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,

staring at him excitedly and switched his phone to speaker mode.

tad exasperated. Any other person, and she would not have repeated herself so many times. But this was Thaddeus! The higher–ups had

was so afraid that she would change her

for someone to deliver the related documents to your home.” After that,

call ended, Cordelia excitedly grabbed Dorian’s arm. “Dorian, is it true? Is it really true?

that money couldn’t buy!

into that nursery school but failed despite pulling many strings. Rumor had it that Joseph’s son was preparing to take the entrance exam for Imperial Blossom

He never thought that such unbelievable good fortune would come their

back, we’ve not only moved into Tranquil Estates, but Thaddeus also got into Imperial Blossom Nursery

Vivienne. Sensing

In the afternoon.

the Hawthorn family’s

the head of the table, with Joseph and Michael on

with Dorian? Why haven’t we heard anything?”

Dorian to agree soon, or this marriage is off,”

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

since she was a child? She had heard that Vivienne hadn’t left there for ten years and probably hadn’t been to school, so who taught her to use

the Ellington family slip away like this,” Michael said anxiously. “Ever since Dorian refused to share the perfume formula, the company’s performance has plummeted. Now, only our old customers still use our perfume. If we don’t invest in researching

rush? Haven’t I taught you anything? You have to

teacup and turned to Joseph. “Joseph, your relationship with Dorian is still good. Why don’t you check on