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.

hospital room, and from her cries, one could have thought her daughter Fiona

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.

with tears, laid the blame thickly on Vivienne,

an Ellington by marriage; you can ignore me, but my children are Ellingtons by blood. If you don't step up, we three might as well die now and

type to settle down. But she was pregnant, and

have sacrificed half the Ellington fortune to keep such a woman out if

weakly tugged at Heloise's sleeve on the hospital bed, her complexion ashen. "Mom, please leave us. I want to speak with Grandpa

left, allowing Fiona to make her own appeal - it was always more effective than

the more reasonable Fiona appeared. That was the real reason behind

yourself like before, I'll disown you," Heloise warned before

this mess is my fault. It has nothing to do with

own fish

was not just a simple case of financial fraud; it was bound

things, and

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

Dad... Grandpa, can you spare him?" Richard did not immediately agree, nor did he have the heart to outright refuse. He could not forgive his second son, but

first granddaughter, and before Isolde was born, he cherished her like a

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

the family, and had a

others jostled for the Ellington fortune and butted heads with Percival, she focused on improving herself and

crime, Richard would have welcomed

What a pity...

about your father. You've always been by my side, never left Rivenwood; nowhere else is suitable for your recovery. Stay