The Million-Dollar Heart

Gillian's scream pierced the silence of the night, startling her from her dreams into a gasping reality as she fell to her knees on the floor, breath heaving in her chest. "Mr. Ellington, Mr. Ellington..." She gasped.

Patrick rushed to his daughter's side, steadying her with a firm grip. "Gillian, are you alright?" He asked, concern written all over his face.

Confusion clouded Gillian's eyes as she noticed the cluster of people around her, her last memory of being tucked into bed by Percival, wrapped in a cozy comforter. She was quick to react, though, sobbing as she collapsed into her father's arms. "Dad, I... with Mr. Ellington, we've already... We've..."

Her words hung in the air, leaving an unspoken understanding among the gathered crowd.

The sight of a naked beauty would test any man's resolve, and poor Yannick had been dealt a rough hand, his legacy usurped by another.

A flicker of rage crossed Patrick's eyes as he turned to Percival, his voice rising in anger. "Percival, what do you have to say for yourself? You animal!"

Mara quickly came to the defense. "Mr. Patrick, there were drugs in the room. It was not intentional; it was the drugs that took control. Just think about how Gillian was acting!"

Gillian clung to her father's hand. "Dad, I remember bits and pieces. Mr. Ellington saved me from Yannick. We tried to leave, but... I smelled something strange. Even though my mind was clear, our bodies would not listen...

It's not Mr. Ellington's fault. It's all Yannick's doing. Really, it's not his fault."

Tears streamed down Gillian's face as she clutched the blanket. "Dad, I'm so ashamed."

Mara, with tears in her eyes, looked at Percival. "Bro, it was Gillian's first time. You can't just abandon her."

Patrick was at a loss, torn between anger and the need to comfort his daughter. He looked at Percival with a mixture of anger and pleading. "Mr. Ellington, given the circumstances, if you don't take responsibility, Gillian will have no future."

"Yeah, Percival, we can't just leave things like this."

Their performance could have outshone even the likes of Meryl Streep and Anthony Hopkins.

Vivienne smirked. "Ms. Ashford, ever heard of Rainbow Entertainment? If you're interested in signing, I'll have someone contact you."

wasted. She could cry on cue, immerse herself

a money-making machine, not just

just how broke are

"Utterly, completely, and absolutely

how much she loves money." Vivienne: "Utterly, completely, and absolutely in

tears. "Ms. Hawthorn, what

me to give you another shot?" Vivienne's lips curled in

about me and Mr. Ellington, but I would never lie

Mara. "Are you absolutely sure what

knew she could not change her story now

true, Percival was the only one there. Now that

I have something interesting here. Care

with her hand, and Anna handed her a sleek tablet that was not available on the market, foldable to the size

no idea where the

screen a few times, and soon, a high-definition

I'll place the hallucinogenic drugs in the room. Once I've had my way with Mr. Ellington, we can blame it on Yannick. All you need to do is

of Gillian and Mara's conversation, even filtering out the background

that

had been ready to confront Percival with righteous indignation, now felt the weight of shame.

Ashford family's reputation would

relief. They had been present from the start of Yannick's troubles but had

a chance for a counterattack, perhaps even to implicate

Thus, they

like their chance for

the priority was to

her sleeves and pushed her way through the crowd, ready to defend

way he'd just pass out for no reason. You're scared of getting caught, so you knock him out? Well, let's