The Million-Dollar Heart

Just then.

The door to their room swung open, pushed by Gavin from the outside. The sudden noise startled the middle-aged man inside, whose gaze darted toward the sound. Harrison, with blood at the corner of his mouth and reddened eyes, caused his expression to drastically change.

Madeline let out a scream, snapping Gavin back to reality. He hurriedly instructed someone to help Harrison up. "Victoria, have you lost your mind? Are you trying to murder your own husband?!" Victoria stared blankly at her hands, her pupils dilated in shock. It didn't make sense to her. From what she had observed of Harrison recently, his seemingly weak demeanor had to be an act. She might have been a bit too reactive, a little too rough, but surely it wasn't enough to make someone cough up blood.

She opened her mouth, her gaze sweeping over Harrison's pitiful, semi-conscious state, her eyes tightening. "Who knew he was so fragile? It was just a joke."

Her nonchalant chuckle and carefree demeanor only infuriated Gavin further. He raised his hand to strike, but Sophie, who had followed him into the room, lit up with schadenfreude, barely able to hide her glee.

Only Madeline, her pupils contracting, stepped forward to intercept.

Smack!

The expected pain didn't explode on Victoria's face. To her surprise, a slim figure had blocked Gavin's blow.

Victoria raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over Harrison, who was being helped up, and Sophie at the door, finally resting on Gavin's shocked face. Then, she glanced at the person who had shielded her, reluctantly coming to a conclusion. Madeline!

Interesting.

She wondered how Madeline planned to betray her this time.

"Mom!"

fell into a deathly silence for a full two minutes after the slap, only broken by Sophie's panicked scream, "Mom, what

out of it, pushing his daughter aside to embrace Madeline, who was now teary-eyed and holding her face. "I was disciplining my child. Why did you suddenly jump in?

yet she clenched her teeth, maintaining a pitiful demeanor. "I'm fine. As long as Victoria is okay, that's what matters. Gavin, you're being too impulsive." "Even if Victoria is wrong, she's grown up; you can't hit her. If Richard

lips curled into a subtle smile, silently sharing a look with Victoria. The message was clear: see, even if you disagree with

servants to tend to Harrison's wounds, then turned and shut the door, leaving the four of them in

at the laptop still streaming the trial, then asked, "What do you

The room went silent.

showed no intention of getting up. She met Gavin's gaze with indifference, looked around in surprise, then pointed to herself, "Are you asking me?"

opinion could I possibly have? Kipling is definitely done for. Dad, you might as well cut ties with the Abernasy family to avoid any

"How could you say that? He's my uncle. Mom just

your mom helping

complain, "Our family and the Abernasy family are united. We can't just separate because we

Gavin's expression darkened, and he turned

account used for receiving the money. No matter how skilled they are,

advice, "Dad, this is so simple to resolve. Why bother taking the risk

a different bank account and

thought. "Nonsense! The connections

arrange for you

any more of Victoria's objections, decisively ending the conversation, "Seize the opportunity to plead with Richard, hoping he'll pressure Vivienne to

nearly laughed