The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Hayden leaned against the wall, his gaze dripping with disdain as he watched his older brother.

He knew Theodore only dared to raise his voice because Vivienne was not around. He would not dare to let out a peep if she were here.

Just like last night, when Vivienne had Wendy serve water, who cforward to stop her? After Theodore had his fill of shouting, he started to feign concern for Wendy's well-being with an air of hypocrisy.

“Mom's life has been so tough,” he lamented. “What would we do if something happened to her? Mom, don’t you worry. I'll make sure the business runs smoothly and won't let it suffer the slightest loss!” At this, Nancy could not hold back any longer. “Theodore, Mom's still okay, isn’t she? And you're already eager to take over the company? Besides, Hayden's right here. Aren't you being a bit premature?” Teresa said, clearly displeased, “Hayden, Theodore is the eldest son. It’s only right he takes precedence. Surely, you understand such basic principles, don’t you?” “I don't like the sound of that,” Nancy retorted. “Precedence or not, it's about whether he’s got the chops!” “Nancy, how can you talk like that?” Eliza, who had been listening to the bickering, was so irritated she kicked over a flowerpot. “Will you all just stop? Mom's still in surgery, and here you are, divvying up the estate. I'm telling you, keep this up, and you'll get nothing!” Eliza had always been Wendy's favorite, and for years, the members of the first and secondary branches of the family had been trying to curry favor with her.

They all knew that Eliza was the real gatekeeper to Wendy's authority. Winning her over was akin to pleasing the matriarch herself. [x] Of the bunch, Teresa and Eliza were closest. Nancy never really liked Eliza but maintained a cordial facade.

Mara, however, knew how to play the gand was always on good terms with Eliza.

Seeing Eliza's anger, Mara quickly cover to comfort her, tears welling in her eyes. “Auntie, please don't be upset. Grandma's still in the OR. You're our rock right now.” Eliza patted Mara’s head. “You're always the sweetest. I'm not mad anymore.” After all, appearances had to be maintained.

The corridor outside the operating room finally quieted down, and Eliza remembered the surveillance system Wendy had installed in her room. Thus, she called for the butler.

“Rest assured, Ms. Eliza, everything has been arranged. The footage has been edited, and it’s all been pinned on Vivienne. It'll be posted online in five minutes.” Eliza nodded her approval. “Good work. When Mom wakes up, you'll get the reward you deserve.” “Thank you, Ms. Eliza, and my greatest gratitude to Madam Wendy.” The video went viral that evening, with Vivienne’s face clearly visible.

Vivienne had a legion of fans online who adored her looks, and her multiple identities only bolstered her following. She had always been scandal-free.

Once the video hit the internet, the comments exploded.

[Looks can be deceiving!] [How could this happen? My world is crumbling!] [No, not her! I've adored her for so long. How could she be this kind of person?] [To treat an elderly person like that, it's just despicable!] Vivienne, being accused of elder abuse, shot to the top of the trending searches.

Many flooded Vivienne’s Twitter with insults, and of course, many were trolls paid by the Boyd family.

But five minutes later, celebrities with millions of followers like Stephen, the rising star Darren, and Kala, who had recently made a comeback with “Betrothed Understud,” all shared an unedited video with full auof the actual surveillance footage.

They even slowed the footage of Wendy's fake fall by twenty times to show that Vivienne never touched her! Following their lead, Vivienne’s protégés tweeted the video en masse. When Cecilia, who was scrolling through Twitter, saw it, she was disgusted by her mother’s actions.

She retweeted Stephen’s post, adding: [Mom, after all these years, why are you still like this?] Cecilia, being the wife of the third branch of the Ellington family, was constantly in the public eye, with Nathan handling the Ellington Group's affairs.

Her direct involvement and acknowledgment of her mother’s actions fueled the public's outrage.

In just three minutes, the Boyd Group's website crashed, and the intedug up more scandals about the Boyd family’s workplace manipulation and other unsavory dealings.

The Boyd Group's PR could not keep up; their reputation was ruined before they could react.

Vivienne watched Twitter with satisfaction and sent a message to Stephen, Darren, and Kala.

[This month, you're all getting a bonus!] The three cheered: [Long live the boss!] Content, Vivienne stowed her phone and parked her motorcycle outside the restaurant.

Inside the restaurant, Gillian was dressed to kill in a floaty, ethereal gown that showcased her elegant collarbones as she sat opposite Percival.

Her pale, slender fingers held the cutlery as she gazed at Percival, her eyes brimming with affection. “Remember our first meeting? It was also in a restaurant like this. Fate really does have a sense of humor.” Percival meticulously sliced his steak into neat pieces, yet none made it to his mouth.

Touched, Gillian thought, “Is Percival cutting steak for me?” Perhaps he had taken Wendy's advice and chosen to engage with her, forsaking Vivienne.

Gillian set her utensils aside, waiting for Percival to swap their plates.

“Mr. Ellington, you're so considerate,” she murmured, a shy sparkle in her eyes.

Percival simply replied, “It's what a fiancé ought to do.” Gillian’s heart soared with secret delight. Percival was already referring to himself as her fiancé!Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

She knew it; without Vivienne around, Percival would never treat her like he did at the pool.

In Sea City, countless folks seemed eager to fall at her feet—Percival was no exception.

Gillian always had confidence in her looks and figure. She believed it was only a matter of tbefore every eligible bachelor pursued her with unrestrained enthusiasm.

“Mr. Ellington, where should the engagement party be hosted?” Gillian asked with a smile.

In her mind's eye, she could already envision her engagement to Percival.

She would be clad in a pristine white gown, linking arms with Percival, exchanging rings amid the cheers and well-wishes of their friends and family.

Percival paused, shook his head, and said, “No need for an engagement party; we could go straight to the wedding.” “Really? Isn't that a bit hasty? | thought stmight be needed to... you know, get to know each other better,” Gillian said, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

The thought of Percival wanting to marry her immediately was surprising and delightful.

“Not hasty,” said Percival, his lips curving into a slight, proud, and charming smile.

Gillian could almost lose herself in that smile.

This was the kind of man who was worthy of her—sophisticated, noble, with an alluring charm unique to him alone.

Those fawning admirers who constantly hung around her paled in comparison to Percival. He was in a league of his own! “Then I'll defer to you, Mr. Ellington. I'll discuss it with my father tonight. | think we could have a spectacular wedding right here in Sea City before heading to your family estate in Rivenwood. What do you think about that?”