The Million-Dollar Heart

Chapter 16

Day two

Just past eight in the morning, Dorian and his family were having breakfast when his cell phone rang. The caller ID showed a number he didn’t recognize Lately, Dorian had been getting a lot of calls from unknown numbers, so he was used to it. Most of them were from companies responding to his job applications. Usually, it was something like, “Sorry, Mr. Hawthorn, you don’t meet our recruitment criteria.”

Dorian sighed and answered the call.

“Are you Thaddeus‘ father?” The person on the other end of the line asked, in a friendly tone.

1 am Who’s this?” Dorian responded, while passing Vivienne her breakfast.

Tm the assistant principal at Imperial Blossom Nursery. We’d like to invite Thaddeus to join our school. Is that OK with you?”

Dorian froze, fork in hand. After a pause, he asked, his voice shaky. “Who did you say you are?”

Tm the assistant principal at Imperial Blossom Nursery.” The voice on the other end was still friendly.

Dorian’s mouth dropped open, and he jumped up excitedly. “Imperial Blossom Nursery? You mean, you want my Thaddeus to join your school?” Cordelia also jumped up, equally excited.

Vivienne just looked up and continued to enjoy her fried egg. She turned to Thaddeus, who was looking at her, passed him a piece of toast, and moved the blueberry jam in front of him, whispering, “Eat up, you’re too skinny”

at her and said politely, “Thanks, Vivienne.”

saw Cordelia staring at him excitedly and switched

files, and he meets our admission criteria. Do you agree to his enrollment?” The assistant principal asked, sounding a tad exasperated. Any other person, and she would not have repeated herself so many times. But this was Thaddeus! The higher–ups had personally ordered his admission. So,

so afraid that she would change her

arrange for someone to deliver the related

ended, Cordelia excitedly grabbed Dorian’s arm. “Dorian, is it true? Is it really true? Thaddeus… got into

my God! Imperial Blossom Nursery! That was a school that money couldn’t buy! A school that even connections couldn’t get

that nursery school but failed despite pulling many strings. Rumor had

dreaming. He never thought that

“Ever since Vivienne came back, we’ve not only moved into Tranquil Estates, but

Vivienne. Sensing her intentions, Vivienne thought to herself,

In the afternoon.

the Hawthorn family’s old mansion.

with Joseph and Michael on either side of her.

Dorian? Why haven’t we

get Dorian to agree soon, or this marriage is off,” Joseph said, looking

school principal had called her yesterday to say that their plan had failed. The three people they had hired had been arrested, and the principal and the teacher had been fired. As the mastermind, she had to get those three out. Thankfully, not many people knew about the incident, so it didn’t affect her much. But she had no idea that Vivienne was so good with

was a child? She had heard that Vivienne hadn’t left there for ten years and probably

share the perfume formula, the company’s performance has plummeted. Now, only our old customers still use our perfume. If we don’t

in a low voice, “What’s the rush? Haven’t I taught you anything?

Joseph. “Joseph, your relationship with Dorian is still good. Why don’t you