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

Vivienne hung up and watched the video

whether Floyd was willing to take the next

would approach them, especially since their mom had assured them Floyd would surely talk

school was about to end, Floyd showed no signs of

for a moment, but then Floyd looked up,

school let out, Floyd dropped a

it, she saw the message asking her 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

and Isaiah to meet Vivienne. When they arrived, Vivienne could

raised an eyebrow at Percival, as if to say, "Looks like Mr. Wolf lost his temper last

to Vivienne, thinking it was trivial, but to his surprise,

head home and say goodbye to your friends," Vivienne said with a smile to Floyd. "Your

the courage to

it?" Vivienne squatted to be eye-level with

things in your study," Floyd said, glancing

not expecting the

to Percival, "What about them? If you want to

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

having just promised strangers something potentially

still sought confirmation, "You're

was stumped. He hadn't considered why, and his

his image somehow

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

mistrust could develop, their immediate concern was the Field

doing here?" The nanny approached, her face relaxing as she saw Vivienne and the others, "Nice to see you again, Mr. Ellington, Mrs.