The Million-Dollar Heart

Leopold, the leader of the first squad, knew the unwritten leadership rules all too well. So, it stood to reason that Percival, the head honcho of the entire task force, would be even more clued in. But now, even Leopold's moves were being curtailed, never mind the liberty of the whole special squad.

Percival set aside the application form he had been holding, tapping his polished fingertip on the signature line. "Why don't you take this up with the boss yourself?"

The rage on Leopold's face fizzled out in an instant.

Would he dare?

For someone even Percival called "boss," he was just a small fry; there was no way he would throw himself into the shark's jaws.

Leopold slumped into his chair, rubbing his temples in frustration.

After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "Boss didn't even ask you before signing off on this? Why didn't you go to him first?"

Percival took a sip of his sweet fruit juice and said, "He said since Fiona's my flesh and blood, having me sign could give someone leverage over me. If anything went sideways, there would be no one to cover for me, so he just went ahead without telling me."

Leopold's jaw worked silently, failing to snap shut.

Every word Micah said was for Percival's sake. How could anyone argue with that?

Unable to sit still any longer, Leopold cursed under his breath, stood up, and stormed out. He slammed the door behind him, not caring if he would end up getting a beating.

This was just too damn suffocating.

Percival neatly filed the application form away and glanced up at Vivienne, his eyes usually icy, now melting with a certain warmth. "Vivienne, shall we go have a look?"

Vivienne rose, taking the fruit juice from Percival's hand, and sipped the rest through the straw. "Yeah, let's check it out."

Inside the Ellington family's private hospital.

room, and from her cries, one could have thought

baby," she sobbed, "Dad, you've seen it. Fiona was fine when she went in, and now she's in the ICU. Can you imagine her suffering? It's all Vivienne's fault. If not

with tears, laid the blame thickly on Vivienne,

but my children are Ellingtons by blood. If you don't step up, we three might as well die now and

she was not the type to settle down. But she was pregnant, and the scandal was huge. The Ellington family had no choice

have sacrificed half the Ellington fortune to keep such a woman

tugged at Heloise's sleeve on the hospital bed, her complexion ashen. "Mom,

to make her own appeal - it was always more effective than her own

a scene, the more reasonable Fiona appeared.

for yourself like before, I'll disown

them again, they were rimmed red with distress. She turned to Richard. "Grandpa, this mess is my fault. It has nothing to do with Percival or Vivienne." Richard seldom meddled

knew Percival had his own fish to fry and

financial fraud; it was

way of doing things, and

his voice softening. "Now that you're out, live your life well. I won't let you down. My promises are still good, and I've kept that credit card for you. Think abou what you

anything. I'm too ashamed to stay with the Ellington family. Once I'm better, let Mom, Jeffrey, and me leave Rivenwood. As for Dad... Grandpa, can you spare him?" Richard did not immediately agree,

granddaughter, and before Isolde was

he not dote on her, the only girl amidst a houseful of

been self-reliant, never troubling the family,

fortune and butted heads with Percival, she focused on improving herself and genuinely

for her crime, Richard would have welcomed

What a pity...

else is suitable for your recovery. Stay here. In a little