The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

A pair of watery eyes stared directly at Gavin. "You gotta believe me. I had nothing with him before. When you married Holly, I was cornered into it..." Her challenging gaze sneakily glanced at Victoria, "Me and him, it was all for show, no real feelings. Besides, you promised you wouldn't marry Holly..."

Griffin watched the scene unfold, noticing Victoria's expression darkening. He nudged Leopold, "Hey, hey, look at that old hag, bringing up Vivienne's aunt like that. To be a homewrecker with no shame, that's a first for me."

Leopold snorted, his eyes filled with mockery, "Ms. Martinez, you should know, there are all sorts in this world. Confusing lack of morals for talent, their values are nothing like ours."

Thomas thought: These two, birds of a feather.

"Gavin..."

Leopold and Griffin had no intention of holding back, their comments loud enough for their corner of the room but not quite reaching the stage. Victoria's lips curved into a brief smirk, which quickly faded. Madeline's face turned from red to purple. Ignoring the situation, she buried her face in Gavin's chest, "Look at them, they're all shaming me!"

Gavin rolled his eyes, guilt flashing across his face. "The Martinez family, didn't your father teach you any respect for your elders? No manners!" The Martinez family and the Abernathy family had always been at odds, and Griffin wasn't scared. "A homewrecker has no right to be my elder!" "Mr. Abernathy should worry about keeping his own house in order. Wouldn't want to be the last to know he's been cuckolded!"

Their exchange was lively, unbeknownst to them that on the stage, Whitford's gaze had not left Madeline for a moment. Especially when he saw her rush into Gavin's arms, his aura turned sharply fierce. Even the handcuffs seemed to clatter in response.

Harrison, achieving his goal, smirked with barely concealed triumph. "Whitford, got nothing to say?"

Whitford finally tore his gaze from Madeline, his expression unreadable. Vivienne watched silently, her

make a crucial decision, Jerry, following Vivienne's instructions, chose his moment. Before Whitford could speak, Jerry raised his hand, "Your Honor, we have another witness." The room tensed for a moment at his words. The judge, slightly amused

slapping Thomas's thigh in anticipation. "Here it comes, Vivienne's big

pushed him away. "Easy there! I

hitting you? No wonder

Thomas: ...Numb to it...

Thomas's plight from the sidelines. Anna, quietly

Emrys, the small band from Emerald City entered, drawing

a whisper, panic in his eyes. For a brief moment, Victoria thought she could feel Gavin's breath shake. She smirked, unseen, "Isn't that Mr. Abernathy? Dad, didn't you say he was

know? Who knows what Vivienne's up to, dragging in an

was chilling. "Yet this Mr. Abernathy hasn't taken

with the "lost Abernathy" occupying significant space, overshadowing the invited professors huddled in a corner. Standing at the

courtroom, flanked by Nimel.net

and