The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Arthur found himself in a rather awkward spot thanks to Vivienne's sharp tongue. The snickers from the bystanders didn't escape his notice, but a swift glance from him was enough to silence them.

He sighed internally as he looked back at Vivienne, "You remind me of someone I used to know. I asked for a picture of your mother because I needed to confirm if she was the person I'm thinking of." Under normal circumstances, Vivienne's tone would have irked him. But the striking resemblance she bore to someone he dearly missed melted away any prejudice he might have harbored against her. It was unlike him to explain himself, yet here he was, patiently doing just that with Vivienne. He didn't have the time to dig around for clues. Returning to Rivenwood and coming up empty-handed was frustrating enough. It was easier to just ask Vivienne directly.

Both Vivienne and Percival were taken aback by his request. Vivienne scrutinized Arthur, but there was no hint of him in her features, which were a mirror image of her mother, Karen's best traits. No matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see the resemblance Arthur spoke of.

Vivienne frowned slightly, then said, "My mom wasn't fond of taking pictures... we don't have any."

Before she could finish, Arthur interjected eagerly, "Where is she? Can I meet her?"

"In my lab," Vivienne replied, though she had no intention of answering at first. Yet, for some reason, she found herself divulging the information, convinced she had lost her mind.

"I'll go right now," Arthur said, turning to leave.

Vivienne suddenly called out, "You can't take Harrison and Gavin with you!"

She didn't expect Arthur to agree, but to her surprise, he waved off the concern with a grand gesture, "Fine, fine, they're yours!"

Arthur's entourage was left bewildered. So, what was this all about? A wasted journey?

Arthur then left with his people, leaving Vivienne and the rest with puzzled expressions. Was that it? No dramatic showdown?

Leopold approached Vivienne, his expression serious, "Vivienne, what do you think Arthur, the War God, is up to with all this?"

he was there to claim Harrison and Gavin.

Vivienne, Arthur's focus was solely on confirming if Vivienne knew Winnie and asking for a picture of her mother.

long lashes casting shadows over

her hand, his voice soft, "I'll verify it. If it's true, you don't have

gaze, her eyes deep and understanding, as if he could see right through her. She

When Arthur mentioned her resemblance to his friend, she had an inkling. Her face bore a striking ninety percent resemblance to Karen's. Others had recognized her as Karen's daughter through her appearance, but no one had ever mentioned Winnie before. That name was

up Winnie, she didn't think much of it. But as soon as he

would look for her, except to use her mother as leverage against her. No one would ask for her mother's picture simply because of her resemblance. In that

was her father, she couldn't say

if the

relation, she wouldn't acknowledge

and partly for her wedding with Mr. Wolf, which had to proceed as her mother wished-with he biological father present. But she had hoped for a father she could look forward to meeting. No one could understand the feeling of emptiness she felt seeing others

to make up for twenty years of absence, than have

he was the

Winnie. Because if he had cared, her mother wouldn't have had to fight alone for so many years, and she wouldn't have been confined to Emerald Mountain for a decade. Because her mother had infiltrated

Because...

She couldn't forgive him.

smile was dazzling, yet he sensed a hint of resentment.

Vivienne nodded.