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 are related by marriage. Your aunt is my father's

said, her voice trailed off into an awkward

Vivienne, none of that

gently patted Percival's back, her gaze towards Sophie filled with unmistakable scorn, "So, you admit you're

thought from the way you spoke earlier, you

but Percival, they felt an overwhelming pressure, a suffocating weight that made it hard

indignant yet unable to form a rebuttal, especially in the face of Percival's wrathful demeanor, which seemed to emerge straight from the depths of

conveniently shifted his

to step into this

the victim card fail, Sophie clenched her teeth in frustration, looking hopefully at Victoria, "Sister, you... you're just going

ignoring her, "Didn't you have something you wanted to say to them? Hurry up, don't waste

"Sister!"

I've been holding

his lips together, swallowing his frustration before continuing, "And

adjusted his suit,

expression unusually warm, "You're

sister-in-law. don't want

apart over someone like

I want

reputation ruined because

nor

can't seem to

truth."

face, Vivienne couldn't help but

going to be this kind of baseless accusation, she wouldn't have bothered coming to