The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Winston nodded eagerly, a sparkle of joy in his eyes. After all, spending time with Aunt Clara always made him happy.

Arthur trailed behind Sasha, as Alyssa slowly stood up, joining Arthur side by side.

As they stepped out of the door, Sasha glanced back at Vivienne, who was lounging in the living room, and softly asked, "Frost, do you want to join us?"

Vivienne shook her head gently, feeling a tad sleepy and yearning for a nap upstairs.

The group navigated through the winding corridors, eventually stepping onto a grey concrete path, leading to a pond dotted with water lilies. It was a rare sight for the Linklaters to invite outsiders here. The pond's surroundings were still under construction, lacking tall fences or chains, making it easy to reach down and touch the water lilies. The scene was serene, where the sky met the water seamlessly. Alyssa was usually quiet, but as they neared the pond, she found herself speaking more.

"This pond, it almost has a magical, natural feel to it," she remarked.

Arthur responded in a steady tone, "When the Linklaters first created this pond, they didn't rush to put up safety measures. It was off-limits to young children, allowing the lilies to grow without boundaries. It makes flower viewing all the more interesting."

Sasha, holding Winston, slowly admired the water lilies as they walked.

Winston rarely ventured outside the Wright family's estate, which was designed in a classic Western style, contrasting sharply with the traditional Chinese courtyard style of the Linklaters. This difference made everything new and exciting for him.

His little hand pointed towards the concrete path they were about to cross, where several paths intertwined among the water lilies. The lack of barriers allowed the lotus leaves and flowers to stretch out onto the concrete, capturing Winston's wide-eyed fascination.

When Sasha reached a spot where the vibrant green lotus leaves sprawled out, she paused to let the little one take a closer look, chuckling, "If you like, I'll pick a big lotus leaf for you to play with later!" Winston nodded excitedly, his soft lips planting a kiss on Sasha's cheek, which made her hug him tighter.

Alyssa clenched her fists in secret frustration. Her own brother wasn't as affectionate with her, his sister, but got along famously with her rival. She bit down hard on her teeth.

Arthur watched as Sasha carried Winston, her laughter making her seem years younger, like a graceful young woman.

a tissue, "Your auntie has been holding you for too long, and now you're all sweaty. Let

him, and Sasha, slightly relaxing, followed behind them, enjoying the scenery. Arthur, now holding Winston, seemed much more at ease, laughing heartily, "Look, there's

as he wiggled his little

came from an ordinary family, but to find out she's Sasha from the

replying smoothly, "I didn't expect you to have such

Sasha would take the opportunity to boast about her background,

Wright family's background is probably not something to

understanding the situation to some extent

your love story,

to the Linklaters, it was the talk

buzzing

clicked her tongue, her lips curving in a slight smile as

past with Arthur,

unrequited love for him, is something I know nothing about, nor do wish

I'm particularly interested in your private matters

I've never considered marrying

else, always waiting for

a daughter was something I couldn't

need to ask, what's the deal with you

lotuses, Sasha exuded an aloof aura, her voice calm, "That's my personal business, and

her eyes, persisted, "But I truly love Arthur. He's a good man, and I hope you won't do anything to