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”

smiled at her and said politely, “Thanks,

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

reviewed Thaddeus‘ 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

so afraid that she would change her mind that he answered

for someone to deliver the related documents to

arm. “Dorian, is it true? Is it really true? Thaddeus… got into Imperial Blossom

Blossom Nursery! That was a school that money couldn’t buy! A school

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

never thought that such unbelievable good fortune would come their

lucky charm!” Cordelia was all smiles. “Ever since Vivienne came back, we’ve not only

was so excited that she almost ran over to hug and kiss Vivienne. Sensing her

In the afternoon.

family’s old mansion.

the head of the table, with Joseph

Why haven’t

need to get Dorian to agree soon, or this marriage

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

Emerald Monastery 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

the perfume formula, the company’s performance has

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

turned to Joseph. “Joseph, your relationship with Dorian is still good. Why