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.

that with you. He's like that with everyone, just

some more teasing, Vivienne hung up and watched the video of Floyd's struggle. As expected,

whether Floyd was willing to take

especially since their mom had

Floyd showed no signs of

but then Floyd

out, Floyd dropped a

to wait after school. She nodded at Floyd and stealthily signaled an OK to Isaiah, who simply looked down and tapped something on his phone. As the school bell rang, Vivienne received a message

Floyd followed Juliet and Isaiah to meet Vivienne.

say, "Looks like Mr. Wolf lost his temper

hadn't mentioned it to Vivienne, thinking it was trivial, but to his surprise, the

a smile to Floyd. "Your

hesitated but finally gathered the courage to

is it?" Vivienne squatted

the things in your study," Floyd said,

sighed, not expecting the boy to

about them? If you want to talk,

up, "I understand some of it. If you're stuck, I could

by his own offer, having just promised strangers

"You're willing

stumped. He hadn't considered why, and his

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

figure in her memory, though childlike, was

develop, their immediate concern was the Field family's

The nanny approached, her face relaxing as she saw Vivienne and the others,