, some people, misguided by gossip, think they're on the side of justice. Mr. Ellington, she's just trying to ruin the relationship between the Ellington and Abernathy families!" As Sophie's words settled, the atmosphere, which had momentarily softened, tensed up again. The spacious dining room fell silent, the breathing of the few present audible in the quiet.

A shadow flickered across Harrison's face.

Cursing Sophie internally for her knack for making matters worse, he wondered why she would mention the relationship between the Ellington and Abernathy families in front of Percival. Was she trying to stir up trouble?

"I was unaware of any relationship between the Ellington and Abernathy families," came a chilling voice, even making those close feel a shiver down their spine. Victoria instinctively stepped back.

Everyone, through their expressions and gestures, seemed to distance themselves from Sophie.

Harrison remained silent, coldly watching as the scene unfolded, waiting to step over Sophie's "corpse" for his gain.

But the eye of the storm, Sophie, was blissfully unaware.

Ellington and Abernathy families

her voice trailed off

Vivienne, none of

back, her gaze towards Sophie filled with unmistakable scorn, "So, you

spoke earlier, you considered yourself the

with a smile, but to everyone but Percival, they felt an overwhelming pressure, a suffocating weight that made

in the face of Percival's wrathful demeanor, which seemed to emerge straight from the depths

to Leopold, who conveniently shifted his gaze away a

to step

the victim card fail, Sophie clenched her teeth in frustration, looking hopefully

something you wanted to say to them? Hurry up, don't

"Sister!"

been holding onto

his disdain for Vivienne, Harrison pressed his lips together, swallowing his frustration before continuing, "And this lawsuit, we surely

adjusted his

expression unusually warm, "You're

and sister-in-law. don't want

apart over someone like

want

reputation ruined because

nor

who can't seem

truth."

face, Vivienne couldn't

had known it was going to be this kind of baseless accusation, she