The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne's gaze shifted across the room, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. "Harrison, surely you must recognize some of these faces. Back in the day, as an intern, you joined the Littleton family's R&D team to develop new products. These people were your partners and mentors."

Harrison's hand, hidden under the table, clenched his shirt tightly. Ignoring Vivienne, he rasped in disbelief, "Blake, Trent, how could you do this to me?"

"How much did Vivienne pay you to bear false witness against me?"

Jerry cleared his throat, "These witnesses haven't spoken yet. How do you know it's perjury?"

Harrison shot back, "Why else would you bring them here if not to pin the crime of ingratitude on me? Mrs. Littleton, I respected your kindness to me back then and didn't quarrel with you. After all these years, why can't you let me go?"

Leopold, sitting among the audience, glanced at Harrison's reddened eyes. "This guy's quite the actor," he remarked.

He elbowed Thomas, "Is this what they call a 'male gold digger' on the internet?"

"Clearly," was the unspoken reply.

Before Thomas could respond, a crisp female voice surprised them from behind.

Leopold turned sharply, just in time to catch a grimace of pain, "Griffin Martinez! A little heads-up next time, you scared me half to death!"

Seeing Leopold's lips turn pale, a flicker of concern crossed Griffin's eyes. "Oh dear, I thought you knew. Are you okay? Need me to check?"

Leopold quickly waved her off, "No, no, I'm fine!"

"Oh." Griffin looked slightly dejected, her disappointment visible.

Thomas couldn't stand it and shot his brother a look that clearly read: That's why you're single!

Leopold silently protested his innocence.

you were talking about? No wonder he managed to charm Vivienne's friend; he does look

excitement was palpable, much to Leopold's annoyance. "He's nothing but a wolf in sheep's

resonated in the small

sitting not too far from

murky eyes sparked with an idea, thinking of Emrys Abernathy

if Emrys and the others recanted. That could really complicate

only he knew he was already a pawn being sacrificed, he'd be worrying

familiar with them?" Gavin fumbled

turning to Victoria, who was clearly bored, "When you visited Vivienne, did you manage to

Victoria, yawning, showed little

"What could

and Percival

me because

share their plans

words implied Gavin was the fool

wondered why Vivienne

be plotting against Gavin?

then, considering Percival's deep-seated hatred for Gavin, if he knew someone was after Gavin, he'd likely help them along. Protecting Gavin must serve some other purpose. Victoria's thoughts drifted, her

dead. His life or death held no interest

Abernathy family's assets

about to lash out, but Percival's

chill, Gavin's grip on his cane tightened, his demeanour changing to

Grimshaw family, who else could instill such

followed to where Percival had been looking, but she missed seeing the person of

piqued, she glanced back at Gavin, then noticed several researchers entering the