The Million-Dollar Heart

In front of the Boyd Mansion.

As Wendy approached, she could not miss the sparkling ring on Vivienne's finger. Under her breath, she cursed, "That little bitch!"

But her face was all smiles as she said, "Percival, darling, why stand out here? You're at granny's now; there's no need to be so formal. Come on in!" Percival scanned Wendy with a glance. If it weren't for the mission he was concealing, he'd never again associate with the Boyds. It made his skin crawl.

"We haven't sanitized and showered yet; it wouldn't be proper to come in," Percival replied coolly.

Wendy despised him all the more for it.

Percival was even more insufferable than his grandfather. Give him an inch, and he would not take it. Those Ellingtons, all with a stick up their backside! But for the sake of that elusive trade route, she had to play along.

With a thwack, Wendy brought her solid oak cane down on the butler's shin, sending him tumbling to the ground in surprise.

"You ungrateful wretch, Percival's family, isn't he? I told you to have those riff-raff from who knows where to clean up, not Percival! You muddle-headed fool, you can kiss your bonus goodbye this month." Vivienne watched from the side, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

Riff-raff from nowhere?

Was that directed at her?

Surely, it was.

After scolding the butler, Wendy turned back to Percival with a forced smile and said, "Percival, the servants are clueless sometimes. Please, come inside. Don't just stand out here." But Percival acted as if he had not heard Wendy. Instead, he turned to Vivienne.

Vivienne smiled lightly. "I heard it's Boyd tradition to sanitize and shower before meeting the head of the house?"

smile froze, taking a few seconds before replying, "We

you do now," Vivienne said, twisting the ring on her finger, and without changing shoes, she and Percival stepped onto the luxurious wool

Now, with four dirty footprints stamped across it, she felt like her organs were about to burst with rage. Vivienne settled down, crossing her legs and resting them on the coffee table, her

on her cane tightened. She wanted to smash it

a presence that even Wendy, well into her fifties, found

silence, Wendy reluctantly headed to the prepared decontamination room to shower and change, ready to

the decontamination room, freshly dressed. Vivienne looked her over; she really had showered, and the fragrance of her body wash had muted the unpleasant odor. Wendy

your aunt and uncle

7:30 PM. Still

After all these years,

working, and they would eat when they returned. But once they did, they would say they had already eaten, leaving

back. "Fine, we'll wait

Percival had nothing to him but his looks. Now, he seemed to radiate a chilling aura, like someone who had

bitch beside him, not a trace of girlishness

silent, devoid of even basic

the Boyds started

family members of Boyd's eldest son, Theodore, and his wife, Teresa, followed by their children. The injured butler stopped them, "Master Theodore, please

Boyd Mansion for over forty years, Theodore had never heard of such a thing as a

"You mutt,

wife Nancy, and