The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 1079

Chapter 1079

Outside.

Charlie and Oliver were led by Sophia into Grandpa Henry's prized greenhouse by their cousin Juliette.

Amidst the room filled with expensive plants, the two boys dared not move a muscle.

They had been here once before, when they needed to feed their newly acquired rabbit with some "grass".

That very night, their father was summoned to Grandpa's study and didn't emerge until after a stern hour-long lecture.

From then on, they knew to recognize the value of these plants and were strictly forbidden from touching them, as they were Grandpa Henry's pride and joy. Clearly, Juliette was blissfully unaware.

She moved freely around the greenhouse, turning to find the two boys frozen at the door, giving them a curious look.

"Charlie, Oliver, why aren't you moving? Grandpa's flowers are beautiful, look! I'm not stingy, come here, and I'll pick the reddest one for you."

The two boys shook their heads in terror.

They dared not.

Juliette, thinking they might run away again, plucked two flowers and stuffed them into their hands, "Here, consider the face-pinching incident forgotten. Don't be mad at me, okay?"

Charlie and Oliver's eyes widened, not at the sight of the flowers, but at the thought of Grandpa Henry's explicit instructions. Even the least expensive plant in the greenhouse was worth a year's supply of their favorite cheese sticks. Cheese sticks were their most cherished snack.

Holding these flowers... would they ever get to eat snacks again?

Grandpa Henry slowly made his way out of the room, spotting the group of kids in his greenhouse.

Just then, a flash of red caught his eye.

Grandpa Henry squinted, turning to his butler, "What are Charlie and Oliver holding in their hands?"

careful look and cautiously

his eyes briefly, deciding to address the root of the issue, "Let their father know he'll need to make it up to me. What's the point of having him if he can't even watch

snorted, "A child's failure

"Crash!"

Henry felt a sudden tightness in

over the lotus orchid Luke had brought you the day before yesterday!" Grandpa Henry pursed his lips, serene, "No matter, it's broken, it's broken.

The butler, "..."

wouldn't have had to secure one

"Crash!"

his own heart in knots. Each of those plants was pampered and nurtured by

"For what?"

with a girl liking flowers? Let her play. How much can it possibly cost?" The

Henry's heart was tilting so far it might as well

Poor their father.

the other week, he had dipped into his savings to compensate for a rare orchid, and now it seemed he'd have to "splurge"

he asked, "Juliette, what are you all looking

dad's voice, Charlie and Oliver shifted, tilting their heads to

Charlie pointed and whispered,

pointing at the orchid, remembered the

as he came closer, he nearly

expensive, Juliette patiently explained, "Oliver, you're still young, let me teach you. Grass isn't valuable.

she spoke, she was about

children's sake, "Juliette, put that down for now." Innocently, Juliette asked, "Uncle, do you want

felt his heart bleeding, resorting to his phone for help while instructing Juliette, "Don't touch it. I'll call

found it strange, "No need, Juliette

grabbed the orchid, yanking it

if his mind had snapped along

He knew that flower.

acquire it, and it hadn't been in his father's possession for three days before it was gone.

seeing their dumbstruck father, reminded him in their sweet, milky voices, "Daddy, aren't you calling Uncle?" Juliette answered for

grabbed a neighboring unflowered "weed" intending to throw