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.

nothing, just... take better care of the kid's mental health. Let's avoid such situations in the future," Percival

at Floyd

think Floyd is really here to spy on us?" Juliet's mind was far

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

trusting the

Lego piece down, glancing out the window to see Percival had returned

know, but he doesn't seem all that innocent," Isaiah

night, to find Percival waiting, enveloping her in a

so late?"

you. Can't sleep

"What's wrong? You seem off. Did something happen at home?" Sensing his mood, she gently

led her to the study without a word, showing

to dig into this?" Vivienne laughed, unaware of the

at the documents, then recounted the

closely examining a report," Percival massaged

him?" Vivienne raised

on the reports. "He was absorbed, not at all like someone who couldn't understand. Juliet and Isaiah need a dictionary, but he... he was thoroughly engrossed." Vivienne's brows furrowed in concern, "So, you think he

moment. "When I dropped him off, I saw a

fell silent as

home during their visit, only catching a glimpse

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

he's definitely suspicious," Vivienne met Percival's gaze. "But, there's

felt an inexplicable familiarity with the boy, as if they had met before, yet couldn't place

Floyd was tossing and turning under the covers, unable to fall