The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Juliet was baffled by the questioning, "Why do you care what my mom does?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Floyd waved his hands, trying to explain himself, "It's just, it's just..."

He wasn't sure if he could really say what was on his mind, especially considering the state he was in. After all, his dad had strictly forbidden him from meddling with or even asking about certain family affairs. If he were to spill the beans to Vivienne, his dad would have a fit.

But to Floyd, Vivienne had been a benefactor. In his eyes, her family's arrival had filled the void of affection that had been missing in his life for years.

He was utterly lost.

Watching Floyd's internal struggle, Juliet's patience was wearing thin, "If you don't want to talk about it, fine. I didn't want to hear it anyway!"

As she brushed past Floyd to leave, she muttered under her breath, "Good thing you didn't mess up those items, or my mom's efforts would have been for nothing."

Floyd caught the murmur, his lips tightening as he watched Juliet walk away, his hand slowly clenching at his side.

Isaiah, hidden in a corner of the hallway, witnessed the entire exchange and sent the video he'd captured to Percival. "Evidence."

Percival's lips twitched upon reading his son's message.

What did that mean? Couldn't he be more explicit?

As he shared this with Vivienne, she couldn't help but chuckle at Percival's complaint.

"Don't forget who his father is. He's just like you. Are you really complaining about yourself now?"

"Me? I've never been like that with you."

Vivienne thought about it and realized it was true; the father and son were indeed cut from the same cloth.

like that with everyone, just not much of

video of Floyd's struggle. As expected, Floyd seemed

about whether Floyd was willing to

especially since their mom had assured

Floyd showed

a moment, but then Floyd

out, Floyd

stealthily signaled an OK to Isaiah, who simply looked down and tapped something on his phone. As the school bell rang, Vivienne received a

they watched from afar as Floyd followed Juliet and Isaiah to meet Vivienne. When they arrived, Vivienne could

if to say, "Looks like Mr. Wolf lost his temper last

Vivienne, thinking it was trivial, but to his

Vivienne said with a smile to Floyd. "Your nanny is here too; we'll

courage to speak, "I have

it?" Vivienne squatted to be eye-level with him,

study," Floyd said, glancing nervously at

expecting the boy to understand

them? If you want to talk, talk. I'm here; he can't do

opened up, "I understand some of

his own offer, having just promised strangers something potentially critical to his

confirmation, "You're willing to

and his momentary silence filled Vivienne with

a feeling of mistrust towards Floyd, his image somehow overlapping with that of someone who had once posed a

she realized the physical discrepancies. The figure in her memory, though childlike, was taller

could develop, their immediate concern was

doing here?" The nanny approached, her face relaxing as she