The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Victoria couldn't believe how unforgiving Richard was, refusing to forgive her mother. Desperate, she was about to leave with Holly when Percival shot her a look, halting her steps.

"Who said you could leave? I just said you owe Victoria the most. If you leave now, isn't that just going to make her suffer more out there?" Holly froze, disbelief lifting her gaze.

Richard's eyes were filled with sorrow as he looked at her. "Seeing you like this partly falls on me. I've taught you so much but failed to teach you the most important lesson - how to judge character." "You're my only daughter. I failed as a father, and the guilt has been eating atfor years. When I meet your mother again, she'll surely blme and not want to see me." By the last sentence, thinking of his beloved wife, Richard couldn't hold back his tears anymore.

Not only had he failed Holly, but he also hadn't looked after Fiona and Flynn, his grandchildren.

Holly, in a rush, stumbled towards Richard with Percival's support. She threw herself into Richard's arms, "Dad, mom wouldn't blyou. It's all my fault." "Now, you take Victoria and kneel at your mother's memorial. Acknowledge your roots!" "From now on, you're part of the Ellington family, with no ties to the Abernathy family!" Richard proclaimed loudly.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Holly and Victoria knelt at the family shrine, signifying Holly's return to the family. From now on, she and Victoria were part of the family, beyond reproach.

Vivienne's lips curled up slightly, seeing Richard finally at peace.

She glanced at Percival, whose eyes were filled with tenderness.

He gently squeezed Vivienne's hand, playing with it gently.

Richard, worn out by the night's emotional rollercoaster and unable to keep up, left them with one last request, "Set up a room for Holly and Victoria. Victoria, take good care of your mother." The next day.

Vivienne stirred into Percival's embrace.

Percival propped himself up, his deep, dark eyes looking at her with a mix of affection and desire. Vivienne, her cheeks flushed from his gaze, buried her face into his chest then looked up again. Percival chuckled softly, "Looks like I let you off too easy last night, waking up this early." Vivienne, finding a comfortable position, grumbled, "My phone kept ringing, so annoying." Percival tapped her nose, smiling, "Next time, leave it by me. I'll take care of it." When Percival and Vivienne arrived at the Linklater family's residence, the security was as strict as ever, scanning them before letting them in.

The room, adorned in white, housed et he latest medical equipment where Karen lay quietly, a bouquet of lew-kissed pink roses emitting a aint fragrance by her gone >ersonally selected and cut by Arthur. wThe door creaked open at Arthur's soft command, "Cin." Chase and Dante peeked in, Arthur's gaze cooling at the sight of them, disappointment flickering in his eyes.

"Boss, we've brought the list of a hundred ways to cheer up a daughter you asked for!" Dante said with a nervous laugh, Chase standing rigidly behind him.

Arthur shot them a look sharp as knives, "You have the nerve to show up?" After being subjected to a bizarre array of tests because of Shane and Dante's report, from checking for disguise to assessing martial skills, Arthur was on the verge of sending them off to the battlefield! Shane tried to laugh it off, "It was all in the nof safety! Who would've thought you'd change so much, almost thought I saw a ghost." Even now, Arthur's gentle demeanor was almost unrecognizable.

Arthur simply ignored him.

Shane, feeling rebuffed, asked, "Do you still want this list of ways to woo your daughter?" Arthur glared, "Took you long enough. At this rate, my daughter would be gone!" Dante exchanged a look with Shane, whispering, "Is Arthur mad? Think of something quick, or he might just send us back to the front lines!" Chase gritted his teeth, murmuring to his friend, "But her heart, it never really cback, did it? What am I supposed to do?" "Is now really the tfor this?" Dante grimaced, then glanced over at Arthur's expression.

Having been Arthur's right-hand man for years, Dante could tell in an instant that Arthur was on edge, as if being pushed into a corner, facing a do-or-die situation.

Chase peeked inside again, his eyes widening in shock, "Holy smokes, Arthur went all out with those cutesy pink sheets for his lady! The boss's taste... pretty out there!" Dante was speechless.

Do you even care if I live or die? Dante, steeling himself and knowing he couldn't rely on the hopeless case behind him, said, "Arthur, we're just a tad," he pinched his fingers together for emphasis, "a tad," "a tad," late." Suddenly, he grabbed Chase by the back of the head, not giving him a chance to react, and dragged him out, "Get moving and present the gifts with both hands, crawl you have to, and deliver them to Arthur!" Chase thought to himself, Great choice in friends, always ready to throwunder the bus! Dante thought, That's what brothers are for - to take a bullet for each other! I take one, the boss takes one.

Arthur's brows were furrowed so tightly it seemed he could crush an ant between them, "Hurry up! Any longer and my darling daughter will forget I exist!" "If you mess up my chance to win back my daughter's heart, don't bother coming back!"