The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Chapter 351

Jeffrey’s eyes bulged in disbelief, and for a long moment, he struggled to process what he had just

heard.

After a brief pause, he snapped back to reality and roared at Fiona Ellington, “Are you out of your

mind? Ten billion dollars to them? Do we look like we’re running a charity here?”

With ten billion dollars, you could open a string of world–class art galleries! He thought.

Fiona must have lost her marbles by giving out such an astronomical number.

Fiona shot him an icy glance before turning to Vivienne and Percival, “Give me an account number. I’ll

transfer the funds to you!”

She wasn’t offering this fortune for Jeffrey’s sake, but to keep Percival and Vivienne from dismantling

the other art galleries.

Some of the galleries Jeffrey had established were a front for under–the–table dealings, which were

secrets that outsiders must never uncover. It was a network she had painstakingly built, hidden from

her entire family.

Even Jeffrey, the supposed head, was clueless about it.

If these secrets were ever exposed, she’d stand to lose up to thirty billion dollars.

When weighed against ten billion, it was a no–brainer. She had to protect those assets.

And Fiona didn’t buy for a second that Percival could go after her family without a reason.

Mr. Percy’s stature alone had put him at the zenith of power; he wouldn’t bat an eyelid at a few art

galleries, let alone a few hundred billion

Yet, he was insistent on tearing down the galleries. She suspected he knew something.

It seemed Percival had to go. His very existence was the most significant threat to her.

With Percival around, the inheritance wouldn’t fall into her hands even if the old man died. Not to

mention that Richard Ellington was still alive

If Percival were out of the picture, the other Ellington nonentities wouldn’t stand a chance against her.

Vivienne raised an eyebrow and her gaze harbored meaning. “Alright!”

She promptly provided her account details.

“I’ll need to discuss this with my family first, given the sum involved. You’ll have the money by tonight at

the latest!” Fiona declared confidently. It seemed that she was not the least bit worried about whether

her parents, Henry and Heloise Ellington, would agree to the transaction

Vivienne nodded, “Agreed”

With that, she made a call to the National Gallery’s secretary, and soon after, the team that had come

to seal off the premises withdrew

Jeffrey watched in fury as Fiona casually promised to hand over ten billion dollars. He stormed off,

neglecting the gallery’s guests. He had to get back and convince his parents not to release the funds.

Fiona also took her leave after she she nodded to Percival and Vivienne

Once they’d left, Percival and Vivienne made to leave too. But they were suddenly halted by a voice.

“Miss‘ May I purchase that painting from you?”

Vivienne turned to see an elderly man leaning on a cane; his hair was almost entirely white with just a

few strands of black remaining.

He looked to be in his seventies, dressed modestly but exuding a palpable authority. His aged, cloudy

eyes seemed sharp as they fixed on her

Vivienne paused before responding. “This painting is a copy”

“I’m aware, the old man replied, “but you wouldn’t sell the original, would you?”

Vivienne smiled and nodded, “Exactly!”

“The person in this painting feels familiar to me I’d like to buy it to help find her,” the old man disclosed

without reservation. “I hope you will selit

to me

Vivienne looked up. “You recognize the person in this painting?”

It was merely a figure from the back, and only someone who knew the individual very well could identify

it

“There’s a mole behind her ear, the old man recounted his voice was tinged with a hint of melancholy

“My lost daughter has a mole in the same place Even though it might not be her, I want to investigate

Upon hearing this, Vivienne’s grip on the painting tightened. “Your daughter? Whats her name?

“Sasha Perez‘ the old man said as his tears welled up I’ve been searching for her for thirty years

without a trace. I heard the might have come to Rivenwood recently, so I’m here to look”

Vivienne was taken aback

Sasha? It was a beautiful name

She couldn’t recall meeting anyone named Sasha, yet the name felt eerily familiar

Chapter.

“Miss, if you’re reluctant to sell, I won’t insist. But I heard you say the person in the portrait was your

mother, who has passed. Is that correct?”

Before the old man could finish, Vivienne interjected, “Yes.”

Regretting his words, the old man apologized, “I’m sorry to have touched a raw nerve.”

“It’s fine,” Vivienne replied softly, her thoughts evidently elsewhere.

“If I may be so bold, the mole behind your mother’s ear is in the exact spot as my daughter’s. May I ask

if you know much about your maternal grandparents?”

“They,” Vivienne’s voice suddenly turned cold, “are in prison!”

Her mother had caused their incarceration personally.

It was after they had started their flight from the past that her mother took her to visit her family in the

Rivenwood.

It was her first encounter with her maternal relatives, and it revealed a harsh truth: some parents truly

can be indifferent to their own kids.

Long before, her grandmother had planned to let her mother sleep with her grandfather to give birth to

a child in order to save the only son of their

family.

Vivienne’s mother’s medical skills hadn’t excelled at that time. When Vivienne’s grandmother offered

her mother a bowl of homemade soup–a first in her life–her mother was overjoyed. Because growing

up, she had always been the one to cook and clean.

Her mother’s joy blinded her to the drugs hidden in the soup.

Then she could only watch helplessly as she was carried to her grandfather’s room, watching him

distade in front of her; her entire body was

fraught with a sense of despair.

In the end, her mother mustered her last bit of strength, grabbed a vase from the table and struck her

grandfather’s head, fleeing the house.

That day when her mother returned home, she sought to confront them that after all these years of her

absence, had they felt even a twinge of

remorse?

But the other party showed no signs of remorse, and their audacity knew no bounds. They surrounded

Vivienne and her mom, intent on dragging them off to some seedy nightclub downtown.

Her mother had reached her limit. She’s been quietly gathering dirt on them for months, and she finally

handed over the damning evidence to the cops. Not a single one of those crooks got away, they were

all hauled off in handcuffs.

Vivienne had no clue what sort of skeletons her mother had unearthed from her family’s closet. She

only knew one thing their crimes were serious, so serious that they were given a lifelong sentence with

a minimum of fifty years‘ prison time without parole!

The old man flinched at the news. But seeing the troubled look on Vivienne’s face, he quickly

apologized, “I’m sorry!”

Vivienne snapped out of her reverie and handled the painting she was holding to the old man, “This is

for you. It was never mine to begin with.”

With those words, she didn’t linger. She turned on her heel and walked away.

But as she turned, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye; her body

tensed up instantly!

When noticed her gaze, the figure turned and vanished into the crowd.

Vivienne snapped back to reality and bolted after it.

Percival was left in a daze by her sudden dash

Just as he was about to follow, Vivienne called out, “Call Jerry and the guys to tell them I spotted my

mentor!”