The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The blistering sun scorched everyone outside, but Jasper seemed utterly unfazed. His face showed not a trace of discomfort as he

quietly observed the melo unfolding before him.

It wasn't until Asher spoke again that Jasper, with a playful tap of his cane on Fredrick's shoulder, intervened, "Asher, don't stoop to

his level. My son here has never been much of a handler. He just can't stand to seebad-mouthed."

Jasper's cool gaze swept over Isaac, who had fainted on the ground, his look as indifferent as if he were staring at a piece of trash.

"However, your man really doesn't have the gift of gab. After all, I'm from the sgeneration as your father. For a mere servant

to play the hero in front of me... The Grimshaw family's manners sure have decayed over the years, haven't they?"

Asher, irritated by the relentless heat, snapped, "Never mind him. Jasper, | don't have all day to waste with you. Where the hell is

Vivienne?!"

"How should | know where Vivienne is?" Jasper spread his hands innocently.

With a subtle nod to Carmen, a chair was swiftly placed beneath him. "Ah, I'm getting on in years. When | see a promising young

person, | can't help but wish they were one of my own. That's why | took the girl as my goddaughter. But blood is thicker than

water, and she doesn't report her whereabouts to me. What's the matter, Asher? Got business with her?"

Facing Jasper's probing little gaze, Asher choked, his eyes growing more cruel by the second.

Before he could get a word out, Joss, one of the other bodyguards, jumped in, "She hurt our young master. We've been giving the

order to bring her back!"

A snicker rippled through the crowd at his statement.

Asher's face flushed with anger and embarrassment, his eyes glaring daggers at Joss, "Shut your trap!"

Idiot!

Realizing too late that he'd misspoken, Joss grew frantic.

With one menacing look from Asher, he felt like his soul had been scared out of him. He hastily retreated behind the crowd, wishing

he could vanish into thin air and be forgotten by Asher.

He was doomed!

If the Perez family mocked the young master over this, he was a dead man!

Silently, he prayed, but it seemed the heavens weren't listening.

Zelda, the strong-willed Lynette heiress, had never feared anyone. She had been eyeing Asher's pompous attitude with distaste. "I

thought it was something serious. The mighty Asher, beaten by a girl? If | were you, I'd be too embarrassed to even leave the

house, yet here you are, demanding we hand her over. How shameful."

"You're out of the loop. Sfamilies just shamelessly pass down their lack of decency. You don't know about Oliver..."

Maddox loved a good scene and was about to share Oliver's dark past with Zelda when a furious Asher couldn't take it anymore.

A swift hand sent a blast toward Maddox's face, "Maddox, you've gone too far!"

"Whoa there!"

Maddox cursed under his breath and dodged, "Asher, sneaking around, is that the Grimshaw family's style?!"

"Why waste words? Let's just fight!"

The next moment, Fredrick's hand whirled, and a huge rock appeared out of nowhere, hurtling straight for Asher's head!

"Young master!"

Joss cried out in alarm. If the young master was hurt again, wouldn't he and Isaac be dead men walking?

Asher froze in place.

For generations, ancient warrior lineages had guarded secrets and formed alliances.

Even the five major families didn't fully know each other's secrets. The current state of the Perez family's offspring hadn't escaped

the scrutiny of the other families.

Wasn't it said that the fiercest of the Perez was Maddox?

What was this new development with Fredrick?

And this rock—if it landed, wouldn't he be dead for sure?

Asher's nerves tensed. He wanted to run, but his feet might as well have been rooted to the spot. He could only watch as the

massive boulder rushed toward him!

Maddox had already moved next to Fredrick.

Seeing Asher completely petrified, the brothers exchanged a knowing smile. This had all been part of their plan from the start.

They knew Asher wasn't as mild-tempered as he appeared.

So, they had resolved to provoke him, to make him strike first. That way, even if it cto Oliver's attention, they'd have nothing

to say in their defense.

They wanted to capture their precious niece? They should have checked if they were up to the task!

"Young master! Dodge it!"

Joss sprang to Asher's side with lightning speed!

With a mighty leap, he shoved Asher aside; then the rock crashed down. Joss's body flew through the air like a weightless punching

bag, out towards the open!

Asher lay on the ground, watching Joss reach the apex of his flight, then plummet down. With no order from him, no Grimshaw

family member moved.

They all watched as Joss crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Oliver arrived with his entourage just in tto witness the scene.

The pool of blood spreading beneath Joss reached Oliver's white shoe, staining it red.

"Jasper, we haven't seen each other in years, and your temper seems to have grown," Oliver said, his voice laden with hidden

energy that echoed in everyone's ears.

All the Perez family members, save for Jasper, staggered back a step from the force.

Especially Maddox and Fredrick, who were closest and felt the greatest impact. For a moment, their ears rang with pain, and a

sticky fluid trickled from their ears.

Jasper's pupils contracted to pinpoints as he witnessed the unfolding commotion. With the agility of a cat, he tapped his cane

sharply against the ground. The sound rang out with an almost magical quality, summoning a whirlwind of dust that headed

straight for Oliver.

The dust storm obscured the vision of everyone from the Grimshaw family, creating a moment of chaos.

Seizing the opportunity and ignoring his discomfort, Yuri leaped forward. He grabbed the two brothers at the eye of the storm and

pulled them to safety.

By the tOliver had managed to break through the dusty veil, the entire Perez family had put enough distance between

themselves and him to ensure they wouldn't get hurt.

This distance made it clear that Oliver couldn't directly challenge Jasper, who stood at the forefront of the confrontation.

"Dad!" Asher, sprawled on the ground, called out as though he had just spotted a lifeline. Never before had he invoked that title

with such desperation.

Oliver glanced sideways, stepping over Joss's prone body and striding towards Asher.

Asher struggled to his feet, still shaky from the scare, his legs like jelly beneath him. Stumbling, he approached Oliver. "Dad, I've

found out who it was. The one who took our merchandise... It was Vivienne, Jasper's granddaughter, she..."

"Idiot!" Oliver burst out.

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