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”

and said politely, “Thanks, Vivienne.”

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

other person, and she would not

Dorian was so afraid that she would change her mind that he answered quickly and loudly.

go out today. I will arrange for someone to deliver the related

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

that money couldn’t buy! A school that even

but failed despite pulling many strings. Rumor

true! It’s true!” Dorian felt like he was dreaming. He never thought that such unbelievable good

back, we’ve not only moved

to hug and kiss Vivienne. Sensing her

In the afternoon.

family’s

head of the table, with Joseph and Michael on

going on with Dorian? Why haven’t

We need to get Dorian to agree soon, or this marriage

teacup. Her gaze filled with hardship and her face grim. The nursery 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

been at the Emerald Monastery since she was a child? She had heard that Vivienne hadn’t left

said anxiously. “Ever since Dorian refused to share the perfume formula, the company’s performance has plummeted. Now, only

eyes and said in a low voice, “What’s the rush? Haven’t I

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