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,

and switched his

and she would not have repeated herself so many times. But this was Thaddeus! The higher–ups

agreed!” Dorian was so afraid that she would change her mind that he answered quickly and

someone to deliver

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

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

failed despite pulling many strings. Rumor had it that Joseph’s son was preparing to take the

dreaming. He never thought that such unbelievable good fortune would come their way

smiles. “Ever since Vivienne came back, we’ve not only moved

so excited that she almost ran over to hug and kiss Vivienne. Sensing her intentions, Vivienne thought to herself, “Please don’t! I don’t

In the afternoon.

family’s old

the table, with Joseph and Michael on

with Dorian? Why haven’t

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

picked up her 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 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

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

with 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

the rush? Haven’t I taught

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