The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

"Julian!"

“Juli...

Four voices rang out in unison.

Sadie squeezed out a feeble note from her throat, her half-closed eyes widening ever so slightly.

She wasn't faring much better than Julian, and it was a miracle she had held on this long. But now, seeing her husband collapsed,

she couldn't catch her breath. Her legs gave way, and she, too, started to fall!

Thankfully, Percival and Vivienne were quick to catch them.

Otherwise, with the slick floors of the police station, the elderly couple would've surely broken bones!

Kaitlyn's eyes were ablaze with fury, her dry tears sticking to the corners of her eyes, causing a stinging pain, "Rafferty, my in-laws

haven't been convicted yet. Are you trying to make this a case of death without evidence?!"

Rafferty was also taken aback. He wasn't the one who had arrested them; he had only checked in on them during a shift change.

Back then, the elderly couple was sitting quietly in the holding cell, clearly frightened, but otherwise in good spirits.

How did things turn so dire so quickly?

His sharp, eagle-like gaze turned to the junior officer beside him, his eyes filled with inquiry, "What's going on here?!"

"I... I don't know," stammered the junior officer, shivering.

Sure, he usually hung around the deputy chief, but everyone knew about Rafferty's uncompromising integrity. If Rafferty found out

that he had deliberately lowered the air conditioning to make the suspects uncomfortable, his career here would be over!

He sneakily glanced at Sophie, hoping for sdirection. But ever since Percival showed up, her eyes had been fixed on the man.

Even late into the night, her makeup was impeccable, her eyes full of admiration.

The junior officer thought, "Seriously? You're swooning over a guy at a tlike this?"

Seeing the officer's silence, Rafferty's gaze grew more intense, "You don't know? You've been on duty at the holding cell all this

time. If you don't know, should | personally check the surveillance footage?"

Vivienne's hands moved away from the old couple's wrists, her icy stare shifting from the junior officer to Sophie and then back to

Rafferty. "Captain Rafferty, is your police station's air conditioning so cold that it can knock people out? | need an explanation.”

After her words, her gaze fell back on Sophie, her voice cool, "And who might this grandma be? She's capable of taking people out

of your station? | need an explanation for that as well."

Sophie's eyes widened in shock. Grandma?

Who was this person? No manners at all!

She wasn't even thirty, how did she beca 'grandma'?

When Kipling caught sight of Sophie, the muscles on his face twisted in disgust.

Did this girl even know what she was doing?

"Alright, why is everyone interjecting here? You've all conspired with Rafferty, trying to get this old man out, haven't you?!" Zinnia

was quicker on the uptake than Kipling.

Her eyes sharpened, directing her accusation at Rafferty and Vivienne. "Mrs. Ellington? Very well, just you wait, | won't let this go!

This old geezer killed my daughter, and I'll make sure he pays for it!"

Without waiting for a response, she turned and left.

Kipling looked from one person to another, finally choosing to follow Zinnia's lead, "Captain Rafferty, you just wait! Tomorrow I'm

reporting you to the higher-ups for collusion! Just wait to be dismissed!"

Vivienne glanced at the retreating figures of Kipling and Zinnia, a cold light flickering in her eyes.

After a moment, she turned back to Kaitlyn, and they helped the elderly couple onto a bench, pulling out a small pill bottle, "Give

them these pills for now. It's nothing serious, just the combination of their weak health and the cold temperature that made them

faint. As for the red spots, if I'm not mistaken, they look like mosquito bites."

"Mosquitoes?" Rafferty's frown deepened, "Ms. Hawthorn, what joke is this?! The holding cell is completely sealed, how could there

be mosquitoes?!"

Vivienne scoffed, "That's a question for our junior officer here, isn't it?"

"And for this..." She squinted, following Sophie's transfixed gaze.

Percival stood behind her, his gentle eyes lighting up with a smile at the sight of Vivienne, "What is it, Vivienne?"

He had cstraight from a company gala, still wearing the suit tailored for him by a top-notch fashion team. The dark red fabric

sprinkled with gold dust accentuated Percival's usually stern demeanor, giving him an alluring, almost otherworldly charm. Like a

captivating demon from legend, he was utterly mesmerizing.

Under different circumstances, she would have pounced on her Mr. Wolf without hesitation!

Even Vivienne had to admit that her first glimpse of him made her throat involuntarily constrict, her eyes gleaming with desire.

"Drawing in all sorts of admirers," Vivienne said, with another glance at Sophie, her lips barely moving.

Percival's eyes sparkled even more, his smile growing. "Jealous?"

"Yes, jealous."

Vivienne's beautiful eyes twinkled, her long, thick lashes brushing against Percival's heart, making him light up inside.

He began to lean in to whisper something, but Sophie finally seemed to realize there was someone else beside Percival, someone

who had his undivided attention. Her adoring smile was quickly replaced by jealousy, her bangs conveniently hiding the darkness

in her heart.

Sophie's lips curved into a well-timed smile, "Ms. Hawthorn, it's nice to meet you. I'm the second daughter of the Abernathy family.

Victoria's sister. She's mentioned you before. I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience today."

When the nAbernathy was mentioned, a shadow flickered across Percival's eyes. His displeasure lightly skimmed over Sophie.

"This has the Abernathy family's fingerprints all over it."

Was this woman the daughter of the one who stole his aunt's husband?

Sophie offered a demure smile. "Oh, no, it's not the Abernathy family's doing, Mr. Ellington. | am terribly sorry for the confusion. My

sister, well, she's always had a bit of a temper and, coupled with the fact that my brother-in-law once had a fling with Mrs.

Littleton, she tends to give Mrs. Littleton a hard time. It's not out of malice, just... frustration, | suppose. This time, probably after a

spat with her husband, she just..."

She twisted her slim waist and gracefully tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

With her hands clasped in front of her, she exuded a mix of helplessness and complaint, "I only heard about the incident by chance

and | rushed over here immediately. | know Sadie and Julian are innocent, and I'm so sorry for any inconvenience caused. Please,

allowto make it up to you and your family by inviting you out for dinner."

"You're saying that Victoria was behind today's debacle?"

Kaitlyn was soothing her in-laws but her ears didn't miss the conversation at hand.

Hearing Victoria's nrepeatedly brought up, a wave of past grievances and dissatisfaction surged within her. "What is she trying

to do? I've said it before, if she has an issue, she should cat me, not go after my family."

"I... | really don't know," Sophie stammered.

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