The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

After breakfast, Vivienne hopped on her motorcycle and set out to the Boyd Mansion alone.

At the Boyd Mansion.

Wendy was, indeed, bedridden, completely unable to rise from her plush mattress that morning. It was during the previous day’s ceremony that she had twisted her back, and a careless turn in her sleep had nearly snapped her fragile bones in two. Now, she lay there, immobile and in pain.

Eliza was beside herself with worry. “Mom, do you really want Vivienne to care for you? It's like throwing yourself to the wolves!” Wendy gestured weakly towards the corner of the room. “Take a closer look. What do you see?” Eliza's eyes followed her mother’s direction, and she gasped in understanding.

A hidden camera was tucked away in the corner, cleverly disguised to blend in with the ornate plasterwork. To the untrained eye, it was virtually undetectable.

Someone like Vivienne, unfamiliar with the intricate workings of the Boyd household, would never notice its presence.

If Vivienne behaved and took care of Wendy, everything would be fine. After all, Wendy only wanted to trap her here so she could not cause a scene at the restaurant. However, If Vivienne attempted to abuse Wendy, she would pay a heavy price.

It did not matter that Vivienne was Master Charles, perfumer Q, or Master Jessica. Her reputation would be utterly ruined! Eliza relaxed a bit. “Okay, Mom. Take care of yourself. We're off to the office.” “Alright, dear.” Before long, Vivienne arrived at the Boyd mansion. asiaEDm the butler and a handful of servants, the only other person present was Wendy, lying helplessly in her bed.

Dressed in her leather riding gear, Vivienne walked in, and Wendy glanced at her with a sneer. “Forgive me, Madam. | can’t get up to greet you.” Ignoring Wendy's sarcasm, Vivienne sat beside the bed. “I heard about your injury. I'm quite concerned. Feeling any better?” Wendy's brow furrowed at the sight of Vivienne’'s insincere smile. “If you cared at all, you wouldn't have treatedthat way last night. As my granddaughter-in-law, you show no initiative. Don’t you know | haven't had my breakfast yet?” Vivienne had an epiphany. “Right, I'll make you breakfast!” She headed to the kitchen and began to prepare a simple soup.

Wendy was baffled by Vivienne’s compliance.

Soon, Vivienne brought in her homemade meal. “Here, letfeed you.” As Vivienne helped Wendy sit up, her fingers discreetly delivered a quick needle into Wendy's waist.

Leaning against the headboard, Wendy asked, “Did you make pumpkin soup?” Vivienne spooned sinto Wendy’s mouth, saying, “No, it's egg custard soup.” Wendy spat out the first mouthful. The yolk was raw, and there were eggshells in it! Vivienne was clearly trying to do her in! Enraged, Wendy knocked over the bowl and swung at Vivienne, grabbing a nearby cane to strike. “You wishill, don’t you!” Vivienne stepped back, eyeing Wendy, who had suddenly stood up. “Your back, it’s better?” That was when Wendy realized that her pain was magically gone, and she had unconsciously stood up.

Vivienne smirked. “Well, if you're better, I'll be leaving.” She paused, casting a meaningful glance at the corner of the room before turning to leave.

Wendy, of course, never expected her waist to recover so soon. Knowing she could not let Vivienne go just yet, she stepped forward and grabbed her, then purposefully fell to the ground.

To an onlooker, it would seem as if Vivienne had pushed her.

The fall took its toll on Wendy's frail back, instantly paralyzing her.

“Vivienne! How dare you push me? You serpent!” Wendy shrieked as the butler rushed to her aid, chastising Vivienne. “Madam, how could you? Even as the head of the household, you can’t just take a life!” With her arms crossed, Vivienne leaned against the door frame, watching the theatrics unfold.

Wendy had really outdone herself, trying to frher.

If Wendy had stayed still, the needle would have healed her waist. Now, she would be wheelchair-bound forever.

“Vivienne, I'm an elder! How can you do this to me? You'll get what's coming to you!” Wendy declared from her wheelchair, realizing she could not move. The fall was deliberate, and she knew she would not hurt herself. So, why could she not move? The butler, who had been monitoring the situation through the camera, was shocked to find Wendy genuinely injured. He immediately called an ambulance and notified the family to cto the hospital.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

With the Boyd household in disarray, Vivienne took the opportunity to investigate. Thomas had found suspect dealings between the Boyd and Ashford families that were not recorded in the Boyd company files.

Vivienne had hacked into the Boyd Group's system only to find the transactions missing. But she hit a wall when she tried to breach the Ashford Group’s system. The Ashford family’s firewall was her mother’s handiwork! Vivienne’s hacking prowess was a direct inheritance from Karen's teaching, but Karen had never fully divulged all her secrets before taking her own life.

Apart from the firewalls set up by Karen, there was no system in this world that Vivienne could not infiltrate.

She had never imagined that the Ashfords had any connection to her late mother.

Shortly after her mother’s death a decade ago, the Ashfords had uprooted their lives. They moved to Sea City, leaving only a few distant relatives to oversee their corporate interests in Havenwood.

Their primary operations were now firmly established in Sea City.

What exactly had the Ashfords been searching for back then? Unable to break through the Ashfords’ formidable firewall for the tbeing, Vivienne decided to start with the Boyds instead.

She slipped into Wendy's study and discovered a safe with a digital lock.

Cracking the lock, she retrieved the files within.

There was just one, indeed, documenting business dealings with the Ashfords, but the details were cryptically noted in what appeared to be a coded language, indecipherable without a key.

Vivienne jotted down what she could and meticulously returned the file to its original place.

At the hospital, members of the Boyd family were arriving in succession.

Theodore burst in first, raging. “Where's that conniving Vivienne? She pushed my mother, and she’s nowhere to be seen! Does she think we Boyds are pushovers?” His voice echoed through the corridors, a blend of fury and accusation.