The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Percival's interrogation left Floyd speechless and visibly shaken.

Juliet never expected Floyd, on his very first visit, to be so bold, let alone tamper with her mom's belongings. This pretty much ensured they couldn't back him up now.

Isaiah merely observed Floyd, his gaze a complex mix of emotions, suspicion not least among them. After all, their visit to his house had coincided with a family argument, plus finding him alone by the roadside - on reflection, it all seemed too coincidental. Coincidences, after all, tend to raise more questions than answers, right?

"What are you doing here?" Percival's tone hardened seeing Floyd's hesitance.

Startled, Floyd stepped back, tears pooling in his eyes, "I... I was just following Juliet's instructions to fetch something. I noticed the study light was on and thought to turn it off for you. These things were scattered on the floor, I just took a glance, and then you all arrived." Overwhelmed, Floyd broke down, his tears streaming freely. Percival, who had been gentle moments ago, suddenly seemed a different person, triggering in Floyd memories of his own father.

Hearing his daughter's name, Percival looked towards her, "Is that true?"

"He's not lying, daddy, at least about the first part. Isaiah and I were building a Lego tower and asked him to fetch a missing piece. We thought you had already sent him home." Percival, despite Juliet's words, remained unimpressed.

"I'm so sorry, truly. I didn't mean to pry." Floyd sobbed, apologizing profusely.

Percival, standing at the doorway, felt at a loss. Inspecting the items, he noticed only one document seemed disturbed. "Let's get you home," he finally said.

The incident made Floyd wary of getting too close to Percival thereafter.

Noticing Floyd's deliberate distance, Percival drove him back to his house in silence.

As Floyd entered his home, Percival caught a glimpse of a painting in the living room, its symbols eerily familiar.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Ellington. We wouldn't have known what to do without you," the housekeeper said, expressing her gratitude as she saw Percival off.

Floyd's disappearance into a blind spot of the surveillance had left her anxious, especially with the young master and the lady of the house quarreling, paying no mind to the situation.

of the kid's mental health. Let's avoid such situations in the future," Percival advised

parting glance at

spy on us?" Juliet's mind was

lazy, none of this would have happened. She bore some responsibility

herself trusting the boy at

window to see Percival

all that innocent," Isaiah said before heading upstairs, leaving Juliet alone

night, to find Percival waiting, enveloping her in a warm

so late?" she

you. Can't sleep without you,"

Did something happen at home?" Sensing his mood,

word, showing her the documents he had reorganized on the

late to dig into this?" Vivienne laughed, unaware

head, pointing at the

in, the kid was closely examining a report," Percival massaged his temples,

him?" Vivienne

Juliet and Isaiah need a dictionary, but he... he was thoroughly engrossed." Vivienne's

moment. "When I dropped him off, I saw

silent as they contemplated

only catching a

that moment, we thought it was just family troubles, but now...

Percival's gaze.

felt an inexplicable familiarity with the boy, as if they

Floyd was tossing and turning under the covers, unable