The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Sophie's face paled as she caught the words, and the woman beside her shifted uneasily.

Without hesitation, the woman clung to Gavin, tears streaming down her face as if on cue.

“Darling,” she wept, “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. Since the crack of dawn, I've been slaving away over a hot stove to prepare your favorite health tonic, not even meeting Victoria. And no sooner had | finished than | was met with a barrage of insults.

I know she dislikes me, but | am her elder, after all. And to be humiliated in front of all the housemaids—what about my dignity?” At the sight of her tears, Gavin's heart clenched. Without a second thought, he swung at Victoria.

This time, Victoria didn’t just stand there; she dodged with a swift move. She scoffed coldly at Gavin, “You think you can hit me? Do you really think | was born to be trampled upon?” Enraged, Gavin grabbed the fruit bowl from the table and hurled it at her. “I've had enough of your insolence!” With a swift kick, Victoria sent the fruit bowl flying. “And I've had enough of you!” Glaring at Gavin, she roared, “I've had enough of you long ago! For this woman, you abandoned my mother, threw her out, leaving her in a vegetative state, and you live happily ever after with this bitch and her daughter.

You useto do your dirty work for your own selfish desires—why should 1? I'm done!” With that, Victoria stormed out.

Gavin bellowed from behind, “Get back here!” Victoria didn’t look back, striding out the door. Once outside the villa, her expression of rage vanished.

Walter approached her respectfully, “Miss.” As they walked, Victoria asked, “Is the new place ready Walter nodded. “All set. Kaitlyn and her family can move in tomorrow.” “You didn’t use our men, right?” Victoria pressed.

Walter hesitated before speaking, “Miss, | don’t understand. If you want to help Kaitlyn, why do you give her trouble on the one hand and assist her in secret on the other, making her despise you? Is it worth it?” Victoria gave him a sidelong glance. “What do you know?” She looked back at the Abernathy estate. “That dog, Harrison, and that Bitch, Sophie, are watchinglike hawks. If | openly helped Kaitlyn, it would only arouse their suspicions. That foolish woman, to risk everything for something so fragile, is utterly stupid.” Though Walter's lips were sealed, he knew Victoria envied Kaitlyn’s resilience.

Kaitlyn fought against the injustices of fate, standing tall even when life knocked her down. Victoria admired her spirit, and when she learned that Tyler's leg had been deliberately broken by one of Harrison's goons, leaving the Littleton family desperate and without a buyer for their home, it was Victoria who covertly purchased it.

In every hardship the Littleton family faced, she found the right moment to offer help without revealing her identity.

Like the tVictoria had to pressure Kaitlyn to hand over the treasure and then smashed a glass, leaving Kaitlyn with a debt of half a million. When she heard Kaitlyn planned to sell her blood to repay it, Victoria arranged for an exorbitant sum to be paid for the blood.

Kaitlyn had only given a pint but received half a million in return. Her frail appearance was due, in part, to regular malnutrition rather than blood loss.

Walter broke the silence. “Doesn’t today’s outburst expose your intentions?” Victoria's expression was icy. “That's precisely what | intended. Keep an eye on them forand report back with any developments.” Walter nodded. “Understood.” Victoria stepped closer, eyeing him. “Has my father not noticed anything off about you?” Walter stepped back, bowing his head. “Miss, I've been loyal to you. I've always been flawless in my deception before him.” A cold smile played on Victoria's lips. “You'd better be. Those who betraymeet a grim end.” “I'm well aware, Miss,” Walter affirmed.

Elsewhere.

After leaving the Littleton residence.

Percival finished his work and called Vivienne to pick her up.

He found Vivienne on the phone when he arrived. Without disturbing her, he simply opened the car door for her.

Once in the car, Vivienne’s conversation ended with a command, “Dig up everything on the Littleton family.

Leave no stone unturned.” After she hung up, Percival asked, “What about the Littleton family?” He hadn't heard of any Littletons crossing her path recently.

Vivienne pocketed her phone, explaining, “I ran into someone who once saved my life, a member of the once- prosperous Littleton family from Rivenwood. They've run into strouble.” “Rivenwood'’s Littleton family?” Percival pondered for a moment. “The ones who went bankrupt years ago?” “You're aware?” Vivienne inquired.

“Sure, | know a bit,” Percival said, “The Littletons are an ancient warrior lineage, too. Rumor has it they got booted for crossing paths with another ancient warrior lineage. About a decade ago, there was a scandal with the Littleton product line—people died, their finances tanked, and Mr. and Mrs. Littleton... they both took a dive off their penthouse.”

Percival glanced over at Vivienne.

“That's about the extent of it. My family doesn't really mingle with theirs and I'm not too clued up on the details. Was Mr. Littleton skind of benefactor to you?”

“His daughter,” Vivienne clarified, recounting the events to Percival before adding .No wonder they got on the wrong side of the ancient warrior lineages. Looks like the grudge goes way back.” Percival squinted. “Ancient warrior lineage again? Which one is it this time?” “The Abernathy family,” Vivienne inquired, “How much do you know about them?” At her words, Percival’s expression darkened visibly. “I know plenty about the Abernathys.”

Vivienne raised an eyebrow; she had never heard Mr. Wolf claim to be so knowledgeable about any family before .It seemed the Abernathys were not to be underestimated. Percival looked straight ahead, his voice ice-cold, “I have an unsettled score with them!” “What kind of score?” Vivienne was genuinely surprised.

For Mr. Wolf to openly speak of a vendetta—there weren’t many in the world who could provoke that.

Percival pursed his lips, lost in thought, and remained silent for a long while.

Finally, he said slowly, “You know | have an aunt who's been abroad for decades and hasn't returned, right?” Vivienne nodded. “Yes.” She didn’t know much about this aunt; Richard had only mentioned her in passing.

But in the Ellington family, this aunt seemed to be a taboo subject. Vivienne had known Percival for quite stand had never heard him speak of her.

If it weren't for the Abernathy family coming up today, Percival probably would've never mentioned her.