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.

the hospital room, and from her cries, one could

It's all Vivienne's fault. If not for her, my girl wouldn't be like this. Dad, even if you're mad at your son, you can't just stand by and watch your granddaughter

tears, laid the blame thickly

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

the type to settle down. But she was pregnant, and the scandal was huge.

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

bed, her complexion ashen. "Mom, please leave us. I

when to stop her theatrics. She left, allowing Fiona to make her own appeal - it

made a scene, the more reasonable Fiona appeared. That was the

don't stand up for yourself like before, I'll disown you," Heloise warned before slamming the door behind

closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened 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 in the younger generation's affairs. He had taken even more of a back seat since the Ellington family was now in

own fish to fry

simple case of financial fraud; it was bound

doing things, and

you say that," Richard said, his voice softening. "Now that you're out, live your life well. I won't let you down. My promises are still good,

family. Once I'm better, let Mom, Jeffrey, and me leave Rivenwood. As for Dad... Grandpa, can you spare

before Isolde was born, he

her, the only girl

self-reliant, never troubling the family, and

butted heads with Percival, she focused on improving herself

her crime, Richard would have welcomed her

What a pity...

suitable for your recovery. Stay here. In a little while, your uncle will return, and you'll have to meet