The Million-Dollar Heart

In the study, Diana had already prepared a cup of coffee for Jasper, waiting in the silent room for his arrival.

As soon as Jasper stepped in, he noticed the red rims around Diana's eyes, a clear sign of her guilt about the day's earlier events.

Jasper had always been stern with the boys in the household, quick to wield his walking stick when they stepped out of line. But with the girls, it was a different story; he rarely had a harsh word to say.

It was not just out of a fondness for Sasha, who had gone missing long ago. He simply believed that girls were to be cherished.

Even when Natalia and Yasmine, the mischievous ones, had nearly shaved off their eyebrows with Maddox's razor, he had only chuckled and playfully tapped them on the head.

He had never laid a finger in anger on Diana, too.

Today, however, Jasper was truly upset.

He had raised Diana; he knew her every mood and thought. How could he not see what was on her mind?

Diana didn't take kindly to Vivienne and was not particularly fond of Natalia and Yasmine either. He was well aware of that.

"Dad," Diana said, her voice breaking as tears spilled over.

Normally, Jasper would have handed her a tissue or teased gently, "What's got my little girl crying this time?"

But not today. He sat down heavily in his chair, his usual warmth replaced by a brooding silence.

After a while, Diana stopped crying and hung her head in silence.

his words laden

fake. I was deceived, too. I'm

What angers me is how you

harbor such animosity

the incident where Vivienne had saved Yorick at the Linklaters' estate. "That day, Vivienne

with disappointment. "Diana, how would Dracon know about Vivienne being the Specter

the incident with Jasper. They had been inseparable in

being who he was, would certainly have known Vivienne's true identity. Nothing that happened within the Linklater family escaped his notice, including Diana's slander about Vivienne to Dracon. Dracon had bluntly revealed Vivienne's identity as the Specter Healer, and it was indeed deliberate. He did not even know Vivienne, let alone have a

done, she knew she was in

know you feel threatened by Vivienne's arrival. You're scared of losing your place in my heart or being

my own, would I have raised you all these years? Don't think of yourself as just Sasha's replacement.

brimmed with tears

out another sigh, his voice turning gentle. "You, Sasha, Willa - I've never shown favoritism. I may have been preoccupied with finding Sasha, but

eyes flickered with

don't do this

"I

And don't let this happen again. I'll deal with

study, pausing at the door, her