The Million-Dollar Heart

Calista could imagine the frosty reception she would receive from the Ellington family, but she never expected to be met with such outright disdain.

Of course, it was all because of Vivienne!

"Grandpa, please keep it. Don't disregard Calista's thoughtful gesture," Fiona chimed in, playing peacemaker, and managed to diffuse some of the awkwardness.

Cecilia scoffed disdainfully, eyeing Calista with contempt. "Calista, my father already has a Specter Healer's bracelet, a gift from our dear Vivienne. Your little present is redundant at the moment." Calista's heart skipped a beat.

Specter Healer!

How did Vivienne come to possess something from the elusive Specter Healer?

The entire medical community knew of Specter Healer's enigmatic reputation, never leaving a trace. How could they have possibly left something personal behind? Where did Vivienne acquire it?

What infuriated Calista even more was the fact that Vivienne dared to give away something as coveted as a Specter Healer artifact!

Those were treasures she could only dream of obtaining!

As Calista grappled with shock, Cecilia's smirk widened.

"Come on, Vivienne, let's go have some fun," Cecilia said, pulling her away.

Vivienne did not resist, allowing Cecilia to lead her off, only sparing Fiona a fleeting glance as she passed.

Fiona suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, unsettled by the penetrating gaze of Vivienne's eyes. She felt she had been seen through for some inexplicable reason.

It was not until Vivienne and Cecilia had ascended the staircase that Fiona's shiver subsided.

She could not shake the feeling that she had seen those eyes somewhere before.

Percival stood up, briefly glancing at the herbs in Calista's hands.

Coming back to her senses, Calista was about to greet Percival when he abruptly spoke, "Aurelia, make sure to properly inspect anything brought into the Ellington home from now on. We can't just accept things from anyone."

household staff, especially Aurelia, had served the Ellingtons for over forty

precisely how to read

disdain for Calista, and Aurelia was more than

promptly took the herbs from Calista. "Please let me inspect

burn with embarrassment, managed a

word, Aurelia called the family doctor before

silently, forced to

in the

tightened as

was all

for Vivienne, she would not have suffered such

confirmed the herbs were harmless,

from the snub, Fiona sat next to Calista and placed the box of herbs in Richard's

token of Calista's respect for your birthday. You can't just turn it away, right?

not working at the company, you can't just loaf around and bring troublemakers around. I'm tired. It's time for you to go," Richard

yesterday, Fiona had been ousted from the company, but

as for Calista, Richard

be so unyielding. After all, Calista was visiting under her friend's name,

family to have

Richard dismissed them, Fiona and Calista had

the entrance of the Ellington Mansion, Fiona saw Calista

lips, apologizing, "Fiona, I'm sorry

tightly, yet her face

not your fault. If only we could have come sooner," Fiona said, her

blame Mr. Ellington. It's all that woman's fault. If not for her, Richard would have

was squarely placed on Vivienne's shoulders, as

the secretive

led blindfolded by Astrid to

we are." Astrid removed the blindfold, "Welcome to our lab. These are all our

surroundings: masked