The Million-Dollar Heart

Jeffrey felt a pang of embarrassment somehow. After all, painting was his pride and joy, his claim to fame.

But now, having been publicly called out by Vivienne for plagiarism, he also faced the mortifying task of confessing this to his parents. It was the ultimate disgrace.

As Heloise and Fiona watched him with piercing gazes, Jeff's irritation boiled over into anger, "So I copied Vivienne's painting, then what? How was I supposed to know she was Eulalia? If I had known, I wouldn't have copied it!"

"Plagiarism?" Heloise looked bewildered. "How did plagiarism come into this?"

She believed in her son's talent. Though she was no art connoisseur, Jeff's paintings were always a delight to the eye.

Jeffrey explained the whole fiasco to her.

Heloise's brows knitted together in an instant, "It's just a painting! Why is she being so aggressive? She's marrying into the Ellington family, for heaven's sake. Does making us pushovers do good to her?" Fiona glanced at her and then settled herself on the couch, saying coolly, "I don't know what good she wants get. But we must pay the money."

Heloise was instantly resistant, "The money is ours. If we don't want to pay, what's she going to do? Twist our arms?"

This wasn't just a million or two.

Handing the ten billion would leave their family penniless.

Jeffrey nodded in agreement, "Exactly! We're not paying. What can she possibly do about it?"

Fiona's eyes flickered with a chill. "So, you want to let them shut down the galleries?" she retorted.

"It's just a few galleries; if they close, they close!" Judith dismissed the concern. "Worst comes to worst, I'll just open new ones for my son!"

Fiona scoffed derisively, "Huh. If you want to see my brother ruined, then don't pay."

Heloise wasn't listening. The thought of handing ten billion to someone else made her physically uncomfortable. "I don't care; there's no way I'm parting with that money," she stated.

ten billion, you could open countless galleries. I won't let Percival and Vivienne

had been silently listening to the conversation, cup in

Fiona, Henry set down his cup, "I agree with your mother. We're all blood relatives here and Percival's been chosen as the heir by the old man himself. He'll have far more than us in the future. It makes no sense for

smile,

paused, uneasy. "What do

He's investigating you! Dad, what do you think Grandpa would do if he found

Henry stiffened.

throw him in jail. Or worse, he would disinherit their branch from the Ellington! After a moment, Henry spoke slowly with furrowed eyebrows, "I'll arrange for the money to be sent tonight." "Dad!" Jeffrey

the money so easily, what

foolish plagiarism stunt, we wouldn't be in this

but we also don't need to just hand over the money. Besides, they have no

voice was icy, "We have no case! They'll find

"Honey?" Heloise sounded worried.

end, it'll all come back to us." Henry soothed her. Heloise had been with Henry long enough to

too

Jeffrey couldn't

his parents to give

Fiona siding with Percival and

now, he was powerless to

days later, Calista was discharged from

Brooks called the family to welcome

playing with anime

at school for

considerably over the

hearing Scott's announcement, Vivienne

party without

Percival headed downstairs with Thaddeus, only to see Calista striding in